"deen" does not mean "religion"

[Wakas]

peace All,

According to 'al quran', the core meaning of "deen" is "that which is due". It is a power relation, and thus if one had to choose a single word to describe it as best one could, from all the meanings I've seen "obligation" would be my first choice. This should not surprise those with a good classical Arabic dictionary, as this is given as a meaning.

Some people might think this is semantics, but feel free to go through the occurrences (particularly the ones in bold)

14, 2132, 2193, 2217, 2217, 2256, 319, 324, 373, 383, 385, 446, 4125, 4146, 4171, 53, 53, 53, 554, 557, 577, 670, 6137, 6159, 6161, 729, 751, 839, 849, 872, 911, 912, 929, 933, 933, 936, 9122, 1022, 10104, 10105, 1240, 1276, 1535, 1652, 2278, 242, 2425, 2455, 2682, 2965, 3030, 3030, 3032, 3043, 3132, 335, 3720, 3878, 392, 393, 3911, 3914, 4014, 4026, 4065, 4213, 4213, 4221, 4828, 4828, 4916, 516, 5112, 5656, 608, 609, 619, 619, 7026, 7446, 829, 8215, 8217, 8218, 8311, 957, 985, 985, 1071, 1096, 1096, 1102

Above info was taken from the root Dal-Ya-Nun in PRL
http//www.studyquran.co.uk/PRLonline.htm

[ayman]

Peace brother Wakas,

I completely agree.

Peace,

Ayman

[Elke]

Peace

and thank you wakas for the verses - i didn't go through yet

"system" was very much used on this site, but i do prefer "obligation" as it implies responsability

lk

[wildguest1956]

How does "obligation" (or "system&quot fit in ?

Peace

[CavemanDoctor]

How does "obligation" (or "system&quot fit in ?

Peace

Peace JM. I think "obligation" fits 14 much better than "religion" does actually. God is the Master of the Day of Obligation. What is the Day of Obligation? The day when all of our actions/deeds/thoughts/commitments to the "obligation" will reveal themselves. Our spiritual health in the Hereafter is a result of our being in line with, or astray from, the Obligation put on us. On that day, even our own hands, tongues, and feet will bear witness to the extent to which we were in symmetry with the obligation (2424).

Peace.

[Elke]

Peace JM,

how does religion fit in 1.4 ?

(if that was your input)

lk

[wildguest1956]

Peace JM,

how does religion fit in 1.4 ?

(if that was your input)

lk

I have never said that "religion" fits.

What I want to point is that maybe the meaning of deen is larger than "obligation" or "system" only.

Peace

[Elke]

ok, thanks for clarifying
lk

[Wakas]

peace,

Rather than stopping at 14, please go through the rest of the occurrences (you may start with the ones in bold if time is limited), and then the answer should become much clearer.

[unknownuser]

Peace be upon you,

In 14, try using TIME of obligation, not "day". I have been using "order" for deen, I will have to check the occurences again.

[wildguest1956]

2 useful links
http//www.quranicteachings.co.uk/deen.htm
http//www.quranicteachings.co.uk/Ad_Deen.pdf