The meaning of 'Deen'
Secularists' attempt to take secularism from the present extreme to yet another extreme only brings people closer to understanding the real message of Islam
Allah (swt) says in surat Al-Mae'dah, (Verse 3), what can be translated as, ''Today, I have completed your Deen, and have completed my bliss upon you and accepted for you Islam as a Deen.'' The word Deen mentioned in these verses and in many others in the Qur'an. This word is one of the most important word in the life of the Muslims, because the guidance, success in this life and in the Hereafter depends on two things: Understanding the meaning of two words (Deen and Islam), and applying this meaning in life.
Our understanding of this word ('Deen') got weak because of our weakness in the Arabic language with which Qur'an was revealed. As a result, we repeat the word Deen with the tongues without understanding it except for a few people who could understand them as they should be understood. So, it is impossible to apply its meaning in our lives, despite our insistence on belonging to the Deen and specifically to Islam.
What is the meaning of the word Deen ?
To answer this question, it is a must that we refer to the Arabic language dictionaries which still keep the meaning of how the Arabs used to understand the word Deen and the word Islam when Qur'an was being revealed. In that period of time, there was no problem with understanding this word by the Arabs from whom the companions of the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) came. That generation that transformed the understanding for this word into reality in their individual and collective lives. As a result, this understanding led them to the guidance, the guidance of Islam. This change was the greatest change in the long history of mankind.
The concept of Deen: The word Deen is used in the Arabic language to give different meanings.
The literal meanings of Deen are to: obey, become obedient, become abased and submissive and serve. All this, however, is impossible without the presence of some authority to be obeyed There are other meanings of Deen as well, such as ''a particular law'', ''a statute'' ''an ordinance'', ''requital'', ''recompense'', ''judgement'', ''reckoning'', etc. So, the primary significance of the term Deen can be reduced to four: a) indebtedness b) submissiveness c) judicious power d) natural inclination or tendency. But when the preposition ''la'', i.e. Arabic letter ''laam'' is used with Deen, it means particularly, ''obedience.''
For example, lahu al-Deen specifically means that obedience [Al-Deen] is only to Allah (10:22, 16:52,etc), not to any worldly authority or law. Obedience to worldly authority is allowed only when that authority is responsible for ensuring obedience to Allah (4:59, 4:83).
To see how we cannot escape living one or another kind of Deen in any part of the world, and that the word Deen is linked to living a way of life and the overall set up of a society, we need to understand the verb Dana which derives from Deen and conveys the meaning of being indebted. In the state in which one finds oneself in debt to a Dain (creditor), it follows that one subjects oneself to obeying to laws and ordinances governing debts, and also, in a way, to the creditor, designated as a Dain.
One in debt is always under obligation, or Dayn. Being under obligation naturally involves judgment (Daynunah) and conviction (Idana) as the case may be. All these significations, including their contraries inherent in Dana, are practicable only in organized societies involved in commercial life in towns and cities, denoted by Mudun or Madain. A town or city (Madinah) has a judge, ruler, or governor (Dayyan), certain power structure and systems. Submission to this set up and feeling indebted and bound to obey the relevant laws, etc. makes one live according to the specific Deen of that city or state.
According to the Holy Qur'an, man cannot escape being in the state of living a Deen. Hence the term Deen is also used to denote to ways of life other than Islam. However, what makes Islam different is that the submission according to the Islam is sincere and total submission to Allah's will and this is enacted willingly as absolute obedience to the law revealed by Him.
After understanding this definition of the Arabic word Deen, we realize that it is wrong to translate it to the English with the word ''religion''. Furthermore we do not need anyone to come up with a definition for the word Deen for us - like many of the enemies of Islam do today - But, we should take precaution and warn Muslims against these conspiracies that are plotted against Muslims to keep them away from the reality of their Deen and distort the concept of Deen or restrict it to one aspect of life - like they (None Muslim) did with there religion and church after the French Revolution.
It is obligatory for us to clarify to the people the reality of Deen in the Islamic perspective, also obligatory for us to implant this reality in our youth's mind so that they will not confuse the concept of Deen with all these wrongful and distorting definitions.
Every society needs regulation and its legislative process provides a framework which society believes is best placed to do this. An associated judicial process is key to maintaining 'the rule of law', preventing society from degenerating into lawlessness. This principle is true for Britain, the United States, Islamic rule and any other society for that matter that seeks progress - each has its own source of law, judicial process and associated punishments which are designed to regulate society. The establishment of Islamic rule does not entail the conversion of its citizens to Islam - they are citizens whose rights are protected by the state. Thus, why should the implementation of Islam over society be termed as an imposition on society, any different to the British, French or the U.S. imposition of western secularism? The real discussion is not the fact that society needs regulation according to an implemented law, but according to which standard it should be regulated.
''Do they seek other than the Deen of Allah? while all creatures in the heave and on the earth have, willing or unwilling, submitted to His Will, and to Him shall they all be returned. '' (3:83)
Therefore Deen determines our outlook, the culture we choose to adopt, the standards we adhere to, sources we refer to for solutions and answers, and the methodology used deal with issues.
Brief explanation of Standard, Sources and Methodology
A) Standard - All actions should be evaluated according the Hukm Shariah (i.e Halaal & Haraam). Hukm Shariah is categorised into five:
1)Fardh or Wajib - Obligatory actions
2)Mandoub - Recommended actions
3)Mubah - Permissible actions
4)Makrooh - Disliked actions
5)Haraam - Prohibited actions
Invalid standards include benefit which is the basic criteria of all actions in the capitalists west.
B. Sources - All the rules (akham) should be derived from solely Islamic legislative sources namely:
1)Quran
2)Sunnah
3)Qiyas (Analogical deductions)
4)Ijma a Sahabah (consensus of the Sahabah)
when we go to the Divine Texts (Quran and Sunnah), we have to do so being always cognizant of the types of texts. Thus there are certain ayahs in the Quran that cannot be thought into due to the lack of previous information. As we mentioned before, these aspects deal with the essence of Allah, like the shape, form or texture of Allah's hands or face. Also, there are other parts of the Divine Texts that contain stories about the previous peoples and prophets, and the intent here is to teach a lesson or to prove a point about Allah's omnipotence and his Tawheed. Other aspects of the Quran are the encouragement and entreaty to mankind to ponder and contemplate the universe to arrive at the Divine Conclusion. And the last aspect is the aspect of divine rules to be implemented in solving our daily problems. It is quite unfortunate that today we spend an inordinate amount of time pondering the essence of Allah, whether He is coming or how does he descend, or the essence of his mercy; while on the other hand we do not make any effort whatsoever in deriving solutions to our problems, or even developing an Islamic global political angle with which we view the global political events.
Invalid sources include:
1.Islamic history (or HIS STORY)
2.The Human mind - Mind is the tool to understand the sources, not a source by itself.
C. Methodology - The Islamic methodology to understand new issues and deriving rules is called the process of 'ijtihaad'. It is a defined method of deriving rules for new circumstances by referring the subject matter of a new problem with an event or issue which articulates a similar subject matter in the Islamic texts. It does not represent changing Islamic principles to suit a situation, but rather applying these principles to provide a view on such situations. Prior to addressing this assertion, we need to emphasize that in order to understanding any issue, the Hukm Sharia related to that issue must be understood. Otherwise, different ahkam may be applied. In fact, the process of Ijtihad requires three steps:
1)Understanding the ISSUE itself; This is the most difficult step because of the similarities in many issues. For e.g. changing the setup of the society and replacing the ruler are two different issues which entails two different courses of actions.
2)Studying the TEXT related to the issue: The text refers to the Quran, Sunnah,Qiyas, and Ijma a Sahabah (see sources)
3)Deriving the Hukm from the related text. The resultant hukm could be Haraam, Waajib, Mubah, Makrooh or Mandoub (see standard).The result could also be an opinion, a law, a policy, or a solution.
Therefore if a person feels the need to attend a ''bondi bai'' party organised by the reformists or participate in shouting contests, he needs to understand the subject matter comprehensively and refer to the Islamic sources for a judgement. Furthermore, unity does not step from sharing bondi bai dishes. Given the opportunity and the time, we can provide the details of a Palestinian who wishes death to every Israeli and an Orthodox Rabbi who prays that every Arab ceases to exist, and they shake hands, exchange roses and merrily chat over coffee and Baklava all afternoon. Hence unity should be an intrinsic unity that stems from a realization that we all subscribe to the same point of view of life and share the same reference. This type of intellectual unity will create consistency in thoughts and action, and will continue despite changing circumstances. Furthermore, the intellectual unity is not one that can be easily manipulated or misdirected to fulfill the motives of others.
Comments
If Deen means submitting to an authority, how does a Muslim submit to Islam in the absence of an Islamic state ?
Secularists such as Asghar Ali, chairman of the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, Mumbai believes, the Qur'anic verses regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance, etc ''were often revealed in response to either some questions from the Muslim men and women or in response to developing situations,'' which the later day Muslims codified in the form of Shari'ah laws and ''Muslims follow as obligatory whether there is Islamic state or not.'' He concludes: ''Thus it is not necessary to have an Islamic state for enforcing Shari'ah laws.'' The question that exposes this inanity is: How can a state follow both secular and Shari'ah laws to the full extent in a state?
It is easy to declare that Islamic laws were revealed merely to create a just society rather than evolve any state structure. It is, however, very difficult to explain how would Muslims practice some injunctions of the Qur'an, such as avoiding Riba, in a secular state which is to the core structured in a way to promote un-Islamic systems and way of life. There are Qur'anic injunctions which can never be followed in a secular state. Mostly importantly, the basic duty of Muslims to establish Islam as a Deen can never be fulfilled through mixing Islam and Godless freedom.
The secularists further argue that '' Shari'ah laws, since they are divine are followed voluntarily and no state is required to enforce them.'' So, divine should be followed voluntarily and man-made to be enforced with the state power. What a joke it is. Laws, divine or otherwise, always need enforcement. They are never accepted voluntary as they entail the element of exacting justice and the culprit and oppressor always try to avoid punishment. Someone from among the secularist shall answer how a Muslim thief, for instance, will go ahead and voluntarily cut his hand according to Shari'ah law in a secular state? Or can the secularists explain how Muslims in a secular society can implement the Islamic economic system which does not breed thieves and oppression.
While the individuals involved in such campaigns may or may not in themselves amount for much, it is the discourse they engender that has implications. Their attempt to take secularism from the present extreme to yet another extreme only brings people closer to understanding the real message of Islam.
Devoiding Islam from the concept of power and authority fails us in understanding Qur'anic verses such as: ''Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the earth as He made rulers those before them, and that He will most certainly establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them..'' (24.55). When Allah makes them rulers, as He promised, would they be without political power and authority? More importantly, does Allah give a people rule without their genuine hankering for establishing a way of life as prescribed by Allah, and without their striving to gain the rule?
The secularist confusion deepens with the assumption that the ''original intention'' of the Qur'anic revelation is ''more moralistic than legalistic.'' Islam is not a matter of Qur'anic percentages. A greater portion of the Qur'an talking about moral issues does not mean to ignore its legal aspects. The Qur'an clearly says: ''And We have revealed to you the Book with the truth...We appoint a law and a way'' (05:48). The secular assertions in this regard not only ignores the message of the Qur'an (03:03; 33:36; 5:33, 38; 24:2; 24:4, 2:178; and 17:33), but also leads the seculars further astray into believing that the Prophet (PBUH) did not migrate to Madina with any intention to found any power structure.
If the Prophet (PBUH) went to Madina to escape persecution, there was no need for him to initiate wars after reaching there. Why did he not peacefully show the right path to people? There were eight strategically planned expeditions of surveillance against Makkans before the first battle of Badr. Here the secularists miss the crux of the message: the goal was to establish the right, rather than showing merely the right path. Establishing anything from roots always needs power and takes sacrifices.
Just as the self-appointed spokespersons of the West, such as Daniel Pipes and Thomas Friedman hardly finish a write up without asserting superiority of the American values and way of life, Makkans too were proud of their values and lifestyle. In such a situation, the Prophet's mission to spread the word of Allah and establish a new way of life was not possible without a state.
Related Quote
''The hidden hand of the market will never work without a hidden fist. McDonald's cannot flourish without McDonnell Douglas (US arms industry)... And the hidden fist that keeps the world safe for Silicon Valley's technologies to flourish is called the US Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps..''
--The Lexus and the Olive Tree, Thomas Friedman
Related
False claims used to distance Muslims from working for the khilafah
The Fardiyya (obligation) of khilafah
that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth?
[57:16]
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