MAN AND RELIGION
Mankind has always witnessed the
appearance of a religion or a divine guiding message. The mercy and kindness of
Allah necessitated the sending of prophets to mankind so as to show them the
path of good.
The main objectives of the prophets
was the conveyance of the divine messages, reform of society and the liberation
of man from the clutches of perversion, crime and moral decay. Their objective
was to free him from the evils of tyrants and oppressors and to ween his
psychology from backwardness and superstition.
The divine messages are an
indivisible process of rectification of man's religious, psychological, moral
and legal aspects. The process fitted well into man's life since the messages
issued from the creator of man and He knows well what suits man's life on
earth.
Divine laws and ethics are
congruent with the essence of the human personality and its development. The
religion of Islam is the divine message sent to reform human life, establish
justice, and liberate man from injustice, corruption and perversion. Some of
the verses of the Holy Qur'an which illustrate these points are: 57:25,
5:15-16, 8:8, 7:56, 16:90, 7:157 and 11:61.
Islam is the true religion which
was the only religion kept safe from distortion and falsification. The human
goals of the Islamic message are mentioned in many texts in the Qur'an, the
main ones of which are:
1. Stressing the single origin of
mankind and the cancellation of racial, national, class and color barriers
among human beings. (49:13)
2. Stressing love and respect
between the husband and wife. (30:21)
3. Establishing justice among
people. (57:25, 16:90)
4. Achieving security and stability
for mankind. It is expressly stated by the Qur'an. (5:16, 8:61, 6:82)
5. Supporting the truth and
uprooting falsehood. (8:8, 21:18)
6. Fighting crime, subversion,
aggression and corruption on earth. (7:56, 16:90, and 2:190)
7. Encouraging good and kindness.
(7:157, 16:90, 21:73)
8. Forbidding whatever is harmful
to the spirit, body and instincts, and allowing what is good and useful to
humanity. (7:157, 7:32, 7:33)
9. Liberating mankind from the
shackles of the oppression and servitude of tyrants and realizing freedom and
dignity for man. (7:157, 4:60, 17:70)
10. Enhancing life on earth and
populating it, making use of its resources and materials and man's human and
psychological energies for the benefit of man. (11:61, 67:15, 28:77)
11. Liberating the intellect from
stagnation, backwardness and superstition and calling it to think, contemplate
and investigate nature. (39:9, 59:21, 58:11)
12. Distributing resources
equitably to all members of society with a view to nip in the bud the formation
of any category of economic or social classes. (59:7, 51:19)
This is the message of religion and
its principles in their human and social dimensions. It is an invitation to
recognize the Oneness of Allah and worship Him alone. Turning oneself to Allah
is virtually turning oneself to what is good and the Absolute Existence.
AGREEMENT
AND DIFFERENCE IN DIVINE MESSAGES
No major difference exists among
the divine messages except with respect to the way of worshipping Allah and in
the domain of laws. Some messages are more perfect and exclusive than others.
The most perfect and comprehensive in methods, order and laws is Islam. Thus,
the differences between the messages lies in the legislative side and the
method of life because of the necessities required by man and nature who are
address by this verse: Allah, the Most High, says:
"...for every one
of you We have appointed a law and a right way..."
Holy Qur’an (5: 48)
Islam is the final message and
Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets and the subject of their good news.
(7:157, 61:6)