Principles of Islamic Sociology

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1:

CHAPTER 2:

CHAPTER 3:

CHAPTER 4:

CHAPTER 5:

CHAPTER 6:

CHAPTER 7:

CHAPTER 8:

CHAPTER 9:

CHAPTER 10:

CHAPTER 11:

CHAPTER 12:

CHAPTER 13:

CHAPTER 14:

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

About the Author

In the Name of our Creator,

Who Taught us the use of the pen.

(Qur’an,96:4)

In memory of my late parents

Mohammad Younos and Setara Younos.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

It was Spring of 2008 that I discussed teaching a class on Islamic sociology with Professor Benjamin Bowser, then the Chairperson of the Department of Sociology and Social Services at the California State University-East Bay. He enthusiastically accepted my proposal and opened a seminar class for senior and graduate students. That encouragement motivated me to study more about this topic. Although the seminar class did not meet due to low enrollment, the idea for this book was nevertheless born.

In 2009 Mr Sultan Muhammad Siddiqi, President of Shah Mardan Dost Limited from Japan, called Noor television where I have a weekly show called The Dr. Younos Show. He requested that I talk about the social issues of Islam. He graciously sponsored four weeks of The Dr. Younos Show at Noor TV. This request, coming from as far as Japan, made me think seriously about writing a book on Islamic sociology. Four weeks of sociological discussion at Noor television was well taken by viewers around the world. Hence, I am very grateful to Professor Bowser, Mr Siddiqi and my talk show audience for their encouragement, support, and for opening the door for such a research project. I also thank the Bayat Foundation for providing the opportunity at Noor television for me to discuss these issues.

This work would not have been completed without the technical support in computer operations of Miss Layma Murtaza, a graduate student of American University of Cairo. Miss Layma, like my other assistants, not only helped as a technical and research assistant but also as a young American Muslim who was raised in an Afghan family in the United States. She questioned some themes and theories that I brought up, and was extremely supportive of formulating this research project. I extend my warmest thanks and gratitude to my nephew Ken Homayun Younos, who graciously assisted me with the strenuous job of proofreading. I am very grateful to Dr. Farhadi, former Professor of linguistics at the University of California Berkeley and Distinguished University Professor, Dr. Sherali from Virginia Tech for providing valuable suggestions on this research project. Finally, I thank my wife, Fowzia Younos for her continuous support and for always providing the necessary feedback.

Farid Younos

INTRODUCTION

According to Islamic studies the founder of the Muslim society is Muhammad[1], the Prophet of Islam (570 C.E.-632 C.E.). Academically, the father of sociology in Islam is a Muslim scholar from North Africa, Ibn Khaldun (1332 C.E. –1406 C.E.). Western scholars define sociology as the study of society in social interaction among groups of people. In Islam, it is the study of not only the way in which people interact, but also the study of how that has been developed, fostered, and geared by social forces in history and by historical variables. Confusion lies within the question, Is it people that make a society, or is it socio-economic factors, historical events, and a trend toward civilization, that shape a society?" For example, in the United States the population lives in a liberal democracy wherein economic forces shape and formulate social behavior as consumers. In Islam, by contrast, religious thinking creates a social system and shapes social behavior. Within this Islamic system there is a principle called tawhid, which will be discussed below.

God (Allah) created the world, and He knows how the world should be, how it should function, and on what principles the world should be maintained, used, and not mistreated. This divine act of creation continues into the present. Accordingly, in Islam the law of nature and the law of Allah (God) are one and the same. Muslim society, according to Islamic sociology, is not the arbitrary outcome of social variables and economic factors, such as the mode of production or labor of those who control the means of production; rather, it is a grand design established by a Creator.

To illustrate the above statement, I would like to give, as an example, the relationship between Allah’s creation — that is, the natural world — and man. Suppose we have a mechanical engineer who designed an automobile. The engineer knows exactly how people should ride in this car, how much tire pressure should be pumped into the tires for the car to run, at what speed the car should be driven, what type of gas the car should consume, and so on. In a similar way, Allah[2] created the universe. He designed the universe, He created the whole system for a purpose and for use for human beings. The whole system is natural and the system ecologically takes care of itself. Human beings are part of this natural system, not a separate entity from nature. Since human beings are a part of nature, and nature is also a part of them. Therefore human beings play an active role as members of the natural system. Allah has given laws to His creation, such as the laws of physics, laws of the vegetation kingdom, and laws of the animal kingdom. So the question arises, how could Allah give laws to all His creation, but not to mankind who is part of this natural system? As a matter of fact, throughout the history of creation, beginning with our first parents, Adam and Eve, laws have indeed been given, as well as accepted and implemented by human beings for his/her own well-being and happiness. From this we can conclude that the laws given in the Qu’ran are a natural decree for human felicity. If, according to our studies, one violates the principles of Qur’anic laws s/he will have accidents or misfortunes in this world and in the Hereafter. Here we are thinking in terms of deviation from natural laws rather than in terms of purely religious concepts like sin. Another point of Islamic sociological study is the assertion that the whole cosmos has been created in a perfect balance. Human beings are a part of this balanced system, and if any one deviates from its natural laws, which for Muslim sociologists includes the social laws in the Qur’an, s/he will be out of balance and will harm the conditions of his/her own existence. Therefore, Muslim society is based on the principles of moderation and balance in all aspects of human life.

The other point Muslim sociologists believe and maintain is that, as a natural being and a part of natural law, all social interaction that is natural must be based upon the Qur’an. For example, men and women in Islamic society consider each other sisters and brothers. This means that both sexes, as members of human society, should support each other, cooperate with each other, and have a social relationship based on the moral principles of Islam. In essence, this means that a man is not allowed to have inappropriate intentions towards a woman, he is not allowed to gossip about her, he is not allowed to disrespect her integrity and dignity and likewise, the woman should not do the same thing towards him. But if the man or the woman has any amorous intention in their heart, they can express it politely by saying, I want to marry you. This proposition could be accepted or rejected. If accepted, they officially and naturally marry according to Islamic law. If not, they automatically default back to the previous social position as social sisters and brothers.

Islamic sociology has been derived from the Qur’an and from the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad. Society in Islam is not a static phenomenon, but a vital, moving and energetic phenomenon. This means that based upon human advances, society changes its norms but the underlying principles — the laws of nature — stay the same. Norm has been defined by sociologists as Expectations, or rules of behavior, that reflect and enforce behavior. For example, in the month of fasting, the expectations of society among Muslims are as such that they expect each other to be fasting. The behavior of individuals reflects upon the rules of fasting in the month of Ramadan, where one is expected to be modest, humble, and guard one’s tongue and not utter something that may hurt another’s feelings.

CHAPTER 1:

Tawhid (Oneness of God)

All Muslims, including the Islamic scholars, in all branches of science, strongly believe that God is one, He is Absolute, He is the Creator and that He is the lawgiver of the universe and of mankind. He is the first causal principle, the beginning and the end, as well as the Unique One; He does not resemble anyone (Qur’an, 42:11), because He does not exist in human form. God is all knowing, all wise and He has given the world an order wherein which He keeps that order. Muslim scholars believe in the theory of occasionalism, which states at every moment of time, God recreates the world and thus makes happen all that happens therein.[3] This means that God is not an idle being. He constantly watches His creations and He recreates His creation as He deems necessary for ecological survival. The ‘Oneness’ of God has a vast meaning in Islamic sociology, including that He is the core principle of all vital existence on earth. Belief in God is what makes a Muslim a Muslim. If s/he believes in God, s/he must believe in Him in totality, not partiality, and must listen to His laws as an exercise of free choice. Man resorts to God for guidance when and where the human understanding fails, because God is the lawgiver and has the final say on all matters.

The holy Qur’an is not a manual of sociology. However, many of its verses as we shall see, are the declarations of sociological principles.

The Oneness of God, which is the principle of Tawhid, views the universe as one, mankind as one, and knowledge as one. These all originate from the one God alone. According to renowned sociologist of the 20th century, Ali Shari’ati, explains Tawhid as, regarding the whole cosmos as a unity, instead of dividing it into this world and the Hereafter, the natural and the supernatural, substance and meaning, spirit and body. It means regarding the whole of existence as a single form, a single living and a conscience organism, possessing will, intelligence, feeling and purpose.[4] Tawhid is a world-view. It gives a person a direction for living, achievement and purpose. It creates his/her goal and objective. Tawhid gives hope, because the ultimate hope of success and achievement is to return to Allah. Human responsibility towards Tawhid is to align all of his actions to achieve and to reach Allah. Because of this principle, Islam is a complete way of life and encompasses all aspects of life. Therefore, a Muslim cannot be detached from politics, economics, civic life, and social life in the study of Islam. Tawhid is totality of life and it is only through Tawhid, Muslim social scientists believe, that the ideal world order will be achieved. Since human beings are accountable in the Hereafter, s/he must make sure that his or her agenda for life is to please both Allah and the community. This means that human beings are not only responsible for themselves but must also meet God’s expectations. The Qur’an says mankind accepted responsibility for this expectation: Indeed, we did offer the trust of volitional faith to the heavens and the earth and the mountains. But they refused to bear it and were fearful of it. Yet the human being bore it (Qur’an 33:72).

Tawhid rejects any sort of duality, trinity, or multiplicity. The source of the whole creation is Allah, and He is the One who makes things happen. He is the source of knowledge and wisdom. Human beings learn from Him. He teaches humans through his natural law to be productive, cooperative, and a meaningful member of the social system. It is through Tawhid that men and women know their position as well as responsibility in society. Tawhid gives them a direction, vision, world-view and principles of living. This idea also makes them civilized, because Allah knows in what way His creation should perform to reach his/her maximum potential. Tawhid is the gateway to science and knowledge. It is through this gateway only that human beings will reach social, political, and economical felicity, because Tawhid aligns all orders with natural law. Tawhid is not a man-made philosophy or theory. Tawhid is a Divine principle for living entities; human beings included. Without Tawhid human beings are like astronauts floating in outer space. That means there is no ground for human beings on which to settle. Tawhid establishes social interaction and social behavior; the two main principles of sociological studies. It is important to note that Tawhid has not been designed for only Muslims. Tawhid has been designed, formulated, and composed for humanity as one body. Tawhid rejects any sort of discrimination, biases and prejudices. At the same time Tawhid establishes justice for all without making human beings servants to one another, but to Allah only. Tawhid not only bonds mankind to God, but bonds mankind to nature as well. It is due to a knowledge of nature that humanity will achieve their goal on earth. Tawhid stands against corruption, constantly reminding humanity of their responsibility to the earth. The Qur’an says, Rather, we have brought them the Qur’an to be their revealed Reminder of the way of God. Yet they turn away from the guidance of their revealed Reminder (Qur’an 23:71).

Only those who understand see and comprehend Tawhid, which is the relationship of God to His Creation. Only those with this understanding use their intelligence to discover the universality of this creation. This universality means that the whole natural system, mankind included, is running and operating from one main source and that source is Allah. The Qur’an says, Yet He alone is the One who has brought forth for all of you human beings the faculties of hearing, sight, and hearts that comprehend (Qur’an 23:78). This reference of the Qur’an, means that God has