Social Ideology of the Quran

(Islam Stands for Peace, Progress and Prosperity)

(Well Being of the Whole Humanity)





It hardly needs emphasizing that man is a social being and that he has to live in the society. For it is in
this context only that his station in life will be adjudged. It is also an axiom that progress calls for an
atmosphere of peace for its movement. But as the society grows and expands, there is clash of interests
between men, with the result that the world turns into a scene of discord and confusion. Serious minds
feel in such a situation inclination to keep away from it and seek a life of seclusion. But this is not the
solution to the problems facing society. What is needed is harmony and balance in social relations and
how to attain this, should be the concern of every thinking mind. Unless one has regard for the feeling of
others and their well being, his own well being will be at stake. This is only achieved when we impose a
check on our own vagaries and self-will and think of our own good in terms of the good of one and all.
Thus all human societies have developed ways, codes and laws of interaction and limitations on the
absolute human independence. Only a well behaved, regulated and disciplined society can go far and
achieve the all round progress, prosperity and well being of its members. But, the mere promulgation of
the laws, regulations and code of conduct is not a guarantee in itself, unless there is some sanction
behind this. But still, the ambitious and selfish persons who want to dominate and exploit others find
out ways and means to circumvent these laws and regulations and a day to day discord and discontent
in the society continues. The strong will always try to have an upper hand and the weak are always
oppressed and exploited. The reason for this is that such persons, (and there is no dearth of such
persons all over the world), have very little regard for any law and voluntary obligation and their self
interest is upper most in their minds. The primary need for a man is to develop the habit of self-restraint
and a personal concern for the welfare of others. The Quran makes it clear that God never alters the
condition of the people unless they themselves change from within. That is the law one has to keep in
view. It is indeed the SUNNATULLAH, the habit of God, His way of regulating human life. The Quran
points out that this way never alters. When a person declares, LA-ILAHA ILLAL-LAH, MUHAMMADUR
RASUL ALLAH, with all his conviction and sincerity, he affirms to conform to this law which in the
Quranic phraseology means the Will of God. We have to live in conformity and harmony with the Laws
of Allah and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah may ever be with him) under divine inspiration,
has conveyed such a law to us in the form of Quran, Al Kitab as the Quran calls itself. This law, a
complete Code for our life, which is devised to suit our nature, the Deen-ul-Fitrat in the form of Quran
consists of abiding principles of life in all its essential phases. Not only in our individual and private
capacity, but in relation to others, as a member of composite society, we have to live such a regulated
and harmonious life, which should lead to our all round development, not only of the self, the individual
but of all humanity, the mankind as a whole. In this way, one has to identify himself with the rest and fit
into the corporate whole. There cannot be any self development which goes against the interest of the
whole, similarly the society as a whole cannot ignore the interest and the development of the individual.

The individual and the whole go hand in hand and as soon as one accepts Islam and joins its fold, Islam
will not be his own and private matter only. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) has declared, a
Muslim is like a shepherd unto the other Muslim or Keeper unto him. Muhammad under divine
guidance pointed out such a way of life, the DEEN, and established a pattern of society and showed in all
its minutest details how it can be lived and worked it out successfully. Those guiding principles of life
which he has shown us and on which he constructed the grand edifice of Islam were in conformity with
the innate nature of man. So long as the nature of man does not change, these principles will also abide.
May be the pattern of life and society in detail undergo a change, but this does not and should not mean
that the eternal and basic values of life can ever alter. In a nutshell, that was how Muhammed (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him), showed us a way of life to attain well being Fallah in all its
aspects. The Quran declares that what man should pray and strive for is the straight path, Sirat-al-
Mustaqueem, that would lead him to the attainment of such a goal. This will be the path of the firm
and the straight forward, but not a path of the wavering and erring souls. Man has to strive for this,
actively living in the society of the people, working not only for the self, but for others around him also.
God has created man in the best of mould but it is man who erroneously treads on a wrong path and
falls in the abyss. It is for him (man) to walk on the right path and lead a balanced life and reach the goal
of abiding peace and happiness. The Quran, no doubt, guides man and the humanity to that path and
shows ways and means to attain that cherished goal.

It was in fact, the Quran and the teaching of Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) only
which gave an impetus to the uncultivated society of Arabia to attain such a glory of life, highest form of
culture and civilization and made them the torch bearers of science and knowledge which ultimately laid
the foundation of the present day culturally and technologically advance west.

The Quran abounds with passage in which man is directed to gain mastery over nature and to take it for
the benefit of humanity. It exhorts man to make use of these forces which have been harnessed to his
service.

Do ye not notice how God hath pressed to you service all that is in the skies (space) and all that
there is in the earth and hath been bounteous to you of his favors (so as to benefit you, both
inwardly and outwardly).
(Quran Chapter 31 Verse 20)

If we glance through the pages of the Quran, we will find that is never averse to the material progress
provided it does not lose its moral and spiritual content.

O children of Adam, put on your goodly apparel when you go the mosque, eat and drink but
nothing in excess.

Say to them who hath forbidden the use of goodly apparel, which God has made available to
His servants and articles of food that are wholesome.
(Quran Chapter 7 Verse 31-32)

And He it is, who hath subjected to you, the sea so that you may have for your food, fresh fish
out of it and bring forth there from what you use for ornaments. Thou seest how ships plough
the billows to carry on forward in quest of His bounty and haply you may give thanks.
(Quran Chapter 16 Verse 14)

And everything which you ask Him, giveth He to you and if you reckon upon the favors of God, you
cannot count them.
(Quran Chapter 4 Verse 33-34)

Many more such verses can be quoted from the Quran, which impress upon man that the whole
universe is created for him and that he should explore and investigate it for the benefit of mankind.

There is a purpose behind creation and God has not created anything in vain here. The Quran points out
that:

In the creation of the heavens and of the earth and in the alteration of the night and the day,
are signs for those gifted with understanding, who standing, sitting or reclining, bear God in
mind and mediate on the creation of the heavens and the earth Our Lord, say they, All this
thou has not created in vain, transcendent in purity art thou. Save us from chastisement of fire.

(Quran Chapter 3 Verse 190-191)

God has given man and rendered him with the capacity and capability of acquiring knowledge of
everything the universe bears: says the Quran:

And He (God) taught man (Adam) the names of all things.
(Quran Chapter 2 Verse 31)

And that was why he was declared superior even to the Angels who were asked to bow down
to man by God.
(Quran Chapter 2 Verse 34)

Besides, in the very first verse, revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) the importance of
knowledge given to man has been emphasized and it has been considered as a great gift of God to man.

Thy Lord is most gracious, who hath afforded knowledge through the pen, afforded man, the
knowledge of what he knew not.
(Quran Chapter 96 Verse 3-5)

Pen is symbolic of external means and also it may mean through observation and experience. Man has
to gain knowledge by observation and study nature around him and that is why the Quran is full of
verses exhorting man to study nature around him and reflect on it.

The Prophet of Islam makes acquisition of knowledge as the primary duty of every man and woman and
calls upon the seeker of knowledge to go to the end of the earth (by the way the word China has been
reported in this famous Hadis as China perhaps was in those days known to the Arabs as the farthest
land in the world) in search of it. Receive knowledge from whatever vessel it is presented. A piece of
knowledge, from wherever gained, is like a lost property recovered, let him take it as if it is his own.

Another famous saying of the Prophet in this regard is that:

The superiority of a man of learning over a man given to mere worship (in a ritual way) is like
the superiority of a full moon over the stars.

Further he emphasizes:

He who has gained knowledge, has gained ample fortune.

And that:

The mind of the son of Adam is always young when engaged in the search of knowledge.

But knowledge does not consist in the mere accumulation in ones memory, the ideas or material of this
or that subject. The Quran desires correlation and synthesis helpful to a harmonious grasp of the
varieties underlying them. It therefore, insists on reflection as an indispensable aid to proper acquisition
of knowledge. Says the Prophet, there is no good in reading anything over which one does not reflect.
It is only through such reflection that one is able to get an insight of things which he otherwise is not
able to. Quran is full of praise for such an insight, man is endowed with.

He (God) giveth insight to whom He will, and to whom insight is given hath had an ample
fortune given him, but none will bear it in mind except men who possess wisdom.
(Quran Chapter 2 Verse 269)

As Mr. Leopoldweiss (Mohd. Asad) in his famous book, The Road to Mecca, says, It was Islam that
carried the early Muslims to tremendous cultural heights by directing all their energies towards
conscious thought as the only means to understanding the nature of Gods creation and thus of His will.
Throughout the whole creative period of Muslim History, i.e., during the first five centuries of the
Prophets time, science and learning had no greater champion than Muslim civilization and no home
more secure than the lands in which Islam was supreme. Social life was similarly affected by the
teachings of the Quran. A Muslim did not come into conflict with the claims of spiritual life if he took
pleasure in the beautiful things of material life, for according to the Prophet, God loves to see His
servants an evidence of His bounty.

In short, Islam provided tremendous incentive to cultural achievements, which constitute one of the
proudest pages in the history of mankind and it gave this incentive by saying yes to intellect and no to
obscuritism. Yes to action and no to quietism, yes to life and no to ascentism. Little wonder then
that as soon as it emerged beyond the confines of Arabia, Islam won new adherents by leaps and
bounds. It was not the Muslims that had made Islam great, it was Islam that had made Muslims great.
But as soon as their faith became habit and ceased to be a program of life, to be consciously pursued,
the creative impulse that underlie their civilization waned and gradually gave way to indolence, sterility
and cultural decay. All this goes to say that Man has not to renounce this world and live a life of a
recluse. It has never been advocated by Islam that man should neglect the part he has to play in this
world, but has to take an active part in the affairs of the society he lives in. The Quranic direction in this
connection is:

Neglect not thy part in this world but be bounteous to others even as God hath been to thee
and seek not to work mischief in the land. Verily God loveth not the mischief makers.
(Quran Chapter 28 Verse 77)

Mans attitude in life has to be constructive and not destructive. He has to work for the unity of mankind
and not to cause disunity among people. We have to acquire knowledge of the forces of nature, to
harness and use them not only for ourselves but for the good of the whole mankind. The call of the
Quran to man is not only that he should ponder over the universe around him, but also to ponder over
the universe within him. It suggests that the central principle of the world is balance and harmony and
enjoins upon him to observe this basic principle in his own life too.

The Sun and the Moon run their appointed courses and the plants and the trees bow down in
adoration (or are subject to and obedient to the laws ordained by Allah) and the heavens He
hath raised high and hath set the balance, that in using it ye should not transgress. So hold it
even and scant not the balance.
(Quran Chapter 55 Verse 5-9)

Respect the Sunnatullah or the ways of God, i.e., live in harmony, with the laws created by Allah, which
in the Quranic phraseology means, the Will of Allah and be affectionate to the Ayalullah or the Family
of God runs the Prophets (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) directive. That is how it has been
explained the form Amal-e-saleh or righteous activity has to be taken to implement or translate into
action ones belief in the Unity of God the corollary of which is nothing but the unity of mankind. States
the Quran, Oh mankind, verily we have created you of a male and a female and distributed you into
tribes and families that ye may recognize on another. Verily, the noblest of you, worthy of honor in the
sight of God is he who is most upright in character. Verily, God is the knowing and the Cognizant.

(Quran Chapter 49 Verse 13)

Similarly, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has proclaimed in his farewell address
at the time of his last Haj (pilgrimage) that The Arab is not superior to the non-Arab, nor the non-Arab
is superior to the Arab, nor the white to the black, nor the black to the white, except by the degree of
righteousness he displays in his dealings.

Further he has said that Mankind is a fold, every member of which shall be a shepherd or a keeper unto
the other and shall be accountable for the welfare of the entire fold. Besides, look at this noble and
grand expression of the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) O Lord of my life and
everything in the Universe, I affirm that all human beings are brothers unto one another. This is how
man has to fulfill his role as Khalifat-Ullah (Vicengent of Allah) on earth. Everything here is a trust
assigned to him and wherever he may be or whatever his station in life, he has to discharge his
obligations with strict conformity to the manner shown to him in the Book Revealed, given to him
through his Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him).

To promote this cause of universal brotherhood, the Quran, proclaimed in clear terms that the faith
ordained by the Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) Al-Islam was but the
very same faith as has been commended to all the Prophets, gone before him, from Adam to Abraham,
Moses, Jesus and all and it was incumbent on him, i.e., prophet Muhammed (peace and blessing of Allah
be upon him) and his followers to believe in all of them (the prophets gone before) and to make no
distinction in any of them.
(Quran Chapter 2 Verse 85)

Since they, i.e., the Prophets, were all of but one order.
(Quran Chapter 3 Verse 84)

The Quran, therefore invites the followers of the two leading faiths, (the Jews and Christians) to come
forward and live together with the Muslims as a single composite community.

O people of the Book, come to a word fair between us and you, that we serve God only and
associate nothing with Him and that none of us shall take another for his Lord to the exclusion
of God, and if they then turn away, say ye (followers of the Prophet) Bear ye witness (O people
of the Book) that we are those who are resigned to God.
(Quran Chapter 3 Verse 64)

It calls upon those who believe in God not to wrangle over matters of rituals and the laws regulating
social relations as prescribed by their religious severally but to vie one with another in good deeds.

To every people have We (God) appointed ceremonial rites (of prayers) which they observe,
therefore , let them not wrangle over this matter with Thee, but bid them to turn to Thy Lord
(i.e., God, since that is the main objective of religion) Thou indeed are rightly guided.
(Quran Chapter 22 Verse 67)

To every people have we given a law and a ritual; and if God had so willed, He would have
surely made of you all but one society; but it was His wish to test you by what He path given to
each of you. Be emolus then in good deeds (since that is the aim of every law of Sharia at one
time or another). To God shall ye all return and He will make you all realize the evil of wrangling
over what were mere variations (in Law or Ritual).
(Quran Chapter 5 Verse 48)

Indeed, the Quran, even calls upon the believers ot exercise tolerance and forebearance towards those
who have no clear view of the unity of God.

Revile not those whom they call upon beside God, lest they in their ignorance revile Allah by
way of a rejoinder. Thus have we made the actions of every people seem fair to them. After all,
they are to return to their Lord when He will declare to them the nature of the deeds they have
done (In their present life).
(Quran Chapter 6 Verse 109)

Further the Quran addressed the Prophet:

If thy Lord has so pleased, surely all those who dwell on the earth would have believed
together, (but that is not the way of God, He lets everyone to think out things for himself and
bear the responsibility of his actions. So if there be anyone who do not follow thy advice), will
thou then bring pressure on them till they believe in what thou sayest.
(Quran Chapter 10 Verse 99)

It lays down in no ambiguous terms that:

There shall be no compulsion in religion.
(Quran Chapter 2 Verse 256)

Its supreme insistence on the belief in the unity of God inspiring righteous living in man, was for no
other reason then to let the sense of diving unity transform itself in the field of action, into unity of Man.

That was why the Prophet (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) has declared that Wish for others,
what you wish for yourself. The culture of Islam is but an expression of this process and such is the
wide interpretation given by Quran to the righteous works works that help man to live at peace with
his fellow beings and rest of the creation.

To live so is to live in Islam, which itself means Peace Peace realized in the devotion of all our faculties
to the will of God, which is nothing but the law of life, devised in His infinite goodness to work for the
harmony of life expressive of the unity of existence. The duty of every human being is to see that every
little act of his or her, is conformed to this law of harmonious living.

BISMILLAH-HIR-RAHMAN-NIR-RAHEEM

When my servants ask thee concerning ,
me I am indeed close (to them): I listen to
the prayer of every suppliant when He
calleth on me: let them also, with a will
listen to my call and believe in me that
they may work in the right way



(Verse 186)


Sura-Baqar #2

MOHAMMED ABDULLAH, I.A.S.
11-5-465, Red Hills
Hyderabad (A.P.) I N D I A






WISHING YOU THE BLESSING
OF
E I D



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