What is an 'Islamic life'?

This is a big question, not only in the minds of Muslims, but also in the minds of many others who are not Muslims. Understandably, many differing answers can be arrived at for this seemingly simple question, dependent on the manner and background of our Islamic education and from whom and when and where we received it. Over the centuries Muslims have practised their religious lives according to the knowledge and understanding gained from their education and culture, but now the current religious and political turmoil that is ravaging Muslim  lands, adds further confusion when we attempt to answer this question.

The essence of Islamic teachings is a proper understanding of ‘Tawheed’ in its purest sense, on which an ‘Islamic life’ is based. Islam was revealed to bring all people back to their Creator, to the worship of only Him and to make people realise that power over all things belongs only to their Creator.  

People should turn to Him alone, without associating Him with any other imaginary being or denying Him, if they wish to benefit from the best of this world and the world hereafter. This is the most important teaching in Islam and is the reason why the Prophet Mohammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, took every opportunity to instil this essential message in the minds of people.

On one such opportunity the prophet explained to his cousin, Abdullah ibn Abbas, who was accompanying him, this beautiful teaching. He said:

‘O boy! I would teach you some (guiding) words: ‘safeguard Allah and He shall safeguard you. Safeguard Him and you would find Him around you. When you ask, ask Allah and when you seek assistance seek it from Him. Know that if all the people get together to benefit you of something, they could not do it unless Allah has prescribed it for you. And if they all come together to harm you, they could not do it unless it is decreed by Allah against you. Pens have been laid down and scrolls have been dried up’.

Another narration adds these additional words: ‘You safeguard Allah and you will find Him with you. Know Allah in the time of your prosperity and He will come to your aid in the time of hardship. And know what has missed you out was not meant to reach you, and what has come to you was not meant to miss you. And know success comes with patience, release comes after suffering and with every hardship there is an ease’.

These words display what must surely be regarded as a comprehensive guide for a blessed life, the life we call an 'Islamic life' and the guidance we must follow if we wish to achieve a beautiful and happy lifestyle.

When the hadith says ‘safeguard Allah and He shall safeguard you’ it introduces a sense of self-consciousness and awareness in people. Indeed, we begin to understand that the pinnacle of our belief will be achieved when we realise that every step, every action that we have taken, has been taken in obedience to Allah the Almighty, including the most mundane. We safeguard His commands and guidance by ensuring our actions deserve His pleasure and approval. When we safeguard Allah’s commands in our life, Allah will safeguard our interests, and what matters to us in our life and our dua and prayers will be accepted by Him.

The hadith also says: ‘You safeguard Him and you would find Him around you' and in the other narration it says: ‘You would find Him with you’.

Is there an easy way to have our Creator, the Almighty, ‘with us’ or ‘around us’? The hadith directs us to this simple equation; 'give and take'. Do we not all feel, sometimes, that we are so removed from the blessings of Allah that our lives have become only a matter of routine and ritual. This is because the first part of the equation is missing from our lives and that we don’t safeguard Allah and His commands in our own daily affairs. Obey your creator and you will see practical ‘tawheed’ in action.

The hadith also emphasises that we should ‘only ask Allah and seek assistance from Him alone’. This guidance covers far more than just asking or seeking for His help in general. Allah the Almighty our Creator is part and parcel of our destiny in every sense. Our test is whether we are willing to involve Him in all stages of our lives, both the present and any plans we may have for the future. Any such plans that we do have, that encompass His guidance and teachings, will be beneficial, both to ourselves and to the general public. 

The hadith guides us further as to how we may maintain this equation: by strengthening our belief in Allah’s providence. This part of the message contained in the hadith is very important for the maintenance of happiness and quality in our lives. Worry, concerns about the future, happenings in our own life, our struggle to maintain our livelihoods and provide adequately for our families, all shape our perspective on the way we live and the way we think about and act towards others. Yes, we need to act and make efforts to change our lives for the better, but when things go wrong, or we seem to have become mired by our own circumstances, instead of wallowing in frustration and blaming others, we should accept it as our destiny. If we learn to accept whatever good comes to us and whatever has ‘missed’ us was meant to be, then life becomes much easier to live.

The other narration of the hadith ‘Know Allah in the time of your prosperity and He will come to your aid in the time of hardship’, also affirms the above meaning of safeguarding Allah in His commands and guidance. Most of us remember Him only when the hard times come. In times of ease, prosperity and wellbeing we tend to look the other way, not even bothering to thank Allah, the provider of our prosperity and wellbeing. Should we then question if our dua and prayers are not accepted and that Allah is not with us? Better the question: WHEN WERE WE WITH ALLAH?

The guidance delivered to us in this hadith shows us the way to experience wellbeing in our lives and to gain the blessings that most of us crave. It demonstrates what the 'Islamic life' could and should be, and helps us sort out our problems by giving us a perspective to follow. A perspective which includes our belief in ‘Qadha wa al-qadar’, the destiny that each and everyone of us has in the overall scheme of Allah’s eternal plans for this world.     

Official: There is No safe limit for drinking alcohol!

There has been much debate about the safe limits of alcohol consumption from a scientific point of view. Indeed many medical and scientific organisations have, over a considerable number of years, repeatedly offered up differing opinions on the effects of alcohol consumption and issued conflicting advice on sensible upper limits.

However, now we are told that in the light of further research, reported in recent news reports and which claimed to have taken into consideration the damage caused to health and the behavioural effects on society as a whole, there is no safe limit for alcohol consumption. Indeed the UK's chief medical officer is quoted as saying that new research shows that even the smallest amount of alcohol increases the risk of cancer. In the case of pregnant women, the new guidelines published seek to bring the rest of the UK in line with Scotland, recommending that pregnant women should not drink at all.

The debate about the alcohol consumption is not a new one. Its financial implications and social consequences are obvious, even to those who consume it and more especially to those who have been adversely affected or harmed by the actions of those under its influence.  Although no spiritual benefit and few beneficial physical effects of alcohol consumption have ever been demonstrated, some religions continue to allow or even encourage it.

Islam has also faced this same ‘debate’, questioning both the spiritual and social benefits in particular and considering the overall effects of alcohol consumption on society. Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah says: ‘the consumption of alcohol was banned in the third century, after the battle of Uhod, according to the opinions of all scholars’.

As the religion which gave us the laws that regulate people’s life but which also regulate the spiritual element and further development of people’s affairs, Islam went through three major phases in coming to a conclusion:  analysis of the intellectual harm presented by the consumption of alcohol, its effects on the lives’ of the people and the effects on society as a whole. It did not introduce an immediate or arbitrary ban, but first sought to convince the people that the harmful effects of alcohol far outweighed any benefits, and then prepared the ground for its intellectual acceptance.

Let us go through three verses of the Quran that were milestones in bringing about the debate about its harmful effects:

First: Revealed in  Surah al-Baqarah verse 219. It says: ‘They ask you about wine and games of chance. Say: in both these there is great sin, even though there some benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit’.

However, after the revelation of this verse, not everyone abandoned its consumption. There were people who refrained as they understood the message of great harm, but many others continued, excusing their actions by declaring they could enjoy the benefits of alcohol while avoiding its harm.

Later, when some of these same people attended their prayers, while they were under the influence of intoxication, they were banned from further attendance.

Second:  Surah 4  V43. ‘Believers! Do not draw near to the prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying’.

The message was clear: mosques or places of prayer are not places that people can attend when under the influence of alcohol or otherwise intoxicated. People had to choose, either prayers or intoxication; either spiritual development or spiritual decadence. Spiritual places shaped the social lives of the community.  A spiritual understanding that intoxicants do not bring any social benefits to them would have a positive influence on people and they would become  more likely to abandon the habit.  This is where Islam differs in a marked contrast to Christianity. In Islam, religion has banned the consumption of alcohol and any other intoxicants because of their overall sinful nature. The harm consumption of them does has been firmly established medically, economically, socially and spiritually.

After the revelation of this second verse, people altered the timing of their consumption of alcoholic beverages, so that it did not conflict with timing of the prayers, but as yet it was not completely banned.

Then came the final stage where intoxicants, together with certain other sinful substances would be prohibited religiously.

Third: Surah 5 Verse 90. The Quran said: ‘believers! Intoxicants, games of chance, idolatrous sacrifices at alters and divining arrows are all abominations, the handiwork of satan, so turn wholly away from it that you may attain to true success. By intoxicants and games of chance satan only desires to create enmity and hatred among you and to turn you away from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you then desist’?

The above verse delivered the final verdict in unequivocal terms so that absolutely no doubt was left in the minds of people about the need for its prohibition.

In today’s world, it is well understood that the prevailing culture, which so eagerly embraces intoxicants, alcohol and drugs, is destroying the very fabric of family, social  and spiritual life. 

Ordinary people commit the most horrific crimes while under the influence of intoxicants.  Family life is ruined, divorces take place, children are abandoned and sexual crimes are committed, even the roads are not safe any more. Alcohol and drugs are now the root cause of nearly all crime, be it minor, major or on the road and are largely responsible for the continuing breakdown of society.

Consumption continues to increase, creating ever more health problems and placing a huge burden on the NHS and other emergency services. The end result is that many, and not only the ones who consume alcohol but, and even worse, those who do not, are paying with their lives.

So, at last, it has been realised that there are no safe limits for the consumption of intoxicants and no visible benefits either. Surely now is the time that people should begin to think sensibly about their lives and futures. There are no solutions to any problems at the bottom of a glass  - on the contrary, what is there is more pain and possibly death. Not only for the drinkers but for the innocents around them!

Islam: a positive or a negative force?

In a famous Quranic verse, Allah the Almighty says: “And We have not sent you, O Mohammad, but a mercy to the worlds”.

Together with the description of mercy the Quranic teachings are also called Zikr (reminder) and guidance. If we go only by these three descriptions of the Quranic teachings, the picture that emerges in our minds is that of a message that is progressive, positive and of a beneficent Islam. In a hadith, the prophet Mohammad, peace and mercy be upon him, says: 'The best among people are those who are most beneficial to mankind’.

 History and Islam, during the time of the prophet Mohammad, witnessed a process of community development, a building of stepping stones towards a brighter future, where different communities were brought together. Based on respect, and an acknowledgment of their separate and different entities, a whole process was put in motion that would ultimately benefit all humanity and respect the rights of every individual in society.

A positive mindset was set in place and the only fears that were promoted were a fear of Allah and fear for the consequences of one’s wrongdoings. The Quran proclaimed: ‘O believers! Respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he invites you to what gives you life’.

This is a very beautiful verse and I continually contemplate it, striving to fully understand its meaning and its implications on our lives. It talks about giving life to those who are alive and not physically dead. It is also extremely interesting, inviting reflection on how, although people may be physically alive, they do not have the life they deserve to have in this world, which, of course, leads us to consider a blessed life in the world after death.

It is also interesting to note from the Quran how much emphasis is laid on  ‘doing good deeds’ and how ‘doing good deeds' is always joined in importance with ‘Imaan’, the faith and belief in Allah.

This ‘doing good deeds’ covers a much broader spectrum than many of us realise. When I ask someone what they think of as ‘good deeds’, as mentioned in the Quran, the answer invariably consists of the doing of prayers, fasting, charitable deeds, obeying parents and other deeds of a religious nature. However, while they should most certainly be on our list of good deeds, should the list consist solely of deeds of a religious nature? Or, should it be  much wider and more comprehensive, including our religious obligations but embracing anything that encourages human development and lays down the ethical foundations for our society?

Islam comes with the guidance necessary for the development of human society. In a guiding note the Prophet Mohammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, said: ‘Give glad tidings and do not make people hateful; bring ease upon them and do not cause hardship’. (agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim).

The beautiful guidance and teachings of Islam made the earlier Muslims a positive force, who saw the world as both a blessing and a place of testing wanted to serve humanity. Islam made people respectful and explained their rights and responsibilities to them.

Indeed, when the Muslims first emigrated to Abyssinia, before their migration to Madinah, they were asked to explain their religion to the Christian king and his court, Ja`fer ibn Talib stood up and in a very eloquent language he explained to them saying: ‘O king! we were an ignorant nation. We worshipped idols and ate the dead. We committed indecency and severed close relations. We were bad neighbours and the mightiest from among us suppressed the weak, until God sent us a messenger from among us, whose lineage, truthfulness, trustworthiness and chastity was well known to us. He invited us to the worship of one God alone and to abandon the worship of stones and idols that were worshipped by our fathers. He commanded us about truthfulness, delivering the trust, joining the relations, good neighbourhood, staying back from what is forbidden and from shedding blood. He forbade us from indecent deeds, falsehood, taking from orphans’ wealth and so we found truth in him and believed in him….

This is only part of a lengthy address that was delivered at the court of King Negus of Abyssinia. It explains the nature of Islamic teachings and their purpose and the context in which they were delivered and why they found the way and acceptance into the hearts of the people.

In todays’ world, politics have and continue, with little thought for the consequences, to severely damage Islam’s image. The result is that we now face ever increasing violence and destruction. This blind and appallingly revengeful form of politics, employed by groups who serve no good purpose, can only hinder or destroy any good that Islam has done or would wish to do.

True Islam or Islamic teachings contain no negative messages and neither can they harm the peoples of any nation. The Quran offers us this proclamation: ‘in Your hand is all goodness’. Allah, or His teachings, can never be the cause of evil. He is the source of all goodness. Only when our thoughts are swayed away from Him, do we become liable to produce evil and suppression.

I will conclude with a famous hadith ,narrated by many collectors of hadith, in which the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him says: ‘If you see the end of the world is coming and you are holding a shoot in your hand, grow it if you can’.

The above three descriptions, that explain the nature of Islamic teachings, clearly demonstrate that Islam is a positive force for human development. It contains only blessings for humanity, but continues to remind us of our accountability and that we will determine our own fate and destiny ultimately, in the Sight of Allah.