Islamic Studies (Hybrid Course)

Assignment No. 3 (Semester Project)

Name: Muhammad Souban Javaid

Roll no: FA20-BEE-146
Section: 1C
Submitted to: Madam Shafia Jamil
Dated:

“Current Moral challenges faced by Muslims in the 21st century and their
solutions in the light of Islamic Teachings”

“With the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

We praise Allah, the Exalted and Great, and we send blessings upon His noble
Messenger (SAW).”

Introduction:
This report aims to comprehend how development has affected morals in the modern Islamic
world. The report defines morals and ethics and their interpretations in both the Islamic world
and the contemporary non-Islamic society. The report identifies, defines and explains the
challenges faced by Muslims in the modern world in a bid to uphold their morals in accordance
to their religion in a world that has continually dissolved its moral standards. The causes behind
them and how they can be solved.
In a world that is constantly evolving in pursuit of freedom and happiness, ethos is slowly being
considered a thing of the past. Many religions are moving with the trends and adopting to the
changes; some with an aim to accommodate more members or to attract new ones. However, the
static state of the Islam religion makes Muslims face challenges in day-to-day life.
Caliphate System:
Islam introduced a Caliphate system. A caliph is a leader of the Muslim Ummah. It refers to
humans as God’s steward or vice-regents on earth. The term didn’t denote a distinct political or
religious institution during the life of Muhammad (P.B.U.H). After the departure of the Holy
Prophet (P.B.U.H), it began to acquire its meaning and take its shape as an institution. The
companions of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) i.e., Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali referred to as
Rashidun (Rightly-guided) were the first four caliphs of the Islamic empire. During the reign of
the first four caliphs, Arab Muslims conquered large regions in the Middle East, including Syria,
Palestine, Iran and Iraq. Islam also spread throughout areas in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Some
domains
 Umayyads Caliphate
 Abbasid Caliphate
 Mamluk Caliphate
 Fatimid Caliphate
 Almohad Caliphate
 Ayyubid Caliphate
 Ottoman Caliphate
The Ottomans claimed Caliphate authority when the last Abbasid Caliph of Cairo transferred it
to Yavuz Sultan Selim I. The Ottoman Caliphate which controlled major regions in the middle
east ruled from about 1517 until 1917 when World War I ended the Ottoman reign.
The fact of the matter is that Muslims always had support of Islamic Caliphate. In the last 200
years, nationalism found its peak and began to collapse the running empires all around the world.
There are no empires in the present age. New constitutional governments led by citizens of the
nation-states were formed. At the beginning of the 20th century, nationalism would play a major
role in the competition between nations. It was an extremely bloody competition that we now
call World War I. Nationalism gave such a freedom which neglects the fundamentals on which a
society stands.
After the collapse of the Caliphate, Muslims were left in a miserable situation. Muhammadiyah
and Nahdatul Ulama in Indonesia began turning their attention to social, economic, religious
issues in their country. Muslim Africa would continue to labor under British and French rule,
with nationalist movements springing up across the continent from Somalia to Algeria and
Senegal by mid-century. The Judaists of Central Asia were also eventually cast aside by the
Communists as the region was incorporated into the Soviet Union. The next century despite the
realization of independence, would bring little joy for many Muslims. Some of these movements
and many political intellectuals would highlight the absence of a Caliph as their diagnosis for the
problems Muslims faced. The desperateness of the attempts by Muslim leaders to grasp for its
glory and all that it would endow was undone by how seamlessly it slipped between their fingers.
The protective cloak of the Caliph was torn away and banished to history. We “are unveiled
before the nations of the world” Muhammad Iqbal would write in his poem Secrets of the Self.
The revolution of the society in the 21st century has largely resulted in some of the morals to
appear as outdated making it very challenging to uphold them in the modern society. Western
influence affected in nearly all parts of daily life and negligence of Muslims also damages their
future.

Morality in Islam:
Islam as a comprehensive way of life encompasses a complete moral system that is an important
aspect of its world-view. We live in an age where good and evil are often looked at as relative
concepts. Islam however, holds that moral positions are not relative, and instead, defines a
universal standard by which actions may be deemed moral or immoral.
Islam’s moral system is striking in that it not only defines morality, but also guides the human
race in how to achieve it, at both an individual as well as a collective level.
 Basic Principles in Islamic Morality:
The Islamic moral system stems from its primary creed of belief in One God as the Creator and
Sustainer of the Universe. Islam considers the human race to be a part of God’s creation, and as
His subjects.
From an Islamic perspective, the purpose of human life is to worship God, by leading this
worldly life in harmony with the Divine Will, and thereby achieve peace in this world, and
everlasting success in the life of the hereafter. Muslims look to the Glorious Qur’an and the
Traditions of the Prophet as their moral guides.
The Holy Qur’an says:
“It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces Towards east or West; but it is righteousness- to
believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend
of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer,
for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular
charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or
suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the
Allah-fearing.” [Al-Qur’an 2:177].”
This verse emphasizes the Islamic belief that righteousness and piety is based, before all else on
a true and sincere faith. The key to virtue and good behavior is a strong relation with God, who
sees all, at all times and everywhere. He knows the secrets of the hearts and the intentions behind
all actions. Therefore, Islam enjoins moral behavior in all circumstances; God is aware of each
one when no one else is. It may be possible to deceive the world, but it’s not possible to deceive
the Creator.
The Holy Qur’an also says:
Say: the things that my Lord hath indeed forbidden are: shameful deeds, whether open or secret;
sins and trespasses against truth or reason; assigning of partners to Allah, for which He hath
given no authority; and saying things about Allah of which ye have no knowledge. [Al-Qur’an
7:33].”
 Morality and the individual:
The main thing that affects an individual behavior is virtuous deeds (Al Amal Assalih). It means
all deeds, not just worshipping God. Some of the main things which are expected from a Muslim
are piety, humility and accountability.
“The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, but only he (will prosper) that brings to
Allah a sound heart” [Al-Quran: 26:88-89].”
Charity is one of the most admirable acts in Islam. "Gratitude in prosperity, patience in adversity,
and courage to uphold the truth" are qualities to be encouraged.
 Morality and society:
Morality in a society is a source of strength. Anything that leads to wellness of an individual or a
society is morally good and anything that damages or intimidates this wellness is morally bad.
“And turn not your face away from people (with pride), nor walk in insolence through the earth.
Verily, God likes not each arrogant boaster. And be moderate (or show no insolence) in your
walking, and lower your voice. Verily, the harshest of all voices is the voice (braying) of the
ass.” (Quran 31:18-19).”
 Conduct of an Ideal Muslim:
The Prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H) summarized the conduct of a Muslim when he said:
“My Sustainer has given me nine commands: to remain conscious of God, whether in private or
in public; to speak justly, whether angry or pleased; to show moderation both when poor and
when rich, to reunite friendship with those who have broken off with me; to give to him who
refuses me; that my silence should be occupied with thought; that my looking should be an
admonition; and that I should command what is right.”
 Modesty:
The word ‘haya’ is derived from the word “al-hayah”, which means life, as if the person who has
no ‘haya’ (modesty) is like a dead person. Modesty itself is a Greatness of Islam as our Prophet
indicated: "Every way of life has an intrinsic character. The character of Islam is haya." Or
"Every Deen has an innate character. The character of Islam is modesty (haya)." (Abu Dawood).
The term modesty is referred to in the Quran in the following verses:
 ‘‘Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will
make for greater purity for them: And Allah is well acquainted with all that they do.”
(Surah An- Nur 24:30)
Feminism now talk about securing women rights whereas Islam gave women their rights and
ordered Muslim men about it 1400 years.
Abdullah ibn Umar (R.A) narrated:
The Prophet (P.B.U.H) passed by a man who was admonishing his brother regarding Haya and
was saying, "You are very shy, and I am afraid that might harm you." On that, Allah's Apostle
said, "Leave him, for Haya is (a part) of Faith." (Bukhari)
Now, the above hadith provides a proof that "shyness" is not just something regarding women
but also a quality that believing men should have, for it is an indication of their fear of Allah and
an indication of the value of their Deen.
The commandments of Islam are in perfect symmetry with Human psychology. Hijab is
discouraged in the west as they think it is imposed on the Muslim women but rather it creates a
sense of respect for them. Islam cares about the well-being of human in every possible aspect.
The prophet (P.B.U.H) describes the role of individual:
“Whoever of you see something wrong must seek to rectify it by action or deed, if he cannot, let
him to change it by words, if he cannot, let his feeling of disapproval and condemnation intensify
and this is the minimal degree of faith.”
The Prophet (P.B.U.H) said:
“The best amongst you are those who are the owners of the best morality.”

Conclusion: