1) Concept of Islam

• Introduction
From Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 117:
o “It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East or West, but
righteousness is of him who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Books, and
the Prophets; and spends of his money for love of Him, on the relatives and the orphans
and the needy, the way farer, the beggars, and for ransoming of captives and who
establishes Salat and pays Zakat and those who fulfill their promises which they have
made and the patient in affections and the steadfast in time of war, it is these people
who in poverty have proved truthful and it is these who are the God-fearing.”
o Breakdown:
▪ Not righteousness
• East/West
▪ Righteousness
• Allah
• Last Day
• Angels
• Books
• Prophets
• Spend money despite love or out of love
o On relatives
o Orphans
o Needy
o Wayfarer
o Beggars
o Ransoming of captives
• Establish Salat and pay Zakat
• Fulfill promises
• Patient in affliction
• Steadfast in war
▪ Those have in poverty proved truthful
▪ And they are the God-fearing

Hadith
• Hazrat Umar (RA) narrates that Allah’s prophet said:
o Islam is based on five principles:
 1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is
Allah’s apostle
2. To offer the prayers dutifully and perfectly
3. To pay Zakat
4. To perform Hajj
5. To fast during the month of Ramadan
• Islam is the most comprehensive and final form of God’s message to Man

Literal Meanings of Islam

• Islam is an Arabic word. It means the act of resignation to God. The root word is SLM (silm),
pronounced salm which means a) to surrender and b) peace; from which comes the word
aslama which means he submitted, he resigned himself. Al-Islam or Islam is the religion which
brings peace to mankind when man commits himself to God and submits himself to His will.
o This signifies that one can achieve real peace of body and mind only through the
submission and obedience of Allah.
• Islam literally means commitment and obedience – as a religion, it stands for belief in one God
and in all the prophets of God, the last of whom was Muhammad pbuh, and for complete
submission to the Divine Will as revealed through His prophets.
• Islam denotes submission, surrender and obedience.
• It stands for the complete submission and obedience to Allah – that is why it is called Islam.
• The other literal meaning of the word Islam is ‘peace’ and this signifies that one can achieve real
peace of body and of mind only through submission and obedience to Allah.

• SLM (sa-la-ma): “to surrender, to submit, to yield”

• Aslama
• Salm = peace
• Silm = peace and also the religion of Islam

• Imam Raghib Al-Isfahani in his book al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Quran

• Islam, in law, is of two kinds:
o One, is a simple confession with the tongue
o The other is belief in heart and fulfillment in practice
• “Islam is entering into salam and silm, both signify peace”

• Syed Ameer Ali in his book The Spirit of Islam

• “Salam, in its primary sense, means … to be at perfect peace; in the secondary sense to
surrender oneself to Him with whom peace is made.”
• “The word [implies] striving after righteousness”
Terminological Meanings of Islam

• Islam denotes submission, surrender and obedience; Muslims have to

completely submit to Allah – thus it is called Islam. Other meaning is
peace, thus, complete peace can be achieved only through submission of
Allah.
• QUOTE: Ala bizikrillahi tatma-innul quloob
o “Indeed it is in the remembrance of Allah alone that the heart finds rest.” (Al-Quran
13:28)

Prophets and our access to the Message

• All prophets same message
• Man kept distorting
o Later followers kept adulterating the truth that each prophet brought
• “There is no single human habitation on the face of this earth where a Prophet has not emerged
and where God has not sent His messenger to guide people, a Muslim cannot deny Truth to
religions not belonging to this tradition” – Khurshid Ahmad
o All that a Muslim can point out is that there is “non-preservation in its original form”
• Muhammad presented it in its final form and preserved it for all time
• This is known as Islam and is enshrined in Quran and life-example of the Prophet
• A Muslim believes in the prophethood of Abraham, Moses and Jesus, holding that all of them
conveyed to mankind the same message from God. The final revelation came through the
Prophet Muhammad and is known as Islam – the religion of all prophets, not
‘Mohammadenism’. This revelation is preserved in the Quran, in the form in which it was
revealed to the Prophet Muhammad pbuh.
• Allah said: “Say, we believe in God and in the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ismail,
Ishaq, Yaqub and the Tribes. We believe in the revelation that was sent to Moses, Jesus and all
other Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between them, and unto Him we
surrender” (Al-i Imran 83)
 o Better quote to remember

• Surah Al-A’la

Basic Concepts of Islam

Pehlay basic principles; phir basic characteristics. Principles may articles, pillars, etc

• 1) Universe created by God, whom Islam calls Allah/ Man’s vicegerency/

Allah prescribed certain code/ Man’s free will/ Believers and
Disbelievers
• Allah’s role -> Man’s role -> Allah and Man discussed together -> Man’s choice -> consequences
of that choice
• Man as the representative of Allah on Earth:
o Man is most complete manifestation of the attributes of Allah
o Man derives all knowledge, authority and power from Allah and thus is not self-
sufficient
o Allah has control over all of those things, and can take them whenever He may want
o Thus, no Man is Supreme
▪ This teaches the sanctity of human personality
▪ Equal rights for all

• 2) Syed Ameer Ali quotes Surah Baqarah

• Says that Surah Baqarah’s initial verses present the concept of Islam: “the essence of the ethical
principles involved and embodied in Islam”
• Makes sense because that’s the beginning of the Book itself
• QUOTE: “This is the book about which there is no doubt – a guidance for the pious. Who believe
in the unseen, who establish prayer and who spend out of what we have bestowed on them.
And those who believe in what We have revealed to you, and what was revealed before you,
and of the Hereafter they are certain in faith. Those are upon guidance from their Lord and it is
those who are the successful.”
• What stems from this verse is
▪ Tawhid
▪ Charity
▪ Subjugation of passions
▪ Gratefulness towards Allah
▪ Accountability in the life after death
• The unity of God forms the never ending theme of the soul-stirring passages. “Appeal is made to
the inner consciousness, to his intuitive reason alone.”

• 3) The first kalimah (Creed / first article of faith): This is better

explained in point 4
• A man joins fold of Islam by professing faith in Oneness of God and the Prophethood of
Muhammad (pbuh)
• The first kalimah is the epitome of this:
o “There is no God except Allah; Muhammad is His Prophet”
 o
• The second part signifies that God has not left man without guidance for the conduct of his life

• 4) Faith, Action and Realization

• In order to be a Muslim, three things are necessary: Faith, Action according to that faith and the
realization of one’s relation to God as a result of action and obedience.
• Faith, is Iman, consists of believing that Allah alone is worthy of worship and that Muhammad
pbuh is the Messenger of Allah, and bearing witness to the above statement.
o This links to kalimah wala part: this is a better explanation of it
• Faith implies:
o True existence is of Allah alone
▪ Creation exists because Allah wills it to exist
o Allah alone is creator of everything
o Man is servant and Allah is master
o Belief in Prophet
o Revelation completed by Prophet
o Prophet is ideal for mankind
o Belief in all Prophets
o Quran is the Word of Allah, and source of guidance along with hadith and sunnah
o Angels are the functionaries of Allah
• Action is ‘amal, manifestation that we are true servants of God. Needs rules and regulations,
which are the revelations and the action of the Prophet
o Shahada is the first pillar and it stems directly from Iman; since you give Shahada of your
Iman
o The other four are
▪ Salat
▪ Saum
▪ Zakat
▪ Hajj
• A natural corollary of these pillars of faith is Jihad, or striving in the path
of Allah
• Amal implies
o Accountability in sight of Allah, on Day of Judgment
o Life after death
o Human action must be sacrificed with this in mind
o Organization of all facets of human existence in light of Shariah
o Implies Man’s free will
• Realization is a spiritual aspect of man’s relation to Allah, known as Ihsan
 o “You should worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for He sees you though you do not
see Him” (Bukhari)
o We must follow the example of the Prophet for this:
▪ Constant remembrance of Allah
▪ Love of Allah and the Prophet
▪ Obedience to commandments of Allah and the Prophet
▪ Struggle to promote good and forbid evil
o Aim is to attain nearness to Allah
▪ This becomes basis for piety
▪ Piety leads to righteousness
▪ That leads to just action
• Islam envisages this 4-step process or these values on a societal level, to
create an ideal society for the ultimate welfare or Falah of Mankind

5) Basic Characteristics – From Khurshid Ahmad

i. Simplicity, Rationalism and Practicalism
o Simple:
▪ No mythology
• Intelligible teachings; not convoluted
• Free from superstitions and irrational beliefs
▪ No hierarchy of priests, no complicated rites and rituals
▪ Unity of God
▪ Prophethood of Muhammad
▪ Life after Death
• These three are basic articles of faith
▪ Based on reason and sound logic
o Rational:
▪ Islam awakens in man the faculty of reason
• Do you not think etc
▪ Exhorts him to use intellect
▪ Quran advises:
• Rabbi Zidni Ilma

o
o From Surah Taha Verse 114
▪ The meanings of revelation become manifest to those ‘who have knowledge’
 • Surah Al-An’am Verses 97-98

We have made the signs clear for those who have knowledge.

We have made Our revelations clear to those who have understanding.

▪ Knowledge and reason makes man superior to angels

• Hazrat Adam taught names of things angels did not know
▪ Prophet said:
• “He who leaves his home in search of knowledge walks in the path of
God”
• “To seek knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim”
• “Acquire knowledge, because he who acquires it in the way of the Lord
performs an act of piety; he who disseminates it bestows alms and he
who imparts it to others performs an act of devotion to Allah”
o Practical
▪ Belief in Allah must be followed by righteous conduct
▪ Religion is something to be lived, and not an object of mere lip-service
▪ Hadith:
• “Allah does not accept belief, if it is not expressed in deeds, and does
not accept deeds, if they do not conform to belief”.

II. Unity of Matter and Spirit

• Islam stands not for life-denial but for life-fulfillment
• It does not ask man to avoid things material; asceticism
• It holds that spiritual elevation is to be achieved by living piously in the rough and tumble of life
and not by renouncing the world
• Surah Al-A’raf Verse 32

Ask, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Who has forbidden the adornments and lawful provisions
Allah has brought forth for His servants?” Say, “They are for the enjoyment of the
believers in this worldly life…

• Dr. De Brogbi, French scientist

o “The danger inherent in too intense a material civilization is to that civilization itself; it is
the disequilibrium which would result if a parallel development of the spiritual life were
to fail to provide the needed balance”
• Lord Snell, author of The New World:
o “We used our increased knowledge and power to administer to the comforts of the
body, but we left the spirit impoverished”
 • Islam stands for the middle path and the goal of producing a moral man in the service of a just
society

III. A Complete Way of Life

This would include Islam as Deen

• Islam is not a religion in the common, distorted meaning of the word, confining its scope to the
private life of man.
• Islam provides guidance for all walks of life – individual and social, material and moral, economic
and political, legal and cultural, national and international.
• No other factor has perhaps been more important in causing the decline of religion in the
modern age than its retreat into the realm of the private life.
• Hadith:
o “Every one of you is a keeper or a shepherd and will be questioned about the well-being
of his fold. So, the Head of the State will be questioned about the well-being of the
people of the State. Every man is a shepherd to his family and will be answerable about
every member of it. Every woman is a shepherd to the family of her husband and will be
accountable for every member of it. And every servant is a shepherd to his master and
will be questioned about the property of his master.”

IV. Balance between Individual and Society

• Balance between individualism and collectivism
• It believes in the individual personality of man and holds everyone personally accountable to
God
• Fundamental rights of the individual
• Educational policy of Islam is geared towards proper dev. of personality of man
• “Man shall have nothing but what he strives for”

“Man can have nothing but what he strives for”

• At the same time it awakens a sense of social responsibility

• Hadith:
o “He is not a believer who takes his fill while his neighbor starves”
o “Live together, do not turn against each other, make things easy for others and do not
put obstacles in each other’s way”

V. Universality and humanism

• Universality:
 o Islam is for the whole of mankind and for all times
▪ Surah Anbiya Verse 107

It was only as a mercy that We sent you [Prophet] for all the
nations/peoples/worlds.

• Humanity:
o All men are equal
o “I affirm that all human beings are brothers to one another”
o Historian Toynbee:
▪ “The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the
outstanding achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as
it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue”

VI. Permanence and Change

• Too much emphasis on permanence makes the system rigid and robs it of flexibility and
progress; while lack of permanent values and unchanging elements generate moral relativism,
shapelessness and anarchy
• American judge, Justice Cardozo
o “the greatest need of our time is a philosophy that will mediate between conflicting
claims of stability and progress and supply a principle of growth”
• The guidance of Islam comes from Allah who is free from the limitations of space and time and
as such the principles of individual and social behavior revealed by Him are based on reality and
are eternal
• But God has revealed only broad principles
o Has endowed man with the freedom to apply them in every age in the way suited to the
spirit and conditions of that age
o Ijtihad
o Thus the basic guidance is of a permanent nature while the method of its application
can change in accordance with the peculiar needs of every age
o Sabaat aik taghayyur ko hai zamanay may

VII. Complete Record of Teachings Preserved

• Word of God is available in its original form
 • The saying and life of Prophet is also precise and authentic
• Professor Reynold A. Nicholson, author of Literary History of the Arabs:
o In the Koran, there are “materials of unique and incontestable authority for tracing the
origin and early development of Islam; such materials as do not exist in the case of
Buddhism or Christianity or any other ancient religion”.
• Allah has said he will protect it
• Even Prophet’s life is preserved:
o Bernard Lewis, author of The Arabs in History
▪ “Islam was born in the full light of history. ‘Its roots are at the surface level, the
life of its founder is as well known to us as those of the Reformers of the
sixteenth century’”.

• The Exposition (Comprehensive Explanation) of Religion in Islam

• Ahmad A. Galwash in his book “The Religion of Islam” summarizes:
o “The word Islam which literally signifies resignation (to God’s will), is a comprehensive
name commonly applied to the religion of the followers of the Prophet Mohammad
(pbuh). It embodies the various sections of the law of Muhammad which God has
established for the guidance of His people, both for the worship of their Lord and for
the duties of life.”

5 Broad Sections of the Law of Allah

1. Beliefs (Aetaqadaat)
• Embrace the 5 articles of faith of Muhammad:
o Belief in
▪ God
• He is One, Omniscient, Omnipresent; He begets not, nor is He begotten
▪ His Angels
▪ His Books
• Allah’s Message preserved in purity in the Quran
▪ His Prophets
• Man has free will and needs guidance
• Thus Allah sent His Messengers
• Muhammad perfected this process of Prophethood
• Follow Muhammad’s ideal life-example through his Sunnah and Hadith
(traditions)
▪ The Day of Resurrection
• Surah Al-Isra Verse 13
We have bound every human’s destiny to their neck. And on the Day of Judgment
We will bring forth to each ˹person˺ a record which they will find laid open

2. Worships/ Practical Devotions (Ibaadaat)

• Divided into 5 articles of Practice [PILLARS]
o Recital of the Creed (Kalimah)
o Prayer to God (Salat)
o Paying legal alms (Zakat)
o Fasting in Ramazan (Saum)
o Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah once in a lifetime, if means allow
• Devotions also include legal warfare (Jihad) for the defense of Islam

3. Transactions (Muaamlaat)
• Relations between man and man
o Contests
o Nuptials
o Securities
• These three headings of civil jurisprudence provide laws relating to:
o Barter
o Sale
o Agency
o Larceny: theft of personal property
o Marriage, divorce and dower
o Partnership
o Claims
o Etc

4. Moralities (Ikhlaaqiaat)
• Sincerity
• Confidence in Allah
• Humility
• Resignation
• Keeping worldly ambitions bounded
• Giving good counsel
• Contentment
• Liberality
• Love to God and Man (Ihsan) (Huqooq-Allah and Huqooq-ul-Ibaad)
• Patience
• Ethical instructions
• Rules pertaining:
o Salutations
 o Permission to enter a house
o Shaking hands
o Rising up
o Sitting, sleeping and walking
o Sneezing and yawning
o Laughing
o Naming
o Poetry and eloquence
o Backbiting and abusing
o Promises
o Joking

5. Punishments (‘Aqoobaat)
• For manslaughter or injuries
• Theft: loss of a hand
• Fornication: Stoning of a married person and hundred lashes for an unmarried person
• Slander: 80 lashes
• Apostasy: Death
• Inebriation (drunkenness): 80 lashes

Islam as Deen
• Deen means system of life
• Islam is a complete way of life. It integrates man with God, awakens in him a new moral
consciousness and invites him to deal with all the problems of life – individual and social,
economic and political, national and international – in accord with his commitment to God.
• Islam does not divide life into domains of the spiritual and the secular.
• It spiritualizes the entire existence of man and produces a social movement to reconstruct
human life in the light of principles revealed by God.
•

From Sir’s lecture

Islam’s meaning
• One meaning of Islam is peace and hence Deen-i-Islam gives you message of peace
• Islam is derived from Salama which means safety
• Iman (belief) is derived from amana, which also means peace
• Insaan is derived from anasa/uns which means affinity/love for others
• So the basic thing taught in Islam is peace and safety
• Basic root of Islam, Iman and Insaan is also peace and safety
• This is the basic message of Islam: of tolerance, equality, peace, affinity and safety
 o And since these are major requirements in every person’s life, believer or non-believer
o Thus Deen is a requirement in our lives
o A person cannot live alone in isolation
• This discussion is important when discussing the Social System of Islam