WHAT IS ISLAM?
Author: Sajid Mahmood Ansari
Mankind
rely on three common sources of knowledge (i)Senses (ii)Intellect (iii)True
Narration, but none of these sources is reliable perfectly, in sense of
certainty. Despite our horrible or joyful achievements in technology, countless
questions are debatable about physical world. We, probably, have discovered
only 1 % of the cosmos. Surely, we can never reach on the farthest spot of the
cosmos, even if we travel with the velocity of light (300000 km/sec) , within
our physical life. Then what about the meta-physical world? In fact we can not
find the ultimate solutions to our common psychological and
socio-politico-economic problems depending on the limited, imperfect and
developing sources of knowledge. Theories have been constructed, debated and
ultimately rejected because of new information, for thousands years. Nothing in
human theories, is definite, ultimate and unchallengable. Should human beings
keep wandering aimlessly in wilderness of uncertainty, suffering injustice,
without the reliable and perfect guidance? Actually, we need, Divine Guidance,
devoid of any sort of flaws. The Muslims seek guidance of ALLAH for not only
the salvation in the afterlife but in the physical life as well, because being
the Creator, Allah-the only God, says:
"And whoever desires other than Islam as religion -
never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the
losers." [Qur'an, 3:85]
In fact, Islam is the complete cod of life that guides in
all spheres of life ranging from private individual life to international laws.
A quick and brief view of Islam is presented here for the
convenience of Muslims and non-Muslims as well.
Briefly speaking, Islam comprises six sets of faith as
follows:
2. Set of Rituals
This set contains rituals including Salaah (prayers), Siyam
(fasting), Zakah (Charity), Hajj (Pilgrimage), Zikr (Remembrance of Allah).
3. Set of Etiquette
This set contains etiquette, good habits and ethical
principles about all human actions.
4. Set of Taboos
This set contains the things that are prohibited to consume
or utilize like pork, flowing blood, the dead animals (that are not slaughtered
Islamically).
5. Set of Contractual Laws
This set contains laws pertaining to social contracts
including marriage, divorce, trade, partnership, loan, lease etc.
6. Set of Criminal Laws
The laws related to crimes like murder, fornication,
robbery, theft, drinking wine, accusing the modest girls etc
