Quranic Foundations And Structure Of Muslim Society
Chapter 9
THE INTEGRALISTIC WELFARE SOCIETY
BASICALLY GROUNDED IN THE PURSUIT OF PIETY,
TRUTH, JUSTICE, LOVE, WISDOM, BEAUTY AND
SELFLESSNESS
The Qur’anic Guidance lays such vehement emphasis on Social Good that its social gospel emerges as the very kernel of the religion of Islam, as the unfriendly Canadian orientalist, Wilfred Cantwell Smith, also admits: “While Christianity in recent years has moved towards a social gospel,[1] Islam has been a social gospel from the very start.”[2]
This is due to the fact that Islam is opposed to the mystico-ascetic approach to life and regards society as the natural framework of activity for human fulfillment.
Islam’s social gospel is, however, based on religion and morality, as opposed to the secular social philosophies which are earth-rooted and materialistic in their approach and built up on Expediency as the ground-work of their value-systems. Hence, as regards its foundations, the Islamic society is theo-centric and ethico-religious, nourished by the pursuit of godliness.
As Theo-centric Society, its social philosophy is grounded in the highest and the most meaningful value-system, because belief in & devotion to God provides the perfect & the comprehensive principle for the highest values & ideals. Indeed, it alone projects the genuine and meaningful sanction for the pursuit of Truth, Justice, Love, Beauty, Austerity and Selfless Service to Fellow-beings.
As Ethico-Religious Society, it is based on the theo-centric ethical Idealism, which rests upon: (a) the ‘love for God’ as manifesting itself in the love for humanity, and (b) the ‘fear of God’ as manifesting itself in the fear of Divine Judgment; which provides, in its concept of God—wherein the ethical aspect of His Personality has been thoroughly emphasised—and the concept of Survival-after Death in terms of a dynamic concept of human destiny, the only genuine and absolute sanction for morality; and which enshrines the assurance of the realisation of its Social Ideal in its Exemplar, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be on him!) and in the society established by him at Madina.
In terms of spiritual activity, it is committed to spiritual illumination. Because: God is the ‘Light of the heavens and the earth’ (24:35); the Holy Prophet (Peace be on him!) is ‘Light’ (5:15) and the ‘Illuminating Lamp’ (33:46); the Holy Qur’an is ‘Light Manifest’ (4:174); Faith (Iman) is ‘Light’ (39:22); the function of Qur’anic Guidance, or, Islam, is to bring humanity out of Darkness into Light (14:l); a genuine member of the Islamic society is one who receives a Light from God, which shines forth in dealings with fellow-beings (6:122); and, in the heavenly life, the Light of the Faithful “will run before them and on their right hands, while they say: Our Lord! Perfect our Light for us …” (66:8). Thus, the Islamic society is a Spiritually – Illumined Society.
In respect of its ethical outlook in terms of human dignity, it invites its members beyond goodness to nobleness. Because: (1) God is Most Noble (96:3); the Prophet is noble (69:40); the Qur’an is noble (56:77); the messenger-angel of the Qur’an is noble (81:19); the human race is noble (16:70); the norm governing Islamic conduct is to behave nobly (17:23; 25:72; 89:17), so that the members of Islamic society are to be regarded as more or less noble, and hence deserving more or less honour, in proportion to the nobility in their character (49:13); genuine pursuers of Islam have been promised ‘noble provision’ (8:4) and ‘noble (final) reward’ (33:44); and it is the mission of Islam to lead its followers into the ‘noble gate’ (4:31) for the attainment of all the dimensions of human nobility. Hence, the Islamic society is a Noble Society.[3]
In its structural aspect, it lays emphasis on the family as the unit of society (35:54; etc.). In fact, the family plays a very important role in Islam’s social ethics (26:214; etc.). Because, providing, as it does, the first and the basic social environment to the individual, it is emphasised by Islam as the original field for social morality wherein a person has to engage himself in a constant socio-moral exercise, and it is the moral discipline which he acquires there that plays a vital role in respect of his moral behaviour relating to his community, country and humanity at large. The institution of the family is thus the corner-stone of Islamic society; and Islam has provided, for its proper functioning and stability, a code of familial ethics which is built upon: (a) marital piety, (b) parental piety, and (c) filial piety,—namely: uncompromising emphasis on: (a) chastity of the husband and the wife, (b) comprehensive parental benevolence, and (c) unflinching goodwill, devotion and respect of the children for their parents and all elders. It should be noted here that Islam’s emphasis on chastity is absolute, because without that no healthy family life is conceivable. This fact accounts for: (a) the special rules of modesty which Islam has laid down for the women folk, with which is connected its prohibition of promiscuous intermingling of sexes; and (b) Islam’s conditional permission for polygamy. The former is in acknowledgement of the woman’s basic role as mother, wherein “the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world”;—indeed, the possibilities of the spiritual and moral survival of a community can exist only so long as the womenfolk remain conscientious custodians of the community’s spiritual and moral values. As to (b), the qualified permission for polygamy is for warding off prostitution, besides providing for the orphans, in a society having a surplus of women folk.[4] All in all, the Islamic society is a Family-Based Society.
Being based on the affirmation of the unity of human kind and the ideal of human brotherhood (4:1), Islam regards racialism, tribalism, caste-ism, class-ism and dynasty-ism as nothing less than infidelity to God and treachery against humanity. All the members of the Islamic society, therefore,—whatever their race, or tribe, or dynasty, or colour, or language, are equal members and possess, originally and basically, equal fundamental rights. The Islamic society is thus a Non-Racial, Non-Tribal, Casteless, Classless Society (49:13). It may also be termed as an Egalitarian Society.
The rights which the members of the Islamic society possess fundamentally in equal measure are, however, subject to modification, on individual basis—and not on the basis of race, tribe, etc.—in terms of practical demonstration of respect for the discipline of the society and the contribution to the welfare of the society. This must be so, because, in the first instance, up-grading the merit of and degrading the demerit is the very essence of justice and the only way to avoid the frustration of virtue; and, in the second instance, the emergence of gradation among individuals is the unavoidable condition of the functioning of a society, and the existence of the spirit of competition is the necessary prerequisite for progress. Thus, the Islamic society is an Open Society, wherein merit is based on achievement alone and not on considerations of physical distinctions in terms of race, or tribe, or family, or colour, or language, or sex (6:132).
Coming to the ideological structure: it is integralistic, ‘religion’ being the integrating factor. Thus, morality is indissolubly joined to ‘religion’ (2:25; etc.), while economics (3:91;[5] etc.), politics (2:38; 5:8;[6] etc.), and law (4:135;[7] etc.), are related to ‘religion’ through morality in an unbreakable bond. Thus, ideologically, the Islamic society is an Integrated Society.
Then, besides the principle of integration, its structural aspect is also governed by the principle of ‘the Balance’ (55:7-8), which implies the realisation of all the values of human life in a balanced manner—namely, giving to every value its due,—in contrast with the ideational philosophy which emphasises only the spiritual pursuit, and with the materialistic philosophy which confines the human struggle within the bounds of physical needs. Thus, the Islamic society is a Balanced Society.
In its functional aspect: Being theo-centric, ethico-religious, integrated and balanced, its vision is not confined to the day-to-day issues of human life—to which it gives their due—but extends beyond them to the ultimate problems of human destiny. It, therefore, commits itself to the most comprehensive and the highest human ideals, in contradistinction to the materialistic approach which has actually no room for ideals because of its affirmation of the cosmos as ‘blind’, the human life as a ‘gamble’, and the human destiny as an ‘illusion’.
Then, being the trustee of the mission of humanity for the realisation of the vicegerency of God, it has to imitate God’s Attributes, among which is His Attribute of Creativity (23:14). As such, it has to function progressively in its adoption of means for the improvement of human welfare in all aspects of life, through the pursuit of Wisdom and through the conquest of the terrestrial and the celestical environment. The Islamic society is thus an Idealistic, Dynamic and Progressive Society.
We have already noted that, structurally, the Islamic society is an egalitarian society. That being so, it functions democratically. Indeed, the Holy Qur’an establishes spiritual democracy, social democracy, political democracy, and economic democracy. It establishes spiritual democracy, as we have already noted, by abolishing priesthood and ‘spiritual feudalism’ completely and by making the acquisition of knowledge the prerogative and the obligation of everyone, including the womenfolk, tearing into shreds the very notion of privileged families and special classes and castes. It establishes social democracy, as already noticed, by abolishing all criteria of tribal, racial and colour distinctions, affirming only the superiority of good character. It establishes political democracy by abolishing theocracy as well as all those secular views of government in which any human being may have the opportunity of tyrannising over and exploiting other human beings,—both of these principles forming basic constituents of the Qur’anic social philosophy, as already noticed. It establishes economic democracy—through, among other principles and laws, the basic principle that ‘wealth should not be permitted to circulate among the wealthy only’ (59:7), which makes it imperative that the economic system should be such as to provide a fair measure of equality of opportunity to all the members of the society for securing decent means of livelihood, and thereby sharing in the national wealth honourably through honest labour and sincere achievement, whereas the disabled secure their basic needs honourably through the social-welfare tax imposed by Islam on the well-to-do on members of the society (9:60; etc.). Thus, the Islamic society is a Democratic Society.
The guiding light of the Islamic social ethics is justice, which has been enjoined by the Holy Qur’an in terms of absoluteness and comprehensiveness (5:8; etc.),—whereby the establishment of all forms of social justice, i.e., moral, legal, economic and political, has been enshrined in the Islamic code of life.[8] Thus, the Islamic society is a Just Society.
The concept of Mercy enjoys a basic importance in the Qur’an. Because: God is the ‘Most Merciful of the merciful’ (7:151; etc.), Whose Mercy ‘comprehends everything’[9] (7:156; etc.); the Holy Prophet (Peace be on him!) is ‘Mercy unto the worlds’[10] (21:107); the Holy Qur’an is ‘Mercy to the Doers of Good’ (31:3); God will cause the Faithful to enter His Mercy after death (76:31); and the practice of Mercy in human relations has been explicitly emphasised (17:24; 30:21; 48:29; 90:17). Thus, the Islamic society is a Merciful Society.
The very basis of the Qur’anic philosophy of life is the negation of all forms of selfishness and the affirmation of love for humanity on the basis of love for God. Moreover, the Holy Qur’an has emphasised the principle of ‘prefering the good of others to one’s own comforts’ as a basic characteristic of Islamic life (59:9). Hence, the Islamic society is an Altruistic Society.
The Qur’an has made knowledge one of the two most fundamental pillars of the pursuit of greatness by human communities (58:11), and the Holy Prophet (Peace be on him!) has made the pursuit of education for the acquisition of knowledge obligatory for every Muslim, man and woman. Hence, the Islamic society is an Educated Society.
The Qur’an has laid down the ‘Limits prescribed by Allaah’ and has commanded the members of the Islamic society to adhere to the requirements of those ‘limits’ (2:187; etc.). It has thus channelised human life, and thereby subjected it to discipline. Again: It has emphasised consequential activity (59:18). But a truly consequential activity is not possible without proper planning, which, in its turn, necessitates disciplined undertaking. Moreover, the principle of ‘discipline’ forms the very soul of Islamic conduct (24:51; etc.). The Islamic society is thus a Disciplined Society.
The Qur’an stresses the ‘Brotherhood of the Believers’ along with all its implications (49:10). Hence, the Islamic society is a Fraternal Society.
The Qur’anic laws relating to international relations between Muslims and non-Muslims and the Qur’anic ethics of war are based on absolute justice and regard for humanity.[11] Similarly, the Qur’an forbids the Muslims from persecuting the non-Muslims for compelling them to change their religion, allowing them thus the right to freedom of conscience (2:256). Also, the Qur’an emphasises that Muslims should not abstain from doing good to the non-Muslims, unless they are in a state of active enmity (60:8-9). Thus, the Islamic society is a Humanitarian Society.
The Qur’an has made Jihad, i.e., relentless effort through hard labour to one’s utmost capacity, one of the highest and the most unavoidable virtues of a Muslim (22:78; etc.), and has stressed that value lies in labour (53:39) and achievement (59:18; etc.). The Islamic society is, therefore, an Industrious Society.
The Qur’an condemns ‘love of this world’s life’ (79:38-39; etc.), invites repeated attention to the emptiness of the pleasures of worldly life (3:185; etc.), forbids all vain spending and waste (7:31; etc.) which is the basis of luxurious living, castigates the infidels for ‘loving wealth’ (89:20), commands the Muslims not to follow the behests of their animal self (4:135; etc.), and finally invites them to a life dedicated to the love for values (3:15-17)—the highest value being the love for God (2:165), which should manifest itself in the love for fellow-beings (2:177; etc.). This makes austerity the ideal in respect of Islamic life, as exemplified at its highest in the life of the Holy Prophet (Peace be on him!), and practised by all those who have walked in his footsteps. The Islamic society is thus an Austere Society.
Finally, the goal to be achieved through the realisation of the values that govern the Islamic society has been enshrined by the Holy Qur’an in the concept of falah (3:104; 3:130; 59:9; 62:10; etc.),[12] i.e., welfare, which has been related explicitly and directly both to the society [13] and to the individual.[14] Then, the concept of collective welfare has been presented in all dimensions: spiritual, moral, physical, economic, political, etc., in contrast with the emphasis on economic welfare alone,—as we find in the Marxist Scientific Socialism. This makes the Islamic society a Total Welfare Society.
[1] Mark the movement of Christianity towards the philosophy of Islam, and assess the Christian allegation that Islam has borrowed its humanitarian philosophy from the teachings of Christianity.
[2] Islam in the Modern World, London 1946, p. 22.
[3] The root-word Karuma, employed in all the verses quoted, means ‘to be noble’, i.e., ‘to be noble-hearted, high-minded, magnanimous, generous, liberal, munificent’. (Ref: A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, edited by J. Milton Cowan, p. 821) Mark here the Qur’anic dimensions of nobility!
[4] For Qur’anic references relating to the facts mentioned in this discussion, see vol. 2: “The Structure of Islamic Society.”
[5] The Qur’anic ethico-religious basis of economics is the economic welfare of humankind, as emphasised in the verse referred to.
[6] The Qur’anic ethico-religious basis of politics is the elimination of ‘fear and sorrow’ and the establishment of justice, as emphasised in the verses referred to.
[7] The Qur’anic ethico-religious basis of law is equity, as emphasised in the verse referred to.
[8] For references, see vol. 2: “The Structure of Islamic Society.”
[9] Imitation of Divine Attributes’ being the function of the Muslims, they are under obligation, on this basis itself, to make the practice of Mercy one of the guiding principles of their lives.
[10] Imitation of the Holy Prophet’s moral character being the very basis of Islam life, all Muslims are under obligation to practise Mercy towards all creatures, even as the Holy Prophet (Peace be on him!) has commanded: “It is the merciful people on whom the Merciful (God) bestows Mercy. Be merciful to those who are on the earth. (Then) He Who is Above will bestow Mercy on you.” (Tirmizi : Jame‘, vol. 2, “al-Birr wa al-silah”).
[11] For references, see vol. 2: “The Structure of Islamic Society”,
[12] 3:104; 3:130; 59:9; 62:10; etc.
[13] Ibid.
[14] 87:14; etc.
to be continued . . . . .
Quranic Foundation & Structure Of Muslim Society In The End Times
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