Philosophy of Islam
Since time immemorial man had sought to justify their existence on some higher power or being, whose idea and concept manifested in form of religions and pathways. This inner tendency of man has led to the proof of his yearning towards some higher thing which is there in his self, which he yearns to realize in its reality. Mankind thus have been a worshipper since recorded history shows. One should ask this question that why he has sought to realize this from within him, and what steps he took to realize that inner thirst for the greatest truth? This discussion will Inshallah show and elaborate such points.
Mankind was weak, and his being intellectually powerful today doesn’t show that he has lost the yearning to achieve the great truth other than himself. It may be that such yearning is covered by his arrogance and ignorance of the truth, but nevertheless, this shining torch of the idea of being loyal to a great being is always there in him, even in the atheists who express the greatness of this inner truth, and that is why there is a saying ‘’there are not atheists in a foxhole’’, which is to say in other words that in the times of war in the holes dug deep for soldiers to face the enemy, even atheists in such places pray to the higher being which he may forget at other times. The idea and belief in God is the inner truth whose evidence for existence has fascinated man more than it has misguided him like the atheists. Man had never been abandoned by his self of coming in terms with the fascinating universe surrounding him, and he has expressed the idea of God is form of religions which has made him sacrifice his life, but it is not to be said that religion has made him kill each other, but rather the absence of proper religion had done so. It is to be said that today we speak of God’s existence and the proof of such existence which mankind has felt in him when his history was young. When we see what is around us we can see the fine architect of the universe, which we have explored through science and philosophy, but the people who had wished to go further beyond the two attained the proof that such architect demands an architecture, which humanity has called God. Human kind had given Him all the attributes of perfection in honour and for God’s greatness. The grand universe is a proof for God’s existence even though some people do not wish to go beyond their understanding of the universe. Nonetheless no one has been able to proof that God doesn’t exist, but rather the contrary. Mankind has sought from God guidance through religious attitude, and thus throughout history man has worshipped God through religion. Let us first consider God, who is He? He must be someone greater than universe, one who has not any defects in His perfect existence for then mankind wouldn’t have named Him God, or the King of kings, or such grand names of perfections. This God of ours must then be wisest, most powerful, eternal and living along with all attributes of perfection, voiding all attributes of imperfection. To have guidance from Him would mean that such guidance should be enough for us, as humanity’s existence is concerned. The failure of perceiving God’s guidance which is religion, have caused chaos among us, thus it is to be said that as humankind our first duty is to know God and His religion which He meant for us, and our salvation. This religion must be pure, free from human forging and manipulation, purely from God. Only one religion today claims such a claim and that is Islam. Thus we say to all mankind that Islam is the religion of God. He has revealed this religion so that we build a relationship with Him and among ourselves, nations, states and individual. This is worship and when we speak of this worship we mean that the relationship which describes all the faces of relationship in connection with the above criterions. How we know of such manner of worship? How we know God? We can say that His existence do not necessarily make us know everything about Him or about worship, so there must be a way for it, which is termed revelation, and this is God’s words which He sent to humankind through His Messenger, a special position He chooses among mankind to impart His will towards humankind and his need. God’s Book, teaches us all that we need and in Islam, which means submission to the will of God. This book is known as Holy Quran, which teaches us about worship. The first and best teacher was God’s messenger, Muhammad (pbuh), and then under His guidance this religion took shape and completed before his death, but He started the tradition of Islamic knowledge and wisdom which were to be carried on the shoulders of numerous men of wisdom and knowledge, whose duty was to guide humankind in the way of Holy Quran and God’s messenger, Muhammad (pbuh). It should be stated that, this norm is not new but since the beginning of mankind God sent such messengers and Prophets to guide mankind towards Him. Prophets and messengers are the bearer of God’s words, and dictates, who never fail in doing so. The Holy Quran being the last of its kind from God, which He revealed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), through the angel Gabriel. Angels are such honest messengers created from light who impart God’s commands as He wishes, one of which being bringing His words to these human Messengers and Prophets. All this because we human lack the ability to form a guidance which will ensure our well being, because imperfection is one of our essential attributes.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has thus received the guidance, Holy Quran from God, Allah in Arabic, as He named Himself, giving us the guidance for our life, for all of mankind, as he being the last of prophet who have risen from Arabia from the tribe of Quraish in the honoured city of Makkah. Islam has given us an opportunity to return to Allah. Islam is the last book from Allah as there will be no more Prophets and Messengers. Islam’s foundation is holy Quran and Sunnah (way) of the Prophet (pbuh), and this Holy Book consists of 114 chapters with different names, revealed through 23 years of prophet’s (pbuh) life.
As it has been stated that our being thirsty for the higher truth for the knowledge of our identity shows that our being here on earth is related to that higher being, God, we are thus on behalf of God, so to picture the correct frame of our existence. Thus we sought Him, and guidance towards Him, which we as Muslims confirm that to be Holy Quran and Sunnah. The duty of our life is His worship, and living by His religion, wholly based on Holy Quran and the way of the Prophet (pbuh). Mankind each day when he has mastered inches of existence have moved inches further from God, because his venture in to the existence haven’t been guided by God’s guidance, thus he knew of the existence as his weak mind pointed to, thereby resting on various false notions of himself and existence, and it has piled up today to the extent that humankind has become almost blind. It then he duty of the wise worshippers to reawaken the long suppressed thirst of humankind which he had before, thereby calling him to God and his life by God’s ideals for humanity. Mankind thus believe then he must pray to God, manifesting it in form of worship as Islam taught such as prayer, fasting, zakat (charity with a amount), and pilgrimage. Each moment these five important steps will make man, remember, God, and about man’s true purpose, and by gradual increase in worship mankind will purify these five pillars of his existence and worship.
When mankind is on the point of spiritual perfection his long hidden thirst which had started since his beginning of his breath, will come to be quenched through a level known as ihsan where mankind will meet his Lord, seeing Him by his heart and knowing that God is seeing him. When mankind will come to this level he will know that all his efforts of his life has been fruitful, and his thirst been satisfied, because he has met God, through Islam.
