WHAT IS ISLAM? Part 2
contd from Part-1 The same is the case of Salmon: Every neonate
Salmon lives in the sea for some time. On its return from the
sea, it reaches the river from where it had entered the sea.
>From this river it goes to the tributary, which had led it to
the river. And then from this rivulet, it reaches its place
where it was born. If you catch it some where in the way and
leave it in some other lake, it immediately goes back to the big
river and therefrom reaches the right stream. It does never
commit any mistake in reaching its right place. The same is with
the migratory birds. There are many islands in the Mediterranean
Sea, where no bird except a particular type of bird species is
found. In winter, these birds go to Hawaii Islands. In one
flight they have to fly two thousand and three hundred miles
over the sea. They lay their eggs there and then come back. When
their children are able to fly, they reach directly to their own
havens on their parents' "foot prints" -with no signs and to
whom they have never seen. In the abysmal depths of the space,
and over the sea, which are the signposts that guide them to
their destination? This is the Divine guidance that comes to
play in the form of their instinct. Instinct enables them to
make a satisfactory adjustment to their environment. It enables
them to satisfy their basic needs and so preserve both
themselves and their young. Instinct guides them unerringly to
the clime they are seeking. The directive factor operative in
the nature of each of them incites them to engage in activities,
which lead to the satisfaction of their basic needs. The same
factor is responsible for the harmony and order which nature
exhibits. Wahi is really this factor in operation. Galloway's
comment in his book, The Philosophy of Religion, p. 582, on this
point should be noted: In the widest sense of the word (Wahi),
the order of nature is a revelation, for it unfolds a meaning,
which has its ultimate source in God. We are led to draw two
conclusions from these examples. Firstly, it is Divine Guidance
or Wahi, which carries each and every thing from stage to stage
until it reaches its full development. Secondly, everything
follows the course, which has been prescribed for it. This may
be said to be its nature. It is the same Guidance, which Allah's
"Wahi" has instinctively given them. That is why the Quran, in
Surah Taahaa, Verse 50, says: Our Nourisher is He Who gave to
everything its nature, then guided it aright. In the example of
the migratory birds mentioned above, C. T. Hudson in his book
Birds and Man writes an interesting event. He says: The caravan
of these migratory birds flew away. Two birds left behind, one
running on the ground and the second flying in the air just a
little bit ahead. The flying bird looked back after some time,
called for the walking bird and finding that the bird had not
increased its speed, it flew down till the bird came near. And
then flew up. ... Both these birds continued going on with great
difficulty to the direction of their caravan. He went close to
these two birds and found that one of the two birds was a male
and the other was a female. One wing of the female is broken. He
then says: Had it been the human child, he would have spared his
leg broken wife with one stroke of his leg and would have
himself had a new wife. Absolutely no Rumple or Crisis Cross in
the Universe Anyhow, we were saying everything in the universe
gets guidance from Allah and without grumbling follows it. None
of it enjoys power either to refute or to rebel against this
guidance. That is why this huge system of the universe is
running smoothly and beautifully. There is no rumble in it. Nor
is there any crease or fault. In this regard, the Quran in Surah
Al-Mulk, Verse 4-5 says: You won't see any kind of
non-proportion in the creation of Allah, the Sustainer. Just
look again. Do you see any defect, any split, any fault, or any
imperfection anywhere in it? Then look again and yet again in
the depths of the universe. Your sight will absolutely see no
imperfection anywhere. It will return weakened and made dim
again and again. It is all due to the fact that the entire
universe is functioning according to Deen of Allah -Al-Islam.
Therefore, it is not possible that there be any interruption,
any disorder, any riot, any row, or any derangement. Row and
riot is always Un-Islamic. Interruption, disorder, and
derangement have nothing to do with the Islamic way of life.
Human World In the Physical world, everything goes by the law of
life and the code of conduct. Will the man, the final product of
the evolution of life on this planet, and the last beautiful end
of this disciplined universe, be an exception to this code of
conduct and law of life? No, it can't be. It is diametrically
opposite to the system of the universe where everything is
following a prescribed way of life. It will be necessary for the
man to live according to a particular code of life. It is
exactly the same code of conduct and style of life we have named
AL-Islam. For the physical things of the universe, the Quran in
Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 82 says: Whatsoever is there in the
heavens and the earth submits to Allah' Laws. Also for the man,
the Quran in Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 112 says: Nay, but whosoever
surrenders his purpose to Allah and he is of balanced
personality . . . For the physical things, it was said in the
Quran in Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 116: Every thing in the universe
devoutly follows His Laws. And again for the man, it was ordered
in the Quran in the same Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 238: Follow
Allah's Laws with devotion. Physical Life The Quran holds that
the man is not merely a physical being but is composed of
something else besides his body. This something is called human
personality. In this way the human life has two parts: one of
physical life and the second of human personality. Physical life
is the life of his body obeying the same laws that apply to the
animals: eating, drinking, sleeping, procreating etc. Water
quenches the thirst of an animal, the same water is the cause of
satisfaction to the man for quenching his thirst. Good food
making the horse grow also nourishes the man. Arsenic kills the
dog; it kills the man too in the same way. These are also the
Laws of Allah and leading his life according to these laws the
man gets physical comforts. And living discordant to these laws,
he suffers harmful effects of his living. The second part of
human life makes him distinctly a separate entity from the
animals. If the first part of his life is called animal life,
the second part would be better called as Human Life. His animal
life depends upon his physical body but his human life is tied
to his self, called human personality. As are the laws for the
body, so are for the self. Man in a fully developed state does
not inherit this personality; it exists in a latent form and its
development is the ultimate object of human life. When properly
developed, the life of the individual becomes capable of
evolving into higher forms after its end in this mortal world.
The growth of an individual's physical existence (as described
above) is governed by certain natural laws; but the development
of his personality is subject to a different set of laws. This
set of laws has been given to mankind from time to time through
Divine Revelation, and is now fully embodied in the Quran. This
set of laws is called the permanent values. But there is
difference between this Divine Revelation and the one given to
the things in the universe (as has been mentioned above). The
basic characteristic of the human personality is his choice and
will. These are the very attributes, which distinguish him from
the animals and are the real source of his prestige and honour.
It is this choice and will for which a separate method of
sending Revelation was adopted for the man. As we have seen
earlier, everything in the universe, living and nonliving both,
has instinctively been given the guidance under which these
things have to function. In other words it is their instinctive
behaviour. The meanings of 'instinct' are "The aspect of
behaviour that is innate; and must be followed by compulsion."
The question of moving away from it does never arise. That is
why everything in the universe (except man) is automatically
following these laws Allah has prescribed for them. Had the
principles and laws for the human self been instinctively given
to every human child, the man would have been under compulsion
to follow these laws. And this would have been absolutely
against the option of his choice and will. Allah used a separate
procedure for this purpose. These Laws were revealed to a
selected few (called Anbia) amongst the humans and they were
told to present these laws to the other men to either follow or
otherwise. But this must be understood "Following these Laws
would provide them comforts of life and not-following would make
their life miserable, devastated, and wretched." The result of
this Divine Scheme is that everything of the universe is
willingly following these Divine Laws, on the contrary, some
amongst the men follow these laws, and the others refuse to
follow. The Quran in Surah Al-Hajj, Verse 18 says: Have you not
thought of it that whatsoever is there in the heavens and the
earth are following the Laws of Allah: the sun, the moon, the
stars, the hills, the trees, and the living creatures. While
amongst the men, there are some that follow these Laws, and some
that refuse to follow for which destruction sets over them.
Choice and Will About the things of the universe, the Quran in
Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 82 asserts: Whatsoever is there in the
heavens and the earth submits willingly or unwillingly to Allah'
Laws. For the man, it was said in the Quran in Surah Al-Baqara,
Verse 112: But Oh! Whosoever amongst them surrenders to the Laws
of Allah and leads his life walking in the ways of Allah, his
Nourisher will reward him according to His Law of Requital.
These are the people who will be free from fear and anxiety.
Still at another place in the same Surah, for the things of the
universe it was said in the Quran (Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 116):
All devoutly follow His Laws. But for the man, the Quran
commanded in Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 238: Follow the Laws of
Allah. This -following the Laws of Allah -has been called the
most beautiful system of life. In other words, it means 'it is
the humans' following of the Laws of Allah volitionally, from
within, from the tone and tenor of their heart and head, by
their own choice and will, and on the cogent reason (The Quran
in Surah An-Nisa, Verse 126). The humans enjoy this choice and
will in the physical as well as the human world. For example,
the law for the flow of water is that it keeps its level
provided no external force acts upon it. The land lies on the
low as well as the high level by the stream. The farmer, who
cultivates his land on the lower level by the stream, follows
the law of Allah. In other words 'he makes his efforts conform
to the Law of Allah . . . and so gets the reward.' Gains of the
Physical Life Since these laws pertain to the animal level of
the human life, they do not make any difference between man and
man. There are different types of people. There are people who
do not accept the human self, or the life Hereafter. They also
do not acknowledge the permanent values. They simply believe in
the life of this physical world. If they follow these laws, they
will get the rewards of their efforts in the same manner as do
the people who accept all the above mentioned matters. The Quran
calls the former group of people as the believers of "the life
of this world" and the latter as the believers of "this world
and the Hereafter". The efforts of the first group of people go
for getting the worldly gains and have nothing to do with the
human values. These are the people for whom the Quran, in Surah
Al-Baqara, Verse 200, holds: There are among the people who
consider the worldly gains an end in itself, they do get such
benefits, but have no share in the Hereafter. continued...to
part-3