Faculties Of Islam

Chapter Six From the book Islam In Brief
Faculties Of Islam

Islam takes care of the human being from several dimensions in order to make the man/women well-developed in a stabilized society where mirth, cooperation, and peace in inmost feelings and the reality of the person. There are many useful faculties on which Islam lean to go further in the human transactions and the mutual relationships that are assumed to be substantially successful. In the following lines, there are going to be mentioned some of the Islamic faculties that pay attention to the human deeds in Islam.

1. The orphans:

Allah Almighty urges the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him to take care of the orphan:

{{Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression,}} (Holly Qur’an 93:9)

It is not only ordained to take care of the orphan but also to treat him/her kindly and affectionately. This attitude is very lucrative before Allah Almighty for the person will gain the mercy and the reward from the Lord of the world. This is considered as the path of the righteousness in the Holy Qur'an,

{{It is not Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, and each and every act of obedience to Allâh, etc.) that you turn your faces towards east and (or) west (in prayers); but Al-Birr is (the quality of) the one who believes in Allâh, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, the Prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to the kinsfolk, to the orphans, and to Al-Masâkin (the poor), and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to set slaves free, performs As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and gives the Zakât, and who fulfill their covenant when they make it, and who are As-Sâbirin (the patient ones, etc.) in extreme poverty and ailment (disease) and at the time of fighting (during the battles). Such are the people of the truth and they are Al­Muttaqûn (pious)}}
(Holly Qur’an 2:177)

2. Science:

Islam is known as the religion of the science for there are no conflicts between the science and the religion. This means that Islam does not prohibit the path of knowledge and science, but it rather imposes on Muslims to seek the Lore so as to be in high levels in the paradise.
{{ .. Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" It is only men of understanding who will remember}} (Holly Qur’an 39: 9)

Furthermore, the scholars are the best people to know the greatness and glory of Allah Almighty to the extent to fear Him. This is utterly furthered in the Holy Qur'an,

{{It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All­Mighty, Oft ­Forgiving. }} (Holly Qur’an 35:28)

To boot, one has to add that the messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him used to urge the Muslims to seek the path of knowledge. He used to say:

"Whoever has sought the path to knowledge, Allah Almighty will pave the path to him to get to paradise." (Abu Dawood 3645)

The necessity of science in Islam is based on knowing the ultimate truth about the world to decipher the codes of oneself, the surroundings, the others, and the universe. This substantial truth will enable the person to know one's creator so as to praise His Almighty and to pray to Him as He only wants us to do.

3. The environment:

If one takes golden shots of the Islamic practice towards the environment, one can discern the huge care of Muslims towards the environment.

The Prophet, upon him be blessings and peace, declared:

- "If any Muslim plants a tree or sows a field, and a human, bird or animal eats from it, it shall be reckoned as charity from him." (Bukhari 2320)

- "If the day of resurrection comes upon anyone of you while he has a seedling in hand, let him plant it." (Ahmed 13240)

- "Faith ( believing ) is more than seventy ways , highest is the testimony of  ( No God But Allah ), and the lowest is to remove any harm ( dirt, rock, … etc.) from road." (Muslim: 162)

- "Removing Harms from roads is a charity." 
(Bukhari; 24)

«No harm and no inflicting harm» (Ibn Magah 2430), Means you shouldn't make nothing Harm to others or to your self (smoking, noise …etc.)

This positive attitude involves taking measures to improve all aspects of life: health, nutrition, and the psychological and spiritual dimensions, for man's benefit and the maintenance of his welfare, as well as for the betterment of life for all future generations.

And as is shown in the Prophetic declarations above, the aim of both the conservation and development of the environment in Islam is the universal good of all created beings.

4. Racism:

There is no difference between people in Islam for the human beings are all equal and the favorites to Allah Almighty are the most pious ones. This is clearly expounded in Islam to demarcate the relationships between the people and to define the status of nobility that is correlated to only piety instead of the race, color, and wealth.

{{O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allâh is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. one of the Muttaqûn (pious)]. Verily, Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Aware.}}
(Holly Qur’an 49:13)

The practice of equity in Islam is quite clear during the pilgrimage in Mecca,

"(The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca) was an exhilarating experience to see people belonging to different colours, races and nationalities, kings, heads of states and ordinary men from very poor countries all clad in two simple white sheets praying to God without any sense of either pride or inferiority. It was a practical manifestation of the concept of equally in Islam." Cassius Clay, now Muhammad Ali.

It goes without saying that there is no problem in Islam about the white and Black people. The Muslims do not treat people well or badly because of their colors for they are all created by one God: Allah Almighty.

5. The Rights of Animals:

Allah Almighty has made important value to the animals as they are created by Him. One has to be nice towards the animals and to treat them as good as one can do for they are creatures like us: they feel, smell, sleep, work, cooperate etc.

The prophet Mohammad peace be upon him has stated,

"Allah has ordained beneficence in everything. Thus, if you kill do it well; and if you slaughter, perform well. You have to sharpen your lame so as to soothe the slain animal." (Muslim. 5167)

From this perspective, one has to know that it is forbidden to kill animals in Islam unless one slaughters them in order to eat them like cows, fish, chicken etc.

It is also ordered not to torture the animals in any case. These animals are to be respected as creatures of Allah Almighty. It is narrated that Ibn Omar has passed by young guys who were playing with a little bird by the use of their arrows. The guys escaped when they had seen him. He looked upon this poor bird and said, "  The animals must be treated well for the Muslim must be in tandem with nature that is surrounding him for his/her own benefits and the other creatures' benefits.

Also, let's remember the Hadith of Muhammad (peace be upon him) - "If any Muslim plants a tree or sows a field and a human, bird or animal eats from it, it shall be reckoned as charity from him."  (Bukhari; 2320)

The messenger of Allah Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to say," Who has hurt this bird? Woe be to the one who has done this torment to it!  The messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) has cursed whoever dares to play or hurt anything that has a soul – like an animal-" it is narrated by the two Sheikhs: Al Bukhari and Muslim. The messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had also stated, "Don't cause damage or detriment". That is to say the bullfighting and the cockfighting are extremely forbidden in Islam for they cause a great damage for animals. All of this hurt is done for the sake of the unmerciful people. Though, this saying means one is not to hurt oneself or the others for every creature in the world has his/her/its own rights to be protected for the sake of the Lord of the world.

6. The Rights of the prisoners:

Allah Almighty has forbidden the Muslims to harm the human beings who are prisoners of war. The case that they are prisoners does not deny their human rights for they need to be considered carefully with all the respect a person deserve in a humane attitude. For instance, torture is very prohibited Islam. The messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him stated, “Do not mutilate.” (Narrated by Muslim 3/1357) This is assumed to be practiced in Islam among Muslims.

Furthermore, Islam urges the person to treat well the prisoners and even to release them for their rights to be simply free as respectful human beings.

The messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him had insisted in the Hadith of Sahih, "You have to nourish the hungry person, visit the sick person, and release the prisoner", it is narrated by (Al Bukhari)

This attitude in Islam is considered as one of the acts of respect and cooperation among the human beings in the Muslim society. The Muslim are to be united as one body; and in case a part of the body, regardless of its smallness, is suffering, the whole will automatically stay up and has a fever all the time till this part of body will be recovered and fine.

The parents:

The parents are to be seriously cared of for the sake of Allah Almighty Who has ordained people to do as follows:

{{Worship Allâh and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masâkin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allâh does not like such as are proud and boastful.}}
(Holly Qur’an 4:36)

Allah Almighty has enjoined His worshipping to the good deed towards the parents for they are the ones who has raised the child up and educated him/her to be in the position that he/she is in there.

{{And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour., And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small."}} (Holly Qur’an 17: 23-24(

filial piety

One of the men had asked the messenger of Allah Muhammad peace be upon him about whom the most important in the view of Allah to care about. The messenger of Allah had answered, "Your mother". He has said it thrice, and in the fourth time the man had asked him again, he answered, "your father". This statement gives the evidence to people to take care of their parents, especially the mother who has been pregnant for nine months to bring the person to life. The mother has suffered a lot to bring up the child, and then, it is extremely necessary to treat her well and to be nice towards her as a valuable gem in the heart of the person who embodies one's thoughts and reverent feelings in good acts and sincere gratitude. In a word, Islam cares about the nub of the society that is called the family.