Islam Guide – Important Islamic Concepts

Islam is the second largest religion after Christianity, with more than 1.9 billion Muslim population across the world. Muslims believe that the religion of all the previous Prophets and Messengers was the same as that of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ. It is also believed that the religion was finally completed with the Prophethood of Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ, which was then given the name “Islam,” as mentioned in the 3^rd verse of Surah Al-Ma’ida:

اَلْيَوْمَ اَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِيْنَكُمْ وَاَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِيْ وَرَضِيْتُ لَكُمُ الْاِسْلَامَ دِيْنً

Translation

This day I have perfected for you your religion, and have bestowed upon you My bounty in full measure, and have been pleased to assign for you Islam as your religion

Islam is also referred to as (دِینِ فِطْرَت), which can be translated as “a religion based on the Laws of Nature.” That means Islamic Law or Islamic Jurisprudence deals with the nature (فِطْرَت). Hence, all the Islamic laws and concepts are essentially very close to nature, which further implies that these are practicable and can easily be adopted in the life of a person, individually, as well as in the community as a whole.

The Islamic concepts are primarily derived from the Quran, which was practically exhibited by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ in his dealings and practices, commonly referred to as Sunnah. So, it is very easy to implement these practices in the Islamic Communities by following the Sunnah of the Prophet. All such Islamic concepts together form the social fabric of Islamic society. The best part of these concepts is that they are universal, not specific to a particular era or nation.

Being known as the “Complete Code of Life,” Islam gives practical solutions to every possible situation one can encounter. The Quran contains many such verses, explaining that it provides complete guidance in all matters, such as the 9^th verse of Surah Al-Isra:

Translation

Verily this Qur’an guides to the Way that is the Straight most. To those who believe in it, and do righteous works, it gives the good news that a great reward awaits them.

The same subject is narrated in the 89^th verse of Surah An-Nahl in a different context:

Translation

(O Muhammad), warn them of the coming of a Day when We shall bring forth a witness against them from each community and We shall bring you forth as a witness against them all; (and it is for that purpose that) We sent down the Book to you which makes everything clear, and serves as a guidance and mercy and glad tidings to those who have submitted to Allah.

Here, it is explicitly mentioned that the Quran provides complete and clear guidance. Hence, the Islamic principles and concepts are essentially based on the guidelines extracted from the Quran, both for the performance of religious obligations and those about an Islamic community’s social values.

An Islamic community takes its shape by adopting all the relevant Islamic concepts, such as the performance of religious rituals and social behaviors, like honesty, fair dealings, truthfulness, fulfillment of promises and contracts, and many others. The performance of religious obligations, such as prayers, fasting, and Pilgrimage, are personal acts of a Muslim. Likewise, adherence to essential beliefs such as faith, belief in Angels, belief in Prophets, and belief in divine scriptures is also related to the persons in their capacity.

However, the social concepts of Islamic theology are not restricted to an individual; instead, these exhibit the collective behavior of the Muslim Community in its entirety. When discussing social behaviors like honesty, fair dealings, truthfulness, and fulfillment of promises and contracts. These directly impact a community’s entire social structure. In other words, such Islamic practices and principles, though they pertain to the individuals, impact the community as a whole.

So, the Islamic community or society is characterized by the collective social behavior of the individuals.  Therefore, Islamic principles and concepts, specifically about Islamic society’s social fabric, are considered essential and decisive.

In this context, some important Islamic concepts such as Slavery, Haya, and Jihad are explained here.

Slavery in Islam

The history of slavery dates back to ancient times. Slavery cannot be associated with a particular culture or religion; it has its roots in different nations, even from the pre-history era, and can be found in various shapes in some parts of the world, in the modern era as well. The evidence of slavery can be found in the initial civilizations, like Sumer, which is as old as 3500 BC. It remained a common phenomenon in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. It became a type of trade (sale/purchase of slaves) in the 16^th Century CE, especially in Europe, where Portuguese merchants started slavery. Slaves were mostly captured from Africa and then traded to European colonies across the Americas.

Despite all the civic and cultural development and the emergence of the concept of Human Rights, slavery, though in a different form, still exists in some parts of the world. A recent report reveals that more than 40 million people are facing one or the other form of slavery, out of which 1/4^th are children. A common form of slavery these days is forced labor, with around 25 million victims across the world. The worst form of slavery, in practice these days, is perhaps sexual slavery, where females are the victims of forced marriages or prostitution.

· Slavery in the Arabian Peninsula Before Islam

Like the other parts of the world, slavery has also been in practice in the Arabian Peninsula since ancient times. They were also involved in slave trading, which was a normal activity in those old days. Some of the slaves in Arab had been brought from other countries by Arabian travelers and traders, which are normally referred to as white slaves. Apart from this category, some of the slaves at that time were native Arabs.

The majority of the Arabian slaves in the pre-Islamic era had been captives and kidnapped persons, as well as children, who were mostly brought in through slave trading. The slave population in Arabs also included some criminals who were enslaved as punishment for some offenses committed by them.

Since slavery was a common practice in the pre-Islamic era, a major part of the slave population in Arab was the children born to a female slave. Such children were supposed to be the property of their Master. Apart from this, there were a sizeable number of slaves who were directly purchased by their Masters in Slave Trading.

· Slavery in Arab after the Advent of Islam

Slavery was one of the many evil practices in Arabs by the mid-7^th Century CE when Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ came up with the message of Islam. Like many other wrongful activities, which were common in the Arab, Islam also pointed out the practice of slavery as an evil act. Islam discouraged the practice of slavery and urged people to free their slaves.

Islam also suggested multiple ways of freeing the slaves, such as freeing them as a gesture of good deed or as the expiation of one’s sins. Apart from such virtuous acts, Islam also suggested other methods of freeing the slaves, which included paying the price of a slave through Zakat or getting him free through a contract. Uses of Zakat are explained in the 60^th verse of Surah At-Tawba, which also includes the freeing of a slave:

Translation

The alms are meant only for the poor and the needy and those who are in charge thereof, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free those in bondage, and to help those burdened with debt, and for expenditure in the Way of Allah and for the wayfarer. This is an obligation from Allah. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise

As for all other religious and social matters, the Islamic rules about the slaves and the practice of slavery are also based on the Quran and Hadith. There are different verses in the Quran that give complete guidelines on slavery, emphasizing more on freeing the slaves. Side by side, it also urges the masters to treat their slaves with kindness. The aim was to phase out slavery gradually and persistently. 33^rd verse of Surah An-Nour is quite elaborate on the subject of slavery, their liberation, and their rights:

Translation

And those, who cannot find a match, should observe continence till Allah provides them with means out of His bounty And if those who are in your possession, ask for a deed of emancipation, execute the deed of emancipation with them, provided that you find some good in them; and give them something out of the means Allah has given you. And do not force your slave girls into prostitution for your own worldly gains when they themselves want to keep chaste; and if anyone forces them into it, after such a compulsion Allah will be forgiving and merciful for them.

Similarly, in the 177^th verse of Surah Al-Baqarah, paying ransom for getting a slave free is also encouraged and rated as a virtuous act of the believers:

Translation of the relevant part

It is no virtue. That you turn your faces towards the east or the west, but virtue is that one should sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the Prophets and, out of His love, spend of one’s choice wealth for relatives and orphans, for the needy and the wayfarer, for beggars and for the ransom of slaves.

As a result of sympathetic and humane views about them, many of the slaves embraced Islam in the earlier days of Islam. Many of them were put to torture by their non-Muslim Masters but they stood firm on their faith. Most prominent of them is Bilal Ibn Rabah Al-Habashi رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ, who later on became the first “Muezzin” (the person who recites call to prayers). Sumayya Bint Khayyat was also one of such slaves who were put to severe torture. She was killed by Abu Jahl and is considered the first martyr in Islamic history.

Similarly, the adopted son of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ, Zayd Ibn Harithah رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ was also a slave, who was among the earliest Muslims.

· Status of the Slaves – Islamic Perspective

While the first and best choice in the Islamic perspective is to free the slaves, it also defines their status, if not free, due to one reason or the other. There are around 29 verses in the Quran that deal with the subject of slavery. So, the status of the slaves and how to deal with them can be summarized in the light of the Quran and Hadith:

• The first priority is to free the slaves. Masters are urged to free their slaves as a gesture of good deed. They can also do so as an expiation of their sins. Anyone can pay their price to the Master in order to get them free. This can be done by using Zakat.
• Both the slaves and the free people are morally and spiritually equal to each other. Islam does not discriminate against slaves in this context. However, their legal rights are not equal to the free people. The masters are responsible for taking care of them, just like a “minor” whose rights are looked after by his guardian.
• The punishment for any of the unlawful acts committed by a slave is half, as compared to a free person. A difference of opinion does exist among Islamic Scholars on this issue; some are of the view that they are liable to the same punishment as the free persons.
• Slaves are also given the status of a family member of their masters. Masters are urged to deal with the same kindness as they treat their other family members.
• Islam has given slaves a very special status by calling them “مَا مَلَكَتْ اَيْمَانُكُمْ,” which means “whom your right hands possess,” instead of using the term (Abd), which is an Arabic phrase for the servant. The phrase “whom your right hands possess” means to be held in honor. So, it is a sort of honorific expression for the slaves in Islam.
• Islam has categorically prohibited forcing female slaves into prostitution.

The critics of Islam, especially Christians and Jews, often argue that Islam has promoted slavery, but this is not correct; rather a biased viewpoint. Islam has practically phased out slavery in a systematic way. Contrary to that, despite all claims and efforts to promote human rights, the West was only able to strive to stop the practice of slavery through a resolution of the United Nations, just less than a century ago, in 1953 CE. That’s the difference between the Islamic viewpoint on Slavery and that of other contemporary civilized nations.

Haya in Islam

Haya (حياء) is an Arabic expression which has diversified meanings, such as shyness, modesty, bashfulness, and decency. From the Islamic viewpoint, it largely refers to modesty. In Islam, the concept of Haya equally applies to men and women, contrary to a general misconception, that it is restricted to only women.

Haya in Islam can be defined as “natural shyness with a sense of modesty.” Generally speaking, it aims at avoiding any gesture or physical appearance that might be abominable. Though Haya is largely associated with one’s dress, it also has a different angle of spirituality, as mentioned in many Quranic verses, such as verses 30 and 31 of Surah An-Nour, specifying the concept of Haya for men and women, respectively:

Translation

30. And O Prophet, enjoin the Believing men to restrain their gaze and guard their private parts. This is a more righteous way for them: Allah has knowledge of what they do.
31. O Prophet, enjoin the Believing women to restrain their gaze and guard their private parts. and not to display their adornment except that which is displayed of itself, and to draw their veils over their bosoms and not to display their adornment except before their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons and the sons of their husbands (from other wives), their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their female associates and those in their possession and male attendants incapable of sex desire and those boys who have not yet attained knowledge of sex matters concerning women; also forbid them to stamp their feet on the ground lest their hidden ornaments should be displayed. O Believers, turn all together towards Allah: it is expected that you will attain true success.

Apart from providing guidance on the general appearance, especially the dress, these two verses also highlight that both men and women must restrain their gaze. So, keeping one’s stare in control is one of the main features of Haya, which largely is the spiritual and religious requirement of being modest and decent.

Haya is also mentioned in many Hadiths in different contexts. Hadith 9 of Sahih Al-Bukhari describes Haya as one of the basics of the faith:

Translation

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Faith (Belief) consists of more than sixty branches (i.e. parts). And Haya (This term “Haya” covers a large number of concepts which are to be taken together; amongst them are self-respect, modesty, bashfulness, and scruple, etc.) is a part of faith.”

In another Hadith, as appears in serial 4181 of Sunan Ibn Majah, Haya has been described as the characteristic of Islam:

Translation

Every religion has its distinct characteristics, and the distinct characteristic of Islam is modesty.

So, Haya is one of the main concepts of the Islamic way of life and as described in the above-referred verses of Surah An-Nour, dress or clothing forms the base of Haya, equally for men and women.

Rules of Clothing for Muslim Men and Women

Islam, being a complete code of life, guides the believers on dress, as well. The rules of dress are derived from the prime sources in Islam, the Quran and Hadith/Sunnah. Generally, the clothing in Islam must adhere to the basics, both for men and women:

• The dress should be sufficient enough to cover the private parts of the body, as mentioned in verses 30 and 31 of Surah An-Nour (referred to above).
• The dress should not be flamboyant.
• The dress should be neat and clean.
• It should be nicely stitched.
• The dress should be loose enough so as to hide the shape of different parts of the body. The very purpose of a dress is to hide the body. If the dress is skin-tight, it would not meet the basic requirement of hiding the body.
• See-through types of clothes are strictly prohibited in Islam for making dresses both for men and women. So, the dress should be made up of a cloth that has be capacity to hide the body.
• Imitation of the dress of other faiths is also not allowed in Islam. This specifically applies to the religious getup of other faiths.
• Islam does not allow wearing a dress made up of the skin of dead animals unless it is tanned.
• Lastly, men are prohibited from imitating women, and women are prohibited from imitating men when it comes to the dress.

While the basic requirements of a dress remain consistent, both for men and women, these may differ for each of them in details and explanations of various features, as explained below:

· Rules of Dress for Men

The Islamic way of men’s attire is to essentially cover the part of the body from the lower abdomen to the knees. This is the minimum requirement for covering the body. On the other hand, men are expected to cover their whole body from the shoulders to above the ankles. Moreover, the dress should be nice looking but not intended to be noticed by others as a sign of superiority and show off.

Dress made up of Silk is not allowed for men. Similarly, Gold is also prohibited for men. This is specifically mentioned in different Hadiths, such as Hadith 5148 of Sunan An-Nasai:

Translation

It was narrated from Abu Musa that: The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: “Gold and silk have been permitted for the females of my Ummah, and forbidden to the males.

Though other colors are not prohibited, it is advisable for men to wear white clothes, as narrated in Hadith 1897 of Sunan An-Nasai:

Translation

It was narrated from Samurah that the Prophet said: Wear white clothes for they are purer and better, and shroud your dead in them.

Another parameter set by Islamic rules for men’s dress is to wear a lower garment that should remain above the ankle, as mentioned in Hadith 4093 of Sunan Abu Dawood:

Translation

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The way for a believer to wear a lower garment is to have it halfway down his legs and he is guilty of no sin if it comes halfway between that and the ankles, but what comes lower than the ankles is in Hell. On the day of Resurrection. Allah will not look at him who trails his lower garment conceitedly.

· Rules of Dress for Women

Women are required to cover their whole body while leaving their hands and eyes open. This is a general guideline for women, though some scholars differ with it to the extent that women are allowed to leave their entire face open. The basic guidelines for a perfect dress for a Muslim woman are described in the 59^th verse of Surah Al-Ahzab:

Translation

O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters, and the women of the faithful, to draw their wraps a little over them. They will thus be recognised and no harm will come to them. God is forgiving and kind.

This verse clearly indicates that the women need to cover their entire body. Other basic requirements are the same for women and men, as discussed above.

The most relevant and much-discussed feature of women’s attire, per Islamic teachings, is the “Hijab” (حجاب). The hijab mainly deals with covering the head. Some scholars also include covering of face in it, as well. Though the word “Hijab” is not specifically mentioned in the Quran, it does relate to the overall physical appearance of an Islamic woman. The basic requirements of a female dress are clearly mentioned in the 31^st verse of Surah An-Nour. Accordingly, women are required to cover their entire body so as to hide their private parts and adornment.

Hence, the dress of an Islamic woman should essentially fulfill the following requirements:

• The dress should be such that it covers the entire body.
• The dress should not be transparent, as it defeats the very purpose of covering the body.
• The dress has to be sufficiently loose so that the shape of the body should not be visible.
• They should avoid using perfume on their dress.
• Women should avoid wearing such a dress that might sexually attract men.
• The dress of a woman should essentially be recognizable as a Muslim woman.

Jihad in Islam

Jihad (جِهَاد) being an Islamic concept, is perhaps the most discussed and criticized subject these days, especially by the West, in the backdrop of terrorism. They associate it with the terrorist activities of different militant groups, who claim to be doing Jihad. However, the Islamic concept of Jihad is entirely different from what is propagated by the anti-Islamic elements, predominantly the Jews and Hindus.

Jihad is an Arabic word, which means “struggling or striving for a noble cause”. In the Islamic perspective, any type of struggle and effort made by anyone that aims at implementing the Islamic Laws and practices in life. This may include a personal struggle to defeat the evil in one’s personal life, as well as for the whole community. In a broader sense, it also includes efforts and struggles to defend Islam against any ill motives of the anti-Islamic forces.

Per the Islamic perception, Jihad is of two types, the greater Jihad and lesser Jihad. The greater jihad refers to the efforts and struggles against one’s own motives and passions and implementing the Islamic rules in his/her life. This is also called “Inner Jihad” in Islam. The other category of Jihad, the lesser Jihad is also referred to as “Outer Jihad”.

The Outer Jihad (Lesser Jihad) can be subdivided into two categories. The first category of Outer Jihad is “Jihad with pen or tongue”. It refers to one’s efforts verbally as well as in writing to defend Islam. The second category is called the “Jihad with the sword” or in other words, defending Islam through war or the use of power. As evident from the terminology, the inner Jihad is the foremost important in the Islamic teachings, as compared to outer jihad.

The subject matter of Jihad is frequently discussed in the Quran as well as Hadith. There are many verses in the Quran, where different angles of the concept of Jihad are discussed, such as the 190^th verse of Surah Al-Baqarah:

Translation

And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight against you but do not commit aggression because Allah does not like aggressors.

Here jihad is termed as a battle in the way of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. Then in verses 41, 44, 81, and 86 of Surah At-Tawba, the concept of jihad is discussed in detail:

Translation

41. March forth whether light or heavy, and strive in the way of Allah with your belongings and your lives. That is best for you if you only knew it.
42. Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will never ask your leave to be excused from striving (in the cause of Allah) with their belongings and their lives. Allah fully knows the God-fearing.
43. Those who were allowed to stay behind rejoiced at remaining behind and not accompanying the Messenger of Allah. They were averse to striving in the Way of Allah with their belongings and their lives and told others: “Do not go forth in this fierce heat.” Tell them: “The Hell is far fiercer in heat.” Would that they understand!
44. And whenever any surah is revealed enjoining: “Believe in Allah and strive (in His Way) along with His Messenger,” the affluent among them ask you to excuse them, saying: “Leave us with those who will sit back at home.”

In verses 15 and 16 of Surah Al-Anfal, it is categorically mentioned that Jihad is mandatory for everyone, and avoiding that carries huge consequences:

Translation

15. Believers, whenever you encounter a hostile force of unbelievers, do not turn your backs on them in the fight.
16. For he who turns his back on them on such an occasion – except that it be for tactical reasons, or turning to join another company – he shall incur the wrath of Allah and Hell shall be his abode. It is an evil destination.

So, the message of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى is clear here that all believers must participate in the sacred war in His way and those who refuse to do so are on the wrong side and would face the consequences in the shape of being put into the Hell.

Similarly, there are many Ahadith about Jihad, as reported in the Six Authentic Hadith Collections. Hadith 2794 of Sunan Ibn Majah narrates the best jihad as under:

Translation

It was narrated that ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah said: I came to the Prophet(ﷺ) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which Jihad is best?’ He said:'(That of a man) whose blood is shed and his horse is wounded.

That means taking an active part in Jihad is of much importance. This hadith speaks about the Jihad with the sword. On the other hand, Hadith 4344 of Sunan Abi Dawood narrates the significance of Jihad with tongue/pen:

Translation

Narrated Abu Sa’id al-Khudri: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The best fighting (jihad) in the path of Allah is (to speak) a word of justice to an oppressive ruler.

Islamic Rules on Jihad

Derived from the prime sources of Islamic Rules, the Quran and Hadith, a set of rules have been defined for Muslims while fighting in the way of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. Some of the basic rules of Jihad, which Muslims need to adhere to, are as under:

• Jihad of sword cannot be initiated by an individual. Only an Islamic State can declare it under the prevailing circumstances or whenever it is required.
• When declared by the State, everyone has to contribute and play his/her role in it.
• Property and crops should not be destroyed during Jihad.
• Killing of animals is strictly prohibited during Jihad.
• Women and children should not be harmed during the jihad under any circumstances.
• Aged men are also protected under the war rules of Islam.
• Dead bodies should be given due respect and should not be mutilated.
• Trees and plants should neither be burnt nor destroyed.

To sum up, Jihad with the sword has to remain within the framework of Islamic principles. The current wave of terrorism does not fall under the definition of Jihad, per Islamic teachings.

Remember, the inner jihad is the greater jihad, whereas the outer jihad (Warfare under the current scenario) is termed the lesser Jihad in Islam. Fighting in the way of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى is primarily for the purpose of defending Islam.