Islam:The Reality,
Not the Myth
by
Shaykh Ahmed Abdur Rashid

Islam as a Framework for Practical Approaches

...For Muslims, one of the most exciting aspects Islam has to offer is a way of looking at life not only in its esoteric, philosophical forms, but also in its practical forms. Islam is a dynamic movement to re-establish certain principles and values in daily life.
The day-to-day responsibilities of a Muslim are shaped by a trust that was given to us by God. In the Qur'an, Allah (Subh.aanahu wa ta'alaa) says:

Lo! We offered the amanat (trust) to the heavens and the earth and the hills, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it. And the human being assumed it. Lo! the human being has proved a tyrant and a fool (33:72).

The mechanisms for upholding the amanat are revealed to us in the Qur'an, exemplified in the Sunnah (the way) of the Prophet Muhammad (salla-llahu 'alayhi wa sallam), and manifest through qualified personal decisions on applied topics of life and worship. While I do not have time to enumerate all the ways that Muslims strive to fulfill the trust, I can at least list some of them.
A Muslim must guarantee the rights of non-Muslims to practice their religions, and he or she must respect and preserve others' institutions.
A Muslim has the duty to help those who are in need in the community, to the point where they can begin to assist themselves, if possible. Muslims regard bureaucratic welfare systems as less effective than the bonds of community and personal responsibility. The Prophet Muhammad (salla-llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said,
"He is not a man of faith who eats his fill when his neighbor is hungry." (al Buhkari)
(Note that the Prophet (salla-llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said "his neighbor," not "his Muslim neighbor.")

A Muslim is enjoined to be fair and just. The Prophet Muhammad (salla-llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said,
There are three attributes, which, if they are found in a person, will complete his faith: giving charity despite abject poverty, spreading peace throughout the world, and giving people their acknowledged rights without the use of a judge.
Muslims are enjoined to be loyal to the countries that they live in, whether they have Islamic governments or not. Muslims are enjoined not to distinguish on the basis of race, ethnicity, or nationality. In one of his last public sermons, the Prophet Muhammad (salla-llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said,
God says: "Verily in [My] sight, the most honored among you is the most God-fearing. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab and for a non-Arab over an Arab, nor for the white over the black nor for the black over the white, except in piety" (Faizi 145).

Islam believes strongly in the rights of women, both in the areas of law and justice, and in the areas of religious rites and practice. Islam also acknowledges differences between men and women that are considered to be positive and constructive for society.

A truly Islamic community is inherently pluralistic and democratic.

In addition, Islam has a system of thought and self-evaluation that enables it to adapt to the ongoing changes in the world. It embraces and encourages the evolution of human understanding. For example, the Qur'an describes Abraham (Ibrahim ('alayhi salaam)) as a hanif-a believer in one God-not a Jew, nor a Christian, nor a practicing Muslim, other than in the literal sense of being one who submits to a higher authority. Later, the doctrines and practices of the three Abrahamic religions evolved through the teachings of the prophets of the Torah, the Bible, the Qur'an: through Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph; Moses, David, and Solomon; through Jesus; and through Muhammad, whom we consider to be the final prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon all the prophets and messengers!).
The evolution of human understanding is a core principle of Islam. In the Qur'an, Allah (Subh.aanahu wa ta'alaa) tells us:

...they have hearts that do not understand, and eyes that do not see, and ears that do not hear...(7:179).

Our faculties can be developed through conscious effort, in accordance with the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (salla-llahu 'alayhi wa sallam):
Seek out knowledge from cradle to grave.
To catalyze the growth of understanding, Allah (Subh.aanahu wa ta'alaa) gave human beings the capacity for choice within parameters. For the Muslim, the parameters of choice are Shar'iah.
Shar'iah is based on revelation: its sources are the Qur'an and the Sunnah, meaning the living commentary on the Qur'an that the Prophet Muhammad (salla-llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) conveyed through his words and acts. By observing Shar'iah in all his or her activities, the Muslim places everything that he or she does within the context of revelation.
This framework is evolutionary, not constraining. In Arabic, shaari' means "a broad street or boulevard"; Shar'iah, therefore, is a broad boulevard of activity. It is like a raga in Indian music. A raga is a precise musical form, but endless improvisation is possible within that form. Shar'iah gives us clear guidelines about life; yet, it also allows ongoing innovation, as long as each innovation serves the purpose of Islam.
Islam is a dynamic, vibrant way of life that is well able to address the issues of today and tomorrow. But for many non-Muslims, it remains a mystery, if not a threat.

Sources of and Responses to Misunderstandings of Islam

Every day, non-Muslims in the West hear about Islam, whether through news of an earthquake in Turkey or the conflict in Kashmir, through negative publicity about so-called Muslims like Osama Bin Laden or through sympathetic stories of Kosovar refugees. With all this exposure, no educated person can claim to know nothing about Islam. On the other hand, this deluge of impressions can seem hopelessly confusing, if not outright contradictory. Most difficult to understand are the misinterpretations of Islam that exist among Muslims themselves, as I mentioned earlier. Such misinterpretations have fed misunderstandings of Islam among non-Muslims, playing into stereotypes of the religious fanatic or terrorist.
We cannot avoid addressing these misunderstandings of Islam both from within and without, for they reflect on all Muslims. More seriously, they undermine the contributions that Islam can and should make to today's society.
We can tackle misunderstandings by reflecting on history: for example, on the role of Muslim scholars and scientists in preserving and transmitting the discoveries of classical civilizations and in extending humanity's knowledge of chemistry, medicine, astronomy, human rights, law, organizational development, government, philosophy, education, navigation, and architecture.
But we can learn about the historical role of Muslims from books. I prefer to speak about the role of the Muslim in today's society. How can we best illustrate the progressive aspects of Islam? How can we most effectively interface with the needs of today's world?

One important step being taken by educated, practical Muslims is to address the most difficult cultural and heretofore accepted practices which have reflected poorly on Islam or which have not been considered in the light of modern times. Contemporary scholars are discussing and finding ways in which the Shar'iah/Qur'an and the Sunnah can guide us in the present and future, without compromising the essentials of the faith or betraying the trust that Allah has given us.
For example, some of the most destructive cultural overlays that have been imposed on Islam are customs that oppress or limit the activity of women. The integral role of women in Islamic society is evident in the historical examples of Khadija (radiy Allaahu 'anhaa), the first wife of the Prophet (salla-llahu 'alayhi wa sallam), who was his employer before she was his wife. It is equally evident in accounts of Muslim women who fought in battle, who served as some of the earliest archivists of Islamic teachings, and who, throughout the history of Islam, ranged from saints to scholars. However, I do not want to give the impression that Islam looks at women in the same terms as Western political feminism. Islam offers a whole other view of women, which many Muslim women are actively exploring as they extend Islamic understanding of women's roles inside and outside of the home.

In addition to addressing cultural overlays, Muslims today face the need to adjust for modern times. An example may be drawn from the field of medicine. An ultra-orthodox Muslim may regard organ transplants as an offense against God's natural order, arguing that the violation of a body is forbidden in Islam. But other contemporary Muslims point to the Qur'anic passage:

...whoever saves a life, it would be as if he [or she] saved the life of all the people (5:32).

They note that according to Islamic law, "the lesser of two evils is to be chosen if both cannot be avoided." From their perspective, an organ transplant is permissible if it will make the difference between life and death ("Organ Donation").
By carefully examining both age-old cultural customs and the latest technological and social advances, scholars are using the light of Shar'iah to see and to relate to today's world in better ways for individuals and for the community at large. They are expanding opportunities for Islam to be a major force, working together with other faiths and forces in society to re-affirm the fundamental values that we share.

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