The need for religion in general

The book Islam the Misunderstood religion is principally an elaborate

case for Islam: it clears the obscurity and confusion about Islam as a
religion. Religion is usually thought as having more to do with
performing certain rituals to appease a higher being, which does not deal
with all aspects of human life and hence its guidance is very restricted
and confined to ways of worship etc. etc. And consequently it is, as is
argued by anti-religious machinery, incapable of addressing the
complexities of this scientifically revolutionized world. Such
conceptions about invalidity of religion are focused in this book in order
to dissect whether these objections really hold weight or they are merely
wishy-washy sophistications of human mind. The writer very
convincingly dashes all such assumptions and misconceptions to pieces
by drawing on teachings of particularly Islam to manifest that Islam is
quite different from other forms of religion as it is a complete code of
life providing you with guidance from birth to death and even to
circumstances afterwards; how the deceased should be buried and how
his property should be divided among his relatives.
Noticeably the book is unconventional in its treatment of religion
and can be termed as a philosophical or social explanation of Islam and
its teachings. The writer touches upon different seminal theories that
influenced the modern world lately and shaped its mindset and then
brings along the teachings of Islam to demonstrate Islamic viewpoint
about the issues dealt with by those theories. He clarifies that one of the
major factors behind peoples distance from religion especially Islam is
their misconceptions about it which drives them to think that religion is
something worthless for the modern man.
The book opens with a case for religion in general wherein the writer
deals with the question of validity and inevitability of religion in human

life. Religion if viewed in history has a continuously damaging status

particularly after medieval ages when corruption was eating into the
vitals of church and the clergy men were losing in popularity and
respect. Geoffrey Chaucer admitted as the father of English language
portrays some delightful persona of the clergy in his popular poetical
work The Canterbury Tales. Apart from this criticism from poets and
creative artists, the philosophy produced in Germany and then West at
large is atheistic in its spirit leading to leaving doubts as to the truth of
religion and existence of God and this doubt left people wonder stricken
having no clue what to do but to succumb to labyrinthine arguments of
philosophers and writers.

Orientalism and Islam____ history of atheism and orientalism

The book dwells on the issue how Islam has been misunderstood
by great minds across the world. Islam being the most powerful religion
infuriated the anti-Islam enthusiasts a great deal which led them to study
it minutely. One might assume that this study would have led them to
develop a better and just understanding of Islam and its teaching but
unfortunately this has not been the case. As we have seen in the works of
Michel Foucault, Frantz Fanon, Edward Said and Chinua Achebe, to
name a few, the social injustices and racial prejudices carried out against
the so-called uncivilized people of British, French, American colonies all
around the world all the while raising hollow slogans of bring light and
civilization to these barbarians and in fact causing nothing but horror
and unspeakable exploitation and dehumanization of people. The same
happened in the case of extensive study of Islam; instead of submitting
to its revolutionary spirit for all humanity, they, in consequence to their
grudge and prejudice, ignored everything creditable and showered
questions and objections to confuse people. There can be many factors at

work behind this attempt to bring disrepute to Islam, among them is their
internalized ferocity against religion in general.

Modern day researchers accuse islam as a feudalistic system. this is

because of their ignorance towards islam. This system has not been
practiced in Islam. It is a system in which the land lord and his
representatives is entitled to receive a fixed share of production.
That is why feadal society is didvided into two classes of the owners and
the tenants. Such type of feudalistic system was never witnessed in
Islam. That is why it is no justice to confuse islamic system with modern
feudalism. Islam does not suppress the worker. There is a concept of
slaves in islam but it has been always encouraged to free the slaves. If
we study the economical system of islam we come to know that islam
does not recognize any bondage of one man to others.
Qutb discusses about the origin of Capatalism and says that it has not
been originated under Islamic world and it is totally the initiative of
Europe. Some people accuse Islam that it encouraged Capatalism but it
is wrong concept. Capatalism is a system which is totally grown up on
the basis of usury and monopoly both have been condenmed in Islam. As
for Islamic economical ethics are concerned it has been encouraged that
good and progressive achievements might be got. Islam emphasis on
ascertaining the justice. Capatalism is the economic system which
involves colonialism. It consists of war and exploitation. It suppresses
the masses and poor particularly. While Islam firmly opposed all these
evils in human society from the very first day. Because Islam is the
religion of peace and tranquility. It can never recognize such kind of
nonsense that colonialism had. Islam emphasizes on morality and

spirituality in the society. That is why these values cannot be separated

from practical considerations.

Communism is another economic system that was introduced to the

humanity and it discouraged private ownership for masses. They
intended to distribute the wealth among the masses through government
that is why they said that all sources belong to the state and state is
responsible for ensuring the necessaties of the people. Qutb explains that
Islam does not take it granted that private ownership always underlines
injustice. Islam does not recognize the existense of a ruling class.
In Islamic rules propertied class was not given the authority to make
rules for people. What they were supposed to do was to follow the rules
made by the Creator. Islam does not want us to live in the world of
dreams rather it asks us to work hard and it emphasis on the practical
considerations. While explaining he hints that communism had not
allowed individual and private property while islam is based on the
concept of harmony.
In order to discuss the class system he hints that the current class system
has been originated from Europe. These were the classes which were
introduced in European countries particularly i.e the clergy , common
and teh nobility. They had their own identities in the society. The clergy
had their own distinctives. The common had no rights and the nobility
had all of them. There had been discrimination among the people on the
basis of wealth and property. But Islam does not have such kind of laws
as can allow keeping property in the hands of particular people. Islam
does not allow the people to make laws. That is why it is very clear that
islamic society is free from any kind of discrimination and classes. Islam
does not allow the landlord to enslave the poor people.

Some of the modern researchers accuse Islam of allowing the poor

peope spend their lives depending upon the alms collected from the rich
class. He explains that Islam just ordered for Zakat which is collected
from the rich class and distributed among the needy in order to meet
their daily life expenses. It is the responsibilty of the state to support the
masses. Alms is the property which is given in the forms of donations to
the organizations and it is spent for public welfare as well. It also
perform social services and works for the community. Zakat is an aid to
the state for its schemes and different projects for the welfare of the state
and to meet the needs of the public also.

Qutb also describes about the position of woman in Islam and he throws
light on the historical perspective. While discussing historically he
elaborates that the woman was looked upon as a mere nonentity in
Europe through centuries. She was considered slave to man and the
situation remained unchanged for a long time and no one had realization
of the status of woman in society. It was industrial revolution which
multiplied the sufferings of woman. It was the era when family life was
totally ruined and torn. Even the world wars left this creature miserable
as widowed. Once women were suppresed they endeavored to get their
rights.
As for islamic fundamental laws regarding womens rights are
concerned it gave them great respect in the society. It gave them right of
life. It gave them respect and honor. It was just because of islam that
women were considered respectable being. As for the European legal
system is considered it had not given any of the rights to women. So the
women were deprived of their basic rights in European society.

Qutb discussed the misconception of people about the concept of

punishment in Islam. Many westerns sonsidered that these are barbarous
and cannot be implied today. Communism referes offences to economic
rather than psychological considerations. Islam has its own
considerations and it never prescribes punishments haphazardly. Its
punishments may appear cruel but in a real sense they are for the
betterment of society. Islam also considers the need of circumstances as
well and it never demands for its punishments to be inflicted in every
situation. If there is any kind of doubt no punishment will be given to the
wrong doers. Islamic concern is to purify the society. That is why it
strifes to preclude the means that could lead to the crime. It precludes all
those motives which could lead to the robbery. Islamic concern is to
wipe out all those circumstances which could lead to the crimes. Even
islam tries to restore the wrong doers normally.

While describing the islamic point of view towards the western

civilization he clarifies that islam is the religion that accepts all the good
things of the other civilizations. As for the evils of other civilizations are
concerned islam rejected them and condenmed them and provided the
better substitute to them. As for islamic point of view towards scientific
revolution and inventions is concerned it did not oppose adopting them.
The thing is that islam always emphasized on the positive use of science
and technology. It does not negates the civilizations that serve the
humanity and working for the betterment of the masses. Islam is against
those steps which are taken to harm the humanity.

Some of todays scholars consider that islamic values are no more upto
date and they can not be practiced in the modern times. This is the strong

and bad accusation to Islam. These are actually superficial and trial
minded people who are ignorant of the importance of islamic values and
their worth. Although today west is in the progress of matelialistic
achievement yet it is to be ended one day. They will need a religion for
the purification of their souls and minds. Islam is not old and its
teachings are practicable for all the times to come. It can work for the
welfare of the humanity.

Many of the modern people and educated class talk about freedom of
thought and they accuse islam that it had banned on it. They are liberal
minded people who want to escape from the teachings of religion and
that is why they refuse to accept the divine guidance and try to adopt the
ways made by modern day. These free thinking class also accuse islam
having dictotorial system. The reality is different because Islam laws and
teachings have been sent by God and the human being is supposed to act
upon them in their lives. The reality is that the true way is not quiting
religion from ones life. Abondonment of religion cannot revolutionize
the lives of men rather it would devastate.

The writer of the book describes about the Christianity and the Church
that the Churchmen actually stupefied the people and they tried their
best to deviate the people from the path of revolution. But the reality is
that such kind of Churchmen were acting against the actual teachings of
religions and they forgot the true message of God. It is an admitted fact
that misconceptions are created due to ignorance from the teachings of
religion.

There are some people who are suspicious about the practicability of
Islamic teachings. They put different questions regarding islam as an
idealist system of life. But the reality is that islam is fully practicable
and it has been practiced throughout the human history. It is beyond any
doubt that islam created practical system all over the world. Islam is the
religion which spread with a great speed throughout the world and it
lightened the whole world. The human history testifies that. Islam also
brought great advancement in human lives as well. It is a fact that islam
does not rely on laws alone rather it emphasizes on the practicability
also. Some educationists today argue that the revival of Islam is not
possible. There is another misunderstanding about islam about the fully
establishment of islam. Although islam was never enforced yet it is true
that islam spread through out the world in a very short span of time.
He explains that islam is the best religion of the world. It is the best
system of life on the earth. It presents the complete ideology of life for
humanity. We need to strenghten our faith and this is the only force
which can boost us up. Islam is a great religion and no materialist
interpretation explain this reality. Out chosen path is the right path which
can guide us in our lives and lead us to the Jannat. This is the way which
demands sacrifices. We will have to do a lot more for our religion. We
will have to admit the fact that there is no short cut towards success. Our
chosen path is not that easy and it requires us to endeavor our best to
achieve our goals. Allah will surely help us if we work hard sincerely
and honestly.
Truthfulness of Islam/ how is Islam a true divine religion/it isnt manmade as Karren Armstrong says of religion in general
One of the prevalent misconceptions

Why is Islam misunderstood___Factors____Religious Prejudice,

animalism
Modern theories and Islam ___ philosophical issues____existence of
God, systems of Govt.

Islam a complete code of life ____ Madhab vs Deen ___ the word
Religion and its incapacity to illustrate Islamic teachings