COMMUNITY

As it is known the religion of Islam is not only a religion of true faith without doubt in
existence of Allah, the Oneness of Allah, but is also religion of action simultaneously.
Islam is not satisfied with just a man of Faith only. Islam demands practice on the
parts of its followers by commanding them that their lives have to be filled with good deeds
towards Allah and towards other people.
It is a fact that Faith without Action is as insufficient as Action without Faith. No
salvation in community (Arabic UMMAH) could be attained unless ones faith in God
became dynamic in ones life, and ones beliefs are translated into corresponding deeds.
With regard to human affairs, Islams principle is that Justice and fair dealing is a duty
towards Allah and other considerations are secondary (Q.XVI, 90). Human community would
not have been possible and the individual himself would not have been able to subsist, had
God allowed free scope to the desires of every individual as well as to the injustice and
violence of all.
It is a historical fact that a community is formed by individuals.
Ibn Khaldun observed the individual human being from his two main attributes, i.e.
the good one (communal sense) and the bad one (the rivalry and the struggle for life). These
two attributes should be under control, especially the attribute of rivalry. If this attribute of
rivalry is kept under control then the community will be good, but if it is out of control then
the struggle for life will certainly bring disorder to the community.
In order that the struggle for life will not harm man as well as communally, it is
necessary that there should be a body which organizes all the activities in the community in a
better and more beneficial way. That body according to Ibn Khaldun should be the State.
Islam recognized equally the rights and responbilities of the individual and the
community. Man has rights and obligations as an independent individual and right and
obligations as a part of community.

As an independent person, man is required by Islam to believe in God, worship Him,

to work for a living, to marry, to own property and to enjoy the legitimate pleasures of life.
As a member of the community it is Divine duty of man to contribute to the general
good, to guide and aid his fellow men and cooperate genuinely in promoting peace and order
in the community.
In return for the individuals fulfillment of his obligations, the community is required
by Islam to protect the individuals life and property, and to safeguard the chastity of his
women-folk.
For this purpose Islam gives his law (SHARIAT). When discussing about law, one
has to discus about human society.
We have to acknowledge a society when we meet a association of well-behaved
persons united by a common aim and interest. We will see later that the Islamic law lays
down, the regulations for family life (marriage and divorce) .It gives clear directions
concerning the administration of community life, and sources of legislation.
Regarding community M. Shaltout said:1
In Islam we find no distinction in community life between that which is called
religious and that which that which is outside religion. In Islam religion is concerned

1 M. Shaltout, Islamic Beliefs and Code of Laws in Kenneth W. Morgan, The

Straight Path, New York 1958, p. 125.

with faith and worship, and also with the upbringing, education, and guidance of the
people, and with all economic and social dealings as to those which are legitimate and
illegitimate, sound or corrupt; and religion is concerned with goverment of the people
and administration of state machinery, with the operation of all the functions of the
community or nation. Religion provides the guiding principles for the individual and
for the State. There can be no state which has a separate framework for the goverment
and for religion.
The discussion in this chapter will be restricted to the Islamic law in general, the
constitutional law, the marriage law and the law of inheritance. Closely related to the
community are the aspects of social, economy, moral and arts. These subjects will also be
discussed here in brief.