حياة الأسرة في الإسلام family life in Islam
Khurshid Ahmad 1974
Second edition 1979/1399 A.H.
Third Edition 1980/1400A.H.
ISBN 0 86037 016X
Published by:
THE ISLAMIC FOUNDATION
223 London Road.
Leicester. LE2 IZE
United Kingdom
Tel: (0533) 700725
Quran House.
P.O. Box 306II.
Nairobi.
Kenya.
P.M.B.3193
Kano.
Nigeria.
Printed-by:
Superprint Graphics (Glasgow) Ltd.,
I. Bomont Terrace,
Glasgow G 12.
Telephone (041) 334 6087.
PREFACE
Islam is a complete way. It has a distinct outlook on life. It aims
at producing a unique personality in the individual and a distinct
culture for the community based on Islamic idea is and values. The
institutions of marriage and the family occupy a very important
position in this scheme of life. An effort is mada in this small book
to explain the Islamic concept of marr;age and the family. The
original inspiration for this essay came from a recent conference.
The Standing Conference on Christian-Muslim Dialogue organised
a three-day conference at Wood Hall, Wetherby, Yorks, on
"The Family in Christianity and Islam". I was invited to present
the Islamic viewpoint on the subject. The talk produced immense
'nterest and sparked off very useful discussions in the fonowing
days. As the talk was given before a predominantly Christian
audience I had to begin with the Islamic approach to life and
gradually explain the institution of the family and the principles on
which family relations are built in a Muslim society. The present
book is an out-growth of that talk. I hope it will, in its present
form, reach a much wider audience and that it will be helpful in
developing a better understanding of the Islamic family.
My grateful thanks are due to Father Bernard Chamberlain
who persuaded me to write the talk and to Dr. Gaafar Sheikh
Idris, Dr. M. M. Ahsan and Mrs. P. R. Phillips who read an earlier
manuscript and ext::mded a number of suggestions to improve it. I
am grateful to Mrs. D. Buckmaster for reviewing the manuscript
for this second edition. The responsibility for mistakes or lapses is,
however, exclusively mine. Acknowledgements are also due to
Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Messrs. Allen and Unwin
Limited for permitting the reproduction of two quotations from
Ideals and Realitles of Islam.
The Islamic Foundation
Leicester
1st June, 1977
14, Jumada al-Akhir, 1397
Khurshid Ahmad
CONTENTS
Preface
The Islamic Approach to Life: The Foundations 7
(1) T8WbJd: The Oneness of God 7
(2) Man's Vicegerency 8
(3) A Complete Way of Life 11
(4) Faith As the Basis of Society 12
II The Family in Islam: Basic Principles
(1) Divinely-Inspired Institution
(2) The Social Contract
(3) Faith and the Family
(4) Marriage
(5) Equality of the ****es
14
14
15
15
16
17
III The Family in Islam: Its Objectives and Functions 18
(1) Preservation and Continuation of the Human Race 18
(2) Protection of Morals 19
(3) Psycho-Emotional Stability, Love and Kindness 20
(4) Socialisation and Value-Orientation 21
(5) Social and Economic Security 23
(6) Widening the Family Horizons and Producing Social
Cohesion in Society 26
(7) Motivation for Effort and Sacrifice 26
IV The Family in Islam: Structure. Principles and Rules 29
(1) Marriage and Divorce 29
(2) The Way Marriage is Contracted 31
(3) The Structure of a Muslim Family 31
(4) The Position of Man and Woman 34
(5) The Family and Society 35
Appendix
Review from The Times, London 37
5
CHAPTER 1
THE ISLAMIC APPROACH TO LIFE: THE FOUNDATIONS
We are living in a period of cultural cnsls. It seems as if the
very foundations of contemporary society are being threatened
from within and without. The family, as a basic and most sensitive
institution of culture, is being undermined by powerful and
destructive forces. 1
All the symptoms suggest that the crisis in general is deepening
and the institution of the family is, in particular, weakening,
even disintegrating in Europe and America.2 It is time to pause for
a while and re-examine the foundations on which family life is
built in the contemporary West and also to study alternative foundations
and structures in other cultural traditions. This will help
contemporary man to identify the nature of the crisis that confronts
him today and will also point to some of the possibilities
that are still open to him. I would like to discuss in the following
pages the concept of family life in Islam, its foundations, structure
and principles.
We shall be in a better position to understand the institution of
the family in Islam if we start by a brief statement about the
Islamic approach to life, religion and culture.
1 . TswlJid: The Oneness of God
Islam affirms the Oneness of God and His indivisible sovereignty
1. See: Da~iel Bell. The Coming of Post-Industrial Society, (London: Heinemann. 1974);
Robert L. Helibroner. The Human Prospect, The New York Review of Books. January 24.
1974; and Pitrim A. Sorokin. Social Philosophies of an Age of Crisis, (London: Adam
& Charles Black. 1950).
2. This is borne out by the explosion of **** outside marriage. by the exponential rise in
divorce and desertion rates. in broken homes. in abortions and illegitimate births and
in juvenile delinquency. and by the plight of the aged. See J. Dominian. The Marriage
Relationship Today, (London: The Mothers' Union. 1974); Vance Packard. Tha ****ual
Wilderness, (New York: David McKay Co .. 196B); '1viarjorie Rittwagen. Sins of
Their Fathers, (Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 195B).
7
of the Universe. God is the Creator, the Master and the Sustainer
of all that exists. Everything is operating according to His plan. He
has revealed, through His Prophets, the Right Path for the
guidance of mankind. All Prophets (peace be upon them) have
preached the same message - that of acceptance of God's
sovereignty. They invited men and women to a life of virtue, purity,
justice and peace. and to act according to the guidance He has
revealed. All Prophets. from Adam, Noah and Ibrahim (Abraham)
to Musa (Moses), 'Ts5 (Jesus) and Mu~ammad (peace and
blessings of God be on them) taught the same religion of acceptance
of and submission to God and commitment to peace, i.e.
Islam.3 Man's failure lies in not protecting and preserving the
teachings of the earlier Prophets. As such, the Prophet Muf:1ammad
(peace be upon him) was raised to restate the original message.
to present it in its perfect form and to preserve it in such a way
that the word of God would no longer be confused with the word
of man.4
2. Man's Vicegerency
If tewfJid (Oneness of God) constitutes the ideological foundation
of Islam, the concept of man's khilafah (vicegerency/
caliphate) provides the operational framework for the Islamic
scheme of life.
The story of Adam and Eve is found in almost a.1I religious and
major cultural traditions. But in these narrations, fact and fancy
are found intermingled. The way the Our'an narrates this event is
crucial to the understanding of the Islamic world-view.
The main outline of the Our'anic narration is as follows:3 God
declared His intention to send a vicegerent (khaITfah) to the earth.
He created Adam and Eve from the same substance. They were
destined to play this role of vicegerency and were endowed with
the 'knowledge of the things' to do the job well. Then they were
put to a test and were asked not to approach a certain tree, They
3. See: al-Our'an 3: 3; 3: 84; 42: 13. See also Khurshid Ahmad. Isl8m: B8sic Principles
8nd Characteristics, ILeicester: The Isldmic Foundation. 19741.
4. If this fact had been kept in view. many a writer would have spared himself the trouble
of theoriSing about 'religious plagiarism' and 'borrowings' from this or that source.
a favourite theme with some of the orientalists.
5. The story has been narrated in the Ouran in three places. See al-Our'1m
2: 3~39; 7: 11-25; 20: 115-123. See also Muhammad Iqbal. The
Reconstruction of Religious T"oug'" in Isl8m, (Lahore: Sheikh Muhammad Ashraf.
19711. pp. 82-88 and Abu'l A'ia • .!iawdudl. Tafflrm al-Our'an ILahore: Maktab ...
Ta'mir-e-lnsaniYYdt. 19731. Vol. 1. pp, 61-70 and Vol. II. pp. 10-20.
8
fell victim to the evil persuasions of Satan and committed sin. But
immediately after sinning they repented their mistake, sought
God's forgiveness and were forgiven. It was after they were
forgiven and redeemed that they were sent down to the earth to
play their role as vicegerents of God. They were promised Divine
Guidance and were assured that those who followed that
guidance would be successful. Adam was the first man to receive
this guidance and convey it to his progeny.
Some very important inferences follow from this:
(a) Islam does not contribute to any theory of the 'fall of
Adam' symbolising the fall of man. There was no 'fall' at all in
that sense. Man was created for the purpose of acting as
vicegerent on the earth and he came to the world to fulfil this mission.
It represents the rise of man to a new assignment his tryst
with destiny, and not a fall.
(b) The role and status of vicegerency is conferred upon the
human being as such, and it is shared by man and woman alike.
This lays the foundations of their essential equality as human
beings, as vicegerents of God on the earth, whatever their
different roles in society may be.
(c) Islam does not subscribe to the view that woman led man
(Eve leading Adam) to sin and disobedience. According to the
Qur'an "Satan caused them both to deflect therefrom". Both
were held responsible for the act, both repented their transgression
and both were forgiven. They entered the world without any
stigma of original sin on their soul.
(d) Human nature is pure and good. Man has been created in
the best of all forms.6 Man and woman are made from the same
substance. Every one is born in a state of purity and innocence.
Success or failure depends entirely on one's own beliefs and
behaviour.' No one is to be responsible for the shortcomings of
others.·
(e) Man has been given freedom of choice. He is free to accept
or deny Reality. He is responsible for his actions, but is not to be
6. al-Our'an 95: 4.
7. ibid. 95: 5-6; 103: 2-3.
8. ibid. 6: 165.
9
deprived of this freedom, even if he makes mistakes and abuses
it. The uniqueness of the human situation lies in man's psychosocial
volition. This is the mainspring of human potential - this is
what enables him to rise to the highest pinnacle or to fall into the
deepest abyss.
(f) The dangers of misuse of freedom continue to confront man
throughout his life on the earth. The challenge from Satan is unceasing.
To safeguard man against this, Divine Guidance is
provided. The trial of Adam and Eve reveals, on the one hand, the
essential goodness of their nature and on the other, their susceptibility
to error. This demonstrates man's need for Divine
Guidance.
(g) Man has not been totally protected against error. This would
involve negation of the freedom of choice. He may commit errors;
his redemption lies in his realisation of those errors, in seeking
repentance and in turning back to the Right Path.
The theory of vicegerency affirms that God's Creation is
deliberate and not fortuitous. Man has been created with a purpose.
Everything else in Creation has been harnessed to his service.
His life on the earth begins with the cQnsciousness of a mission,
not through gropings in darkness. The ideal was set before
him through Divine Revelation. The criterion for success has been
laid down in clear terms. The signposts of the Right Path have
been made manifest. Man's life on earth is in the nature of a trial.
It is timebound. This life will be followed by an eternal life wherein
man shall reap the rewards of his actions in this life. And in this
lifelong trial, men and women are equal participants and will be
judged as such. Neither is a mere shadow of the other, but both
are active co-partners. The Our'an explicitly states that man and
woman will get what they strive for and that the same standard is
set for them both as the ultimate criterion. for their success. "And
the believers, the men and the women, are friends protecting
each other; they command what is proper and forbid what is improper,
keep up prayer and pay the Zskit (welfare due); and they
obey God and His Messenger. It is these on whom God will have
mercy. Surely God is All-Mighty, All-Wise. God has promised to
the believers, men and women, Gardens beneath which rivers
flow, forever therein to dwell, and goodly dwelling-places in the
Gardens of Eden, and, greater than anything else, God's good
10
pleasure (and acceptance from Him). That is the supreme
triumph."9 "And whosoever does a righteous deed, be they male
or female, and is a believer, We shall assuredly give them a goodly
life to live; and We shall certainly reward them according to the
best of what they did:'IO
"Men who surrender to God and women who surrender to
God, and men who believe and women who believe, and men
who obey and women who obey, and men who persevere (in
righteousness) and women who persevere, and men who are
humble and women who are humble, and men who give alms and
women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast,
and men who guard their modesty and women who guard their
modesty, and men who remember God much and women who
remember - God has prepared for them forgiveness and a
mighty reward:'11 This is how the Qur'an describes the ideal and
the model for men and women and the criterion for the Day of
Judgement. This defines what is expected of them as God's
vicegerents. This lays the foundation of their equality in their
human roles in the world.
3. A Complete Way of Life
Islam affirms God's sovereignty over the entire gamut of man's
life. It is opposed to asceticism, monasticism and creeds of lifedenial
and annihilation. It stands for life-affirmation and lifefulfilment.
It refuses to divide life into watertight compartments of
the sacred and the secular, of the holy and the profane. It invites
man to 'enter wholly the fold of Islam' and regards the division of
life into religious and secular as deviations from the Right Path.12
It gives an integrated view of life and reality. The teachings of
Islam cover all fields of humal'l activity, spiritual and material, individual
and social, educational and cultural, economic and
political, national and international. They cater for the aspirations
of the soul as well as for the demands of the law and social institutions.
Islam's uniqueness lies in spiritualising the whole
matrix of life. Every activity, whether related to things like prayer
and fasting, or to economic transactions, ****ual relationships,
diplomatic dealings or scientific experimentations, is religious if it
is undertaken with God-consciousness and accords with the
9. ibid, 9: 71-72.
10. ibid. 16: 97.
11. ibid 33: 35.
12. ibid 2: 208.
11
values and principles revealed by Him; and it is irreligious if it is in
opposition to them. Activities related to matters of economy,
politics and law, or **** and social manners, are part of man's
religious behaviour and do not fall outside its scope. Life is an
organic whole and the same principles should guide and govern it
in all its ramifications. The Shar;'ah is the Islamic code which
guides life in its entirety. The example of the Prophet Mu~ammad
(peace be upon him) is the model which a Muslim tries to follow,
and in his example one can seek guidance in all aspects of human
life, from the highly personal to the purely social - as a man, a
son, a husband, a father, a preacher, a teacher, a trader, a
statesman, a commander, a peace-negotiator, a judge or a head
of the state. The Islamic outlook on life is revolutionary as it gives
a new dynamism to what has been traditionally regarded as
religious. What makes an activity religious is the attitude with
which it is undertaken and its conformity or otherwise with the
values enunciated by God and His Prophet. With this
revolutionary outlook, the entire realm of life is won over to God
and Godliness. Nothing is left for Caesar}J
4. Faith as the Basis of Society
Islam makes faith and religion the basis of the entire human
society and the mainspring for the network of its relationships.
Other social groups and communities have been founded on
race, blood, tribe, geography etc., but in Islam all these
differences have been subordinated to a new form of organisation
emanating from the faith. Commitment to Islam integrates man
not only with God but also with the community of believers.
These two relationships branch out from the single act of faith.
The Islamic concept of nationhood is not based on race, language,
colour, territory or politico-economic affinity. The Islamic community
is a fraternity of faith -- anyone who believes in the
Islamic religion and ideology is an inalienable part of this nation
- whatever his race, colour, language or place of birth.
13. This approach to life is very beautifully summed up in the prayer which has been
taught in the Qur'an and is one of the most commonly used prayers in Islam. "Our
Lord Give us the good in this world and the good in the Hereafter" (al-Qur'an
2: 201). The Prophet has said: "Scent and women have been made dear to me.
and the contentment of my eyes is in the prayer". The narrow concept of religion tried
to drive a wedge between the two categories represented by fragrance and woman
on the one side and prayer and communication with God on the other. The Prophet
re-integrated them and established the sovereignty of God over the whole realm. As
such. 'prayer' and 'worldly progress do not represent two different categories in
Islam. They have been fused into one. Prayer is a stepping stone to social progress
and progress without prayer is a form of retrogression.
12
This is a new principle of human organisation; it is rational and
ideological in nature and is capable of embracing the entire
human race.
This concept of an ideological community is not a mere moral
precept; it has its social. political and legal dimensions. It
produces a new infra-structure for human relations. Faith is the
decisive force in this system. It gives birth to social institutions.
from the family to the state. Islamic culture grows from this faith
in the same way as a tree grows from a seed. To some extent it is
affected by external forces. but ultimately it is the potential of the
se~d which is fulfilled. This is a unique principle of organisation.
The Islamic society and culture are ideological and universal in
their origin and orientation.
These submissions. I believe. help us in understanding the
nature of the Islamic system of life. The Islamic culture cannot be
understood if some of its parts are studied in isolation. or in the
perspective of cultures based on foundations diametrically
different from its own. The Islamic institution of the family should
also be studied and examined in the perspective of the Islamic
outlook on life and the ethos of the Islamic culture.
13
Chapter II
THE FAMILY IN ISLAM: BASIC PRINCIPLES
We are now in a position to state briefly those principles which
determine the nature of the institution of the family in Islam and
also define its place in the overall framework of Islamic society.
1. Divinsly-IMpir9d Institution
The family is a Divinely-inspired and ordained institution. It
was net evolved through human experimentation involving a
process of trial and error spre3d over time. It was an institution
that came into existence with the creation of man. The human
race is a product of this institution and not the other way round.
The Qur'an says:
"0 Mankind, be conscious of your duty to your Lord,
Who created you from a single soul. created of like
nature, his mate, and from the two created and
spread many men and women; and be mindful of your
duty to God Whose name you appeal to one anotheJ
and to (the ties of) the womb. Verily God watches over
yoU".14
In another chapter the creation of man and woman and the
marriage relationship permeated with tranquility, love and mercy
have been described as 'signs of God'.I' The institutions of
marriage and the fnmily have been commended as the 'way of the
Prophets'. I' And the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has
said: "Marriage is a part of my sunnsh. Whoever runs away from
my path is not from amongst us" .17
14. al-Qur'an 4: 1. It may be noted that in this verse, the institution of the family - the
first family of Adam and Eve - is shown as the mainspring of the human race. It is
also significant that one verb wattaqii (be conscious of your duty to) has been used in
the verse for reference to God and to al-ArlJim (the womb: the relations of kinship).
15. ibid 30: 21.
16. ibid 13: 38. "We indeed sent messengers before you (0 Muhammad) and We
assigned them wives and children". •
17. Ibn Majah, Sunan, Book of NikBI}.
Khurshid Ahmad 1974
Second edition 1979/1399 A.H.
Third Edition 1980/1400A.H.
ISBN 0 86037 016X
Published by:
THE ISLAMIC FOUNDATION
223 London Road.
Leicester. LE2 IZE
United Kingdom
Tel: (0533) 700725
Quran House.
P.O. Box 306II.
Nairobi.
Kenya.
P.M.B.3193
Kano.
Nigeria.
Printed-by:
Superprint Graphics (Glasgow) Ltd.,
I. Bomont Terrace,
Glasgow G 12.
Telephone (041) 334 6087.
PREFACE
Islam is a complete way. It has a distinct outlook on life. It aims
at producing a unique personality in the individual and a distinct
culture for the community based on Islamic idea is and values. The
institutions of marriage and the family occupy a very important
position in this scheme of life. An effort is mada in this small book
to explain the Islamic concept of marr;age and the family. The
original inspiration for this essay came from a recent conference.
The Standing Conference on Christian-Muslim Dialogue organised
a three-day conference at Wood Hall, Wetherby, Yorks, on
"The Family in Christianity and Islam". I was invited to present
the Islamic viewpoint on the subject. The talk produced immense
'nterest and sparked off very useful discussions in the fonowing
days. As the talk was given before a predominantly Christian
audience I had to begin with the Islamic approach to life and
gradually explain the institution of the family and the principles on
which family relations are built in a Muslim society. The present
book is an out-growth of that talk. I hope it will, in its present
form, reach a much wider audience and that it will be helpful in
developing a better understanding of the Islamic family.
My grateful thanks are due to Father Bernard Chamberlain
who persuaded me to write the talk and to Dr. Gaafar Sheikh
Idris, Dr. M. M. Ahsan and Mrs. P. R. Phillips who read an earlier
manuscript and ext::mded a number of suggestions to improve it. I
am grateful to Mrs. D. Buckmaster for reviewing the manuscript
for this second edition. The responsibility for mistakes or lapses is,
however, exclusively mine. Acknowledgements are also due to
Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Messrs. Allen and Unwin
Limited for permitting the reproduction of two quotations from
Ideals and Realitles of Islam.
The Islamic Foundation
Leicester
1st June, 1977
14, Jumada al-Akhir, 1397
Khurshid Ahmad
CONTENTS
Preface
The Islamic Approach to Life: The Foundations 7
(1) T8WbJd: The Oneness of God 7
(2) Man's Vicegerency 8
(3) A Complete Way of Life 11
(4) Faith As the Basis of Society 12
II The Family in Islam: Basic Principles
(1) Divinely-Inspired Institution
(2) The Social Contract
(3) Faith and the Family
(4) Marriage
(5) Equality of the ****es
14
14
15
15
16
17
III The Family in Islam: Its Objectives and Functions 18
(1) Preservation and Continuation of the Human Race 18
(2) Protection of Morals 19
(3) Psycho-Emotional Stability, Love and Kindness 20
(4) Socialisation and Value-Orientation 21
(5) Social and Economic Security 23
(6) Widening the Family Horizons and Producing Social
Cohesion in Society 26
(7) Motivation for Effort and Sacrifice 26
IV The Family in Islam: Structure. Principles and Rules 29
(1) Marriage and Divorce 29
(2) The Way Marriage is Contracted 31
(3) The Structure of a Muslim Family 31
(4) The Position of Man and Woman 34
(5) The Family and Society 35
Appendix
Review from The Times, London 37
5
CHAPTER 1
THE ISLAMIC APPROACH TO LIFE: THE FOUNDATIONS
We are living in a period of cultural cnsls. It seems as if the
very foundations of contemporary society are being threatened
from within and without. The family, as a basic and most sensitive
institution of culture, is being undermined by powerful and
destructive forces. 1
All the symptoms suggest that the crisis in general is deepening
and the institution of the family is, in particular, weakening,
even disintegrating in Europe and America.2 It is time to pause for
a while and re-examine the foundations on which family life is
built in the contemporary West and also to study alternative foundations
and structures in other cultural traditions. This will help
contemporary man to identify the nature of the crisis that confronts
him today and will also point to some of the possibilities
that are still open to him. I would like to discuss in the following
pages the concept of family life in Islam, its foundations, structure
and principles.
We shall be in a better position to understand the institution of
the family in Islam if we start by a brief statement about the
Islamic approach to life, religion and culture.
1 . TswlJid: The Oneness of God
Islam affirms the Oneness of God and His indivisible sovereignty
1. See: Da~iel Bell. The Coming of Post-Industrial Society, (London: Heinemann. 1974);
Robert L. Helibroner. The Human Prospect, The New York Review of Books. January 24.
1974; and Pitrim A. Sorokin. Social Philosophies of an Age of Crisis, (London: Adam
& Charles Black. 1950).
2. This is borne out by the explosion of **** outside marriage. by the exponential rise in
divorce and desertion rates. in broken homes. in abortions and illegitimate births and
in juvenile delinquency. and by the plight of the aged. See J. Dominian. The Marriage
Relationship Today, (London: The Mothers' Union. 1974); Vance Packard. Tha ****ual
Wilderness, (New York: David McKay Co .. 196B); '1viarjorie Rittwagen. Sins of
Their Fathers, (Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 195B).
7
of the Universe. God is the Creator, the Master and the Sustainer
of all that exists. Everything is operating according to His plan. He
has revealed, through His Prophets, the Right Path for the
guidance of mankind. All Prophets (peace be upon them) have
preached the same message - that of acceptance of God's
sovereignty. They invited men and women to a life of virtue, purity,
justice and peace. and to act according to the guidance He has
revealed. All Prophets. from Adam, Noah and Ibrahim (Abraham)
to Musa (Moses), 'Ts5 (Jesus) and Mu~ammad (peace and
blessings of God be on them) taught the same religion of acceptance
of and submission to God and commitment to peace, i.e.
Islam.3 Man's failure lies in not protecting and preserving the
teachings of the earlier Prophets. As such, the Prophet Muf:1ammad
(peace be upon him) was raised to restate the original message.
to present it in its perfect form and to preserve it in such a way
that the word of God would no longer be confused with the word
of man.4
2. Man's Vicegerency
If tewfJid (Oneness of God) constitutes the ideological foundation
of Islam, the concept of man's khilafah (vicegerency/
caliphate) provides the operational framework for the Islamic
scheme of life.
The story of Adam and Eve is found in almost a.1I religious and
major cultural traditions. But in these narrations, fact and fancy
are found intermingled. The way the Our'an narrates this event is
crucial to the understanding of the Islamic world-view.
The main outline of the Our'anic narration is as follows:3 God
declared His intention to send a vicegerent (khaITfah) to the earth.
He created Adam and Eve from the same substance. They were
destined to play this role of vicegerency and were endowed with
the 'knowledge of the things' to do the job well. Then they were
put to a test and were asked not to approach a certain tree, They
3. See: al-Our'an 3: 3; 3: 84; 42: 13. See also Khurshid Ahmad. Isl8m: B8sic Principles
8nd Characteristics, ILeicester: The Isldmic Foundation. 19741.
4. If this fact had been kept in view. many a writer would have spared himself the trouble
of theoriSing about 'religious plagiarism' and 'borrowings' from this or that source.
a favourite theme with some of the orientalists.
5. The story has been narrated in the Ouran in three places. See al-Our'1m
2: 3~39; 7: 11-25; 20: 115-123. See also Muhammad Iqbal. The
Reconstruction of Religious T"oug'" in Isl8m, (Lahore: Sheikh Muhammad Ashraf.
19711. pp. 82-88 and Abu'l A'ia • .!iawdudl. Tafflrm al-Our'an ILahore: Maktab ...
Ta'mir-e-lnsaniYYdt. 19731. Vol. 1. pp, 61-70 and Vol. II. pp. 10-20.
8
fell victim to the evil persuasions of Satan and committed sin. But
immediately after sinning they repented their mistake, sought
God's forgiveness and were forgiven. It was after they were
forgiven and redeemed that they were sent down to the earth to
play their role as vicegerents of God. They were promised Divine
Guidance and were assured that those who followed that
guidance would be successful. Adam was the first man to receive
this guidance and convey it to his progeny.
Some very important inferences follow from this:
(a) Islam does not contribute to any theory of the 'fall of
Adam' symbolising the fall of man. There was no 'fall' at all in
that sense. Man was created for the purpose of acting as
vicegerent on the earth and he came to the world to fulfil this mission.
It represents the rise of man to a new assignment his tryst
with destiny, and not a fall.
(b) The role and status of vicegerency is conferred upon the
human being as such, and it is shared by man and woman alike.
This lays the foundations of their essential equality as human
beings, as vicegerents of God on the earth, whatever their
different roles in society may be.
(c) Islam does not subscribe to the view that woman led man
(Eve leading Adam) to sin and disobedience. According to the
Qur'an "Satan caused them both to deflect therefrom". Both
were held responsible for the act, both repented their transgression
and both were forgiven. They entered the world without any
stigma of original sin on their soul.
(d) Human nature is pure and good. Man has been created in
the best of all forms.6 Man and woman are made from the same
substance. Every one is born in a state of purity and innocence.
Success or failure depends entirely on one's own beliefs and
behaviour.' No one is to be responsible for the shortcomings of
others.·
(e) Man has been given freedom of choice. He is free to accept
or deny Reality. He is responsible for his actions, but is not to be
6. al-Our'an 95: 4.
7. ibid. 95: 5-6; 103: 2-3.
8. ibid. 6: 165.
9
deprived of this freedom, even if he makes mistakes and abuses
it. The uniqueness of the human situation lies in man's psychosocial
volition. This is the mainspring of human potential - this is
what enables him to rise to the highest pinnacle or to fall into the
deepest abyss.
(f) The dangers of misuse of freedom continue to confront man
throughout his life on the earth. The challenge from Satan is unceasing.
To safeguard man against this, Divine Guidance is
provided. The trial of Adam and Eve reveals, on the one hand, the
essential goodness of their nature and on the other, their susceptibility
to error. This demonstrates man's need for Divine
Guidance.
(g) Man has not been totally protected against error. This would
involve negation of the freedom of choice. He may commit errors;
his redemption lies in his realisation of those errors, in seeking
repentance and in turning back to the Right Path.
The theory of vicegerency affirms that God's Creation is
deliberate and not fortuitous. Man has been created with a purpose.
Everything else in Creation has been harnessed to his service.
His life on the earth begins with the cQnsciousness of a mission,
not through gropings in darkness. The ideal was set before
him through Divine Revelation. The criterion for success has been
laid down in clear terms. The signposts of the Right Path have
been made manifest. Man's life on earth is in the nature of a trial.
It is timebound. This life will be followed by an eternal life wherein
man shall reap the rewards of his actions in this life. And in this
lifelong trial, men and women are equal participants and will be
judged as such. Neither is a mere shadow of the other, but both
are active co-partners. The Our'an explicitly states that man and
woman will get what they strive for and that the same standard is
set for them both as the ultimate criterion. for their success. "And
the believers, the men and the women, are friends protecting
each other; they command what is proper and forbid what is improper,
keep up prayer and pay the Zskit (welfare due); and they
obey God and His Messenger. It is these on whom God will have
mercy. Surely God is All-Mighty, All-Wise. God has promised to
the believers, men and women, Gardens beneath which rivers
flow, forever therein to dwell, and goodly dwelling-places in the
Gardens of Eden, and, greater than anything else, God's good
10
pleasure (and acceptance from Him). That is the supreme
triumph."9 "And whosoever does a righteous deed, be they male
or female, and is a believer, We shall assuredly give them a goodly
life to live; and We shall certainly reward them according to the
best of what they did:'IO
"Men who surrender to God and women who surrender to
God, and men who believe and women who believe, and men
who obey and women who obey, and men who persevere (in
righteousness) and women who persevere, and men who are
humble and women who are humble, and men who give alms and
women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast,
and men who guard their modesty and women who guard their
modesty, and men who remember God much and women who
remember - God has prepared for them forgiveness and a
mighty reward:'11 This is how the Qur'an describes the ideal and
the model for men and women and the criterion for the Day of
Judgement. This defines what is expected of them as God's
vicegerents. This lays the foundation of their equality in their
human roles in the world.
3. A Complete Way of Life
Islam affirms God's sovereignty over the entire gamut of man's
life. It is opposed to asceticism, monasticism and creeds of lifedenial
and annihilation. It stands for life-affirmation and lifefulfilment.
It refuses to divide life into watertight compartments of
the sacred and the secular, of the holy and the profane. It invites
man to 'enter wholly the fold of Islam' and regards the division of
life into religious and secular as deviations from the Right Path.12
It gives an integrated view of life and reality. The teachings of
Islam cover all fields of humal'l activity, spiritual and material, individual
and social, educational and cultural, economic and
political, national and international. They cater for the aspirations
of the soul as well as for the demands of the law and social institutions.
Islam's uniqueness lies in spiritualising the whole
matrix of life. Every activity, whether related to things like prayer
and fasting, or to economic transactions, ****ual relationships,
diplomatic dealings or scientific experimentations, is religious if it
is undertaken with God-consciousness and accords with the
9. ibid, 9: 71-72.
10. ibid. 16: 97.
11. ibid 33: 35.
12. ibid 2: 208.
11
values and principles revealed by Him; and it is irreligious if it is in
opposition to them. Activities related to matters of economy,
politics and law, or **** and social manners, are part of man's
religious behaviour and do not fall outside its scope. Life is an
organic whole and the same principles should guide and govern it
in all its ramifications. The Shar;'ah is the Islamic code which
guides life in its entirety. The example of the Prophet Mu~ammad
(peace be upon him) is the model which a Muslim tries to follow,
and in his example one can seek guidance in all aspects of human
life, from the highly personal to the purely social - as a man, a
son, a husband, a father, a preacher, a teacher, a trader, a
statesman, a commander, a peace-negotiator, a judge or a head
of the state. The Islamic outlook on life is revolutionary as it gives
a new dynamism to what has been traditionally regarded as
religious. What makes an activity religious is the attitude with
which it is undertaken and its conformity or otherwise with the
values enunciated by God and His Prophet. With this
revolutionary outlook, the entire realm of life is won over to God
and Godliness. Nothing is left for Caesar}J
4. Faith as the Basis of Society
Islam makes faith and religion the basis of the entire human
society and the mainspring for the network of its relationships.
Other social groups and communities have been founded on
race, blood, tribe, geography etc., but in Islam all these
differences have been subordinated to a new form of organisation
emanating from the faith. Commitment to Islam integrates man
not only with God but also with the community of believers.
These two relationships branch out from the single act of faith.
The Islamic concept of nationhood is not based on race, language,
colour, territory or politico-economic affinity. The Islamic community
is a fraternity of faith -- anyone who believes in the
Islamic religion and ideology is an inalienable part of this nation
- whatever his race, colour, language or place of birth.
13. This approach to life is very beautifully summed up in the prayer which has been
taught in the Qur'an and is one of the most commonly used prayers in Islam. "Our
Lord Give us the good in this world and the good in the Hereafter" (al-Qur'an
2: 201). The Prophet has said: "Scent and women have been made dear to me.
and the contentment of my eyes is in the prayer". The narrow concept of religion tried
to drive a wedge between the two categories represented by fragrance and woman
on the one side and prayer and communication with God on the other. The Prophet
re-integrated them and established the sovereignty of God over the whole realm. As
such. 'prayer' and 'worldly progress do not represent two different categories in
Islam. They have been fused into one. Prayer is a stepping stone to social progress
and progress without prayer is a form of retrogression.
12
This is a new principle of human organisation; it is rational and
ideological in nature and is capable of embracing the entire
human race.
This concept of an ideological community is not a mere moral
precept; it has its social. political and legal dimensions. It
produces a new infra-structure for human relations. Faith is the
decisive force in this system. It gives birth to social institutions.
from the family to the state. Islamic culture grows from this faith
in the same way as a tree grows from a seed. To some extent it is
affected by external forces. but ultimately it is the potential of the
se~d which is fulfilled. This is a unique principle of organisation.
The Islamic society and culture are ideological and universal in
their origin and orientation.
These submissions. I believe. help us in understanding the
nature of the Islamic system of life. The Islamic culture cannot be
understood if some of its parts are studied in isolation. or in the
perspective of cultures based on foundations diametrically
different from its own. The Islamic institution of the family should
also be studied and examined in the perspective of the Islamic
outlook on life and the ethos of the Islamic culture.
13
Chapter II
THE FAMILY IN ISLAM: BASIC PRINCIPLES
We are now in a position to state briefly those principles which
determine the nature of the institution of the family in Islam and
also define its place in the overall framework of Islamic society.
1. Divinsly-IMpir9d Institution
The family is a Divinely-inspired and ordained institution. It
was net evolved through human experimentation involving a
process of trial and error spre3d over time. It was an institution
that came into existence with the creation of man. The human
race is a product of this institution and not the other way round.
The Qur'an says:
"0 Mankind, be conscious of your duty to your Lord,
Who created you from a single soul. created of like
nature, his mate, and from the two created and
spread many men and women; and be mindful of your
duty to God Whose name you appeal to one anotheJ
and to (the ties of) the womb. Verily God watches over
yoU".14
In another chapter the creation of man and woman and the
marriage relationship permeated with tranquility, love and mercy
have been described as 'signs of God'.I' The institutions of
marriage and the fnmily have been commended as the 'way of the
Prophets'. I' And the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has
said: "Marriage is a part of my sunnsh. Whoever runs away from
my path is not from amongst us" .17
14. al-Qur'an 4: 1. It may be noted that in this verse, the institution of the family - the
first family of Adam and Eve - is shown as the mainspring of the human race. It is
also significant that one verb wattaqii (be conscious of your duty to) has been used in
the verse for reference to God and to al-ArlJim (the womb: the relations of kinship).
15. ibid 30: 21.
16. ibid 13: 38. "We indeed sent messengers before you (0 Muhammad) and We
assigned them wives and children". •
17. Ibn Majah, Sunan, Book of NikBI}.
