WHAT IS ISLAM? Part 2
by Allama G.A. Parvez

Iscontd from Part-1 The same is the case of Salmon: Every neonate Salmon lives in the sea for some time. On its return from the sea, it reaches the river from where it had entered the sea. From this river it goes to the tributary, which had led it to the river. And then from this rivulet, it reaches its place where it was born. If you catch it some where in the way and leave it in some other lake, it immediately goes back to the big river and therefrom reaches the right stream. It does never commit any mistake in reaching its right place. The same is with the migratory birds. There are many islands in the Mediterranean Sea, where no bird except a particular type of bird species is found. In winter, these birds go to Hawaii Islands. In one flight they have to fly two thousand and three hundred miles over the sea. They lay their eggs there and then come back. When their children are able to fly, they reach directly to their own havens on their parents' "foot prints" -with no signs and to whom they have never seen. In the abysmal depths of the space, and over the sea, which are the signposts that guide them to their destination? This is the Divine guidance that comes to play in the form of their instinct. Instinct enables them to make a satisfactory adjustment to their environment. It enables them to satisfy their basic needs and so preserve both themselves and their young. Instinct guides them unerringly to the clime they are seeking. The directive factor operative in the nature of each of them incites them to engage in activities, which lead to the satisfaction of their basic needs. The same factor is responsible for the harmony and order which nature exhibits. Wahi is really this factor in operation. Galloway's comment in his book, The Philosophy of Religion, p. 582, on this point should be noted: In the widest sense of the word (Wahi), the order of nature is a revelation, for it unfolds a meaning, which has its ultimate source in God. We are led to draw two conclusions from these examples. Firstly, it is Divine Guidance or Wahi, which carries each and every thing from stage to stage until it reaches its full development. Secondly, everything follows the course, which has been prescribed for it. This may be said to be its nature. It is the same Guidance, which Allah's "Wahi" has instinctively given them. That is why the Quran, in Surah Taahaa, Verse 50, says: Our Nourisher is He Who gave to everything its nature, then guided it aright. In the example of the migratory birds mentioned above, C. T. Hudson in his book Birds and Man writes an interesting event. He says: The caravan of these migratory birds flew away. Two birds left behind, one running on the ground and the second flying in the air just a little bit ahead. The flying bird looked back after some time, called for the walking bird and finding that the bird had not increased its speed, it flew down till the bird came near. And then flew up. ... Both these birds continued going on with great difficulty to the direction of their caravan. He went close to these two birds and found that one of the two birds was a male and the other was a female. One wing of the female is broken. He then says: Had it been the human child, he would have spared his leg broken wife with one stroke of his leg and would have himself had a new wife. Absolutely no Rumple or Crisis Cross in the Universe Anyhow, we were saying everything in the universe gets guidance from Allah and without grumbling follows it. None of it enjoys power either to refute or to rebel against this guidance. That is why this huge system of the universe is running smoothly and beautifully. There is no rumble in it. Nor is there any crease or fault. In this regard, the Quran in Surah Al-Mulk, Verse 4-5 says: You won't see any kind of non-proportion in the creation of Allah, the Sustainer. Just look again. Do you see any defect, any split, any fault, or any imperfection anywhere in it? Then look again and yet again in the depths of the universe. Your sight will absolutely see no imperfection anywhere. It will return weakened and made dim again and again. It is all due to the fact that the entire universe is functioning according to Deen of Allah -Al-Islam. Therefore, it is not possible that there be any interruption, any disorder, any riot, any row, or any derangement. Row and riot is always Un-Islamic. Interruption, disorder, and derangement have nothing to do with the Islamic way of life. Human World In the Physical world, everything goes by the law of life and the code of conduct. Will the man, the final product of the evolution of life on this planet, and the last beautiful end of this disciplined universe, be an exception to this code of conduct and law of life? No, it can't be. It is diametrically opposite to the system of the universe where everything is following a prescribed way of life. It will be necessary for the man to live according to a particular code of life. It is exactly the same code of conduct and style of life we have named AL-Islam. For the physical things of the universe, the Quran in Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 82 says: Whatsoever is there in the heavens and

the earth submits to Allah' Laws. Also for the man, the Quran in Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 112 says: Nay, but whosoever surrenders his purpose to Allah and he is of balanced personality . . . For the physical things, it was said in the Quran in Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 116: Every thing in the universe devoutly follows His Laws. And again for the man, it was ordered in the Quran in the same Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 238: Follow Allah's Laws with devotion. Physical Life The Quran holds that the man is not merely a physical being but is composed of something else besides his body. This something is called human personality. In this way the human life has two parts: one of physical life and the second of human personality. Physical life is the life of his body obeying the same laws that apply to the animals: eating, drinking, sleeping, procreating etc. Water quenches the thirst of an animal, the same water is the cause of satisfaction to the man for quenching his thirst. Good food making the horse grow also nourishes the man. Arsenic kills the dog; it kills the man too in the same way. These are also the Laws of Allah and leading his life according to these laws the man gets physical comforts. And living discordant to these laws, he suffers harmful effects of his living. The second part of human life makes him distinctly a separate entity from the animals. If the first part of his life is called animal life, the second part would be better called as Human Life. His animal life depends upon his physical body but his human life is tied to his self, called human personality. As are the laws for the body, so are for the self. Man in a fully developed state does not inherit this personality; it exists in a latent form and its development is the ultimate object of human life. When properly developed, the life of the individual becomes capable of evolving into higher forms after its end in this mortal world. The growth of an individual's physical existence (as described above) is governed by certain natural laws; but the development of his personality is subject to a different set of laws. This set of laws has been given to mankind from time to time through Divine Revelation, and is now fully embodied in the Quran. This set of laws is called the permanent values. But there is difference between this Divine Revelation and the one given to the things in the universe (as has been mentioned above). The basic characteristic of the human personality is his choice and will. These are the very attributes, which distinguish him from the animals and are the real source of his prestige and honour. It is this choice and will for which a separate method of sending Revelation was adopted for the man. As we have seen earlier, everything in the universe, living and nonliving both, has instinctively been given the guidance under which these things have to function. In other words it is their instinctive behaviour. The meanings of 'instinct' are "The aspect of behaviour that is innate; and must be followed by compulsion." The question of moving away from it does never arise. That is why everything in the universe (except man) is automatically following these laws Allah has prescribed for them. Had the principles and laws for the human self been instinctively given to every human child, the man would have been under compulsion to follow these laws. And this would have been absolutely against the option of his choice and will. Allah used a separate procedure for this purpose. These Laws were revealed to a selected few (called Anbia) amongst the humans and they were told to present these laws to the other men to either follow or otherwise. But this must be understood "Following these Laws would provide them comforts of life and not-following would make their life miserable, devastated, and wretched." The result of this Divine Scheme is that everything of the universe is willingly following these Divine Laws, on the contrary, some amongst the men follow these laws, and the others refuse to follow. The Quran in Surah Al-Hajj, Verse 18 says: Have you not thought of it that whatsoever is there in the heavens and the earth are following the Laws of Allah: the sun, the moon, the stars, the hills, the trees, and the living creatures. While amongst the men, there are some that follow these Laws, and some that refuse to follow for which destruction sets over them. Choice and Will About the things of the universe, the Quran in Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 82 asserts: Whatsoever is there in the heavens and the earth submits willingly or unwillingly to Allah' Laws. For the man, it was said in the Quran in Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 112: But Oh! Whosoever amongst them surrenders to the Laws of Allah and leads his life walking in the ways of Allah, his Nourisher will reward him according to His Law of Requital. These are the people who will be free from fear and anxiety. Still at another place in the same Surah, for the things of the universe it was said in the Quran (Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 116): All devoutly follow His Laws. But for the man, the Quran commanded in Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 238: Follow the Laws of Allah. This -following the Laws of Allah -has been called the most beautiful system of life. In other words, it means 'it is the humans' following of the Laws of Allah volitionally, from within, from the tone and tenor of their heart and head, by their own choice and will, and on the cogent reason (The Quran in Surah An-Nisa, Verse 126). The humans enjoy this choice and will in the physical as well as the human world. For example, the law for the flow of water is that it keeps its level provided no external force acts upon it. The land lies on the low as well as the high level by the stream. The farmer, who cultivates his land on the lower level by the stream, follows the law of Allah. In other words 'he makes his efforts conform to the Law of Allah . . . and so gets the reward.' Gains of the Physical Life Since these laws pertain to the animal level of the human life, they do not make any difference between man and man. There are different types of people. There are people who do not accept the human self, or the life Hereafter. They also do not acknowledge the permanent values. They simply believe in the life of this physical world. If they follow these laws, they will get the rewards of their efforts in the same manner as do the people who accept all the above mentioned matters. The Quran calls the former group of people as the believers of "the life of this world" and the latter as the believers of "this world and the Hereafter". The efforts of the first group of people go for getting the worldly gains and have nothing to do with the human values. These are the people for whom the Quran, in Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 200, holds: There are among the people who consider the worldly gains an end in itself, they do get such benefits, but have no share in the Hereafter. continued...to part-3

About the Author
Allama Chaudhry Ghulam Ahmad Parvez, one of the greatest Islamic scholars. Founder of Tolu-e-islam movement. Details available at www.parvez-video.com