إدريس عبدالله
_8 _May _2016هـ الموافق 8-05-2016م, 11:42 PM
Liberty has a lofty status in Islam. It is unrestricted even in the event of choosing the Islamic faith. Allah the Most High says: إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا
“We showed him the Way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).”(Insaan: 3)
Allah in this verse legislates liberty for man in matters of faith, creed and monotheism which are very important issues and made him responsible for his will and freedom. This indeed is complete fareness with which He established a proof against man with this liberty, will and the mind. He says:
لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ لَا انفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.(Baqara: 256). He says again:
وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ
“If it had been thy Lord´s will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!”(Yunus:99). His Mightiest says again:
فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ
لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ
“Therefore do thou give admonition, for thou art one to admonish. Thou art not one to manage (men´s) affairs.”( Al-Ghaasiya: 21-22)
The status of liberty in Islam is realized through rights and responsibilities considering them as one inseparable entity. This is so because if rights are not restricted to responsibilities, individuals may become disassociated with others and may live to recognize only their rights and not that of others.
The history of Islam is full of stories of wide range of complete liberty during the era of the Messenger of Allah(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and the era of the rightly guided caliphs after him. The Messenger of Allah when he intended to send the learned companion “Muaaz Ibn Jabal”(may Allah be please with him) to Yemen to teach those newly converted Muslims said to him: “how will you judge if a case is presented to you”? he said : “I will judge with the Book of Allah” the Prophet(may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “what if you’ve not found it in the Book of Allah”? he said “then the tradition of the Messenger of Allah peace and blessings of Allah be upon him” he said: “ what if you found it not in the tradition of the Prophet of Allah nor in the Book of Allah”? He said: I will apply my criterion without going beyond bounds. Then the Messenger of Allah(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) flap his chest and then said: “ All praises are due to Allah Who guided the Messenger of the Messenger of Allah to what pleases the Messenger of Allah”. It was also reported of him saying(to the date farmers among the ansaar of Madina) “ you are more clever in your worldly matters”
Types of freedom given by Islam
1-freedom of thought. Islam has given man freedom of thought within the confinement of certain general etiquettes and lofty manners on condition that it is void of abuse, curses, lies and slander.
2- Freedom of speech. In accompaniment of freedom of thought, man was also given freedom of speech in Islam. This however is not open, but is restricted. Such speeches that are intended to harm others are forbidden in Islam. His holiness; peace and blessings of Allah be upon him said: “he who believes in Allah and the Last Day must speak good or remain quite”(reported by Al-Bukhari)
3- Freedom of possession and ownership. Islam has urged towards all kinds of good and allowable works no matter how it is. Allah says: “
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
“O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, Lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of the evil one, for he is to you an avowed enemy”. (Baqara: 168).
4. Political freedom. From among the teachings of Islam is that it legislated the liberty in the expression of opinions with regards to political issues of the nation. This liberty comes as a result of the general freedom human beings are granted in Islam. It must however be bounded by the standard manners of the religion, so as not to lead to attacking people’s faith and respect. It must not also lead to the point of revolt against the government in a way that is unexpected in an Islamic nation.
5-freedom of creed- Islam allowed freedom or liberty in creed. This means that no one is compelled to select a particular creed. It then put measures that aim at the preservation of this liberty. Allah says:
لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ لَا انفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.(Baqara: 256).
“We showed him the Way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).”(Insaan: 3)
Allah in this verse legislates liberty for man in matters of faith, creed and monotheism which are very important issues and made him responsible for his will and freedom. This indeed is complete fareness with which He established a proof against man with this liberty, will and the mind. He says:
لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ لَا انفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.(Baqara: 256). He says again:
وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ
“If it had been thy Lord´s will, they would all have believed,- all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!”(Yunus:99). His Mightiest says again:
فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ
لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ
“Therefore do thou give admonition, for thou art one to admonish. Thou art not one to manage (men´s) affairs.”( Al-Ghaasiya: 21-22)
The status of liberty in Islam is realized through rights and responsibilities considering them as one inseparable entity. This is so because if rights are not restricted to responsibilities, individuals may become disassociated with others and may live to recognize only their rights and not that of others.
The history of Islam is full of stories of wide range of complete liberty during the era of the Messenger of Allah(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and the era of the rightly guided caliphs after him. The Messenger of Allah when he intended to send the learned companion “Muaaz Ibn Jabal”(may Allah be please with him) to Yemen to teach those newly converted Muslims said to him: “how will you judge if a case is presented to you”? he said : “I will judge with the Book of Allah” the Prophet(may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “what if you’ve not found it in the Book of Allah”? he said “then the tradition of the Messenger of Allah peace and blessings of Allah be upon him” he said: “ what if you found it not in the tradition of the Prophet of Allah nor in the Book of Allah”? He said: I will apply my criterion without going beyond bounds. Then the Messenger of Allah(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) flap his chest and then said: “ All praises are due to Allah Who guided the Messenger of the Messenger of Allah to what pleases the Messenger of Allah”. It was also reported of him saying(to the date farmers among the ansaar of Madina) “ you are more clever in your worldly matters”
Types of freedom given by Islam
1-freedom of thought. Islam has given man freedom of thought within the confinement of certain general etiquettes and lofty manners on condition that it is void of abuse, curses, lies and slander.
2- Freedom of speech. In accompaniment of freedom of thought, man was also given freedom of speech in Islam. This however is not open, but is restricted. Such speeches that are intended to harm others are forbidden in Islam. His holiness; peace and blessings of Allah be upon him said: “he who believes in Allah and the Last Day must speak good or remain quite”(reported by Al-Bukhari)
3- Freedom of possession and ownership. Islam has urged towards all kinds of good and allowable works no matter how it is. Allah says: “
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
“O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, Lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of the evil one, for he is to you an avowed enemy”. (Baqara: 168).
4. Political freedom. From among the teachings of Islam is that it legislated the liberty in the expression of opinions with regards to political issues of the nation. This liberty comes as a result of the general freedom human beings are granted in Islam. It must however be bounded by the standard manners of the religion, so as not to lead to attacking people’s faith and respect. It must not also lead to the point of revolt against the government in a way that is unexpected in an Islamic nation.
5-freedom of creed- Islam allowed freedom or liberty in creed. This means that no one is compelled to select a particular creed. It then put measures that aim at the preservation of this liberty. Allah says:
لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ ۚ فَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ لَا انفِصَامَ لَهَا ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.(Baqara: 256).