Flawed Sales

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Source: A summarized translation from the "Fiqh of Financial Contracts"

Flawed (Fasid) sales fall into twelve categories:

1- Sale where either merchandise or price is unknown:
If there is a flagrant ignorance about the merchandise or the price that would lead to dispute, the Hanafi consider the sale flawed (fasid), and the majority of scholars consider it invalid (batil).

Example: The sale of a tape player of unknown brand, sale of an animal of unknown kind. These are unknown merchandises that will inevitably lead to strong dispute between the contractors.

2- Sale pending on a condition:
This means that the sale will be finalized only if a condition that has no relation with the sale will be fulfilled. Example: -If a person says to another: "I will sell you my house with such price if so-and-so sells me his house, (or if my father returns from his trip, etc.)."

The scholars agree by consensus that this type of sale is incorrect (ghayr sahih), except that the Hanafi call it flawed, and the others call it invalid because of the risk involved.

3- Sale of unseen merchandise:
This is the case where the merchandise exists and is in the possession of the seller, but the buyer did not see it. Example: A catalog company offering its customers to buy a 'box full of goods' without disclosing its contents.

The Hanafi: The sale is allowed, even without description of the merchandise, provided that the buyer has the choice of revoking it after seeing the merchandise.

The majority of scholars: The sale is allowed if the merchandise is described, and the choice of annulling the sale is affirmed. The sale is invalid if the merchandise is not described.

4- Sales where the seller or the buyer is blind
The majority of scholars: His selling and buying are allowed, because the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Sale is with mutual consent." and he is consenting to the trade, and he can know the merchandise by touching, smelling, tasting, etc.
Shaft'ee: His sale is not allowed, unless it concerns a merchandise he has seen before he became blind, and which did not change since, because otherwise the merchandise is considered unknown to him.

5-Sale where the price is unlawful
The price is unlawful if instead of money, it is wine or pork for instance, or other unlawful things.
The Hanafi: The sale is flawed because there is exchange of wealth, but the price (wine, etc.) is not assessable in the Shari'ah, though it is assessable for the disbelievers. The majority: The sale is invalid (batil).

6- Using the sale contract for an unlawful purpose:
Example: A person buys a merchandise for a deferred price, then he sells it back with a cash down price, his purpose being to use this sale contract which is apparently sound, for an unlawful purpose: to acquire money that is not his. maliki, and hanbali:
sale is invalid if there is proof that the intention of the contractors is bad. Shafi'ee: sale is sound if the elements of the contract are sound, and the intention of the contractors is left to Allah ta'ala. Hanafi: The sale is flawed if there is no middle-man (to whom the money is deposited), and is sound if there is.

7- Sale of grapes for the purpose of making wine:
This also includes any sale of goods that will be used for unlawful purposes, such as selling arms to non-Muslims or to gangsters, selling gold to be used by men,

etc.

Hanqfi and Shafi'ee: Sale is sound, because the elements of the contract are sound, but it is disliked, and the guilt is on the one who misuses the merchandise. Maliki and Hanbali: Sale is invalid, because Allah said: "And do not help one another in misdeed and enmity." [5:2] This is the most accepted opinion.

8-Two sales in one:
This happens when one, for example, says: "I sell you my house if you sell me your car." Or a merchant offers to sell either one of two merchandises and the consumer signs the contract without knowing which one he will get.
Hanafi:The sale is flawed. Shafi'ee and Hanbali: The sale is invalid, because it may involve deception. maliki: The sale is valid and the accepting party has the choice to revoke it.

9- Sale where the price has been artificially raised:
This happens when one person raises the price not intending to buy the merchandise, but so that others buy it at that higher price. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, forbade such sale.

Example: If during a car auction, a bidder, hired by the car seller, raises the price not for the purpose of buying the car but so that others buy it at that price.

10- Musarrat sale:
Musarrat is a milking cow, or ewe, left without being milked for a number of days until its udders are distended, to give the illusion to the buyer that it gives abundant milk, so he buys it at a much higher price. The sale contract is sound, though a sinful act, for the hadeeth: "Do not artificially gather the milk in the she-camels' and the ewes' udders, and whoever buys the animal has the choice after he milks it, to keep it or return it with four pounds of dates." (Bukhari, Muslim)

11- City man selling the countryman's good:
This is when a merchant comes to a town, from another place, and wants to sell his goods all at ounce with cash down and the price of the day, and a townsman offers to keep the goods with him and sell them for him later at a higher price. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said: "The city man should not sell the goods of the Bedouin." (Bukhari, Muslim).

12- Meeting the caravan outside the town:
This is when a merchant goes to the outskirts of the town to welcome the caravan of traders, makes them believe that the merchandise they want to sell is in little demand, and offers to buy it at a price much lower than the market's. Sellers who discover they have been deceived have the option to revoke the sale. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, forbade meeting the caravans for this
purpose, and gave the sellers the option to revoke the sale ounce they arrive to the marketplace.

13- Down payment sale:
It is when the buyer pays part of the merchandise's price as a down payment with the agreement that if the sale is finalized, this sum will count towards the total price of the merchandise, and if the sale is not finalized, the money will not be returned to him, but the seller will keep it as a gift.

The majority of scholars say that this is a forbidden, invalid sale, because the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, forbade the down payment sale (Ahmad, an-Nasa'i), and on account of the deception involved in this transaction.

The Hanafis consider it a flawed sale. Imam Ahmad said : "It is a permissible sale." Because Zayd ibn Aslam asked the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, about paying a down payment toward a sale and he, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, allowed it." (Abdurrazzaq), Also Nafi' ibn Abdil-Harith bought for Umar Dar as-Sip for four thousand Dirhams due to Safwan ibn Umayyah, with the understanding that if Umar agreed, the sale would go on, and if not, Safwan would keep four hundred Dirhams ."Ahmad has ranked weak the hadeeth used as proof by the majority of scholars.

The most acceptable opinion is that this sale is allowed and is valid, considering the interests of both parties. The down payment is kept by the seller as a compensation to the lost opportunities, and time. Also, because the ahadeeth mentioned concerning this sale are not sahih, it remains permissible.

Courtesy Of: Islaam.com

Taking Stock of our “Thinking” Abilities

Allah, when explaining the message revealed in Quran, repeatedly challenges mankind to “think” and “think deeply”. One wonders how this is different from the “regular thinking” that we engage in on a day to day basis. Our thinking processes enable us to reach conclusions, make decisions, and solve problems constantly. However, a detailed study of the Quran reveals that these terms allude to a more rigorous form of thinking, which in today’s terms can be equated to “critical thinking”.

The difference between the two forms of thinking – regular thinking and critical thinking – is quite profound. For the purpose of our understanding, let’s consider one of the definitions provided by The Foundation for Critical Thinking: “Critical thinking is that mode of thinking – about any subject, content, or problem – in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them.” It further states that “critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way.

Quran advocates this level of “thinking” because, naturally, superficial thinking alone isn’t enough to cut through the beliefs and faiths that people have held onto for centuries. As “thinking deeply” allows people to question their internal biases and notice patterns that otherwise they may not be able to see, such thinking has allowed many over hundreds of years to understand Quran’s divine message and accordingly, to reconstruct their belief patterns and come into the fold of Islam.

Quranic verses expand on this form of “thinking” throughout by asking mankind to observe, seek knowledge, reflect, and ask questions and to ultimately connect the dots by using the faculties of human reason. Other similar terms used in the Quran in various contexts can best be translated as “to reason”, “reflect”, “ponder”, etc. Understandably so, a cursory and superficial study of the Quran (e.g. merely relying on translations) carries the risk of the divine message being misunderstood and misrepresented, something that unfortunately seems to be quite common today.

The following are some of the examples (parts of verses) where Allah has mentioned the use of reason and thinking in various contexts.

§    “Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think.” [16:69]

§    “Do they not think deeply (in their own selves) about themselves (how Allah created them from nothing, and similarly He will resurrect them)?” [30:8]

§    “…. so that their hearts (and minds) may thus use reason…” [22:46]

§    “…in all this] there are messages/signs indeed for people who use their reason.” [2:164]

§    “Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth...” [3:191]

§    “…So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect…” [7:176]

§    “Do they not reflect? There is no madness in their companion (Muhammad). He is but a plain warner.” [7:184]

§    “…Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect.” [59:21]

It is well known that critical thinking skills have to be learned. There is also abundant research highlighting that learning in today’s world is mostly information-oriented and based on providing ready-made answers rather than challenging people to think creatively and critically to help them understand issues better, decide intelligently, and resolve problems. Even in a technologically advanced country such as the US, a study (documented in a book called Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses) shows that a relatively high percentage of students demonstrated no significant improvement in their critical thinking and reasoning skills as they graduated and entered adult life.

Sadly, enough, a considerable percentage of us probably fall in that category as well.

When you are not thinking critically, your understanding of the issues is usually muddled and vague. You are more prone to jump to conclusions based on limited information. Your decisions aren’t expected to be sound because you haven’t taken the time to consider alternatives and compare options. You are driven more by various biases and emotions, rather than being open minded and listen with an attentive ear. Such thinking habits unfortunately can lead you to make the wrong decisions (or no decisions at all) and sap away your problem solving abilities, thus increasing your life’s inventory of problems.

On the contrary, thinking critically can bring order to your thinking processes. When you force yourself to define the issues and problems clearly, you can select better approaches to resolve them. Gaining more knowledge can help you get a better view of the landscape that you are facing. Asking the right questions can help you disentangle from the problems faster. Generating alternatives and comparing options push you forward toward resolution of your problems. Applying sound logic and reason helps in bridging the gaps in your thinking. All in all, taking the needed time to go through the rigors of “thinking” can help you draw warranted conclusions, render accurate judgments and arrive at sound decisions.

Even if you don’t find solutions to your issues, you would have at least maximized your mind power to contribute toward your wellbeing.

Finally, let’s not forget that if Allah challenged the non-believers to employ the faculties of human reason and thinking to help them get over their beliefs they have held for centuries – something that is not just sacrosanct but also one of the most difficult things to overcome – we too, then, can use those mental faculties to get over any of the problems that we face in our daily lives.

Source: IqraSense.com

Do we know what’s good for us?

In one of his articles, Dr. Bilal Philips (a famous Islamic scholar)  narrates a story that involves tragedy, drama, and joy. The story is about an Egyptian teacher whose photograph appeared in a local newspaper. The picture showed his smiling and happy face with his hands stretched out and both thumbs sticking up; his father was kissing him on one cheek and his sister on the other cheek.

The newspaper narrated his story about working as a teacher in Bahrain. After a brief visit back home in Egypt, he was returning to join work and thus taking a flight from Cairo to Bahrain. However, at the airport he wasn’t allowed to get on the flight because he had one “stamp” missing on his Passport. This made the teacher distraught, thinking that his career was over because this flight was the last one back to Bahrain which would have enabled him to report back on time, missing which also meant that he would lose his job. He thus became quite frantic, but his endless crying, screaming, and explanations to the airport staff could not get him on the plane. His family comforted him to accept Allah’s decree.

Disappointed, he returned home only to learn a few hours later that the flight he was meant to take (Gulf Air flight GF072) crashed killing everyone on board.

While feeling sad for the passengers onboard, he along with his family thanked Allah for His decree. The day he thought was the most tragic day of his career and life, ended up to be the happiest one averting a tragedy for him and his family.

We are reminded of such signs in Surah al-Kahf, a surah that Muslims are instructed by the prophet to read every Friday. In it is the story of Prophet Musa (Moses) and Khidr. Khidr bore a hole in the boat of the people who took him and Musa across the river. This made Musa question (and object) to such an action as the owners of the boat were quiet poor and obviously weren’t happy to what was done to their boat. However, as it became apparent later, an oppressor King came down to the river and forcefully took away all the boats except the one with a hole in it. So the owners of the boat praised Allah due to the fact that there was a hole in their boat.

We learn from this story that in times of distress or when we desire something badly, we shouldn’t always assume what’s good for us and what’s not because Allah may have decreed a different outcome. As Allah says in the Quran (part of the verse):

“….and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.” (Quran Al-Baqarah:216)

When struck by an affliction therefore, we have to be patient and in control of oneself. That is possible when we elevate ourselves to a high enough spiritual level where our Iman or Faith in Allah can help us ride the wave.

We can also stay in control by not losing our sense of reasoning that can help us provide better perspective of the situation. ibn al-qayyim said, “patience can be defined as a manner of spiritual superiority by virtue of which we refrain ourselves from doing evil. it is also a faculty of the intellect that enables us to live properly in this world.” Qatada said, “Allah has created angels having reason but with no desires, animals have desires and no reason, and man has both reason and desires. Therefore, if one’s reason is stronger than his desires, he is like an angel. On the other hand, if his desires are stronger, he is like an animal.”(ibn Al-Qayyim – “The Way to Patience and Gratitude.”)

The take away lesson for us is that we can improve the quality of our lives by making an effort to train ourselves to be patient, i.e. to elevate our levels of faith and to understand the dynamics that reasoning plays in staying patient.

As the prophet mentioned in a hadith, “…whoever strives to be patient, Allah will make him patient” (Al-Bukhari).”

Source: iqrasense.com

The Purpose

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

By Br. Ahmad Ibrahim

We know that the One God exists and we know that we are a product of His creation. But we often forget to remember that we were created for a specific purpose. If ten of us try to find out what our purpose is on our own, without considering the Revelation, we might find ten different purposes. However, if we look at the Qur'aan, we will find out that the purpose of our lives is clearly defined.

Allah The Most High says, "O Mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those before you so that you bay become Al-Muttaqoon (i.e. those who have taqwaa)." Al-Baqarah (2):21

And He said, "And I created not the Jinns and men except that they may worship Me (Alone)." Adh-Dhaariyaat (51):56

Allah Ta`aalaa also says in the Qur'aan: "Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion, and He is able to do all things. Who has created death and life, that He may test which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving." Al-Mulk (67):1-2

These verses where revealed to us by Allah in order to inform us of why we are here on the Earth, what we should be doing and where we are heading. Not to benefit Himself, or because He needs our worship. Rather, because we are in need of Him.

Allah Ta`aalaa says, "O mankind! It is you who stand in need (who are poor) of Allah, but Allah is Rich (Free of all needs), Worthy of all praise." Faatir (35):15

What is meant by "to test which of you is best in deed"? Al-Fudayl Ibn `Iyyaad said, "The best deed is that which is most devoted and most proper." He was asked, "How should it be most devoted and most proper?", and he responded, "For if the deed was devoted but was not proper it would not be accepted, and if it was proper but was not devoted it would not be accepted; the devoted is to be for Allah alone, and the proper is to be in compliance with As-Sunnah."

We were created for this one reason: to worship Allah and to strive to be the best in deed. It is not only a matter of how many deeds we do, it is also a matter of quality. Should we take for granted that our deeds are accepted or should we strive to perfect them and make them pure for Allah's sake and in accordance to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him)?

Allah Ta`aalaa says in the Qur'aan: "Say (O Muhammad): "Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds?" al-Kahf (18):103-104

And He said, "Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are al-Muttaqoon (i.e. those who have taqwaa)." Al-Maa'idah (5):27

A scholar said, "there are those who think that this Universe has founded itself or it came to exist by co-incidence. This necessitates that man "has no goal to fulfill" because he came into being without a defined goal! Consequently, a moral or a value system becomes meaningless. Accordingly, man is just a responding "tool" for "mother nature" which, according to Darwin himself, "acts haphazardly"! This way of thinking is aimlessness, and it occurs when man does not recognize his relation with the One who had created life and death, the Universe, and everything around man, all in due proportion."

We have to remember that Allah created death and life so that we may worship Him (i.e. obey Allah Ta`aalaa in all which He commands through the tongue of the Messengers, performing all that Allah loves and is Pleased with from statements and actions - both inner and outer), and perform that worship in the best manner. That is what our objective should be. Instead of contradicting the purpose of man's existence and acting for the sake of perishable worldly interests, we must fulfill its completion. This worship includes all our acts, our sleep, our studies, our recreation and specific forms of worship defined by the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Our period here is short and being slave to worldly gains results in corruption of our souls, constant difficulty, worry and poverty.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Allah says: Son of Adam: fill your time with My worship and I will fill your heart with richness, and end off your poverty. But if you do not, I would make your hands fully busy (i.e. in worldly affairs) and I would not end off your poverty." (At-Tirmidhee, hasan hadeeth)

Moreover, Allah has given us choice and has not forced us to do our acts. He says, "Then whosoever wills let him believe, and whosoever wills let him disbelieve." al-Kahf (18):29

Clearly, we have been informed of our purpose and were shown the way to achieve it. The choice is ours.

Source: kalamullah.com

What Drives People to Convert to Islam?

The nature of religious faith is quite mysterious. As part of their religious faiths, people believe in a variety of deities. There are people who have religious faith in the unseen supreme transcendental power and then there are others who believe in some humans as Gods, animals (e.g. monkeys), fire, idols made of stone, and the list goes on.

A lot is associated with having a religious “faith”. Part of it has to do with beliefs passed on through generations. People’s identities therefore get tied to it. Many times, these beliefs and associated feelings are not completely demonstrable by reason or any rational arguments. There is nothing right or wrong with this but that’s just how the nature of religious faith has come to be.

Everyone thinks they are right in their faith and beliefs. Being with people and groups with similar faiths further strengthens people’s faiths and they see it as “right” even though logical reasoning and argument sometimes can’t explain it all. That’s human psychology.

 

ISLAM’S ARGUMENTS BASED ON INTELLECTUAL REASONING:

Muslims believe however, that the Islamic religion is different in this context. One may argue that similar to other faiths there are aspects of it which are not completely demonstrable by reason but on the other hand, the Quranic text, which is Allah’s words addressing the humanity at large, uses intellectual reason, critical thinking, and the process of reflection as a means to not only reinforce the faith of the believers but also to call non-believers to ponder about the authenticity of Islam as the way of life for the humanity at large. Although no religious beliefs can be fully based on logic and reasoning, Islam and Quran provide more than enough examples and an opportunity to examine the truth and the soundness of its message through the lens of empirical evidence and knowledge.

No one (Muslim or otherwise) would argue that critical thinking and reflection can be a major catalyst for changing of one’s life. Critical thinking has been used by many to improve their lives simply because a critical thinker asks probing questions about a situation, collects as much information as possible, reflects on the ideas collected and generated in context of the information available, keeps an open and unbiased mind and carefully scrutinizes assumptions and seeks alternatives.

This is the reason therefore that new Muslim converts would attribute the use of intelligent reasoning, reflection and critical thinking when explaining their journey to Islam. Such people cut through the hysteria created by some in the media to view Islam from a critical lens and following the truth thus comes naturally to them as part of this process. How else can one explain the increase in conversions with the increase of anti-Islam rhetoric? How else can one explain that more non-Muslim preachers have been converting to Islam than ever before? Although as Muslims we believe that the guidance (hidaya) comes only from Allah, the use of a person’s God-gifted intellectual reasoning has a very powerful role to play in Muslim converts making that destiny changing decision. And once converted, they rarely go back to their old faiths simply because a faith whose foundations are built on logic and reason is much less likely to be shaken down than one which builds simply upon a set of rites and sacraments.

 

REASONS ATTRIBUTED BY NEW CONVERTS:

Some of the reasons attributed by people who convert to Islam are listed below. We can see that most of these reasons can only be attributed to the process of critical thinking and intellectual reflection.

§  Eloquence of Quran’s language – The uniqueness and beauty of Quran’s text has been marvelled by the best of Arab linguists and scholars from the days it was revealed until today. The more knowledgeable people are in the language, the more they appreciate the wonders of the textual fluency of the Quran.

§  Overwhelming scientific evidence and proofs – The Quran, revealed more than 1400 years ago has numerous scientific facts that are being validated by science only in this era.

§  Divine wisdom behind various social issues – The Quran provides a solution to numerous social issues, a deviation from which has known to cause societal chaos at all levels.

§  Arguments rooted in intellectual reasoning – Quran is the only known religious text that challenges mankind to think, reflect and ponder over the creation at large, social issues, God’s existence, and more. Quran in many instances challenges people to reflect and think on their own rather than heeding to the loose talk of those whose criticism is based on baseless foundations.

§  A confident assertion of a supreme being – Quran is the only known religious book that has a confident assertion of a supreme being on all issues ranging from the creation of the universe to social issues.

§  Divine Text – Quran’s language and prose is very different from the language in the hadith (Prophet's sayings) thus proving that Quran is not the “imagination” or words of Prophet Muhammad, as many doubters have alleged in the past and do so even today.

 

QURAN’S CHALLENGE TO PEOPLE ON THINKING AND REFLECTION

The Quran on numerous occasions challenges humanity at large to think, reflect and ponder over their affairs. Here is some of what the Quran states:

§  Thus do We explain the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, laws, etc.) in detail for the people who reflect. (Yunus, Chapter #10, Verse #24) §  Do they not think deeply (in their own selves) about themselves (how Allah created them from nothing, and similarly He will resurrect them)? Allah has created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, except with truth and for an appointed term. And indeed many of mankind deny the Meeting with their Lord. (Ar-Room, Chapter #30, Verse #8) §  He it is Who has appointed for you the night that you may rest therein, and the day to make things visible (to you). Verily, in this are Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who listen (i.e. those who think deeply). (Yunus, Chapter #10, Verse #67) §  Does man think that he will be left Suda (neglected without being punished or rewarded for the obligatory duties enjoined by his Lord (Allah) on him)? (Al-Qiyama, Chapter #75, Verse #36) §  Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?” (Al-Mumenoon, Chapter #23, Verse #115) §  To the rejecters of truth, the Quran states: Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle; nay, they are even farther astray from the Path. (i.e. even worst than cattle). (Al-Furqan, Chapter #25, Verse #44) §  Do they not reflect? There is no madness in their companion (Muhammad). He is but a plain warner. (Al-Araf, Chapter #7, Verse #184) §  Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect. (Al-Hashr, Chapter #59, Verse #21)

When studying the many cases of new Muslim converts, we see that engaging in critical thinking and intellectual reasoning have led people to change their non-Islamic faiths – the same faiths that earlier supposedly could have moved mountains, get diluted by the voices of reason easily heard in the roots of Islam. A mere process of thinking and reflection brings so much to the limelight that otherwise remains veiled by distractions and forces of the anti-Islam pundits. Those who are bent to see only the negative, fail to see the light of truth and instead engage in a never ending superficial analysis to unsuccessfully prove their misguided philosophies.

There are many statistics in the media that highlight the phenomenal rate at which people are converting to Islam. Although, the authenticity of all these sources has not been validated for the purpose of this post, some of them include the following:

§         According to “The Almanac Book of Facts”, the population increased 137% within the past decade, Christianity increased 46%, while Islam increased 235%.

§     100,000 people per year in America alone, are converting to Islam. For every 1 male convert to Islam, 4 females convert to Islam

§       TV Report: 4000 Germans Convert To ISLAM Each Year

§       About 25000 people convert to Islam every year in the UK alone

many more examples exist.

 

WHAT ABOUT MUSLIMS?

If voices of reason embedded in the teachings of Islam are causing non-Muslims to revert to Islam in droves, why is it that so many Muslims usually born into the religion fail to fully follow and thus enjoy the teachings of the religion? The fact is that it is this lack of critical thinking and reflection even on some Muslims part that is forcing Muslims to have a substandard way of life. Islam and its teachings hold the promise of a fulfilling and peaceful life for all. Yet, Muslims continue to ignore the basics and get mired in social and moral issues causing unnecessary pain and suffering on themselves and their families. The fact is that only if they could think and reflect on the teachings of their own religion, they can escape the many problems and challenges that face them.

 

THE MESSAGE

To non-Muslims who have only scratched the surface about learning Islam and who may be getting distracted by those who are the wrong torch bearers of this religion and also distracted by the biased voices in the media, the message is simple – try to view the teachings of Islam with a critical lens and you may be able to see more reason than you may not have thought was present. To Muslims, the message is that sometimes we do not appreciate the teachings of our own religion simply because we never think and grow beyond the few religious practices in operating our lives. A focused effort to learn, think and reflect more will help us get closer to the religious teachings in ways that can drastically improve our lives.

Source: — IqraSense.com