The Duties Incumbent on the Individual (3/4)

The Islamic law of inheritance division is second to none in the world's ancient or modern man-made laws. There are some nations, in this age that have started applying the Islamic laws of inheritance.

Some Muslim have, unfortunately begun to disregard the laws of inheritance due to their ignorance, and simple-mindedness. The malaise of depriving girls from their rightful share of inheritance has begun to be felt. It is abhorrent injustice, and a rebellion against the pertinent conspicuous statutes of the Qur'an.

Beyond the family relations, a person comes in contact with his friends, neighbors, people in his district, and town, as well as those with whom he may deal in his daily life. Islam enjoins dealing with such people on the basis of truthfulness, fairness, and good behavior. In other words, he must treat others in the same manner he would like them to treat him. A person should keep his mischief away from them as he likes them to keep theirs away from him out of cooperating on righteous deeds and fine manners.

There are, of course priorities with respect to man's relations with others. The closest to him are his immediate kinship members, followed by his neighbors. It is mentioned in the authentic, Prophetic traditions that Jibreel persisted in recommending to the Prophet, peace be upon him, treating neighbors with comely manner until he thought that Jibreel would assign a share from the inheritance to the neighbor. This only signifies the greatness of the neighbors' right even if he happens to be non-Muslim. The Prophet, peace be upon him, visited a neighbor of his who was a Jew. There are other duties upon the Muslim that is to give food and clothing to the poor among the Muslims, help their handicapped, and console their less fortunate, visit their sick, help out the needy, earn living for his family, and teach the misguided. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim. He neither oppresses him, nor does he let him down.”

Allah says:

“And help one another in righteousness, and piety; but do not help one another in erring and transgression.”[1]

And He says:

“Verily, only the believers are brothers.” [2]

There are many other kinds of relations between Muslim and those to whom a Muslim feels obliged, such as those referred to in the words of Allah:

“And if anyone of the idolaters seek your protection, then grant him protection, so that he may hear the words of Allah (the Qur'an), and then escort him to his secure place.”[3]

From this limited circle we move into the universal circle which comprises all Muslims of the world. Islam has constituted laws and regulations to make the Muslims support each other, and help one another in righteousness and piety thus to provide for themselves an environment in which their lives and honor are protected within certain regulations:

1- Islam prohibits indiscriminate intermingling of non-sibling, men and women to restrain the behavior and safeguard the Muslim's reputation. Allah commands his slaves to avoid looking at things that are unlawful to look at, i.e., men to avoid looking at stranger women, and women at stranger men, because eye-contact is the first step of establishing relation.

Allah says:

“And tell the believers to lower their gaze and guard their private parts (of their bodies from illegal sexual acts.) That is purer for them.”

Allah has designated duties for women that are hard for men to observe, and has designated for men duties that are hard for women to observe. He commands women to stay home to maintain tranquillity and comfort in it. Allah has made the wife a garment for her husband, and an abode of rest. Man, on the other hand, toils outside home to earn the family's living, and when he returns home, he needs rest and comfort that he finds available with his wife who stays home preparing food, and looking after the domestic duties.

On the opposite side, the wife who works in shops, restaurants, factories, or other occupations, returns home at the end of the day to be just like her husband, too exhausted to be able to combine between her own comfort and her husband's.

2- Islam has forbidden women to beautify themselves, and display their beauty in public. Doing so would cause harm to men by exciting their desires, and luring them into illicit acts. This prohibition protects women against any consequences of such behavior. Both sexes are commanded to wear the garment which suites it in a way that does not excite the other.

3- Islam abhors singing and musical entertainment, because they degenerate peoples' morals, and arouse their lower desires, waste their time and money, and affect their health.

4- As a means of preserving the Muslims' unity, and their harmony, Allah has commanded them to avoid discord amongst themselves, and shun all means of conflict. If they have any dispute, they must refer it to the Book of Allah, and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace be upon him, and commit their affairs to Allah alone. The Muslims are commanded to support each other in order to achieve success, and harmony. They must obey their authority, and ostracize those among them who create commotion, and strife in the community, lest their power falters, and expose their own nation to enemy while warring against themselves.

5- The Muslims are permitted to study science, and other human arts, and to learn beneficial methods from the non-Muslims. They are forbidden, however, from imitating the unbelievers' way of life. Only the nation that admits defeat, and humiliation tries to copy what is believed to be a superior nation. This imitation reflects the lowest form of slavery. Degradation is an open recognition of the inevitable consequences of imitation. It is for this reason the Prophet, peace be upon him, vehemently forbade copying the foreign nations, or adopting their way of life. It is quite understandable that the Muslim nation's power does not depend on the dress code, nor on the life style of the foreign nations. Rather it depends on the strong faith in the Oneness of Allah, and the adherence to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. The nation's power also depends on its wealth of knowledge, and organization. Therefore, he who seeks power, and perfection, must avoid imitating the Kafir (unbelievers) nations.

The Muslims are also forbidden to treat the non-Muslim through the parochial mentality, and fanaticism. The Muslims are even forbidden to abuse the gods of the unbelievers or insult their denominations so that the latter would not revile Allah ignorantly. The Muslims are also prohibited to initiate disputes with the non-Muslims. Rather the Muslims should invite them to Islam instead, as long as the unbelievers are seeking reconciliation, and peace with Muslims. They should offer them the chance of discovering the religion of Allah.

Our Islamic manners dictate that we should invite the non-Muslims to the religion of Allah of which He approves. The Muslim must set himself to be a good example for others to follow. The Muslims must show the non-belligerent un-believers the fine Islamic manners. It is un-Islamic to treat others harshly, because the Muslim is supposed to be a model of refined manners and pertinence, that he may attract others into the folds of Islam without humiliation nor indifference. Furthermore, the Muslims are commanded to extend protection to those who seek it among the unbelievers.

Allah says:

“And if anyone of the idolaters seek your protection, then grant him protection, so that he may hear the words of Allah (the Qur'an), and then escort him to his secure place.”

Thus Allah has commanded the Muslim to give protection to an unbeliever who asks for it, and invite him to the truth before escorting him to safety.

(Continued)