"We have made you (the true Muslims) a balanced nation, so that you
could be an example for mankind" (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:142).
What the Qur`an expressly desires is that the Islamic society should be a model
for all those who want to lead a healthy and happy life. It should be a living
testimony for the exalted principle that the way to live a healthy life and
secure justice and fair play is not closed to human beings. It is they
themselves who should find it and follow it with consciousness, faith and
persistence. Society Man is a being that has for long been social and has been
living a collective life. A group of persons living together is called society.
Society may be defined as a group of individuals whose life is correlated with
each other because they have common desires or common interests for the
realization of which they work together. The formation of such a group is
sometimes accidental and sometimes intentional. In the former case it is
technically called Accidental Society and in the latter Intentional Society.
Accidental society
Suppose you go out to see the museum or to have a walk in the public garden of
your town. You find that there are many other people also who have come there
for the same purpose. You and they practically form a group having a common
object.
However, it is evident that the individuals forming such a group had no prior
intention to form it. Every one of them left his house without having had any
intention to do so. Such a group is called Accidental Society.
Intentional society
If you want to set up a social, financial, political or educational institution
and you do not have the intellectual, physical and financial potentialities
necessary to undertake such a project, you try to find some other persons who
may co-operate with you in the undertaking. Thus a group or a small society
comes into existence, whose members joins each other and work together with
prior intention to do so. Such a group is called Intentional Society.
Characteristics of Accidental Society
In this type of society there is co-existence, but there is no co-operation
except that of a very superficial nature and that too partial and of short
duration.In this sort of get-together the members of the group do not choose
each other. That is why they do not consider it necessary to have any previous
acquaintance with one another to be a member of that group. For example, a
passenger of a bus, a train, an airplane or a ship normally does not feel any
necessity at the time of purchasing his ticket to make inquiries about the moral
character of other passengers, their views and their motives of journey.
Normally such inquiries are not even possible. He and other passengers are
interested only in using a particular means of transport for going from one
place to another, and no deep and extensive acquaintance is required to achieve
this end.
Characteristics of Intentional Society
This tie is lasting within the limits of the objective of the society and
continues to exist until the group is dissolved for one reason or the other.
As this type of society comes into existence with the intention of co-operation
for the realization of a particular object, therefore, in this case co-existence
is coupled with co-operation and mutual and reciprocal responsibility.
In this type of get-together members of the group select each other, and as the
way of thinking and doing of each one of them affects the destiny of the others,
they contemplate certain rules and criteria for the membership of their group.
The co-existence and co-operation between the members of the group and their
mutual relations are based on the principles and rules accepted by each member
consciously and after careful study. Members of the group work whole-heartedly
for its growth and development.
A definite example of an intentional society is a family, which in its Islamic
form is a model for every other such society. It has all the characteristics of
an ideal intentional society, such as:
The husband and wife choose each other intentionally and willingly; With a view
to lead a common life, With common responsibility, With reciprocal rights and
obligations based on a definite social system accompanied by whole-hearted
co-operation to secure a better and more developed life for themselves and their
children.
Individual and society
Man is a gregarious and social being. There can be no doubt that the conditions
of his life depend on the conditions of the society in which he lives. But how
and to what extent? Is this dependence such that it does not in any way curtail
the independence of an individual to mould his life according to his own choice?
Or is it such that it makes him absolutely subservient to his social
environment? Or is it neither this nor that but has some intermediate position?
These are three different views regarding the relation of an individual with his
social environment. We propose to explain them further. It is the individual who
is important. According to this view, the main factor in moulding the life of
every person is he himself and not the society, for the society is nothing but a
collection of individuals, who have learnt by experience that their desires will
be better fulfilled if they co-operate with one another, and consequent to this
experience they have been attracted to collective life. Hence their incentive to
lead a collective life is actually their interest in the fulfillment of their
personal desires.
All the social systems have been devised by the individuals to safeguard their
own interests. Hence everywhere the hand of the individual is uppermost and it
is his desire and action that play the basic role. The corruption of society
also originates from the corruption of the individuals. If every individual
reforms himself, the whole society will automatically be reformed.
It is the society which is important
According to this view the truth is diametrically opposite to what is maintained
by those who say that it is the individual who is important. The exponents of
this view hold that it is the society and the social man which are the material
reality in this world and not an individual independent of others, for what we
find on the face of the earth is only a collection of men mutually correlated
and that is what is society. As in the world of nature every natural being is
subservient to a general and universal system of nature and is not absolutely
independent, similarly in the society an individual is only a part of it; such a
part that follows the whole unhesitatingly and is governed by its over-all
system. Even the ideas of an individual, his way of thinking, his desires, his
aspirations and his will are only a reflection of his natural and social
environment and the economic conditions of his society and class.
Those who hold that it is the society which is important, maintain that an
individual is just like a cell in a living body. A cell cannot be independent of
the whole body and its complex system, nor can it develop fully irrespective of
the fact whether the whole body is in a healthy and sound state or not.
Similarly an individual cannot be independent of the social system in which he
lives. He will have to go the way towards which the powerful social and economic
forces dominating the society will push him.
Some contemporary social schools have gone to such an extent in their reliance
on the importance of society as explained above, that it appears as if man is a
being totally dependent on society or his class and has perforce to follow the
way shown to him by social and class environment without having the least
possibility of exercising his own will and choice. As the result of this view,
the principle, that everybody should reform himself so that the whole society is
reformed, gives place to another principle, which says that it is the social
system which should be changed and reformed so that the individuals are
automatically reformed.
It is the mixture of the individual and the society which is important.
According to this view it is the mixture of the individual and the society which
is important. The individual is a being who is neither fully independent of nor
fully dependent on society. He has an intermediate position. There is no doubt
that the overall educational, economic and political system of the society
leaves its impression on the individual, his ideas and his personality. It
evokes certain desires. in him and suppresses certain others. It moulds his life
and guides his will. Nevertheless its impact is not so strong as to make the
individual totally subservient to his social environment.
It is similar to the impact of the natural environment on him. Unlike other
existing things man is not also totally subservient to his natural environment.
In many cases he rules over nature, and using his self-consciousness and
harnessing his latent inner forces tries to change his natural environment or to
bring it under his control. He stands in the same relation to his social and
class environment also. He does not completely submit to it. He tries to
understand the sociological laws and with the help of his knowledge and his
hidden powers tries to control and change his social environment to his own
advantage. He is not always reconciled with the existing social system.
Hence, though the social changes have their own laws and trends and most of them
are due to the factors working inside society as a whole, an appreciable amount
of them takes place as a result of the ceaseless efforts of self-conscious and
enthusiastic individuals also.
Thus neither the individual is exclusively important, nor the society and the
social system. What is important is a mixture of the two.
An overall study of the Islamic teachings shows that they are based on this
third view, that of the real importance of a mixture of individual and society.
We find that the Islamic teachings stress, on the one hand, the responsibility
of an individual in regard to self-making and environment-making, and on the
other emphasize the inevitable effect of the social atmosphere in giving shape
to the ideas, intentions, morals and actions of man to such an extent that it
may be said that all men are largely interdependent in shaping their destiny.
That is why the Qur`an wants everybody to find and tread the path of
righteousness and not to put up the corruption of environment as an excuse for
his own deviation.
"When the angels take away the souls of those who are wronging themselves, they
ask them: hi what circumstances were you They will say: We were oppressed in our
land. (The angels) will say.' Was not Allah s earth vast enough for you to
migrate2 It is they whose abode is hell. What a bad fate!" .(Surah al-Nisa,
4:97).
Imam Ali (a.s) says very emphatically: "You people must not be deterred and
discouraged by the paucity of those who are going on the right path .
At the same time man has been reminded that he should not be contented with his
being on the right way himself and must not neglect his duty of improving his
social environment. The fall of society leads to the ruin of the good and the
bad alike.
Imam al-Baqir (a.s) says: Then the wrath of Allah reaches its height. His
retribution overtakes all. The virtuous are ruined along with the wicked, and
the young in the house of their elders.
That is why a Muslim, while holding his individual responsibility, is a
collectivist also. Whatever he seeks from Allah, he seeks for us' and not for
me'. Look at the supplication we make to Allah in our daily prayers: "You alone
we worship and You alone we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path". Also
look at the ritual blessing at the end of the prayers: "Peace be on us and on
the virtuous bondmen of Allah ".
The stress laid by Islam on exhortation to good' and restraining from evil'
being the reciprocal responsibility of all the members of the society, whatever
be their position, the drawing of attention to the deep effects of the purity
and the pollution of the social environment and the emphasis on other factors
touching faith and morality such as the economic conditions, are some other
signs which clearly show that the doctrines and injunctions of Islam are based
on the principle of the importance of a mixture of the individual and the
society.
From what has been stated above briefly, we come to the following conclusions:
- Islamic society is an intentional and not -an accidental society. It has come
into existence by the will of the people on the basis of the choice of a
definite goal of life.
- It is a society all the systems and laws of which pay full heed both to the
individual and to the relative role of his will and conscious choice as well as
to the social system and the educational, political and economic conditions of
the environment and their inevitable role in moulding and building the
individual character.
In our opinion to pay attention to these two points is essential for the correct
understanding of the social economic, moral and devotional teachings of Islam,
and their difference from what is preached by other schools of thought.
Social System
In every society, especially an intentional society, there always exists a sort
of method or system which determines:
The general ways and customs of society;
· The way of its administration;
· Mutual relations of its members, and
· Thee relations of every member with the whole society;
· The rights and obligations arising out of these relations.
For an example take the case of a trading or an industrial concern. From the
very beginning it is necessary that its aim, the method and the means of the
realization of this aim, the way of the administration of the company, the
functionaries responsible for the ~working of each section of it, the rights and
powers of every share-holder, every office-bearer and the general body and all
such other questions should be decided in advance, and that the company from its
very establishment should work accordingly.
Is it possible that a company is established or run without deciding all these
details? Obviously not. The same applies to a society also. From a small
professional union to the world society every organization requires a system and
fixed rules and regulations for its working.
The sum-total of the rules, the system and the basis according to which a
society works, is called the social system.
Just Social System
We know that only a healthy and balanced body can continue to grow properly. Any
kind of defect in the limbs or a system of the body will cause disturbance and
weakness. If the temperature of the body goes above what is normal, the result
will be high fever and a general crisis. If its temperature goes below normal,
weakness and some other kind of imbalance will ensue. The excessive increase or
decrease in the degree of blood pressure, in the number of white and red
globules, in the quantity of the vitamins necessary for the body - all these
cause a sort of imbalance and some disease or other. One must combat strenuously
these diseases (and imbalances) in order to bring about all round equilibrium,
or otherwise be ready to decay and die. As we have seen, this kind of balance is
necessary in human and spiritual matters also. Too much or too little
satisfaction of the desires of man is injurious to his humanity.
Society
The strong mutual attachment of a group of individuals brings about the
existence of a sort of social entity called society. Anyhow, its members retain
their individual character and the independence of their will. Like the
physiological and human existence of an individual, the entity of society is
also governed by certain laws, which of course, exclusively pertain to it. The
survival of society depends on the existence of a social equilibrium in
accordance with these laws.
If there exists all round justice in society, conditions will be favourable for
its growth and development, and generally speaking, the evolutionary movement of
society will be in conformity with the evolutionary course of the entire world.
On the other hand, any kind of injustice will be a cause of disturbance,
retrogression and decay of society. It is one of the principal aims of Islam to
establish justice and to bring about complete equilibrium in Islamic society.
The Qur'an says: "Indeed We sent Our Messengers with clear evidence and We
revealed with them the Scriptures and the standard to show what was right and
what was wrong, so that people might conduct themselves with fairness ~ (Surah
al-Hadid, 57:25).
In order to know the factors which cause equilibrium in society, the following
factors should be taken into consideration:
Equality of Man
We know that for the establishment of equilibrium it is necessary that every
thing should be in its place. As all men are basically equal, Islam does not
admit that any individual has any special position. All men have been born of
one ancestor and have a common nature. The difference in rights on the basis of
race, class, tribal attachments etc., which existed among certain nations, is
totally denied by Islam. Islam declared its view on this subject at a time when
social groupings, discrimination in position, difference in rights were
considered to be natural and rational in the biggest civilized and eminent
countries of the day. Islam does not believe that any particular group or class
has been born for subjection and any other group for mastership. No group has
been born dirty nor any other group for executive and administrative jobs. No
groups has come into existence to have the status of the beasts while others
enjoy human dignity, as was the religious, legal and social position under the
out-dated systems of yore.
Islam officially proclaimed that:
"All men are equal like the teeth of a comb
"You are descendants of Adam and Adam was made of day.
"This nation of yours is one nation and I am your Lord. Therefore worship Me . (Surah
al-Anbiya 21:92).
In fact all men are slaves of Allah and brothers of each other. They all form
one group and belong to one class.
Legal Justice
With that conception of divine cosmology which Islam has in regard to man, it is
naturally necessary that among individuals there should exist a sort of unity,
harmony and equality in the matter of basic legal rights. When it is not
recognized that any particular position in society is reserved for any
particular individual or group, none can claim that any high position or a
superior job is his exclusive prerogative, nor can any one consider others to be
destined to obey him and to do only menial work. Naturally for no particular
group there exist any special rights or fixed privileges, nor for others lesser
rights and privileges.
On the basis of this conception, justice does not mean the subjection and
privation of the vast majority and the enjoyment of all the comforts of life by
a particular class of individuals having the right of exploiting others for
their own benefit. None has any special position and all are capable of
developing their talents and showing their ability. In this context justice
means the provision of equal opportunities to all individuals to promote and
show their talents, and to go forward up to the limit of their capacity.
Elimination of undue discrimination under Islamic conception
If we look at man from a purely material angle, it is quite likely that we
should arrive at a conclusion untenable intellectually and ideologically. For
example, if we consider man only as a living being having various faculties of
growth and reproduction and having certain physiological and biological
characteristics culminating in a developed nervous system and brain, we will
notice that there is a vast difference between various individuals from the
point of view of their physical activity, colour of skin, power of muscles,
shape of limbs, height, weight and the ability to do various physical jobs.
If we define man as a tool-making being, we will find that all men are not alike
in tool-making ability and manual skills. Similarly if we judge man and his
human value by his power of production, we shall see that in this respect also
there is a vast difference from individual to individual. On this basis, it may
look to be a part of human nature that there should be a difference in the
position and the legal rights of different individuals. This kind of philosophy
leads us to the ancient system of grouping and paints discrimination in natural
and rational colors.
But according to the divine view of Islam, humanity of man neither lies in his
veins, skin or bones nor in the growth of his muscles, his working power or his
tool making. It lies in the fact that man is a self-conscious being having
independence of will and power of choice. On this basis all men are human beings
possessing human values. Even from material point of view, what is important is
that all men are made of clay, which is their common feature. Their nature is
the same. According to this view the question of any human and natural
discrimination does not arise.
Economic Justice
As we have already learnt, basically ownership is concentrated in Allah. All the
natural resources which can be exploited by man are as a principle Allah's
property. All men have been created by Him and they live on His gifts. According
to this' conception of cosmos, natural wealth is not the private property of
anybody in society.
No particular group or class can claim its ownership and deprive others of its
use or to reduce them to the status of serfs. All natural resources belong to
Allah. They are for the benefit of all. Justice means that, in the words of the
Qur'an, wherever a man finds his means of living or in the words of Imam Ali a.s,
whoever has a spark of life, he should have a right to acquire his sustenance
Social justice in financial matters means that all yes all should be able to get
all the necessities of life.
Freedom of thinking and acquirement of knowledge We know that man is a being
ready for evolution and moving forward. Hence the social position of an
individual in society is represented by the opportunity that opens for him the
way to evolution and development, and even protects and guides him on this way,
so that he may attain his natural and human rights. For example, man has the
power of thinking and choosing. Therefore a just society is that which provides
him the opportunity of exercising his free will, gives him freedom of thought
and does not impose on him the will and desire of any particular class.
Suppression of the freedom of thought in any way hampers evolution and deprives
man of his innate and God-given right.
A just society gives man the right of making free and conscious choice.
Man is not expected to make his choice with his eyes and ears closed nor under
duress and pressure against the dictates of his conscience. The suppression of
the right of choice is a deviation from the normal human course. It causes
disequilibrium in society. Anyhow, in regard to these questions it is a social
necessity that guidance and constructive opportunities are provided to man to
enable him to think rightly and make his choice rightly. But in providing this
guidance there is a lurking danger which must carefully be avoided. Guidance
must be earnest and selfless. It should be provided for the service of man, to
make his hidden capacities bloom, and not with a view to exploit him and mar his
humanity.
Man has also the capability to learn and attain knowledge. Attainment of
knowledge is his birth-right. A just society is that which provides an
opportunity to everyone to gain literacy, to make higher studies and to acquire
proficiency in skills and arts. Profit is the result of work and all-round
activity It is the right of every individual to profit by the natural resources.
But that is possible only as the result of his exerting himself and doing work.
Therefore, it is necessary that an opportunity of working and making some sort
of useful effort should be provided to every individual, and everyone should be
guided and trained to make full use of his intellectual, mental and practical
creativeness, so that he may be engaged in constructive activity and may profit
by the natural gifts as the result of his own efforts.
Privation is the result of encroachment. It should not be forgotten that man is
a social being, and an individual has to live with others in society. It is not
the right of any one individual, but it is the right of all individuals that all
possibilities of growth and development should be provided to them. Hence, the
education of one must not be at the cost of keeping others uneducated, and the
employment of some must not be at the cost of the unemployment of others.
Similarly the enjoyment of the comforts of life by some should not be the cause
of the privation of others.
It may be noted that according to the view held by Islam it is not because some
individuals have secured their rights that others are deprived of theirs. It is,
in fact, because of the transgression and excess of some individuals that others
are deprived of their rights. Imam Ali (a.s) has said: "I have never seen any
hoarded money', without there being neglected rights' besides it. He has also
said: "No one remains hungry, except for the reason that some rich man has
availed himself of too much. There can be no privation if everybody is satisfied
with what is his due.
Comments posted are the sole opinion of the author and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of AIM. |
