Q1 :I often draw examples from the Qur’an and
Hadith to stress my point of view when I discuss topics with my
friends. I feel that an Islamic argument is always stronger. A Muslim
friend of mine, however, says that religious teachings should be left
out of such discussions. According to him, a Muslim has to be a Muslim
only when he is in the netpany of Muslims. From what I have learned
about Islam, a Muslim must retain his Islamic identity in all
situations. I will be grateful for your advice.
A1 : When you consider the religion of Islam and
look at the actions it requires its followers to observe, be they part
of worship or normal social dealings and consider also the practices
Islam forbids, you are bound to conclude that it is very difficult for
a Muslim who wants to abide by Islamic teachings to hide his identity.
Indeed a Muslim has a unique identity which is reflected in his manners
and behavior. He is always polite, kind, steering away from what is
vulgar or obscene in words or actions. His humility, which is enhanced
by his recognition that he is liable to make mistakes and slip into
error, means that he is likable, sociable and caring for others. These
characteristics are imparted to a Muslim first and foremost by his
faith. It is Islam that requires its followers to be kind to others and
to always prefer what is likely to cement good relations with their
fellow human beings. From another point of view, every Muslim has a
task which he must fulfill. If he fails to do this task, he will be
questioned about it by Allah. I am here referring to the duty of every
Muslim to convey the message of Islam to other people and make it known
to them that Allah requires them to follow his last messenger, Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) and implement the code of living embodied
in his message. It may be added here that not every Muslim can provide
a good example of what Islam means in practice by living up to
requirements of his faith. When people see in a Muslim man or woman who
is an exponent of every virtue and who refrains from everything that
does not fit with the noble position Allah has given to mankind, they
want to know what gives him his refined sense of propriety. They do not
need to go too far to discover the source. It is Islam, his faith which
Allah has perfected as a way of life which brings out and enhances
every good aspect in a human being and weakens every evil tendency.
Why on earth would anyone be reluctant to own to the fact that he is a
Muslim, unless he fears to lose some of the esteem of other people.
Only those who are hostile to Islam or those who are ignorant of its
nature may have an unfavorable attitude towards the Muslims. With the
first group, a Muslim is not likely to win respect even if he disowns
his religion altogether. The mere fact that he netes from a Muslim
family is sufficient for those who are hostile to Islam to classify him
among Muslims. Not even a person like Salman Rushdie wins any respect
or esteem from the enemies of Islam. They may wish to utilize him for
their own purposes, but they will never look at him with any genuine
respect. With those who are ignorant of Islam, such an attitude does
not earn him any privilege. Indeed, if he appears in the distinctive
colors of Islam, he has a greater chance of winning their respect. If
he speaks to them about the teachings of Islam in those areas which
nete under discussion they are bound to appreciate the wisdom of
Islamic legislation. I speak about this from personal experience. Many
a non-Muslim who knows very little about Islam begins to appreciate its
wisdom and its netprehensive and logical approach to life, once he
hears about the Islamic legislation relevant to a practical question
that is faced by all human societies. Take for example the Islamic
system of divorce. When an open minded non-Muslim learns about the
proper Islamic legislation in divorce cases and how Islam safeguards
the interests of both partners and gives each one his or her rights, he
cannot fail to express his admiration for Islam. This may be the first
step toward winning a friend to Islam and may be winning, in time, a
new Muslim. Your friend suggests that you should not quote from the
Qur’an or the Hadith in your discussion with non-Muslims. On the
contrary, when you support your argument with evidence from the Qur’an
or the Hadith, you show that it is not merely a personal view. It is
the view of Islam that you are advancing. You will definitely draw
attention of people to the strong logic of Islam and its profound
argument. They will respect you for being religious. On the other
hand, how will non-Muslims know about Islam if we do not tell them
about it? We are required by Allah to make his message known to
mankind. If we do not speak to them about it, they will remain ignorant
of it. We will have failed in a duty which Allah has made incumbent on
every Muslim. To be a Muslim only in presence of Muslims is to impose
on ourselves the life of a mental ghetto which makes us always
inward-looking. This is contrary to the nature of Islam which is
outward-looking, because it considers every human being a potential
believer. Indeed, mankind is the material with which Islam deals in
order to produce a super-society which is characterized by the fact
that its members “enjoin the doing of what is right, forbid what is
wrong and believe in the Oneness of Allah.” That is the best human
society.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )