Islam and its Significance in our Lives

But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace” (The Quran 8:61)

Society has led to the portrayal of Islam, in the west, as an intolerant, cruel, brutal, Merciless, compassionless, inhuman, violent, harsh, oppressive and militant religion. Although our religion subscribes to grievous punishments only when someone transgresses the standards and bounds of Islamic Society. The penal laws are therefore implementable only if an Islamic social structure exists. In a truly Islamic society, where the laws of social justice are prevalent no individual would be provoked to trespass the norms of just and kind behavior.

Islam is the religion of peace. Its very name is derived from the word ‘salam’. Salam is not only the absence of violence and aggression but it also means total well being and happiness. It means literally ‘to be safe, secure, sound, wholesome, unharmed, unimpaired and intact’.
Islam is in fact a religion that promotes peace and understanding among people of all faiths, and it strongly prohibits all forms of violence and aggression against all people regardless of their faith or race. Muslims are governed by the rules that the relationship with non-Muslims should be based on justice, mutual respect, cooperation, and communication.

Islam...What is it? A religion? A way of life? It’s a word we, as Muslims, take very much for granted. Being born Muslims in a Muslim country we don’t bother to look beyond the fact of our being followers of Islam. We assume that just by offering prayers five times a day, fasting in the holy month of Ramadan, paying Zakah, performing Hajj or Umrah as the case may be, and, in case of us females, by keeping our heads covered, we become very good Muslims.

‘Religion is behaviour and not mere belief.’ It is through our behaviour in little everyday matters that we can declare ourselves to be Muslims

I’ll take the case of the Salah, our ritual daily prayer, to explain why I believe in the statement quoted above. Most of us try our level best to offer our prayers five times a day, and no doubt develop a very bloated opinion of ourselves as a result. During our conversations, we make a point of mentioning just how regular we are in the prayer and we want to be told in our face just how great we are. The only logic we can present for all our zealous efforts is the great stress that has been laid on the importance of establishing the prayer in the Holy Qur’an and Hadith. Of course there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but have we ever paused to ponder on the reason so much stress has been laid on the prayer by the Almighty.

Have we ever thought that Allah doesn’t need our prayers? Why then is so much importance given to them? Our five or more prayers, as the case may be do not add to any dimension to Him. He is the Almighty. He needs nothing from us. It is He who sustains and provides for us. Through the system of regular prayers, Allah just wants to teach us a little something. We all have very busy lives, whether inside the house or out. There are a dozen and one things that constantly have to be done. In the midst of all this activity, when we take out a couple of minutes to remember our Lord and our Benefactor, we are exerting a little bit of self-control. The more we discipline ourselves to take time out for our prayers, the more self-control we learn. The spirit of Islam lies in the control of our Nafs (soul). That is the spirit of the prayer -- to teach us the self-control needed in our day to day dealings. If despite being regular in praying, we don’t develop the tolerance and humility taught by our religion, then dare we call ourselves good Muslims?