New Page 1

Islamic Prescription: The Messenger of Allâh, during his 23-years mission has set a human model, as well as detailed teachings, that touched on all aspects of moral behavior. A Muslim is shown how to be honest, truthful, sincere, charitable, modest, merciful, just, chaste, timid, fidel, and fulfilling his promise. On the other hand, a Muslim should avoid everything opposite to these tributes; as well as: envy, hypocricy, or false flattering, ridicule, obscenity, backbiting, calumny, and vanity.

2. Intellectual Life:

Islamic Prescription: True knowledge, based on clear proofs and indisputable evidence, acquired by experience or experiment or both. The Qur’ân points to the rich sources of knowledge in the whole universe.

Islâm demands faith in Allâh on the basis of knowledge and research, and leaves wide open all fields of thought before the intellect; to penetrate as far as it can reach. There is no church-like institution in Islâm.

Knowledge is not monopolized by any sort of clergy. Every Muslim is individually requested to seek knowledge and to act accordingly.

3. Personal Life:

Islamic prescription: Purity and cleanliness, a healthy diet, proper clothing, proper behavior and good healthy sexual relations within marriage.

Harmful foods and drinks are prohibited. These include alcohol and similarly all narcotics, as well as meat of dead or improperly slaughtered animals, and of beasts, swine (pork) and blood poured out. Proper hygienic practices for food handling, hands and mouth cleanliness, as well as moderation in food intake are only some of the teachings of Islâm.

4- Family Life:

Islamic Prescription: A family is a human social group, whose members are bound together by the bond of blood ties and/or marital relationship and nothing else (adoption, mutual alliance, common law, trial marriage … etc.). Parents, and specially mothers, are given fullest respect in Islâm, even if they are different in faith.

Marriage is a religious duty on all who are capable of meeting its responsibilities. Each member of the family has rights and obligations. Marriage contract cannot be valid without the complete free consent of both spouses. The husband is fully responsible to support his wife, even if she is wealthy. He has no right to interfere with the way she manages her own property.

Polygamy (up to four wives) is permissible only to cope with special circumstances, but conditional to the husband being capable to meet the essential needs of his wives and to secure just equality in treatment, which is not easy to everyone. Divorce is resorted to, only as a last solution, if all attempts to reconciliation have failed.

5. Social Life:

Islamic prescription: Man is ordained by Allâh to extend his utmost help and kindness to other family members, relations, servants and neighbors. Superiority is not derived from class, color, origin or wealth, but from piety and good deeds alone.

Humanity represents one family springing from one and the same father and mother. The unity of humanity is not only in its origin but also in its ultimate aims.

6. Economic Life:

Islamic Prescription: Earning one’s living through decent labor is not only a duty but a great virtue as well.

Earning is man’s private possession. The individual is responsible for the state; and the state is responsible for the security of the individual.

The Islamic economic system is not based on arithmetical calculations alone, but also on morals and principles. Zakâh or charity given is a cornerstone (see: Worship).

Man comes to the world empty-handed and departs empty-handed. The real owner of things is Allâh alone. Man is simply a trustee. Although Islâm does not hinder private enterprise or condemn private possessions, it does not tolerate selfish and greedy capitalism.

Islâm adopts a moderate but positive and effective course between individual and society, between the citizen and the state, between capitalism and socialism, between materialism and spiritualism.

Islâm has set detailed guidance for commercial transactions to guarantee justice between parties.

Money should be earned only through real investment of resources, work or intellect. Money should not simply reproduce itself. The Islamic substitute to fixed interest on loans is: business partnership, different types of which are legislated in Islâm. Islâm encourages giving each other “good” loans without any charge (or interest) for the sake of help.

7. Political Life:

Islamic prescription: The sovereignty in the Islamic State belongs to Allâh; the people exercise it by trust from Him to enforce His laws. The main mission of the Muslim State is to secure honest application of the Muslim Society, and to convey the message of Islâm to all mankind everywhere. Every Muslim, within his own capacity, has a role in enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong.

The ruler is only an acting executive chosen by the people to serve them according to Allâh’s law. The State is to administer justice and provide security for all citizens.

Rulers and administrators must be chosen from the best qualified citizens. If an administration betrays the trust of Allâh and the people, it has to be replaced.

Crimes that threaten the peace and integrity of the whole society are penalized. These include murder, terrorism, theft, adultery and homosexuality, alcoholism and slander.

Non-Muslims can administer their personal marriage, divorce, foods and inheritance according to the Islamic law, if they so wish, or to their own religious teachings.

They may opt to pay Zakâh (Islamic tax) or a different tax “tribute” or “Jizyah”. They are entitled to full protection and security of the state, including freedom of religion.

8. International Life:

Islamic prescription: Man everywhere has a common origin, human status and aim. Other people’s interests and rights to life, honor and property are respected, as long as the rights of Muslims are intact. Transgression is forbidden.

“Jihâd” or holy war means extending help to oppressed people, in order to regain their human rights, so that they can freely choose their own belief and way of life. Islâm does not, and never did, force, blackmail or bribe anybody; in order to convert to Islâm. On the contrary, Muslims have and are still subjected to various forms of oppression, atrocity, economic pressures and blackmail to abandon their faith. Spain, Palestine, India, Burma, Bosnia, Kosova and Chechnia; are only some historic and contemporary chain of examples. Non-Muslims: Jews and Christians in Muslim societies, have always enjoyed peaceful life, with their rights respected and protected.

War is obligatory if the state security is endangered. During war, destruction of crops, animals and homes, killing non-fighting women, children and aged people are all forbidden.

International treaties are absolutely respected, unless other parties break them first. They cannot be absolved for the sake of temporary political or economic gains.