There is NO hierarchy in Islam and there is NO clergy in Islam and there is no religious institution.
Author: Farid Younes, Retired Professor of Cultural Anthropology and Islamic Philosophy at California State University, Member of the Sangar Advisory Board
Deen is an Arabic and Quranic word that cannot be translated into other languages. There are some Arabic words that are not Quranic . Religion is a forced translation for Deen. As a matter of fact neither Deen is a religion nor religion is Deen.
Deen has different meaning in Arabic language such as ruling, governing, worshiping God , the day of judgment, (yavm ud-deen), but the most important meaning of Deen is a natural way of life. Deen in Islam is not a belief system alone. It is a culture and civilization, it encompasses the whole universal system. As we said last time the universe is a creation of God, mankind included. When the Quran says heaven and earth that is the whole system and you are part of it. Religion comes from a Latin word “religio” that derived from the word “relegere” which means to read again . For example Farid reads the daily paper religiously. ( please see Following Muhammad: rethinking Islam in the contemporary world by Carl W Ernst, 2003 . Page 39)
There is NO such thing in Islam such as so and so is Deeni . Everyone is Muslim and created according to His laws for a purpose. Nothing in this life is created in vain. and there is NO hierarchy in Islam and there is NO clergy in Islam and there is no religious institution. ( please see Islamic Democracy by Farid Younos, 2020 , page 35). You are part of this universal system and as God given laws to the whole system, He also given NOT only to Muslims but to humanity His guidance to conduct his/her life.
Characteristics of Deen:
Can’t be imposed by a government or someone else. Everyone is entitled to learn it and accept it or reject it and he or she is responsible for his/her deed and creed.
Deen, as we said is a way of life and culture not just believing in God .
Deen, although is not science but based on three principles
Knowledge, wisdom , justice . Everything in this life is based upon knowledge and God’s wisdom.
You cannot live without it because you are part of this universal system.
Deen is against superstition because superstition is antithesis of knowledge.
The whole creation according to Islam is Muslim because everything is His creation and submitted to His Will . For example we bow to Him so the trees.
Deen is an intellectual property. One must think and ponder to understand it. Deen is not rituals . Rituals are not knowledge bound but Deen is .
When you accept Islam as Deen, actually you are accepting the universal system and natural laws because you see yourself within this system.
Friday, August 12, 2020
