ROLE AND NEED FOR DEEN (MAZHAB KI ZAROORAT ) By Muhammad Ali Khan

1. 1 ROLE AND NEED FOR DEEN (MAZHAB KI ZAROORAT) By Muhammad Ali Khan By: Muhammad Ali Khan

2. Concept-Dictionary Meaning Zahab: Go, pass by, walk Mazhab: Method, belief or faith , manner. As per grammar, Mazhab is an adverbial Noun that shows the place or time of an action. (Tasheel,ul-adab, Filisaanula-arb )

3. Concept • Religion as a “binding together” (Latin, religio, from the verb religare = “to bind together” • Religion is a relationship between the religious devotee and that which is the object of religious devotion (the gods, God) a relationship that binds the two together to :- • Who share the same or similar religious attitudes • Bound with the object of its devotion

4. Religion is all about rituals and Faiths Gods • Allah • Shiva • Budhh • Zeus • Aherman • Yazdan • Experiences • Love/Ecstasy • Nothingness • Hell/Heaven • Sacrifice Beliefs • Death • Immortality • Atonement • Fate • Prayer Practices(rituals) • Prayers • Meditation • Fasting • Alms • Youga Spirits : Demons, Ancestors, Ghosts

5. Attempts at a Definition • Emile Durkheim • “A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things” • Max Weber • Refused to attempt a definition of religion. [Smart Man?]

6. Concept 6 • Spirituality- • EB Taylor ( Social) • Emotion Ethics • Mathew Arnold (Literature) • Emotional Appeal to accept Almighty • Freud (Psychology) • Only Rituals ? • Humanity

7. DEENLots of Ins and Outs and What-Have-Yours Deen is neither a single phenomenon, nor a “thing” rather, it is a divine and dynamic collection of institutions, practices, beliefs and social order What's our Religion ?

8. Components of Deen • “Deen “ means absolute sovereignty (of Allah). • “Deen” means absolute submission (of man to the absolute soverign). • “Deen” indicate reward and accountability. • “Deen” expresses a way of life or a code of conduct.

9. Difference b/w Deen and Mazhab 9 • Concept • Frame of Reference • Canvas (broader or Narrow) • In religious connotation • (Al-Kafiroon, Ale-Imran 19/IndAllah Islam, Al-Maida 3/Akmaltukum-Razaiyst, Al-Fatiha) • Nature (Individual and Collective)

10. It was exigently just that the believers of Islam should have accepted and introduced Deen i.e., Deen-e-Islam as the Islamic law . • On the contrary, a self invented word, Mazhab was opted for against 'Deen', the proof of which is there in neither the Holy Qur’an nor any Prophetic tradition.

11. Deen Mazhab Deen is an Islaamic word and it is proved by the Holy Qur’an and Ahadees. The Deen in the sight of Allah (SWT) is only Islaam "The Deen before Allah (accepted by Allah) is Islam" (Aal-Imran 3:19) Deen has been approved of and favoured by Allah "Today, I have completed your Deen, and have completed my bliss upon you and accepted for you Islam as a Deen." (Al-Mai’da 5:3) Deen is complete "Today, I have completed your Deen..” (Al-Mai’da 5:3) Deen is Pure “Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion. (Az-Zumar 39:3) Mazhab is a non-Islaamic word and it has not been used in the Holy Qur’an or Ahadees in this context. There is no such proof in Mazhab rather Mazhab is Sectarianism. There is no scope or rather an instance of Sectarianism or Mazaahib in Islaam. Hence, Mazaahib is a Self-made thing and Allah (SWT) never likes Self-made things in Islaam. Mazaahib are incomplete. There are self-made statements and proclamations in Mazaahib and this would continue till the time of Qayamah if they don’t repent and get back Islaam. Hence, the whole way of life in Mazaahib is self-made law which is against Islaam. Mazaahib are not pure; indeed they are adulterated and have the combination of Statements, Proclamations, advices and suggestions which are self-made and are contradictory to Islamic concepts.

12. Deen Mazhab Deen has been chosen by Allah . “Indeed Allah has chosen for you this Deen…” (Al-Baqara 2:132) Only Deen will be accepted And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. (Aal-Imran 3:85) The purpose of Jihad in Deen is to establish the Deen of Allah completely. “And fight them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion, all of it, is for Allah. And if they cease - then indeed, Allah is Seeing of what they do.”(Al-Anfal 8:39) Mazaahib are Self-made and are made with human-intervention. Since Mazaahib are self-made and against Islaam undoubtedly it will not be accepted. The purpose of Jihad (which cannot be called as Jihad, anyways) in Mazaahib is to continue the sect based on some Personality, Individuality, Community or Region.

13. Two Theories of Evolution of Religion 13 • Islamic Point of View • 7 Stages _Evolution of Religion • Atheism • Worshiping the Nature • Fear and Greed • Totoism • Worshiping the Elders (Past) • Idolatry • Monotheism • Future

14. Need of Religion/Deen Pascal Boyer’s Religion Explained (2001) • Religion Provides Explanations • People created religion to explain puzzling natural phenomena • Religion explains puzzling experiences: dreams, forethought, etc • Religion explains the origins of things • Religion explains why there is evil and suffering

15. Need of Religion/Deen • Religion provides comfort • Religious explanations make mortality less unbearable • Religion allays anxiety and makes for a comfortable world

16. Need of Religion/Deen • Religion provides Social Order • Religion holds society together • Religion perpetuates a particular social order • Religion supports morality

17. Cont… Religion is a cognitive approach • People are superstitious; they will believe anything • Religious concepts are irrefutable and Refutation is more difficult than belief

18. Encounter with Ideological Vacuum   • Man cannot live in an ideological vacuum for long ,tendency towards a wrong ideology and false values becomes definite. • His intellectual life is not filled with sound beliefs • A superstitious and even destructive ideas may find way into his spiritual firmament • Instances of man's tendency towards idolatry, man worship, diverse superstitions and credulity regarding the influence of irrational things over destiny, can be witnessed even in the lives of world intellectuals. • All this originates from spiritual vacuum. • It is religion which can fill the ideological vacuum

19. Need of Religion 19 • All civilizations have its Religions,Great civilizations are not died, they attempt suicide • All social system requires religion • Religion and Science • Good & Bad given by Religion • Guidance to Wisdom • Religion as Change Agent for Natural, Spiritual, social needs

20. Cont… 20 • Universal peace v/s materialistic development (survival of the fittest is questioned) • Life after death – possibility only in religion • Accountability here and in life after death • Religion for Social Correction , Reformist movements • Religion as Panacea

21. Liberal Arguments for need of Deen /Religion 21 • August Comte • Theological (Religion) • Metaphysical ( Philosophy and Psychology) • Positive Stage (Science) • Napoleon says “It has kept the poor murdering the rich” • Supernatural hope in dooms hopes (Imam Jaffar RA) • When humans are unknowing and confused they make theories in order to solve things. theories are usually proven false and it takes generations to believe the proof • Heaven and utopia are buckets in a well if one goes up other goes down • Religion Rich in Miracle system and myths is needed

22. World is Religious today, even ! • “Worldwide, more than eight-in-ten people identify with a religious group,” says a new comprehensive demographic study of more than 230 countries and territories conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life • “There are 5.8 billion religiously affiliated adults and children around the globe, representing 84 percent of the 2010 world population of 6.9 billion,” the analysis states.

23. 2.2 billion Christians (32 percent) • 1.6 billion Muslims (23 percent) • 1 billion Hindus (15 percent) • 500 million Buddhists (7 percent) • 400 million people (6 percent) • There are 14 million Jews • 58 million people-slightly less than 1 percent of the global population belong to other religions

24. Christians  • Vatican City 100% Christians, USA Majority of the Christians 230 Mi, More Jews in USA (66 Lac than Israel 59 Lac) • Muslims • Mauritania 99.9%, Maldives 99.4%,Yemen 99.1,Somalia & Afghanistan 99%  • 220 M in Indonesia, 177 Mi in India, KSA 26 M • Hinduism • 81 % Population of Nipal is Hindu, 957 M in India • Majority of Jainism-5M, Bahai-2M,Sikhs-28M are also in India

25. Agnostics and Atheists •  Japan (76%) •  Sweden (65.5%) • Denmark (61.5%) •  Hong Kong 57% •  France (53.5%) •  Norway (51.5%)

26. Role of Religion 26 • Points described in need for religion are also the role of religion as: • Example • To define good and bad we need religion and it is role of a religion to define good and bad.

27. Impact of Deen or Religion • Religion is a belief which creates a private relationship between God and man • Therefore , they believe that religion is one’s personal matter which has not influence on life in this world. • They consider that the laws of the worldly life should be on logic and reason • Other religions bifurcate life into spiritual and material realms but Islam

28. Explanation of life • Religion leads man of an inner , most institute experience to the acceptance of unitary explanation of life • It is only faith that cultivates these virtues within man and impels him to automatic righteousness and adherence to duty to make sacrifices for the sake of others. • Will Durant says in 'Pleasures of Philosophy' that, without the backing of religion, morality is nothing more than arithmomancy, as without it, the sense of obligation disappears

29. Power to Endure Adversities of Life • Religion provides power for facing adversities and serves as a fortification against undesirable reactions of despair and hopelessness • A religious man, with firm belief in Allah, and of His munificence, does not find himself in utter desperation even in the worst moments of his life • because he knows well that he is under the protection of a Being who is Almighty. • Every problem can be solved and every deadlock can be resolved with His help, he can overcome every disappointment and hopelessness

30. Strength for life • Holy Quran says: • "Surely those who are close to Allah, have no fear nor shall they grieve." (Surah Younus, 10:62) • According to Dr. Durant, • Behavior of a man who is not blessed with reliance on religion suffers from special confusion, and the life which has not the comforting support of religion, is an unbearable burden

31. Roots of Religious Sense • that it covers the entire recorded history of human life and in pre-historic times Religious Institution are found • Islam is in harmony with nature which Allah has designed for man. ( Surah al -Rum,30 : 30) • Research carried out by sociologists and historians shows that places of worship have always had an influence on human life, and religion in its various shapes has been interwoven with its history

32. A thought ! 32 • Is religion possible without GOD ? • Is religion a cause to recognize the GOD • Will religion end when human beings will reach at Heaven or Hell ? • Hazrat Ali (RA) said “Mein ny apny Khuda ko apny eradon k totny sy pahchana” ( I recognized my God , when my intentions doomed)

33. Epilogue 33 • Even rationalism w/o religion will be blunder • As long as there is poverty these will be gods • God is a beautiful manifestation of human wishes

34. Question about need for religion Define Religion, also describing its necessity, importance and kinds of distinguishing between Revealed and Non Revealed religions. (2002) Despite the scientific and technological advancement the present society is facing moral decline and mental anarchy. In these circumstances elucidate the importance and effectiveness of Religion. (2007) Differentiate between the Din and Religion. State the important points of Co-Existence among Islam and world religions in the present scenario. (2010) Describe the necessity and importance of religion for man and its effects on human life. (2012)