The Gateway to the Quran

   Science, particularly the computer science, has reached such a stage where it is now possible to comprehend different aspects of sifting and settlement of accounts instantaneously. It is possible to monitor and settle accounts simultaneously of all things even while in motion (through mobile connectivity), on-line with wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), in "Real Time", i.e., the information is processed as it is being generated. The system of data storage and data-warehousing is also understandable.. Now, it is basically not the denial as to how and why the requital could take place, but, in fact, the disbelievers can not argue the point as to why this system should not take its natural course in the sphere of human actions both on scientific and moral grounds.?!

  "Deem they whose gettings are only evil,
  that We (Allah) will deal with them
  as with those who believe and do right,
  so that their lives and deaths shall be alike?
  Ill do they judge.
  In all truth (with laws) hath God created the heavens and the earth,
  (in such manner, nature) that He may reward every one
  as he shall have wrought;
  and they shall not be wronged." 45-21 & 22.

  "It is He (Allah) Who created the heavenly bodies and the earth -
  concrete-constructive-purposeful(Bil-Haqq)." 6-73

  "We (Allah) did not create the heavens and the earth and
  all between them, useless-purposeless (Laaibiin - in play ).
  We did not create them except for a `reality’
  that can not be challenged' (Haqq - Truth)
  but most of them do not know it". 44-38 & 39.

  "that He (Allah) might try you, which of you is the best in deeds."11-7

  "And no moving creature is there on earth,
  but its provision is due from Allah.
  And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit.
  All is in a Clear Book " 11-6

  The law of requital is applicable to all. No one has immunity from its operation, e.g.: 4-123. Man receives what he earns: 2-141. Everything in the universe has a specific goal. It is moving, constantly on the set course towards its goal:

 "Have they not considered within themselves,
  that God hath not created the heavens and the earth
  and all that is between them,
  but for a serious end and for a fixed term ?
  But truly most men believe not that they shall meet their Lord " 30-8

  It is not logical to think that in this "Purposeful Creation-Complex" the most advanced piece of human technology would have just been created for the sake of creation ,without a purpose. It is in this respect that performance of this piece of proud production in the complex whole and achievement of the purpose become necessary to be judged, in the ultimate analysis.

  Possibility and Similitude in Science:A team of Japanese and Russian scientists want to resurrect animals using DNA of frozen remains of the ancient beasts. It is technically possible. Goto, former professor of reproductive physiology at Kagoshima University in Southern Japan, said he succeeded in fertilizing an egg from a cow with dead sperm in 1990. (“Scientists dream of resurrecting mammoths”, Miwa Suzuki, Tokyo, AFP- The Dawn August 22, 2002). This statement presents just one aspect of potential in biology dealing with questions pertaining to cloning (recreation?), etc. Let us look at some of the biological facts to which the Quran consistently invites attention for reflection.

  “And he (man) puts forth for Us (Allah) a parable,
  and forgets his own creation.
  He says: `Who will give life to these bones
  after they are rotten and have become dust? “(78)
 “Say: 'He (Allah) will give life to them
  Who created them for the first time!
  And He is the Ever All-Knower of every creation!” (79) 36-78 & 79 &  “Nay, We (Allah) are able to put together in perfect order,
  the very tips of his fingers.” 75-4

  Accountability of the Trust:The concept of `trust' necessarily entails accountability - here and Here-after, depending upon deeds and dealings in that regard, which are all recorded and accounted for. This equally applies in individual sphere as well in the collective context of society. Authority or power to rule is vested as a trust (Amaanat). It is not a birth right of any individual or group.

  "Those who, if We (Allah) give them power in the land,
   establish worship and pay the poor due ,
   and enjoin kindness and forbid iniquity" 22-41

  Human Personality and its Responsibility in the World of Cause and Effect:'Human personality' comprises his `thought process and action', in the world of cause and effect. Even an idea that flashes has its impact on human personality with all its effects being recorded. A good thought or act in conformity and consonance with the divine or the natural laws produces good or positive effect on human personality and the bad one creates a negative or disintegrating one. Whether it is manifest evident or unseen-hidden, it makes no difference so far as its effect and recording are concerned. This all is taking place internally and in the environment also. It requires no special gadgets or policing or monitoring.

 "He (Allah) knows the traitor of the eye
  and that which the bosoms hide". 40-19

 "And he who does good a particle's weight, will see it then,
  and he who does ill a particle's weight will see it." 99-7 & 8.

 "But those who have earned evil, will have a reward of like evil".10-27

 "And to all are degrees according to their deeds." 46-19

 "No bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another " 6-164

 "Who (Allah) has created death and life, that He may test you
  which of you is best in deeds" 67-2

 "By the `Nafs' (Self) and Him (Allah)
  Who perfected him in proportion, (7)
  Then He showed him
  what is wrong for him and what is right for him " (8)
  Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself . (9)
  And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself." (10) 91-7 to 10

  Who is Who on the Day of Resurrection:Scientific advancement and technological development are coming closer to offer some explanations of such questions. Consider following news item:

  "Paris:Is Napolean really at rest in a Paris tomb or did British captors spirit his corpse away from his St. Helena exile in a plot to hide from history his death by poisoning? "A DNA test is the best way to resolve this."(“French DNA ban renews Napolean corpse doubts", Reuters- The Dawn, August 17, 2002) . Science now shows that individual identification even after death, at any time, is possible. On the Day of Resurrection, besides very specific and individual marks of identification of each and every `person’, the good-doers and sinners will be distinguishable by the marks of their deeds which were recorded or printed on their `person’ or personality. Sinners and the guilty will be known by their marks:

  "So on that Day no question will be asked of man or jinn as to his sin." (39)

  "The sinners will be known by their marks, and they will be seized by their forelocks and their feet." (41) 55- 39 & 41

  Science further highlights the 'genetic marker’ as the means of identification of characteristics and traits of personality even after death. Examine following reports, in this regard: A strong association between a Celtic genetic mutation and the blood disorder `haemochromatosis' has been discovered ..traced back..about 50 generations ago. High levels of altered gene have also been identified in countries with high emigration from Ireland including the UK, US, Australia and parts of France. The presence of ‘genetic marker’ in Denmark and Sweden may have resulted from the abduction of Irish slaves to Scandinavia by raiding Vikings."("Genes haunt after 1,000 years", The Dawn, September 16, 2000). And Reykjavik company plans to cross-reference health care records with genealogical and genetic databases tracing family relationships of not only almost every Icelander alive, but nearly everyone who lived there for centuries past.

 “On the Day, when Allah will resurrect them, all together, and inform them of what they did.
  Allah has kept account of it, while they have forgotten it.
  And Allah is Witness over all things.” 58-6

  "For the first time in Europe students at a French high school are being assigned.. bar codes in an attempt to better control an absentee rate".

(dpa-Dawn, September, 26, 2002)

  All These examples show that resurrection, recognition, reckoning and requital are scientific processes in the specific frame of existence and reference..

  Changing Physical Frame of Material World and Logic of Life Here-after:In the material world (whether we call it relative or file reality), everything is, all the time, in a state of change. Nothing is permanent, except the change itself. All living things constantly undergo change all the time. Every moment, the living body is in the process of emerging into a new body. After death entire edifice and structure in the material mould decays and disappears. Let us have a look at some of the innumerable changes taking place in a living body.
  It has been established that all tissues and all organs of the body undergo process of complete replacement, periodically and regularly. All organs, component parts, limbs and even linings of viscera and coverings of organs are religiously changed completely and regularly. Ninety eight percent of the atoms in our body are not the same that were there a year ago. Present skeleton was not there three months ago. Every particle even of femur, the largest bone in the body, gets replaced every six months or so. The skin is new every month. We have a new stomach lining every four days, with the actual surface cells that contact food being renewed every five minutes. New liver is made every six weeks. Even within the brain , whose cells are not replaced once they die, the content of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and so on is totally different today from a year ago. The point is that periodically entire human body is replaced. The physical frame is not permanent which remains constantly under change. Human body through processes of respiration, digestion, elimination, etc., is constantly and ever in exchange with the rest of the world. In terms of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen only, a new body is literally being created every month. Rate of change may differ, but change is always there. Therefore, in the context of resurrection, present physical frame is not relevant. There is no one fixed and permanent frame. Therefore the physical constitution or material body of this world is irrelevant for higher questions of genetic engineering, resurrection and existence in some other world (e.g. Here-after) under different set of laws of that world of existence.

  "(Those who lack true knowledge) say:
  'when we die and become dust, (shall we come to life again?).
  That return is far from comprehension'. (3)
  'We (Allah) know what the earth takes away from them '.
  So its (human personality's) safe record is kept with Us."(4) 50-3 & 4

  Israrul Haque, in his article “Belief in life after death”, (The Dawn, 8.9.2000), explains material and spiritual aspects of death and life. “It is the biological life that comes to an end with death. But not the spiritual life, which survives the death.”

  “But He (Allah) fashioned him in proportion, and
  breathed in him, Something of His Spirit”..32-9

  Death can not put an end to “The Something of His Spirit”, that Allah breathed into the man and which resides in man’s body but departs from the body as soon as he dies and is not available to be buried with his dead body. What happens to that spirit i.e. the soul? “It is the man’s soul, the repository of his conscience, that the angel takes charge of upon his death..”

 “The angel of death put in charge of you,
  will take charge of your soul;
  that shall be brought back to your Lord-Master-Owner” 32-11

  Processes of integration and disintegration go on simultaneously in the human `physical body' and `human personality'. After physical death the human body goes under decay and disintegration. Human personality does not end with physical or cellular death. It is only the physical body of a person `at the time of death' that dies. It is now proved that all information of a human being remains stored in his DNA even after his death, and from this whole of a `human personality' can be re-built. In other words the human personality is not finished with the death.

  So far the issue has been discussed from the perspective of death and decay of physical frame and its composing components. From the perspective of material creation and development, Muhammad Munir presents following view: “We have witnessed that in the creative processes of life, at each higher rational stage, life continued to liberate itself from matter by shedding its mass. Accordingly, on the sealing of the animal life, we find that life at the top most creative stage of man is completely liberated from the bonds of materiality. For the first time in its history, it has become conscious of itself as a non-material, self-conscious entity that consciously lives outside the physical universe consisting of successive rational stages. Thus, the human-self or soul, as a self-illuminating entity, does not live in its physical body, which exists as the perfect animal species. The human-self remains attached to its body and through its sense perception, man conceives the purpose of his life viz-a-viz the creation of the universe in the non-material form of ideals..The higher creative process would be more and more in the non-material form of spiritual and mental illumination and not in the reverse order of physical or socio-economic orders.” (This may perhaps give an idea about later/higher order of creation or resurrection in a different form of existence.)

  “..The animal’s perceptual mind can not rise above its physical state and can not hold sense impressions without stimulus. Hence thoughts, language, reason and concepts which are non-material can not be developed by the perceptual brain. Thoughts, language, concepts, etc, can only be developed by an entity or a personality which lives outside material objects and can differentiate and hold their properties in itself without stimulus. In other words it must be able to know their true mental representation (we call it memory*) without the direct sensory stimulus under spatial time and motion.”

(Muhammad Munir, “States of consciousness”,The Dawn, 14.9.2003).

(*Memory was one of the distinctive superiorities, including understanding, articulation, expression, which Adam demonstrated when he was presented before the angels.)
The Quran explains the Resurrection and the processes that follow:

 "Say, Travel in the earth,
  and see how He (Allah) originated the creation,
  so will Allah produce the latter creation.
  Surely, Allah is Ever All-Powerful Able over all things." 29-20

(Every Word and Command of the Quran has to be very carefully studied. Consider the first two lines highlighted in italics. Darwin undertook a special journey and traveled across land to study different species, their origination, creation and evolution for which he is famous.)

 "Look therefore at the marks of Allah's Mercy ,
  How He quickens the earth after its death.
  Verily, Same (Allah), shall indeed quicken the dead, and
  He is Ever All-Powerful Able over all things." 30-50

  Background and Wider Nuances of the Term Diin:A.K.Azad tracing the history of the term, has explained it in ‘The Tarjumanul QURAN’ (p.89): In the ancient Semitic languages, the term ‘Daan’ and ‘Diin’ were used in the sense of recompense or requital, and were also used in the sense of law. They lent themselves particularly in Armaic and Hebrew, to various derivatives. Probably, it was through Armaic that the term in the form of ‘Deenaa’ or Law found its place in the ancient Iranian language of Pahlavi.. The word has been used in Avesta at more than one places, and in the early literature of Iran, a code of literary values was termed ‘Deena-i-Dabiira’. In fact one of the religious books of the Zoroastrians is named ‘Deen Kaart’ which probably was compiled by a Zoroastrian priest in the 9th century of the Christian era.. In any case, the term Ad-Deen in Arabic bears the meaning of requital or recompense., whether of good or evil action. The phrase ‘Maaliki Yaumiddiin’ bears the meaning of `He Who is the Dispenser of Justice on the Day of Requital'. The word Diin, however, did not enjoy the status of a formal and comprehensive term, as such, before the Quran was revealed. The Quran placed the entire code of conduct in this term so much so that it built up the whole edifice of the Faith around it. It came to be applied as synonymous to the term Islam. It was assigned very clear meaning and definite connotations, well elaborated and explained. It made the word one of the most important in the Quranic terminology, for the entire way of life.

  S.A.A.Maududi, in his book Four Basic Terms, has mentioned four main composite factors, which will be discussed in following paragraphs:
  (i) Sovereignty and supreme authority - Dominance or sway on the part of some one in authority
  (ii) Obedience and submission to such authority - Obedience, servitude or worship on the part of the one submitting to the authority
  (iii) The system of thought and action established through the exercise of that authority - Laws, rules or regulations or code imposed and required to be observed in the context of the above relationship
  (iv) Retribution meted out by the Authority in consideration of loyalty and obedience to it or rebellion and transgression against it - calling to account (for obedience or non-obedience to the Authority or for compliance or non-compliance with its dictates), passing judgement and pronouncing reward or punishment.
  The Quran employs the term, on different occasions, in one or more of the above four senses, but where the intention is to imply the whole way of life, it uses the definite article `Al’ before the word, to make it read Al-Deen (Ad-Diin):
  First & Second sense: Sovereignty and Supreme Authority, Obedience and Submission:

 "Say : 'Verily, I am commanded to worship Allah (Alone),
  by obeying Him and doing righteous deeds sincerely,
  for His sake only" (11)
  "Say : `Allah Alone, I worship by doing righteous deeds sincerely,
  for His sake only" (14) 39-11& 14

 "Verily, We (Allah) have sent down the Book to you in truth,
  So worship Allah (Alone) by doing righteous deeds sincerely,
  for Allah's sake only."(39- 2)

 "To Him (Allah) belongs all, that is in the heavens and the earth,
  and Ad-Diin Waasibaa is His
  (i.e. perpetual sincere obedience to Allah is obligatory).
  Will you then fear any other than Allah?" 16-52

  From above verse read along with verse 2-2, it becomes clear that fearing Allah Alone and none else, in sincere worship-obedience (righteous deeds) is the ‘Taqwaa’", as in both these verses reference has been made to this word (Taqwaa).

 "Do they seek other than the religion of Allah,
  while to Him submit all creatures in the heavens and the earth,
  willingly and unwillingly, (constrained and unconstrained)
  And to Him shall they all be returned."3-83

   "And they have been commanded no more than this:
  to worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being true (in Faith):
  to establish regular Prayer; and to give Zakat;
  and that is the Religion Right and Straight."98-5

   The word here signifies that the Supreme Authority for all obedience, worship and laws, is vested Only in Allah Alone.

   The Third Sense: Laws, Rules or Regulations or Code:

 "Say : 'O you men! If you are in doubt as to my religion ,
  (behold!) I worship not what you worship other than Allah!
  But I worship Allah - Who will take your souls.
  I am commanded to be of the believers". (104)
 "And further: set your face towards Religion with true piety,
  and never in any way be of the unbelievers". (105) 10-104 & 105

 "You do not worship besides Him (Allah), but only names,
  which you have named - you and your fathers,
  for which Allah has sent down no authority.
  The command is for none but Allah.
  He has commanded that you worship none but Him;
  That is the Straight Religion, but most men know not." 12-40

  "So set you, your face truly to the religion being upright,
  the nature in which Allah has made mankind;
  There can’t be change in the creation (work wrought) by Allah:
  but most among mankind know not". 30-30

 "Or have they partners with Allah,
  who have instituted for them a religion,
  which Allah has not ordained ?
  And had it not been for a decisive Word,
  The matter would have been judged between them.
  And verily, for the wrong-doers, there is a painful torment." 42-21

  Also see 24-2 , 9-36 , 109-6
  The word Diin has been used to mean law, rules or regulations. Shari’ah signifies code of conduct or that system of thought and action which a person subscribes to and lives by. With reference to Diin-al-Islam as Islamic Law, it is the body of rules of conduct revealed by God whereby man is directed to lead a life accordingly. In Surah Yusuf there is a mention of Prophet Yusuf (Peace be upon him) detaining back his younger brother in Egypt:

  "By the king's law, he (Yusuf) had no power to take his brother,  except that Allah Willed it." 12-72.

   Here the word Diin of the king of Egypt refers to the law in force in that country. Law is the necessary requirement of community life besides being the essential requirement of disciplined and proper functioning of all faculties and systems of human personality. It has been variously defined by many philosophers.

  Law defined:Ihering calls law as a means of 'social control', which is secured by `external compulsion'. According to Gray it is applied through the judicial organs. Salmond says it is applied in the administration of justice. It would be seen that by definition of the term `Diin' and its legal and juridical content, it meets all the pre-requisites of the well founded and all comprehensive concept of law and its application, in all times.
  One of the basic characteristics of any law is that it is the 'order' of the superior to the inferior. Therefore, it is only logical that only He can be The Supreme Sovereign, Who in His Most High Wisdom is Law-Giver as Ever All-Acquinted with the innermost and the highest subtleties and complexities of man and entire universe, being The Creator and The Sustainer- He is Allah Alone Who Himself knows what conduct and code are most suitable for humanbeings as individuals and as a society. As an example it may be explained that as a manufacturer provides operational manual along with the machine produced by him, The Maker has prescribed the `operational code' for the optimal and successful functioning of His creation called man.
  In order to have better comprehension for formulating and prescribing laws for all mankind, its distribution into different segments and societies and also their duties and responsibilities viz a viz other creations and environments; a complete picture and perspective is required which could not be available to any created being or body, individually or collectively, due to limitations of information, knowledge, comprehension, etc. Furthermore, human judgements are always influenced by subjective factors. The more the number of societies and segments in the mankind and the more the numbers of legislators and jurists, the more complicated become the judicial systems!
  The Quran presented the concept that man is the subject or slave to whom Allah, The Ever All-Sovereign has given a set of rules compatible with his own nature and the nature of the worlds that exist around him. This, therefore, basically differs from Western philosophy about the very concept of law, its formulation and application to man whom they consider to be himself competent and sovereign architect of all of its aspects.
  Only a few and very brief definitions of law have been discussed above. There are in fact many and more confusing: Vinogradoff defines law as "a set of rules imposed and enforced by a society, with regard to the distribution and exercise of powers over persons and things." According to Austin "Law is the aggregate of rules, set by the sovereign for his subjects." These in fact are partial definitions and explanations. They basically lack in two respects - the aspects of nature of man and the universal realities in which individuals and societies interact. Furthermore, they, at the most, cover a very limited range of human activity in a narrow sense. The Divine Wisdom of "dos" and "don’ts" is now becoming clearer with the advancement of science and technology. But it could not be left , through the history of mankind, only to the limited scope of man's own little `knowledge' about things and their effects, accessible or available to him at a given time. - look at different ages in human history and periods in human society - The course of conduct of Adam, in human history, could not be left to the process, through ages of `evolution' of `social contract'. To begin with only one prohibition was prescribed. He was, although, given the simplest code of conduct, but it laid down the foundation for the development of the future `social contract' as he progressed in time. It came to be developed with experiences (he gained before the angels and Ibliis and with his pair-mate), encounters (with Ibliis), impact of the environment and processes by which he was provided `consciousness’ and `knowledge’ through various modes e.g. revelation, inspiration, intuition, intelligence, reason, awareness, etc.
  Let us consider an example of a prohibitive law. Science has now explained a fact about alcohol that it affects that part of the brain badly which makes judgement and takes decision, besides many other medical, and social injuries it causes. Such an important thing affecting human personality and social behaviour could not be left for millennia to become known to man through slow progress in science only. But it is not only the question of knowledge. Religion provides a framework for regulation of human behaviour in society and system. It employed the method of prescriptions, prohibitions and limits in different realms and spheres of proliferating human activities, progressively. Therefore, while man is free to legislate and frame rules for the conduct of his affairs on the earth, he has to ensure conformity with the parameters of nature prescribed by his Creator-Maker and systems sustaining him, Who Himself Alone is The Most Wise Sovereign (Allah).
  From above it follows that it is a total approach to a complete system. It can't be partial or part-time, like pagans of Makkah who offered a compromise to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in the form of following their ways for a year and they follow his Diin in turn the next year (an arrangement which can be called as henotheism or kathenotheism) or as the hypocrites advised to their comrades to accept in the day or when they were with the Muslims and deny at their back. This amounts to saying that show to be righteous for a while and commit wrong the rest of the times. In traffic one has to drive right to the destination.
  History tells that as long as Muslims followed the total approach policy, equally applicable in their own selves and the peoples at large, both in private and public spheres, they ruled much part of the world with pride and dignity. But when they adopted a `selective version of Islam', which suited them to sustain policies of their personal rule, they utterly failed, ultimately. The present position of disintegration and degeneration in the Muslim world portrays the patchwork of `partial approaches' and `selective applications'.
  "The selective Islam' cannot bail us out from the ever-mounting problems that we face. Instead, this approach creates more confusion and we would keep searching the lost destiny until we follow the `Straight Path'." ("Islamic path to progress", Syed Atiqul Hasan, Sydney-based free-lance journalist and a political analyst, The Dawn, April 4, 2002)
  Bhaktivedanta Swami, in “Introduction” to Bhagavad-Gita As It Is , says: “…If we want to take a particular medicine, then we have to follow the directions written on the label. We can not take the medicine according to our own whim.. It must be taken according to the directions on the label or the directions given by a physician..”(Bhaktivedanta Swami, Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, p. xxv)

  The Logic of Law:The Law in social context may be defined as a set of rules governing human conduct. Nature of consequences of its application depends upon its degree of compatibility with nature and humanity. The Quran indicates, in as scientific a manner as nature, what the sure consequences would be of each option, good or evil, which is bound by certain laws. That is why a very comprehensive term Ad-Diin has been used. Ad-Diin is the appropriate term for the law operating in human life. It denotes both, law and religion. Its one word translation does not clearly bring out its full meaning and all connotations. The basic belief in religion as Diin is that no religious concept can hold ground and work well if each action is not believed to have recompense or reward or requital; otherwise why should one follow the "dos" and "don'ts", in life, religiously and diligently. This is the very moral ground on which foundation of entire edifice of religion is laid. A very vast term has been used, which covers whole range of human activity and its consequential effects.
  For more explanations of Good and Evil, from verses of the Holy Quran, see Appendix-19.

  The Fourth Sense: Retribution
  "Verily, that which you are promised is surely, true." (5)"And   verily, the Recompense is sure to happen" (6) 51-5 & 6

 "Have you seen him who denies the Recompense? (1)
  That is he who repulses the orphan, (2)
  And urges not on the feeding of the poor." (3) 107-1 to 3

 "And what will make you know what the Day of Recompense is? (17)
  Again what will make you know what the Day of Recompense is?(18)
  The Day when no person shall have power - anything for another,
  And the Decision , that Day, will be with Allah" (19) 82-17 to 19

  The word Diin has been used to imply both the reckoning on the Day of Judgement after men shall have been raised from the dead as well as the reward or punishment which will follow. In the Quran the term Ad-Diin is generally used in the sense of requital. It is based on the doctrine that requital or recompense is the consequence of one's own action and not arbitrarily imposed. It is not whimsical or based on emotional pleasure or displeasure. The Quran again and again clarifies that all recompense or reward or punishment is directly a reaction to one's own action. God is pleased with good deed and displeased with evil. That is why Quran has termed every action of man as ‘Kasab’ which means what is earned. The result of his action or what he earns is known as ‘Kasab’. It is not something different from the law of causation. (See discussion on `Science of Reckoning').

 “Every man’s fate, We (Allah) have fastened in his own neck:
  On the Day of Judgement, We shall bring out, for him a scroll,
  Which he will see, spread open.” 17-13

 "God will not burden any soul beyond its power.
  It shall enjoy the good acquired , and
  shall bear the evil to acquire which it hath laboured" 2-286.

 "Pledged is every man for his actions and their desert" 52-21

  Diin as Comprehensive Term – the Whole Way of Life:See 9-29, 40-26, 3-19, 3-85, 9-33, 8-39, 110- 1 to 3. For more explanations about Reward and Punishment, from the verses of the Holy Quran, see Appendix-20. For explanations of different aspects of the life in the world, from the verses of the Holy Quran, see Appendix-21.

  Ibn Rushd’s Doctrine:According to Ibn Rushd, the creed consists of the belief in (i) the Existence of God as Creator and Sustainer of the worlds, (ii) the Unity of God, (iii) the Most Beautiful Best Attributes of God, e.g., Knowledge, Power, Will, Hearing, Seeing, and Speech as given in the Quran, (iv) the Uniqueness and Incomparability of God, clearly asserted in the Quran, (v) the validity of Prophecy, (vi) the Justice of God, and (vii) the Resurrection on the Last Day.

  Mercy as the Principle of Policy for Accountability:According to the Quran accountability and its entire process are based on justice. Mercy is the principle of policy in this system of accountability. Dispensation of justice is with Mercy. Justice is not the negation of Allah’s Mercy. It is Mercy itself. Therefore, it is assured frequently that justice is immersed in the enormity of Allah's Mercy.
  The 'Power’ at work, in the nature, is based on law of recompense. It is not arbitrary. It works with simple principles, easily understandable and appealing to innocent nature. The `Criterion’, has also been provided, to distinguish right distinct from wrong. So much so that, one can himself carry out a litmus test to know as to what could be the possible outcome of an action. Science now provides lots of information on these principles working in nature. Basic sciences have also come closer in explaining similarities and extension of laws of causation at work in many phenomena in the spheres of social sciences.

  Cardinal Principles for Judgement:The Diin lays down cardinal principles for judgement here (in this world) and their application in the process of accountability Here-after, which can be identified as follows:

  "Al-Qist" : Equity
  "Al-Adl" : Justice and
  "Al-Birr" : Kindness

  On the Day of Judgement, Allah will reckon the creation for their deeds, evil for evil, good for good, except for those whom He pardons. (Page 75,Ibn Abi Hatim, Tafsir Ibn Kasir). In this connection see 10-27. There won’t be injustice of a particle’s weight (99-7 & 8). It is interesting to note that highly scientific and most precisely appropriate similitude of `particle’s weight’ has been given in this verse. When we break matter to its sub- particle level, at each step, in terms of numbers we get more than the 'number’ broken, e.g. by breaking one atom, we get a number of constituting components separated, like electrons, protons, etc. i.e., in terms of numbers. In terms of wave length and energy released also we get considerable numbers. But it is only in terms of `weight’ of the particle or ultimately the sub-particle (zarraa) that we reach the smallest number or lowest value (as its weight). Here it has been compared with the smallest weight possible at the sub-particle level that even that can not escape the most sensitive scales which will be set up on that Day. There won’t be injustice of that smallest order, even. However, kind consideration for man is always there in the working of nature too, for he is basically created weak. Hope remains alive because unrestrained provision of pardon is always there, above all.

  Validity of Religion:Basically there are following criteria to test the validity of a true religion: 1.Historicity of Religion and Scripture, 2. Security, 3.Scientificity, and 4. Sciences Of Religion: Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology. These concepts will be discussed in following pages. Instead of word `scientific’ (which gives an impression of being too technological or mechanical), a new term has been introduced as `scientificity', on the pattern of 'historicity'.

  1. Historicity of Religion and Scripture:With the development of histrio-graphy, complete perspective and comparative picture of world religions is emerging on one canvas. This has thrown a big challenge to all religions to stand the validity test. Modern man is not convinced with any concept as a religious belief unless its history as a fact, divinity as the supreme wisdom, compatibility of the proven scientific data with its statements as facts, and also the aesthetic appeal, are proved.
  Mythological characters, legendary lores, fiction and fable do not meet man’s requirements of daily practical life and do not provide him any guidance on the progressive scale of time and motion. Criticism of religion and systematic study of faiths has, in recent time, created serious doubts about the historical validity of many accepted beliefs and led to reassessment of their sources and their value.
  Critics of religion argue that much is not known about life, personality and practices of several taken as founders of religions such as Jesus, Rama, Krishna, Zoroaster, Budha and others. Their personalities are shrouded in mist and their religions, named after them, are not based on proof of historical facts. They are under serious questioning. Dr Fazlur Rahman, in his article, “Islam and the modern man”, (The Dawn April 11, 2003) argues that: "The only figure amongst the founders of the great religions, who stands the most severe historical criticism is that of Muhammad (Peace be upon him). Everything related to him or having a bearing on him, is in the limelight of history, fully authenticated and supported by most reliable evidence. The modern man, if he is confronted with the choice of a historical personality as his religious leader, has no alternative to him.”

  Dr Fazlur Rahman goes on to argue that:“Historical research, moreover, has revolutionized concepts regarding the compilation, authenticity and genuineness of many a religious scripture. Higher textual criticism and examination of scriptures like Old and New Testaments, Hindi scriptures, Budhists texts, Zoroastrian literature and as recent a religious text Guru Granth Sahib reveal that they are not free from addition and interpretation. Moreover, it has become highly improbable to establish connecting links between them and those personalities to whom their authorship is ascribed. Furthermore, in most of the cases, these personalities turn out to be either mythological figures or at least their identity is not now possible to establish.. If ever authenticity and genuineness of a religious scripture is made the criterion of acceptance of that religion, there is little hope that any religion other than the religion of the Quran could lay claim to success.” The Quran is the sole religious scripture, which claims to have remained intact and whose authenticity has been established by history. No other scripture or sacred writing can claim to contain the exact word of God and be error-free and undoctored. No force of scholarship, not even the most severely adverse criticism has succeeded in proving that it, or anything contained therein, is a later interpolation and was not originally handed down by the Prophet of Islam.

  "Your companion has neither gone astray, nor has erred.(2)
  nor does he speak of desire,(3)
  It is naught but revelation that is revealed."(4) 53- 2 to 4

  William Muire, quite critical of Islam, admits in his book, 'Life of Muhammad': "There is otherwise, every security, internal and external, that we possess the text, which Muhammad (Peace be upon him) himself gave forth and used."

  Original Word:No scripture is available in the actually original word, recorded exactly at the very time of revelation, including all the books of the Old Testament. Let us examine some other example also.
  Avesta, (the scriptures of Zoroastrianism), is traditionally believed to have been revealed in entirety to Zoroaster. But some 17 hymns are actually attributed to him, whereas some parts are substantially pre-Zoroastrian., and some date from the time of Christ. The material was originally transmitted in oral form only and not reduced in writing. Writing was not considered suitable for the sacred word. It was memorized by priests. The move to collect was perhaps in Parthian times; that is in Christian Era. The manuscripts were probably destroyed in the Arab (7th century), Turkish (11th) and Mongol (12th) invasions. The only portions now extant are the liturgical portions, about quarter of the original whole. (John R. Hinnells, Dictionary of Religions,)

  Single Version:Scriptures are not available in one version. Let us examine some of the views of an independent critic and histriographer, Karen Armstrong, on a number of versions, ascription and style of the Scripture:
  “Hinduism is presumably the oldest religion from among the existing world faiths. Many Scriptures are associated with it; Vedas, Puranas, Bhagwad Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, to name a few. All of them are available in various mutually contradictory versions with each being claimed as the only authentic one.. Taurat, Injil, and Zabur are now represented by the Gospel, Old and New Testaments and other Books regarded as sacred in the Hebrew and Biblical circles. Historically, the New Testament is an at-random selection out of hundreds of widely read gospels which are still extant; Testaments have time and again become easy targets of alterations.. The books attributed to Confucius, a Chinese saint, are believed to have been lost for a long time and retrieved in the current century. More or less a thousand-year gap renders the Scripture doubtful.
  “Munich University in Germany, at the turn of the current century, embarked on an extensive research project on the reliability of the Quran. A large team was involved in obtaining almost all the editions ever published anywhere in the world, including the oldest copy of the Quran said to have been used by the third Islamic leader `Uthman B. Affan’, which was available in the Tashqand library in Uzbekistan. The researchers vetted and tallied the copies with each other and compared them with the oldest one. Their findings were remarkable. The conclusion reached was that no changes ever occurred in the Quran and the presently available Quran is exactly the same as the oldest extant copy.”

  Question of Ascription:“Other scriptures name an author. Bhagwad Gita claims that it is the speech of Krishna. Avesta is the collection of Zoroaster’s thoughts. The four Gospels bear the names of John, Luke, Mark and Mathew as their authors. However, the Quran over and over again clarifies its source. It repeatedly says that it has descended from Allah, the Lord of the entire universe.”

  The Quranic Language and Style:“M.M.Pickthal, the first English Muslim translator of the Quran, described the position of the language used in the Quran in these words: `The glorious Quran, that inimitable symphony, the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy.’. As its name suggests, it is meant to be recited aloud and the sound of the language is an essential part of its effect. Muslims say that when they hear the Koran chanted…they feel enveloped in a divine dimension of sound, rather as Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was enveloped in the embrace of Gabriel on Mount Hira or when he saw the angel on the horizon, no matter where he looked. It is not a book to be read simply to acquire information. It is meant to yield a sense of the divine, and must not be read in haste.
  “By approaching the Koran in the right way, Muslims claim that they do experience a sense of transcendence of an ultimate reality and power that lies behind the transient and fleeting phenomena of the mundane world. Reading the Koran is therefore a spiritual discipline which Christians may find difficult to understand because they do not have a sacred language in the way that Hebrew, Sanskrit and Arabic are sacred to Jews, Hindus and Muslims.
  “The early biographers of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) constantly describe the wonder and shock felt by the Arabs when they heard the Koran for the first time. Many were converted on the spot, believing that God alone could account for the extraordinary beauty of the language. Frequently a convert would describe the experience as a divine invasion that tapped buried yearnings and released a flood of feelings. Thus the young Quraysh Umar Ibn Khattab had been a virulent opponent of Muhammad (Peace be upon him); he had been devoted to the old paganism and ready to assassinate the Prophet (Peace be upon him). But this Muslim Saul of Tarsus was converted not by a vision of Jesus, the Word (Peace be upon him), but by the Koran.
  “The experience of Umar and the other Muslims, who were converted by the Koran, can perhaps be compared to the experience of art described by George Steiner in his book Real Presences… He speaks of what he calls `the indiscretion of serious art, literature and music’ which `queries the last privacies of our existence’. It is an invasion or an annunciation, which breaks into `the small house of our cautionary being’ and commands us imperatively : `change your life!’ After such a summon, the house `is no longer habitable in quite the same way as it was before.’ Muslims like Umar seem to have experienced a similar unsettling of sensibility, an awakening and a disturbing sense of significance which enabled them to make the painful break with the traditional past. Even those Quraysh who refused to accept Islam were disturbed by the Koran and found that it lay outside all their familiar categories: it was nothing like the inspiration of the Kaahin or the poet; nor was it like the incantations of a magician.” (Pages169-171, A History of God, Karen Armstrong )
  Though it provides solutions to all important problems of life, and provides for every contingency in human affair, yet it is wonderfully laconic. Dr Israr Ahmed Khan, in ’Quranic Studies, An Introduction’, (pp.13-19), elaborates the point, further: “Subjects dealt with in the Quran are countless, ranging from physical phenomena, to human behaviour, psychological and ethical classification of humanity to the prophethood, revelation, and other-worldly realities. These issues were touched not at once but over a period spanning over two decades. Yet, all these innumerable ideas cause no discrepancy in the Quranic discourse; rather they all serve to strengthen the central message of the Quran.. Had the Quran been the projection of any human mind, it would certainly have been a jumble of incongruous ideas confusing man and leading him to nowhere.. The bases of perfect coherence and complete harmony in a speech are comprehensive knowledge and perfect wisdom, the fount of which is Allah Alone.. The Quran attracts man’s attention to certain phenomena known today as Geology, Biology, Zoology, Botany, Genetic Engineering, etc. These descriptions made fourteen centuries ago, when man was totally ignorant of them are strikingly similar to the discoveries made in modern times.”

  Ungrudging Tributes:“The Rev. R. Bosworth-Smith in his book `Mohammad and Mohammedanism’ opines about the Quran: `A miracle of Purity of style , of Wisdom, and of Truth.’

  “Another Englishman – A.J. Arberry, in the preface of his English Translation of the Holy Quran – says: `Whenever I hear the Quran chanted, it is as though I am listening to music, underneath the flowing melody, there is sounding all the time the insistent beat of a drum, it is like the beating of my heart.’

  Rev. Bosworth Smith pays tribute in these words: “And a miracle, indeed it is.”

  Thomas Cleary says: “The Quran is undeniably a book of great importance even to the non-Muslims, perhaps more today than ever, if that is possible.”

  “…The Quran is one of the most important and influential books known to mankind…On that basis alone the Quran is worthy of study, but its outstanding literary merit should also be noted: it is by far the finest work of Arabic prose in existence.” (Foreword by Alan Jones to the translation of `The Koran’ by J.M.Rodwell.)
  “The Quran which has enshrined the permanent Divine Guidance is not bound by time, place and circumstances. The teachings of the Quran will never go out of date. At no point of time The Book will fail to guide the mankind. It is a comprehensive, complete and final Divine Code of life in every sense of these terms. The Quran claims that its teachings make man perfect, the mankind prosperous and the world a real welfare state.” (The Holy Quran and our daily life, Dr Mir Mustafa Hussain.)

  Collection and Compilation of the QURAN:
  (i) The Message was immediately recited by the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to the Companions, who became witnesses during the formal comprehensive process of copying and publishing from the preserved collection.
  (ii) The scribes immediately reduced it to writing.
  (iii) The faithful preserved the Revelation in different ways in writing.
  (iv) It was immediately committed to memory by the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and the devoted companions. ”Inorder to strengthen the process further, Gabriel would listen to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) read the revealed portions of the Book every year in the holy month of Ramadhan, (Al-Bukhari, O.P.Cit, Vol-II, Kitab Al Saum, Hadith No. 1902), including the last Ramdhan of his life, when the Quran had already been revealed completely and he recited it twice to the angel-messenger (Al-Bukhari, O.P.Cit, Vol-III, Fazaail Al Quran, Hadith No. 4998.) (Dr Israr Ahmed Khan, Quranic Studies – An Introduction, pp.54-55 ).
  (v) It always remained under discussion by the Prophet (Peace be upon him) himself and the Companions.
  (vi) The Revelation was arranged in Suras by the Prophet (Peace be upon him ) himself.
  (vii) The Quran was recited and repeated in presence of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) during the month of Ramazan
  (viii) For all above, Allah imbued the Prophet (Peace be upon him) with the capability not to forget the Revelation.

  “We (Allah) shall teach you, and you shall not forget.” 87-6

  (ix) Besides collections of verses with the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), there was a whole copy available with Hafsaa (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him), when it was finally checked for comparison and compilation into The Book.
(x) It was collected and compiled by the highly learned committee of the devoted Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) which was constituted keeping into view all factors including those of character, learning, philology, accent, linguistics, etc.
  (xi) The Prophet (Peace be upon him) encouraged to preserve and transfer the precisely accurate Message to subsequent generations, e.g.: It is reported on the authority of Uthman B. Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

  “The best among you is the one who learns the Quran and then teaches it to others.”
   The process of preservation, collection and compilation of the holy Quran, not only strengthens faith in the correctness of the revelation and it being absolutely error-free, but also faith in the validity of the opinion and statements of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), delivered from time to time, on the questions that were raised before him, about the revelations that have been collected in the Traditions.
  2. Security:It is not only that the validity and continued purity of the Message should be linked and ensured right from its origin and throughout the past, but since man is futuristic also, it is necessary that `security’ of the `Code' itself has to be assured. Convincing guarantees have to be there that it will continue to remain `secure’ for all times to come. The Quran is conscious of this basic condition of `security’ as the strength of survival. Why should one adopt a particular religion for himself which will be affecting the lives of his future generations and the future of his society also? - if there is no concrete guarantee that the Message and the substance of the "Guidance" itself will not change. The Quran (the Diin) stands this test in many ways, for example;

  i. the continuity of the Message from the past proves the strength of the message for survival in the future also: 2-136,
  ii. the finality of the Message, proven in many ways, guarantees that since there is no wanting aspect of it, there remains no chance for any additions or alterations: 5-3, and
  iii. the future is as forcefully asserted and assured as the past in the process of its collection, preservation and propagation. Since the Quran is the eternal Guidance, it is assured permanent divine protection against human interference in any form. This has stood the test of time, always.

  "A Messenger of Allah, reciting unto them the pure Scriptures.
  These are the Lasting Commandments." (98-2 & 3).

  "There is none that can change the Word of Allah" 6-34

  "Verily, We (Allah) Ourself have sent down this Exhortation ,
  And absolutely surely, We are its Protection-Guardian." 15-9

  The Extensively Memorized and Recited Book:The Quran is the Book, which is:
  i. most extensively published with all care and sanctity,
  ii. most extensively read and discussed,
  iii. the only Book fully committed to memory by great numbers of peoples of all ages, all over the world with religious reverence,
  iv. most extensively recited at least five times a day, almost all over the globe,
  v. continuously under protective watch due to its own openness, open and loud recitation and repetition,
  vi. all canonic and there is no apocrypha, whereas in the Bible, some parts pertaining particularly to the phenomena of nature have been kept secret from common intelligentsia. - those books of the Old Testament that are considered of doubtful authorship by the Jews were excluded from the Bible and also at the time of Reformation by the Christians. (`Apocryphal’ means of doubtful authority or authorship.)

  3. Scientificity:Technological and scientific advancement has elevated man high from base state of submission before natural phenomena, fate and stars. The enlightened man, now, refuses to bow before them as his gods, shapers of his destiny, or objects claiming his reverence. Polytheism, belief in a number of gods, and prostration before forces of nature, have become outdated, irrelevant, undignified and degrading for man. Man can now submit to only one God.. Science has now become a preacher in vetting and presenting the facts mentioned in the Quran. The proof that the Source of the Quran is the Divine Revelation is presented in the references to the Creation of the universe, and Providence.

  4. Sciences of Religion:This involves whole range of studies pertaining to `Religionswissenschaft' (discipline comprising history of comparative religions) and `Theology' (science that discusses the divine). It also includes sub-studies of Religious Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology. Particularly verses 6 & 7 of Al-Faatihah cover these subjects and stand the test of current questions as to whether the Quran meets all human needs. This requires volumes to make a presentation from the Quran as to how it meets all the criteria and challenges of all times and all emerging studies in this field. In order to remain within the main frame of Al-Faatihah it may suffice to say that above statement may be seen in the light of different subjects discussed at relevant places in this book, where they have been touched upon, in brief, in the discussion in the perspective of this Surah.

  Impact of `Scientificity' on Scientific Development:According to Dr Muhammad Iqbal, The Prophet (Peace be upon him) of Islam seems to stand between the ancient and the modern world. In every period of history and time, the spirit of the revelation belongs to the modern world. In presenting nature and history as the sources of knowledge, the Quran ushers in modern scientific world in which methods of enquiry and discovery are observation, experimentation, reasoning, verification and formulation. The French biographer of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), Henry Comte de Boulainvillier, calls him [Prophet, (Peace be upon him)] as the fore-runner of the age of reason and enlightenment. J.W.Draper in his book `The history of the intellectual development of Europe’, observes that the Quran gave science to two continents, Asia and Europe. The Cambridge History of Islam highlights the contribution of Islam thus: "Muslim civilization acted as a teacher to medieval Europe in filely all branches of knowledge including philosophy, medicine, mathematics, astronomy and astrology".
  Though the Greeks scaled the sublimest height of speculative thought, too much dependence on deduction and their aversion to experimentation almost closed the door on any scientific advancement. The slaves worked, the scholars speculated and the scientific study went into slumber. During the medieval ages `scholasticism' suffered from: (i) Blind faith, (ii) Argument from authority, (iii) Indifference to facts, (iv) Undue emphasis on verbal subtleties, and (v) Reasoning on matters which observation and experimentation only could decide.
  Great many modern commentators and critics have presented their analytical opinions about modernity and scientificity of the statements in the Quran which revolutionized the whole process of human thought and the course of its history. For the sake of brevity we can quote only a few. For example, Karen Armstrong in ‘A History of God’, (pp.198-199 & 201) renders following critical analysis: “In contrast to Deduction, Induction is a great gift of Islam to humanity. Neither Roger Bacon, nor his later namesake has any title to be credited with having introduced the experimental method, says Briffault in `Making of History', and goes on to affirm, `The experimental method of the Arabs was by Bacon's time widespread and eagerly cultivated throughout Europe."
  “`Falsafaah’ (Islamic Philosophy, in that context), had been inspired by the encounter with Greek science and metaphysics but was not slavishly dependent upon Hellenism… During the ninth century, the Arabs came into contact with Greek science and philosophy and the result was a cultural florescence which, in European terms, can be seen as a cross between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. A team of translators, most of whom were Nestorian Christians, made Greek texts available in Arabic and did a brilliant job…During the ninth and tenth centuries more scientific discoveries had been achieved in the Abbasid empire than in any previous period of history… `Faylasuufs’ (Islamic Philosophers, in that context) wanted to live rationally in accordance with the laws that they believed governed the cosmos and which could be discerned at every level of reality. At first, they concentrated on natural science but then, inevitably, they turned to Greek metaphysics and determined to apply its principles to Islam.
  “In contrast the Greek Christians had, “eventually… turned their backs on their own philosophical tradition in the belief that reason and logic had little to contribute to the study of God. The `Faylasuufs’ however, came to the opposite conclusion: they believed that rationalism represented the most advanced form of religion and had evolved a higher notion of God …
  “Today, we usually see science and philosophy as antagonistic to religion but the Faylasuufs were usually devout… As good Muslims, they were politically aware, despised the luxury of the court and wanted to reform their society according to the dictates of reason…They had no doubt that God existed – indeed they regarded His existence as Self-Evident - but felt that it was important to prove this logically in order to show that Allah was compatible with their rationalist ideal. Dr Iqbal says: “Iimaan (faith) is not merely a passive belief in one or more propositions of a certain kind. It is a living assurance begotten of a rare experience.”

  Universal Message for Universalization:Broadly speaking there are two types of religions. First, that believes in universalization which includes conversion also. Second, that does not believe in conversion and hence universalization does not take place. Some of the great ancient religions vanished or if some remnants were left, somewhere, they are also in the process of elimination and disappearance. History shows that people disappeared who did not allow universalization of their beliefs.
  In this perspective Islam is a universal Diin with strong momentum for universalization of the message without any shyness for preaching, spreading, and conversion by convincing to the conviction, with the missionary zeal due to inherent strength of its message. At the same time there is no compulsion.

  “There is no compulsion in religion,
   Truth stands out clear from error.”2-256.

  Let us have a look at the judgement of history, not only from those who have a dispassionate over view from the distant point in time and place but also from those who profess a distance in the belief also: “When the Christian Waraqa ibn Nawfal had acknowledged Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as a true prophet, neither he nor Muhammad (Peace be upon him) expected him to convert to Islam. Muhammad (Peace be upon him) never asked Jews or Christians to convert to his religion of Allah, unless they particularly wished to do so, because they had received authentic revelation of their own. The Koran did not see revelation as canceling out the messages and insights of previous prophets but instead it stressed the continuity of the religious experience of mankind.( 2- 4 )… It is important to stress this point because tolerance is not a virtue that many Western people today would feel inclined to attribute to Islam. Yet from the start, Muslims saw revelation in less exclusive terms than either Jews or Christians. The intolerance that many people condemn in Islam today does not always spring from a rival vision of God but from quite another source. Muslims are intolerant of injustice, whether this is committed by rulers of their own – like Shah Muhammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran – or by the powerful Western countries.. The Quran does not condemn other religious traditions as false or incomplete but shows each new prophet as confirming and continuing the insights of his predecessors.” (Karen Armstrong ‘A History of God’,p.177 ).
  From above discussion of Karen Armstrong, with reference to `tolerance’, at this point, it may be necessary to distinguish Jihaad from intolerance and terror and also say a word about `Ijtihaad’, in the context of complete and continuous `religious experience of mankind’: “The term Jihaad means struggling, exerting one’s latent power and exhausting all potential to achieve a (noble) cause. This word and its various derivatives have been frequently used in the Quran, the Sunnah and the religious literature of Islam. According to some scholars Jihaad forms such an essential part of Muslim religious practice that it constitutes the sixth pillar of Islam.. Islam allows war not for its own sake, but for the noble purpose of protecting human life and its intrinsic values. In fact, the permission to take up arms and engage in battle under certain circumstances stems from the noble aim of protecting and respecting the life, dignity of man, and the right of humanbeings to shape their destiny by their own free will and independent endeavour.”

(Muhammad al-Ghazali, “Jihad and Isamic world-view”,The Dawn, 25.8.2000)

  'Religious experience of mankind’ is not only in the revelation and traditions of the holy Prophets (Peace be upon them) but also reflects and ensures its continuity in the insitutition of `Ijtihaad’. It keeps the first two `forward’ in the modernity mode: “Enlightened muslims bewail the fact that Islam lost virility when, some centuries ago `Ijtihaad’ was given up. They believe and rightly so, that the faith can still become the most potent force in the world if innovation, in keeping with the demands of modern life, is again adopted. This is what Iqbal had said.”

(Hafizur Rahman, “Retributive Justice”,The Dawn 10.12.200).

  YAUMUD-DIIN
"Yaumud-Diin": The Day of Faith: It is one of the names of the Day of Judgement. Because of the immense importance, different aspects of the terms Yaum and Diin, have been variously defined and described in the Quran.
"Day Of Judgement": "The King of the Day of Judgement". 1-4

  "And what shall make you know, What the Day of Judgement is? 82-17

  "Again what will make you know , What the Day of Recompense is?" 82-18

  "The Day when no person shall have power - anything for another,and The Decision that Day, will be with Allah (Alone)" 82-19

  "Yaumul - Aakhir" : The Last Day.
  "Yaumul - Fasl": `Day of Severing' (Sorting out).
  "That will be a Day of Sorting out!
   We (Allah) shall gather you together and those before!" 77-38

  (Also see verses 7 to 19 of Surah 77).

  "Yaumul-Hashr": `Day of Assembly'
  "Yaumul-Hisaab": `Day of Reckoning'
  "Moses said: Verily, I take refuge in my Lord (Allah) and your Lord,from every one who is big with pride,and believes not in the Day of Reckoning" 40-27

  "Yaumul-Jam'a": `Day of Gathering'
  "The Day when He (Allah) shall gather you to the Day of Gathering". 64-9

  "Yaumul-Khuluud": `Day of Eternity' - (Day of Eternal Life),
  "Enter into it in peace: This is the Day of Eternity". 50-34

  "Yaumul-Khuruuj": `Day of Exodus' - (The Day of coming out from the graves i.e the day of Resurrection)
  "The Day when they shall hear the shout in truth;
   that is, the Day of coming forth" 50-42

  "Yaumul-Qiyaamah": `Day of standing up' - The Day of Resurrection.
  "Yaumul-Waiid":`The Day of Threatening'-`The Day of Warning'50-20
  'Yaumun–Ma’luum": `Known Day', i.e. Known to God (Alone) .56-50

  "Yaumut-Taghaabun" :'Day of mutual loss and gain' (some have translated as deceit, haggling) 64-9. Al-Baizawi says: "Both the righteous and the wicked will disappoint each other by reversing their positions, the wicked being punished, while the righteous are in bliss".

  "Yaumut-Talaaq" : `Day of Meeting ' 40-15
  'Yaumut-Tanaad": `Day of Mutual Out Cry'-(Mutual Calling) 40-32
  "Yaumul - Ba'as" :`Day of awakening'30-56
  "Yaumum- Muhiit" : `Encompassing Day'. 11-84
  “ Yaumun Asiirun “ : A Day of Distress: 74-9
  “ Yauman Abuusan “ : A Day of Distressful Wrath: 76-10
  "Ayyaamallaah" : 45-14:
  "Tell (O Muhammad), those who believe,
   To forgive those who do not look forward to the Days of Allah;
   It is for Him to Recompense each people,
   According to what they have earned." 45-14.

  There is yet another usage in Arabic: "Yaumul - Inqitaa": 'Day of Cessation' - The day on which anything terminates. In Law, the last day on which anyone, who has become possessed of property illegally, may restore it, or make compensation to the owner."
  Different names given, in the Quran, to the Day of Judgement indicate different aspects of various happenings during this phase of existence. There are very graphic descriptions of the Last Day, in the Quran. Some of them belong to earlier period of Revelation in Makkah, e.g., Surah 75, 81- 1 to 14 ,82,83, 84 - 1 to 15, and many others from the later period, e.g., 22- 1 to 7. Very detailed accounts of the Day of Resurrection, and the Signs preceding it, are given in the Traditions, and works of dogmatic theology. These, however, need to be studied in the light of the Quranic statements and the scientific data. That the Resurrection will be general and extends to all creatures, see Surah 81, particularly verses 5 & 7.
"This Day shall every person be recompensed for what he earned .
This Day no injustice. Truly, Allah is Swift in reckoning" 40-17

  "On that Day Allah will pay them their just due" .24-25

  “That will be a Day, when they shall not be able to speak.” 77-35

  "And they will make full submission to Allah (Alone),on that Day" 16-87

  “Before your Lord, that Day will be the place of rest.” 75-12

  The list is very exhaustive. For detailed study see pages 882 to 888, Al-Muajam-ul Mufaharas, Muhammad Fawad Abdul Baqi.
  Waiting for the Day of Justice!!When some one asked, when the Day of Judgement will come, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

  "When people start violating trusts, you should wait for the Day of Judgement." What does that imply, the man further asked. The Prophet (Peace be upon him ) said: "It means when responsibilities are entrusted to those who are not worthy of trust". (Bukhari)

  Responsibilities referred to in this Tradition imply the responsibilities of the state, which are more appropriately equated with trusts. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

  "Public office is a trust, a source of lamentation and remorse on the Day of Judgement except for him who takes it up with full sense of responsibility and duly discharges his obligation." (Muslim)

  "Lo ! Allah enjoins you to give trusts into the care of those,
   who are worthy of trust , and when you judge between men;
   that judge with justice". 4-58

  When governance becomes unbearable and trusts violated vehemently, people themselves wait anxiously and wish for hastening of the Day of Judgement, inorder to get justice, i.e., when state responsibilities- trusts are not given in the hands of those who are worthy of these, and the trustees don’t judge between people with justice. All the oppressed, save the oppressor, seem to be wishing and waiting for the Day of Judgement.