“And do not create mischief in the earth after it has been set in order…” [Qur’an, 7: 56]
The society is paramount in Islam. The underlying theme of all Islamic directives, pursuits, and institutions, whether social, economic, political, or otherwise, is the society and its fitness. This notion is consistent with what Allah SWT says in the Qur’an: “…We have created you from a (single pair of) male and a female….” [Q, 49: 13], as well as with multiple sayings of the Prophet Muhammad SAW; for instance: “All creatures of Allah are His family and He likes the person who is generous to His family.” (Mishkat) Kindness toward others is part of Islam’s manifesto. In fact, Allah’s mercy is conditioned upon kindness toward fellow humans as His Messenger says: “Allah will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to people.” (Bukhārī, Muslim) By the same token, being grateful to others for their kindness is also part of Islamic etiquettes. Says the Prophet SAW: “One who is not grateful to people is not grateful to Allah” (Tirmidhi).
Accentuating the global vision of Islam, the Prophet SAW calls himself ‘a slave of Allah and servant of humanity.’ He expresses his profound dismay for apathy toward the society by condemning such a callous behavior: ‘Those who are uncaring about the affairs of the society do not belong to me.’ Detrimental to the collective good, such a person is foolishly selfish, redundant, and a drag on the society. All on the ship must be concerned about the safety of the ship.
The Prophet SAW described his mission in just a few words: “I have been appointed to perfect your (morals) akhlaq,” (Bukhari). Comprehensively, akhlaq here is a reference to good manners emanating from living a righteous life and performing noble deeds. He further says: “The best of you is the one who is the best in conduct.” (Bukhari, Muslim, and Tirmidhi) However, a genuine good conduct is not likely to sprout without following the Islamic principles with moral excellence on a day-to-day basis. The referenced good conduct that supersedes all forms of deeds is, thus, a culmination of an in-depth understanding of the underlying theme of Islam, well-practiced Islamic norms, and a keen awareness of the undercurrents that shape the society.
From Islamic perspective, an essential part of good conduct is civic engagement as an informed and linked person, vis-à-vis, society’s concerns, particularly its moral direction. Community outreach is not discretionary in Islam – it’s an obligation. In fact, our own viability as dutiful followers of Islam depends on this outreach commitment; otherwise, despite being righteous in own life, we could be counted among those who harm the society by their devious behavior: “…guard yourselves against the punishment which would not fall exclusively on those who were wrong-doers…” [Q, 8: 25] Complacence is an endorsement of bad behavior. The implication of Prophet’s stern warning is that, rather than being a part, we must be a partner in the society of our residence. Only then, with knowledge and understanding of society’s issues, we may be able to exert influence in reshaping it and its social and moral order.
Essentially, the human life is layered into two components – physical and moral [see Q, 32: 7-9; 91: 7-10]. Each plays a critical role in maintaining the physical existence of life and the moral integrity of personal character. Thus, each needs to be looked after carefully and excelled to operate at its prime. However, in order to meaningfully achieve the aimed purpose of life, they must be blended together such that the moral gear is always engaged in a commanding position. Unlike non-humans, they cannot be separated nor practiced separately. Verily, it is the moral conscience and its dominance in human character that distinguishes us from the rest. Specifically, we must live in this physical world with moral excellence and strive to reach the highest level of perfection possible. This narrative is part of the Qur’an which says: “…We have made all that is on the earth an embellishment for it in order to test people as to who of them is better in conduct.” [Q, 18: 7]
The most discerning criterion being laid down here is that the material resources have been provided just for our physical existence. However, constraints must be observed in worldly accumulations as it is solely the moral diligence exercised in conducting life that one will be judged on. It should be noted that a sustained noble behavior, under all conditions, is the real challenge to uphold and is the ultimate purpose of the earthly existence. Practically, it is simply a transformation of Allah’s fear harbored in one’s conscience: “…if you fear Allah He will grant you a criterion (sense of right and wrong)…” [Q, 8: 29] This includes family life, work place, social interactions, business transactions, and civic engagement. At the core of the society, however, is the family stability – the thrust here – for civilizational progress.
Admittedly, we live in this society by choice recognizing that, contemporarily, this is the best there is where we can freely exercise the Islamic principles and live as practicing Muslims with prosperity. It then goes without saying that we must also follow the law of the land of our choosing and proactively participate in the efforts to improve its existing conditions, wherever possible, for the benefit of our own generations and the fellow citizens alike. Actions speak louder than the words. The first step, however, is to conduct ourselves as good Muslims and let others feel compelled to differentiate us for the virtues of Islam so strikingly transparent in our daily routines.
The celebrated strength of this society is the freedom that allows exploring, excelling and accumulating for a comfortable life, which most of us have. The weakness, however, is the abuse of this freedom. All moral standards, venerated through centuries, have all but dissipated and are rapidly vanishing in many cultures that take cue from us. Obsession of earthly cultivation and endless pursuit of lustful desires have totally numbed many against moral discomfort, character sensitivity, or once cherished doctrines. The concept of accountability of personal actions seems to have been expunged from human sub-conscience.
The first casualty of the practice of this unhinged personal freedom is the family structure and its stability. The institution of marriage has been marginalized. A marriage makes no sense anymore in a culture of pragmatism, transactional attitude, and normalized infidelity. According to many reports, the marriage rate in America has fallen to 50%. Those who do get married, half of them get divorced, however. The leading reasons reported for marriage breakdown include extra- marital affairs, greed for money, and domestic violence. The divorce rate for the second marriage is even higher, 67%; and it continues to rise to 73% for those who venture still again. The subsequent marriages have escalating rates of mortality. The average life of a marriage in the country is about seven years. In order to remain open ended, and also for economic reasons, 20% couples live without marriage, and the trajectory points upwards.
The statistics for children – the real victims of this insanely behavior – are even more shocking. In the U.S., 40% children are born out of wedlock. This includes 33% born with unknown fathers. More than 21 million children are raised by 14 million single parents. That is, 1.5 kids per parent. Of the single parents, 80% (or 11.2 million) are single mothers raising about 16.8 million children. Tragically, one-thirds of the single mothers, close to 4 million, raising about 5.6 million children, fall below the poverty line. They depend on public assistance and the society is forced to foot the bill. This is not the worst, however.
Research studies have shown again and again that the children of divorced parents, or living with single parents, or raised without parental supervision, suffer enormously in a number of ways. Besides entrenched emotional trauma, most cannot rise to their gifted potential. Many become victims of social problems including drug, alcohol, violence, and disorderly conduct that takes on various social and criminal forms. Tragically, the family devastation does not stop here. The ripple effect continues as the children raised in broken families or abusive environment exhibit some of the same characteristics they witnessed in their childhood days. Studies reveal that such children are more likely to have dysfunctional families of their own, and thus, the vicious cycle continues. The cumulative impact of the senseless behavior and the decaying family system on the society is immeasurable in human terms and it is transgenerational.
Muslims are uniquely positioned to offer some relief to this cancerous disaster. As they enjoy the fruits of this society and have the opportunity of freely practicing their Islamic code of life, they must contribute to the health and welfare of this society in kind and beyond. Over and above, their faith expects them to be pro-active, rise to the occasion, and offer something tangible more than they reap: “What could be the reward of goodness but goodness?” [Q, 55: 60]
In view of the immensity of the institution of marriage and its impact on orderly progress of human civilization, Islam has provided strict, specific, and elaborate guidelines, referenced repeatedly in the Qur’an and reinforced by the Prophet SAW, to safeguard the family integrity, stability, and health for an enduring happiness and shielded progression. They are designed to make family a foundation of many precious accomplishments generation after generation. The duties of spouses have been articulated to match their individual personalities, functionalities, strengths, and interests, such that they complement each other perfectly and zero in as a unit on their unified goal.
The spouses are commanded to subject themselves to the code of conduct under the marital laws of Islam. The gist is: Don’t insist on your rights, deliver your obligations, as the happiness lies in doing your duty. As Islam checks all social problems at the family level by disciplining the parents, they are held accountable for any moral misconduct or abnormal behavior exhibited by children due to sheer parental negligence. A healthy and vibrant family with disciplined, enlightened, and well- rounded offspring, who can become respectable citizens of the society and move it forward responsibly, is indeed Islam in action.
The cumulative impact of robust Muslim families on the society cannot be underestimated. In gratitude to the Almighty for all His favors, as they engage in the community with their strong family values and refined personal attributes, they must take pride in their faith and the moral capital they possess. Surely, humility, generosity, and connectedness are manifestations of real strength to inspire souls and minds with an undiminishing rich perspective of life. When their personal distinctions convince their peers to perceive them not as different, rather differentiated, they have made their contribution to their society.
Islamic Point of View 