Balance Between the Two Worlds

Islam comes from the root of silm and salam, meaning peace, submission, purity and sincerity. The first chapter of the Qur’an, Fatihah, summarizes the essence of Islam. According to this chapter, Islam aims to take mankind to Allah’s bounties and to the right path without attracting His wrath:

“In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds;

Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

Master of the Day of Judgement.

Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.

Show us the straight way,

The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.” (Fatiha, 1:1-7)

Hence, Islam equally fulfills the needs of faith and reason. It protects man from that which harms his life and his possessions as well as the health of younger generations. The benefits of Islam can be summarized as follows:

- The finest religion of faith: Islam provides the best mode of faith while protecting the honor of man from heretical beliefs such as the worship of idols.

- Islam nurtures the soul of man through acts of worship: The kinds of worship in Islam address both the soul and the body since their performance involves both body and soul. Those fulfilling the obligations of Islam live paradisiacally in this very world.

- Islam is a religion of mercy: Islam strives to carry man to felicity and the mercy of Allah although most of his acts more nearly deserve destruction and punishment. Allah, the Almighty states that His mercy exceeds His wrath.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “When Allah created the Creation, He wrote in His Book -and He wrote (that) about Himself, and it is placed with Him on the Throne- ’Verily My Mercy overcomes My Anger’.” (Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 501)

The basmalah which is mentioned in the beginning of the every chapter involves the names of Allah which enlighten His attribute of mercy: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. These two attributes are also mentioned in the first chapter of the Qur’an in its second verse:

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Most Gracious, Most Merciful; al-Rahmân, meaning compassionate, merciful. The first two verses of this chapter inform us that due to His mercy Allah taught us the Qur’an:

“The Beneficent Allah, It is He Who has taught the Qur’an.” (Rahman, 55:1-2)

These verses signify in addition that the content of the Qur’an is also a mercy for humanity. In the chapter Isra this reality is clearly stated:

“We send down (stage by stage) in the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss.” (Isrâ, 17:82)

Not only is the Qur’an a mercy for humanity, but this is also true for the Prophet of Islam who transmitted the Qur’an:

“We sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures.” (Anbiyâ, 21:107)

As a matter of fact this reality has been proven in the life of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam since he never cursed those who harmed him. In the town Tâif he was stoned and left bleeding due to injuries. Angels such as Gabriel came to him and told him that he could destroy the inhabitants of this town due to their mistreatment of him. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam did not accept this offer and answered: “No I do not want such a thing. I am a prophet of mercy.”

He even prayed to Allah for their guidance and well-being. We can conclude that the first fruit of Islam is mercy. The friends of Allah who followed this golden rule summarized servanthood to Allah in two principles:

• Ta’zîm li amrillah: To fulfill the commandments of Allah with full reverence.

• Shafkat li halkillah: To show mercy to the creation of Allah.

- Islam is a religion of rationality: Although Islam is not a product of human intelligence and reason, since both religion and logic are gifts of the Creator there is no reason they should be mutually exclusive. Islam guides the human mind to the most useful and productive states, hence enabling man to lead a balanced life without falling into extremes.

In other words, human rationality can find its full expression in belief in the unity of Allah and He implores us to use our logic and rational faculties at many points in the Qur’an: “Afala ta’qilun?” (Do you not contemplate?).

The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam also invites us to use our mind and contemplate upon the purpose of life. Comparing the reward of worship and contemplation he says: “An hour of contemplation is more valuable than sixty years of worship.”

The human mind has been created as a vehicle to take man to Allah and guidance. It is the interpreter of the divine realities.

- Islam is a religion of love: Mere rationality is not enough in guiding man to divine realities. At times rationality is incapable of guiding man to Allah. Instead it takes him into a pit of doubts. Hence it is necessary for rationality to be under the rule of love and to enlighten it with love. Rumi says:

“He that is blessed and familiar (with spiritual mysteries) knows that intelligence is of Iblis, while love is of Adam.” (Masnawî III, 1402)

“Love is as a ship for the elect: seldom is calamity (the result): for the most part it is deliverance.” (Masnawî III, 1406)

Those individuals, like philosophers, who rely on intelligence as their guide become slaves of their external senses. They serve what their eyes see and what their ears hear without normally reminding themselves of the hidden. Reason may know Allah through love, whereas it alone is only an instrument whereby love may reach to the Creator.

Love engenders sacrifice. A believer who loves his Lord may even give up his life in the path of Allah. The companions of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam sacrificed everything in the path of Allah and His Prophet and thus reached the highest station in the history of mankind. Whenever the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam requested something from them they replied: “My father and mother have been sacrificed for you.”

Hence, Islam is a religion of the heart rather than merely a religion of reason. It aims first to reach the heart of man. It is also a religion of equilibrium: The most fundamental aspect of Islam is that it involves balance between the two worlds. As Allah has created the universe in complete harmony and order similarly Islam has provided a road to equilibrium in the life of man. Islam has brought balance between this world and the Hereafter, between body and soul, between men and women, poor and rich, the ruled and the ruler, and too between matter and spirit. These seeming opposites have been transformed into complements through Islam. Islam does not sacrifice or ignore the otherworld for this world, or the body for the spirit. Islam removes the conflict between them and in its place establishes harmony. Through these wings man can fly to higher worlds.

Source: Sheikh Osman Nuri Topbas