Man by nature is a living
being who likes to live in a community. The reason that the Almighty has
bestowed him with this nature is that He does not create human beings at
their very birth in the prime of their youth; similarly, human beings do not
generally die in their youth without passing through old age. On the
contrary, a human being is created as a feeble child in the womb of the
mother who enters this world to be welcomed by her loving affection. He then
grows being nurtured and nourished through others. At first, he drags
himself and then crawls along his knees before he is able to stand on his
feet. Even after this state, he needs the help of others at every step.
Finally, after going through various phases of childhood and adolescence he
enters the prime of his youth. This blooming period of his life also does
not last more than twenty to thirty years. Then comes old age and in spite
of attaining great heights in intellect in his prime, he once again has to
turn to others to fulfill his needs like a frail child.
This life cycle of man entails
that he live in a social set up. From the very beginning of his life, this
affinity towards a social set up is fully found in his being. He does not
need to find this tendency in his external world. When he enters this world,
he brings with him all his internal urges and inner motivations and uses
them to fulfill his needs wherever and whenever required.
The history of mankind shows
that on this very basis of human nature, Adam, the founder of the human
dynasty was blessed with a wife from his own species – someone who was meant
to be his companion. From these two sprung many men and women as their
progeny. Gradually, a family, a tribe and finally a state came into
existence. The resultant social set up afforded man the opportunity to
realize his hidden potentials and urges. While pointing out this fact, the
Qur’ān says:
يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ الَّذِي
خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ
مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي
تَتَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا
(١:٤)
O mankind! Fear your
Lord, Who created you from a single person, created, of like species his
mate, and from these two scattered countless men and women [in this world],
and fear Allah through whom you seek mutual help and fear breaking blood
relationships. Indeed God is watching over you. (4:1)
A little deliberation shows that this verse embodies all the principles upon
which the Almighty has based human society. Imām Amīn Ahsan Islāhī#, while
pointing out these principles writes:
Firstly, this world is not unattended; on the contrary, it has been created
by the Almighty who is the God of everyone. It is therefore unseemly for a
person to create disorder in it and disobey His authority. Everyone should
remain fearful of the Almighty’s grasp – the Almighty who is the Creator and
Master of everyone.
Secondly, the Almighty has created man from a single soul: Adam.
Consequently, mankind is the progeny of one father. No one is superior to
the other. Whatever their colour, cast or creed, all human beings are equal.
Thirdly, just as mankind is the progeny of one father, their mother is also
one: Eve. Hence, no one is superior to the other. One father and mother have
created this global family. It is evident from the verse that Eve is of the
same species as Adam. This further means that women are not inferior beings.
As human beings, men and women are equal in status.
Fourthly, the bases of mutual help and co-operation in a society are three
driving forces: unity of God, unity of ancestors and blood relationships. It
is essential that every person realize the obligation these blood
relationships entail and fulfill it. It is also his responsibility to
safeguard these relationships and be on guard that no slogan should be able
to destroy these blood relationships and replace it with some ignorance ?…..
If such a thing emerges in a society, it should ring an alarm [in our ears]
and it is the duty of every sensitive member of the society to do his utmost
to impede its progress. The words: ‘وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ
الَّذِي تَتَسَاءَلُونَ بِه وَالْأَرْحَامَ’ (And fear Allah through
whom you seek mutual help and fear breaking blood relationships) at the end
of the verse sound this warning. Hence, according to Islam, it is these
pillars on which stands the whole edifice of family, society and state. As
long as these pillars are intact, this edifice is intact. If these become
weak, the edifice would be endangered and if they are razed down, the
edifice would too be demolished.
In order to firmly establish a society on these fundamentals, an everlasting
bond between the spouses is made essential in the religion of the Prophets.
The Almighty has informed us that to fulfill this scheme both a man and a
woman are innately equipped with all the necessary urges so that they are
able to become true companions of one another and live as two souls united
in one body:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ
أَزْوَاجًا لِتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ مَوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً
إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ(٢١:٣٠)
And among His Signs is that He created for
you mates from among your species that you may obtain comfort from them, and
[for this purpose], He has put love and sympathy within you; surely, in this
are signs for those who reflect. (30:21)
If the whole life of a human being – from
childhood to old age – is kept in consideration, sense and reason endorse
that to fulfill his physical, psychological and social needs an everlasting
marriage bond between the spouses is essential. Consequently, the Almighty
has given a detailed social law to man through His Prophets regarding the
society which is established on this basis.
(Translated from ‘Mīzān’ by Shehzad Saleem)
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