Islamic culture is very different from Western cultures which now rule the world, also in describing life. These cultural differences, between the one with the other are very principles. Conflicts in the West between religion power and temporal power as a nation which embrace Christianity or church and state led to the conclusion that church and state (government) must be separated, and the power of the state must be established to not recognize the authority of the church. The power conflict there brought the influence to the Western thought as a whole. The first result of that influence is the separation between human feeling to hear the human mind, between metaphysical thought with the provisions of positive knowledge (knowledge of reality) based on a materialism review. The victory of materialism mind is great influence on the birth of an economic system that has become the main foundation of Western culture.
As a result, in the West, there have been born many streams that would make everything on earth is subject to the life of the economy. Likewise, not a few people want to put the history of mankind in terms of religion, art, phylosophy, ways of thinking and knowledge - in all its ups and downs in various nations – with the economic parameter (materialsm). Even a few streams of Western philosophy has also made the patterns of conduct on the basis of usefulness of the material only.
In the other side, spiritual issues - in view of Western culture - is purely a personal matter, people do not need to give attention to it together. Therefore let these spiritual issues freely in the West is a glorified thing, more than freedom in the matter of ethics. They magnify the problem of ethics freedom for economic freedom that has been completely protected by the act. This Act will be implemented by the army or by the state with all the powers they have.
The western culture that make economic life as the essential thing would not achieve the goal to bring happiness to humankind and even plunged humanity into severe pain as experienced in recent centuries through world war. As human relations is only valued as a piece of bread we eat, then we scramble, compete and fight for the bread, each man uses their animal instinct, so each of us will always waited a good chance to get the piece of bread in the hands of someone else's, even in the bad way. Each human being will always see the other as an enemy , not as a brother. The only one rule is profit, while the principles are commendable morals, love and brotherhood will fall slip.
What happens in the world today is the most tangible evidence. In individualism, the workers compete with workers, owners of capital by capital owners. Workers with the owners of capital are two competing opponents. Individualism say that this competition and conflict will bring goodness and progress to mankind. Competition and conflict are considered as the incentive to work more diligently and would be a fair balance in sharing the wealth.
Conversely, socialism argue that class struggle should be ended with power in the hands of the workers, is one of natural necessity. If the struggle of nations for control of the property was reasonable, if the occupation or imperialism is fair anyway, how could the war be prevented and peace in the world can be guaranteed? At the end of the 20th century we have been able to witness - and still we can see - the evidence, that peace on earth with this kind of basic culture can only be implemented in a dream, but in reality it is nothing more than a nonsense.
Islamic culture was born on the grounds that contrary to the basic culture of the West. Islamic culture was born on the spiritual foundation that invites humans in order to be able to realize their relationship with nature and its place in nature as well as possible. If this awareness is already up to the limits of faith, the faith will keep them constantly educate and train themself, always clean up his heart, fills the heart and mind with the principles dignity, brotherhood, love, kindness and devotion. On this kind of principles, people should draw up their economic life.
Islam is free from the conflict between the powers of religion with temporal power and its influence, because Islam does not know the power of religion (theocracy). No one among Muslims - even though he was a caliph (a leader of Moslem people) – give an order to someone, in the name of religion, and states that he has an ability to give indulgence to anyone who violates the order. Also no one among Muslims - even though he was a caliphate - that would order to people other than what is already defined by God in the Quran. In fact, all Muslims are equal before God. Which one is more noble than others, depending on their piety - the devotion to God. A ruler can not demand loyalty of a Muslim if he committing sin and violates God’s order. We can learn from the words of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (the first Muslim leader after the leadership of Prophet Muhammad pbuh.) to the Muslims in his inaugural address as the Caliph "Obey me as long as I obey the command of Allah and His Messenger. But if I violate the (command) of Allah and His Messenger then you may abort your loyalty to me. "
We can also learn from what happened in the era of the Ma'mun leadership, when people disagree with the leader / Caliph. There were so many people who oppose the opinion of the Caliph at that time, while they know what they would deserve if they dared oppose Caliph opinion.
In many cases, the mind has been used as a benchmark by Islam. Also in the terms of religion and faith, the mind has been used as a benchmark by Islam. Allah said:
" The parable of those who reject Faith is as if one were to shout Like a goat-herd, to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries: Deaf, dumb, and blind, they are void of wisdom." (Quran: Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 171)
This verse clearly states, that “taqlid” (to imitate/ following a person's religious view without knowing the evidence upon which it is based) without any reasoning or a guide is a behavior of the people who reject the faith. People can not believe if his understanding of the religion is not recognized by his wits, he does not know himself until he could be sure. If people grew up with the habit to follow a person's religious view without realizing it with a sense of his mind, so when they do an act, although a good deed, without knowing it is true, he was not considered as a believer. By faith, it is not meant to make people to humble themselves modestly doing good as a lowly animal, but that meant that people can improve the sense of his mind, can improve ourselves with knowledge, so when doing good, he really knew the kindness is really useful, acceptable to God. When leaving the crime, he had also understood the dangers of crime and how far it will take effect.
Related archieves:
Charity in Islam
The dignity of women in Islam
Debt collecting in Islam
"Reading" as behavior in Islam
Wasteful behaviour is banned in Islam
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