Islam
has provided a complete treatment for man to form for him a
specific personality, which is distinct from all others. With the
Aqeedah (creed), it treated his thoughts, making it an intellectual
basis upon which his thoughts are built and according to which his
concepts are formed. He distinguishes true thought from false when
he measures it against the Islamic Aqeedah and builds it on the
Aqeedah in its capacity as an intellectual basis. So his mentality is
formed over this Aqeedah. This intellectual basis, the Aqeedah, thus
provides him with a distinct mentality and a true criterion for thoughts.
It thus safeguards him against erroneous thought; he expels false
thought and remains honest in his thought and sound in his
comprehension.
At the same
time, man's actions, which stem from his instincts and
organic needs are properly treated by Islam with Shari'ah rules, which
emanate from the Aqeedah itself. The Shari'ah rules regulate but do
not suppress instincts, they harmonise between them, not leaving
them free without restriction. They enable him to satisfy all his needs
in a harmonious manner that leads to tranquillity and stability. Islam
has made the Islamic Aqeedah an intellectual one, thus making it
suitable as an intellectual basis against which thoughts can be
measured. It also made its Aqeedah a comprehensive idea about
man, life, and the universe. This comprehensive idea has solved for
him all of his complexities whether internal or external. This made it
suitable as a general concept, i.e. a criterion that is used naturally
when the association between drives and concepts occurs, that is a
criterion according to which inclinations are formed. So, Islam
provided man with a definite basis, which represented a definite
criterion for both concepts and inclinations, that is for mentality and
disposition at the same time. Thus Islam formed the personality in
such a special way so that it is distinct from other personalities.
We conclude
that Islam forms the personality by means of the
Islamic creed. This Islamic Aqeedah forms both his mentality and
disposition. Accordingly, the Islamic mentality is the one that thinks
on the basis of Islam, i.e. that takes Islam and only Islam as the
general criterion for thoughts related to life. It is not the mentality that
is merely knowledgeable or pensive. Rather, the mere fact that a
person actually and practically takes Islam as the criterion for all
thoughts makes his mentality Islamic.
The Islamic
Nafsiyyah (disposition) is the one that makes all its
inclinations based on Islam, i.e. that makes Islam the only general
criterion for all satisfactions. It is not the one, which is merely
ascetical or stringent. Rather, the mere fact that a person actually
and practically makes Islam the criterion for all satisfactions makes
his disposition Islamic. A person with this mentality and this
disposition thus becomes an Islamic personality, irrespective of
whether he is knowledgeable or ignorant, and irrespective of whether
he confines himself to observing the obligatory (fard) and
recommended (mandoub) rules and refrains from haram (prohibited
action), or he observes besides this, other recommended acts of
obedience and avoidance of suspicious acts. In both cases, a person
is an Islamic personality because anyone who thinks on the basis of
Islam and makes his desires conform to Islam is an Islamic
personality.
Yes, indeed
Islam did order the Muslim to learn more Islamic culture,
so that this mentality grows and becomes capable of measuring any
thought. Islam also demanded performing matters beyond the (fard)
and demanded the avoidance of matters more than the haram
(prohibited actions) in order that this disposition is strengthened, so
that it becomes capable of deterring any inclination that is
incompatible with Islam. But all this is intended to enhance this
personality and to set it to proceed towards a sublime pinnacle. Yet
this does not classify as non-Islamic, those personalities which are
inferior to this one. Rather, this is an Islamic personality and those
inferior to it of the common knowledgeable who act in accordance
with Islam and the educated who confine themselves to performing
the fards (compulsory rules) and refraining from the harams
(prohibited actions) are also Islamic personalities. These types of
personality only vary in strength but are all Islamic personalities.
What matters when judging whether someone is an Islamic
personality is whether he takes Islam as the basis for his thinking
and inclinations. It is according to this that Islamic personalities,
mentalities, and nafsiyyahs (dispositions) become disparate.
So those
who envisage an Islamic personality as an angel commit a
grave misjudgement. Their harm in society is enormous, because
they look for angels amongst people and never find them; they do not
find an angel even in themselves. They thus despair and give up hope
for Muslims. Those idealistic people verily serve as proof that Islam is
utopian, impossible to implement, and is a host of admirable ideals
that man cannot implement or endure. Consequently, they repulse
people from Islam and render many people too paralysed to act;
although Islam came in order to be implemented in practice. Islam is
realistic, i.e. it deals with realities and it is not difficult to implement.
It is within the potential of every man, no matter how weak his
thinking is and how strong his instincts and needs are. Such a man
can implement Islam upon himself smoothly and easily after he has
comprehended the Islamic Aqeedah and become an Islamic
personality. This is because he definitely becomes an Islamic
personality merely by making the Islamic Aqeedah the basis for his
concepts and inclinations and maintaining this criterion.
The only
task that he has to perform afterwards, is to strengthen his
personality with the Islamic culture in order for his mentality to grow,
and with recommended acts of obedience to strengthen his
Nafsiyyah, so that he is on the path to a sublime pinnacle, which he
would not only reach but also surpass towards ever-elevating peaks.
This is due to the fact that Islam has treated man's mentality with its
Aqeedah when it made this Aqeedah the intellectual basis on which
to build his thoughts about life. So, he distinguishes true from false
thought when he measures thoughts against the Islamic Aqeedah
and builds them on it because it is an intellectual basis. Thus, he
safeguards himself against erroneous thought, avoids false thought
and remains true in his thought and sound in his comprehension.
Islam has
treated man's inclinations with Shari'ah rules when it
treated his actions, which emanate from his instincts and organic
needs. This treatment is sensitive; it regulates instincts but does not
harm them by attempting to destroy them. It does not leave them free
and unrestricted but puts them in harmony. It enables man to satisfy
all his needs in a harmonious manner that leads to tranquillity and
stability. So, a Muslim who embraces Islam through ration and
evidence and fully implements Islam upon himself and understands
correctly the rules of Allah (swt), this Muslim is an Islamic
personality distinct from all others. He achieves the Islamic mentality
when he makes the Islamic Aqeedah the basis for his thinking. And
he achieves the Islamic Nafsiyyah when he makes this Aqeedah the
basis for his inclinations. Hence, the Islamic personality is
characterised with special attributes that distinguish the Muslim and
mark him amongst people; he is as outstanding amongst them as a
mole on the face. These attributes that characterise him are an
inevitable result of his observance of Allah's commands and
prohibitions and of performing his actions in accordance with these
commands and prohibitions as a result of his awareness of his
relationship with Allah (swt). Thus, his aim from observing the Shari'a
is nothing but to please Allah (swt).
After a
Muslim has achieved an Islamic mentality and nafsiyyah, he
becomes qualified for cadetship and leadership simultaneously. He
combines mercy and toughness, luxury and asceticism. He truly
understands life, so he seizes this worldly life, allocating for it only its
due significance, and he gains the hereafter by striving for it.
Accordingly, he is not dominated by any of the attributes of the
worshippers of worldly life. He does not drift with religious monomania
or Indian asceticism. Simultaneously, he is a hero of Jihad and a
resident of a prayer chamber. He humbles himself when he is a
master. He combines within him leadership and jurisprudence, trade
and politics. His most sublime attribute is that he is a servant of
Allah's, his Creator. Therefore, you see him humble in his prayer; he
refrains from futile talk; he pays his Zakaah; he lowers his gaze; he
observes his trusts; he honours his pledge; he keeps his promise;
and he performs Jihad.
Thus is the
Muslim.
Thus is the believer.
Thus is the Islamic personality, which Islam forms and by which it
makes a person most righteous amongst people.
Allah (swt)
described this personality in the Holy Qur'an with a
number of ayahs (verses) when He described the companions of the
Prophet (pbuh) and when he described the servants of Allah Most
Gracious and when He described those who perform Jihad. Allah
Almighty says:
"Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allah; and those who are with him
are strong against Unbelievers, but compassionate amongst each
other,"[29:48].
And He
says:
"The
vanguard (of Islam), the first of those who forsook (their homes)
and of those who gave them aid, and (also) those who follow them in
all good deeds, well-pleased is Allah with them as are they with Him,"
[100:10]
And He
says:
"The
believers must (eventually) win through. Those who humble
themselves in their prayers; who avoid vain talk; who are active in
deeds of charity"[1-4:23]
And He
says:
"and
the servants of Allah Most Gracious are those who walk on the
earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say,
"Peace!" Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord,
prostate and standing." [63-64:25]
And He
says:
"But
the Messenger, and those who believe with him strive and fight
with their wealth and their persons: for them are (all) good things: and
it is they who will prosper. Allah has prepared for them Gardens under
which rivers flow, to dwell therein: that is the supreme felicity"
[88-89:9]
And He
said: "Those that turn to Allah in repentance; that serve Him
and praise Him; that wander in devotion to the cause of Allah; that
bow down and prostrate themselves in prayer; they enjoin good and
forbid evil; and observe the limits set by Allah; these do rejoice. So
proclaim the glad tidings to the Believers" [112:9]
extract from:
"Shaksiyah Al-Islamiyyah"
(The Islamic
Personality) Volume 1
by Shaikh
Allama Taqiud-deen An-Nabhani (Hizb ut-Tahrir).