Islamic Reflections and Their Subsistence
By Nader Nada

Humanity is in deep need for a comprehensive and clear explanation for man’s role in life, the purpose of his existence, and his obligations towards his creator and the other creatures on Earth. Based on this comprehensive explanation to man's actual value in this universe and the wisdom behind his existence, man will be able to define, find, choose, and construct his way of life.

Such a system, i.e. way of life, that controls human life will be contingent upon this comprehensive explanation and must be self-emanated out of it. Otherwise, this system will be forged, barren, and fast- decayed. Even if it happened that this forged system survived for a period of time, then this period would be a duration of misery for man, and in a continuous state of conflict between this system and man's innate and real needs.

Every society or system dominated by its own world view which is based on a set of implicit or explicit assumptions about the origin of the universe and the nature of human life. Unless the worldview and strategy of a system are in harmony with its professed goals, the life goals cannot be actualized. Systems which reflect an inherent inconsistency between their goals and their worldview and strategy are unable to bring about the fundamental adjustments in the life-styles and the structure and organization of their life. All the current man made dominant systems have undergone significant revisions relative to the original version because of various problems faced over the years, and the changes introduced to solve them. Now. many of these systems facing serious economic, and political imbalances. Social unrest, violence, and crime have also risen and they are facing a crises situation. Therefore, the existing systems need to be re-evaluated, in the word of Brutt, "to rethink a correct philosophy of man."

Islam envisages a human life on earth fundamentally different from the prevailing systems. It has its roots in the Islamic laws and teachings (Shari'ah) that withdrawn from the Muslims' divine book (Qu'ran) and from which derives its worldwide as well as its goals and strategy. The goals of Shari'ah, unlike those of the predominantly secularist systems of the present-day world, are not primarily materialist. They are rather based on its own concept of "human well-being" and "good life" which give utmost importance to healthy and warm social life and socio-economic justice and require a balance satisfaction of both the material and the spiritual needs of all human beings.

It so important for the Muslims and to know how to define and understand the Islamic conception features and its subsistence. The Muslim should understand and believe that this religion revealed to establish a very special in nature and unique nation (Ummah). This Ummah was existed to present a live model for establishing ALLAH’s (God) way of life on Earth for all human being. The Muslim understanding to the nature and features of the Islamic conception will grant him to be good element in his society and to be a source of righteousness in every aspect of life.

In the word of Margoliouth, "Quaran has created an all but new phase of human thought and a fresh type of character. It first transformed a number of heterogeneous desert tribes of the Arabian peninsula into a nation of leaders and heroes, and then proceeded to create the vast civilized socio-politico-religious and united Islamic nation which are one of the great forces which the West and the East have to reckon today"

The Qu'ran and the profit Mohammed (peace be upon him) authentic way of life (Sunnah) presented and explained this comprehensive Islamic conception and its subsistence clearly which matches every human nature elements, fulfill all of its aspects, and deals with all means of supporting life, where it correlates and affects man's sense, thought, intuitive, insight, and all human common sense. This Islamic conception set to work with man's faith, the most important ingredient for human well-being, material nature, and spiritual needs of all human beings, in amazing harmony, the harmony of man's nature as it was constructed by ALLAH.

From this clear Islamic conception and its subsistence that withdrawn directly from the Qu'ran and profit Mohammed (peace be upon him) Sunnah, the early Muslim generations understood, adopted, practiced, lived with the essence of Islam, and led the humanity in all aspects of life. As Steingass stated in the Hughes' dictionary of Islam: "Quran should perhaps not be measured by some preconceived maxis of subjective and aesthetic taste, but by the effect which it produced in Mohammad's contemporaries and fellow countrymen. If it spoke so powerfully and convincingly to the hearts of his hearers as to weld hitherto centrifugal and antagonistic elements into one compact and well organized body, animated by ideas far beyond those which had until now ruled the Arabian and Muslim mind, then its eloquence was perfect, simply because it created a civilized nation out of savage tribes, and a short fresh woof into the old warp of history.

This unique and amazing Islamic Ummah model never exists in man' history before, the model that emanated from this divine book, the Quran, deserve to be equally revisited and analyzed by Muslims and non-Mulism to identify genuine solutions for the human race current upgrading catastrophe and discover those dynamic principles of life, not mystic but practical ethics for the daily conduct of life suited to the whole world.

As Gibb said: " Islam has a still further service to render to the cause of humanity. It stands after all nearer to the real East than Europe does, and it possess a magnificent tradition of inter-racial understanding and cooperation. No other society has such record of success in uniting in an equality of status, of opportunity, and of endeavors so many various races of mankind. Islam has still power to reconcile apparently irreconcilable elements of race and traditions. If ever the opposition of the great societies of East and West is to be replaced by cooperation, the mediation of Islam is an indispensable condition. In its hand lies very largely the solution of the problem with which West is faced. If they unite, the hope of a peaceful issue is immeasurably enhanced. But if the West, by rejecting the cooperation of Islam, throws it into the arms of its rivals, the issue can only be disastrous for both."