In one sentence I can say; we follow Islaam because it’s our road map to gain rewards from Allaah and enter Heaven via fulfilling our mission to urbanise earth.
For this mission to be complete, Islaam told us to follow the sharee‘ah. Sharee‘ah simply is the framework which defines rules for the Muslim community to work within, and this framework is based on two main sources: the ‘Qura~n (Muslims’ Holy Book) and the Sunnah (traditions and acts of the Prophet Mu’hammad).
For sure, people ask the traditional question: If Islaam is like that, why are Muslims accused of making bad actions all over the world everyday?
To answer this, first I have to highlight that since the dawn of history until present, any ideology - either religious or political or social - has its main concepts which are then applied by people who understand these concepts according to their own perception:
- When people understand the concept, this means that the model is clear and was applied in a right way.
- When people misunderstand the concept, this means that the model is not clear and was applied in a wrong way.
So, as long as Muslims understand their ideologies in a right way there’s no problem.
Islaam throughout history till present had many great examples of people who understood the idea right and thus made life better for mankind all over the history until the current 21st century. This starts from the Prophet Mu’hammad (P.B.U.H.) and the ’sa’haabah (companions of the Prophet) and the followers.
On the other hand and similarly, if Muslims understand their ideology in a wrong way, this causes the problem to happen and examples are numerous worldwide.
We all know about people who do wrong acts in the name of Islaam, but I say that this can’t be related to the main concept and principles of Islaam 101%, because they didn’t understand Islaam at all, even if they do pray and worship Allaah.
If we take a look at history, we’ll find that it is full of great examples of what I mentioned and this is found in every nation and every era, regardless a special religion:
- Christianity - for that matter - had the same good ideology in its own way, so it will be unfair to say that people who apply its concept incorrectly throughout history until now are doing this because it tells them to do so;
- The nudity and pornography which we see today applied mostly from people who are named to be Christians are not representatives of the rules of Christianity, and the same matter for Judaism or other religions and beliefs;
- Mahatma Ghandi was also a great example for liberating India from the British occupation, and this was because the Indians had understood his concepts regardless that he was not a follower to any of the three divine religions;
- Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin...etc., were typical examples of how an ideology can be transferred and applied incorrectly, regardless they were Christian. It’s the same with every religion and ideology everywhere.
So simply, applying any good ideology in a right or wrong way depends on how people perceive it according to their education, culture, perception, etc., and not to the concept ideology itself.
You notice that I used the term “good ideology” because I mean they have a noble concept, and I’m not talking about ideologies which have lowness or harmful concepts from the beginning.
Thus, Islaam - as a religion - had its own ideology which we can all understand better now, and as I always say: Islaam is not a call for death; it is rather a call for life.