Islam for Non-Muslims

• RELIGIOUS FAITHS VS IRRELIGIOUS IDEAS
• 1 The Present State of the World Religions
• 2 Religious System as a Historical Reality
• 3 The Evidences of God across the Universe
• 4 The Absolute Oneness of God
• 5 The Reality of the Afterlife
• 6 The Growth of Irreligious Ideas
• 7 Worshipping Natural Elements
• 8 Worshipping Imaginary Idols
• 9 Worshipping Human Beings
• 10 Inventing Relationship to God
• 11 Inventing the Idea of Reincarnation
• 12 Inventing the Theory of Evolution (Darwinism)
• 13 Inventing ‘Nature’ as the Creator of the Universe
• 14 Importance of Religion in this Secular World
• ISLAM AS A RELIGION
• 15 Addressing the Criticisms of Islam
• 16 Islam as a Magnet for the Non-Muslims
• 17 The Quran as the Original Divine Book
• 18 The Quranic Reality in Archeological Findings
• 19 Muhammad (pbuh) as the Great Prophet
• 20 Islam as the True Religion
• 21 Islam as the Universal Religion
• 22 Islam as the Eternal Religion
• 23 Islam as a Practicable Religion
• 24 Islam as an Enjoyable Religion
• 25 Islam as the Peaceful & Savior Religion
• 26 Islam as the Progressive & Rational Religion
• 27 Islam in Health & Hygiene
• 28 Islam in Promotion of Science
• 29 Muslims in Practices of Science
• 30 Islam & Other Monotheisms: Similarities & Differences
• 31 Islamic Tolerance for Other Religions
• 32 Islamic Rights for Non-Muslim Citizens
• ISLAM AS A WAY OF LIFE
• 33 Islamic System vs. Human Ideologies
• 34 Moral & Social Impacts of Islamic Rituals
• 35 Moral Discipline in Islam
• 36 Sinning of 3 W’s: Women, Wine and Wealth
• 37 Dignity & Equality of Man in Islam
• 38 Human Rights in Islam
• 39 Social Duties in Islam
• 40 Dignity & Rights of Labor in Islam
• 41 Dignity of Women in Islam
• 42 Rights of Women in Islam
• 43 Marriage & Family Life in Islam
• 44 Political Philosophy in Islam
• 45 Economic Principles in Islam
• 46 Islamic Economy vs. Capitalism & Communism
• 47 Patriotism & Internationalism in Islam
• 48 Understanding Controversial Issues in Islam
• 49 Conversion to Islam: Problems & Prospects
• 50 Conclusive Message to the Non-Muslims

24: ISLAM AS AN ENJOYABLE RELIGION

Introduction: Islam not only recognizes the basic needs of human life by legalizing all “good and pure things” (5:5) but also approves a broad range of facilities for your legal enjoyment.  By charting a middle course between Buddhist philosophy of self-control or self-denial and Western culture of extravagance or ultra-liberalism, Islam stands out as an exception among religions. God vented displeasure at monastic practices of giving up “(His) beautiful (gifts)” like grateful consumption of beautiful house, clothes, wife etc. or  practicing vegetarian culture with lifelong abandonment of “clean and pure sustenance” like protein rich, delicious and nutritious food (7:32).
(1)  Marriage:  Islam calls upon people to discard the hard celibate life of a monk or monasticism (57:27) and reap benefits of family and social life.  In particular, it encourages all people to satisfy their sexual needs legally through marriage and enjoy other benefits of family life.  By contrast, the Catholicism keeps the door of beneficial marriage closed to their priests who choose the stealthy way of feeding their sexual hunger often through same gender sexuality particularly by abusing the innocent children. 

(2)  Food:  Islam hates poverty but not the poor.  It therefore requires you to try your level best to overcome poverty and gain solvency through honest earning.  It allows you to “enjoy of the sustenance He provides” (67:15) from a long list of lawful food.  Only a few items i.e. pork and flesh of certain animals, carcass, blood, alcohol etc. are disqualified as food on moral or spiritual grounds.  Subject to these exceptions, you are not only allowed but also encouraged to take any nutritious and delicious food, if earned legally and “not wasted” (7:31).  In one context, the Quran highlights the value of good food, saying “Let him find out the best food” so you can “satisfy your hunger therewith” (18:19). Be reminded that the Prophet’s food menu included delicious/healthy items like milk, meat, honey, fruit, sweet, vegetables, pumpkin, black seed and many more.

(3)  Clothing:  Islam does not appreciate people wearing torn or dirty clothes as a mark of self-restraint or abnormal mentality and asks you to “keep your garments free from stain” (74:4). Rather it recommends the use of proper and “decent clothing” for (a) prayer (7:31); (b) “covering shame” (7:26); (c) “adorning” the body (7:26) and (d) protecting the body from climatic extremities (16:81).  The Prophet insisted on wearing clothes specific to your own gender: male or female. For example, lipstick, necklace, earring, bracelet etc. are for use by female only.  Legitimacy of ornaments made of gold for the females comes from Quranic citation about girls “grown up in ornaments” (43:18) and the Prophet’s approval of gold jewelry for female-only members of his family. Prohibition applies to wearing tight and glassy clothes for both the sexes and use of silk is allowed for the females only.  Subject to these few restrictions, you may freely choose your wears based on local fashion, climate or other considerations.  This may be simple white plain clothes used by the Prophet. At the other end of spectrum, it is also permissible to wear reasonably expensive, beautiful clothes usually during festive occasions, without wasting (e.g. using only once before throwing away) and with a feeling of gratitude to God rather than arrogance. However, distorting your body part to upgrade your appearance for non-essential purposes (e.g. engraving tattoo on your body) is not consistent with Islam.

(4) Decent & Refined Choice:  Islam is liberal enough to endorse the choice and style that are both decent and refined.  For example, the Prophet loved flowers, smelt fragrance, used mirror and comb to trim up hair and beard, donned green clothes with stripes, chose colored window screen, used silver made finger ring and silver handle for his sword etc. All these are few samples from comprehensive package of objects and practices permissible for the Muslims based on the Prophet’s tradition. Notwithstanding, his above sense of decency will be at odds with examples like tearing holes into your brand new clothes for attracting eyes to narrow window of your skin.

(5)  Festivals:  On certain festivals/occasions like Eid day, wedding party etc. Islam not only allows but also encourages legal fun and amusement.  The Prophet allowed some fun cultures and encouraged feasting during wedding, Eid etc. Similarly, the importance of festive mood and pleasure is generally recognized by suspending fasting and optional morning prayers during both Eid festivals. The means of amusement during these types of festivals may include wearing new clothes, eating rich food, visiting relatives, attending parties, enjoying picnics, fun rides, park or excursion trips and the like that do not transgress Islamic norms.

(6) Recreation &Amusement:  There is considerable scope for recreation and amusement in Islam.  The Prophet prayed "O God! I seek relief from agonies and affliction" (Hadith).  He always tried to be in good frame of mind and wearing smiles.  This highlights the importance of leisure to overcome exhaustion from hard work. He sometimes cut innocent jokes that showed his humorous side while dealing with his wives and other persons.  Now follow some examples from the Hadith.

Once an old woman was utterly disappointed for hearing from the Prophet -"The aged ones will not be allowed in the Paradise".  He then explained, "The old people will change into youth before entering the Paradise".  In another instance, the Prophet once offered to give a camel calf to a man in response to his request for a camel.  He then cleared his concern by explaining that every camel is the offspring of mother camel.  On another occasion, he addressed someone as a "man with two ears” since all man have two ears.  Needless to say, these jokes exclusively aimed at pleasing the mind while not anyway violating the truth or hurting feelings of others. 

(7) Games & Sports:  In recognition of physical value of games and sports, the Prophet allowed his companions to play games like sprint, horse racing, arrow throwing, lance throwing and wrestling among others.  This tradition extends legitimacy to other games of the present day if they do not violate Islamic rules like by conflicting with prayer time, exposing secret parts (ex: from navel to knee for men), endangering life etc. By way of example, these conditions are better met by games like cricket rather than boxing, bull fight, gladiator fight etc. Likewise, a broad range of games and sports like basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer, archery, weight lifting, body building, martial arts, long jump, high jump, table tennis, squash etc. are permissible if conducted in gender segregated environment and without hurting major Islamic values.  Lending legitimacy to such sports cultures, the Prophet allowed his wife Aisha ® (wearing Islamic dress) watch games and dances performed by the Abyssinians. Also he himself participated in a playful sprint with the same wife. 

(8) Other Entertainment Cultures:  Islam inspires “traveling through the land” so you can “learn wisdom” and can see the wonders of God’s “creation” as well as sense “the consequences” of the sinners (22:46; 29:20; 27:69).  Hunting of “animals” in order to “eat the catch” through proper slaughtering is an approved practice (5:4). Poetry, oratory, etc. were favored Arabian cultures which are allowed if the contents avoid sexual incitement, falsehood or other negatives. The Quran itself is an extraordinary literary work with abundance in rhythm.  Islam has a rich tradition in architecture and calligraphy (writing art) now visible in well-designed mosques across the world. Taking photographs or drawing pictures of lifeless natural objects is allowed and so is also the photography of living beings in necessary cases like using for identity card, passport, court evidence or education etc.
  
  Songs are allowed if the wordings are not sex-stimulative or otherwise sin promotional. These have clearances in positive cases like praising God (‘hamd’), boosting morale of the soldiers, entertaining spouse or healing boredom, as some examples.  Be reminded that the Prophet did allow some boys to play upon a particular type of instrument named ‘daf’ in celebration of a festival.  Islam, however, is cool on overdoing songs and/or music or choosing them as lifelong career goals for their possible distraction from God’s remembrance. 

Conclusion:  It is therefore evident from the above that Islam endorses a comprehensive package of fun cultures and entertainment facilities as long as these do not cross the boundary of morality or humanity.