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The Superiority of Islamic Legislation and Laws (Shariah)
The Superiority of Islamic Legislation and Laws (Shariah)
The wisdom and purpose behind Divine legislation may not appear in full to
mankind in any particular generation. Furthermore, it is very difficult to give a full
discussion of what we ourselves see of this wisdom. Therefore, we will only give
brief hints.
God’s law represents a complete way of life, which regulates and directs all
aspects of human life in whatever stage and shape it finds them. This way of life
relies on an infallible and true knowledge of man and his needs, and of the universe
in which man lives and the laws that control the universe and human existence. As
such, it does not ignore any matter of importance to human life. It does not allow or
give rise to any destructive conflict between the different types of human activity or
between such activity and natural laws. The reverse is true: it establishes proper
balance and fine harmony. These can never result from any man-made system, since
man’s knowledge is confined to what is within human knowledge at a particular
time. Any system which man devises must reflect human ignorance and lead to some
conflict between different aspects of human activity. This will inevitably lead to
violent shake-ups.
The Islamic system sets absolute justice as its goal. For one thing, it is God alone
who knows how and by what means absolute justice can be established. For another,
God is the Lord of all and He can establish justice between all. The system He lays
down and the law He promulgates are free of prejudice, imbalance, extremism or
ignorance. This cannot be said of any system or law which man devises, since man is
influenced by his own prejudices, caprice and desire, and his vision is hampered by
his imperfect knowledge. This applies to all human laws, whether they are enacted
by an individual, a class, a nation or a generation. In no situation can man be free of
his prejudices and desires and in none can he have perfect knowledge or a
comprehensive, profound and perfect insight, not even in a single case for which a
law is required.
Moreover, the Islamic system is in perfect harmony with the laws which govern
the universe, because it is devised by the Creator of both the universe and man.
When the Creator legislates for man, He treats him as an agent in this universe who
has control over certain elements made subservient to him by the will of His Lord, on
condition that he follows His guidance and learns the nature of these elements and
the laws regulating them. This produces harmony between man and the universe in
which he lives. The law which regulates human life acquires, then, a universal aspect
to enable man to deal with all living things and objects in the whole universe on the
basis of this law. Let us not forget in this context that man cannot break away from
this universe. It is inevitable that he will have to deal with it on the basis of a proper
and sound system.
Furthermore, the Islamic system is the only one which liberates man from
subjugation by others. In all other systems, some people are subservient to others,
and some look up to others. Only under the Islamic system do all people share the
same position of being servants of God alone.
As we have explained, the most fundamental aspect of Godhead is legislation.
When someone enacts legislation for a human community, he claims for himself the
position of Godhead. People in that community become his servants instead of being
God’s servants. By giving the authority to legislate to God alone, Islam declares the
liberation of mankind, or indeed, the rebirth of man. For man does not come into real
existence unless he is liberated from subservience to another man and unless all
human beings stand on an equal footing in front of the Lord of mankind.
This question which is fully discussed in the present passage is the top and most
important question of faith. It is the question of Godhood and servitude, justice,
freedom, equality and proper existence.
The state of darkness, as used in an Islamic context, does not refer to a particular
period of history. Rather, it refers to a particular condition, which may be present in
any period of time. In essence, it signifies making law and legislation subject to
human desires, not to the Divine system. It is immaterial whether these desires are
those of an individual, a class, a nation or a generation. They remain human desires.
An individual may enact laws for a certain community and the result is that the
community lives in darkness because his desire or his opinion becomes the law. A
class may legislate for the rest of the community and the result is darkness
enshrouding its whole life because the interests of that class become law, or let us
say, the opinion of the parliamentary majority become law. The representatives of all
classes and all sectors in the nation may legislate for themselves, and the result is the
same darkness engulfing the whole of life, because the desires of human beings and
their imperfect knowledge become law, since people cannot be without prejudices
and cannot acquire perfect knowledge. Or it may be the people’s view that is the law.
And a group of nations may legislate for mankind, but the result is still the same,
because the national goals of those nations, or indeed the views of the international
community become law. In each one of these situations, the difference is only in
words.
But when the Creator of individuals, communities, nations and generations,
legislates for all, the result is a Divine law which does not favour an individual, a
community, a nation or a generation at the expense of others. God is the Lord of all
and He treats them all equally. He knows the nature and the interests of all and He
makes His law serve all their interests and meet all their needs in absolute justice.
When anyone other than God legislates for mankind, people become subservient, be
that person an individual, a class, a nation or the international community. But when
God legislates for mankind, they are all free and equal. They bow in front of no one
whatsoever and they submit to God alone. This explains how serious this question of
legislation in human life and in the life of the universe is. “Should the truth be
subservient to their desires, the heavens and the earth and all those who are in them will
become corrupted.” (23: 71) A judgement according to laws other than that revealed by
God means evil, corruption and turning away from faith, as the Qur’ān itself says.
The wisdom and purpose behind Divine legislation may not appear in full to
mankind in any particular generation. Furthermore, it is very difficult to give a full
discussion of what we ourselves see of this wisdom. Therefore, we will only give
brief hints.
God’s law represents a complete way of life, which regulates and directs all
aspects of human life in whatever stage and shape it finds them. This way of life
relies on an infallible and true knowledge of man and his needs, and of the universe
in which man lives and the laws that control the universe and human existence. As
such, it does not ignore any matter of importance to human life. It does not allow or
give rise to any destructive conflict between the different types of human activity or
between such activity and natural laws. The reverse is true: it establishes proper
balance and fine harmony. These can never result from any man-made system, since
man’s knowledge is confined to what is within human knowledge at a particular
time. Any system which man devises must reflect human ignorance and lead to some
conflict between different aspects of human activity. This will inevitably lead to
violent shake-ups.
The Islamic system sets absolute justice as its goal. For one thing, it is God alone
who knows how and by what means absolute justice can be established. For another,
God is the Lord of all and He can establish justice between all. The system He lays
down and the law He promulgates are free of prejudice, imbalance, extremism or
ignorance. This cannot be said of any system or law which man devises, since man is
influenced by his own prejudices, caprice and desire, and his vision is hampered by
his imperfect knowledge. This applies to all human laws, whether they are enacted
by an individual, a class, a nation or a generation. In no situation can man be free of
his prejudices and desires and in none can he have perfect knowledge or a
comprehensive, profound and perfect insight, not even in a single case for which a
law is required.
Moreover, the Islamic system is in perfect harmony with the laws which govern
the universe, because it is devised by the Creator of both the universe and man.
When the Creator legislates for man, He treats him as an agent in this universe who
has control over certain elements made subservient to him by the will of His Lord, on
condition that he follows His guidance and learns the nature of these elements and
the laws regulating them. This produces harmony between man and the universe in
which he lives. The law which regulates human life acquires, then, a universal aspect
to enable man to deal with all living things and objects in the whole universe on the
basis of this law. Let us not forget in this context that man cannot break away from
this universe. It is inevitable that he will have to deal with it on the basis of a proper
and sound system.
Furthermore, the Islamic system is the only one which liberates man from
subjugation by others. In all other systems, some people are subservient to others,
and some look up to others. Only under the Islamic system do all people share the
same position of being servants of God alone.
As we have explained, the most fundamental aspect of Godhead is legislation.
When someone enacts legislation for a human community, he claims for himself the
position of Godhead. People in that community become his servants instead of being
God’s servants. By giving the authority to legislate to God alone, Islam declares the
liberation of mankind, or indeed, the rebirth of man. For man does not come into real
existence unless he is liberated from subservience to another man and unless all
human beings stand on an equal footing in front of the Lord of mankind.
This question which is fully discussed in the present passage is the top and most
important question of faith. It is the question of Godhood and servitude, justice,
freedom, equality and proper existence.
The state of darkness, as used in an Islamic context, does not refer to a particular
period of history. Rather, it refers to a particular condition, which may be present in
any period of time. In essence, it signifies making law and legislation subject to
human desires, not to the Divine system. It is immaterial whether these desires are
those of an individual, a class, a nation or a generation. They remain human desires.
An individual may enact laws for a certain community and the result is that the
community lives in darkness because his desire or his opinion becomes the law. A
class may legislate for the rest of the community and the result is darkness
enshrouding its whole life because the interests of that class become law, or let us
say, the opinion of the parliamentary majority become law. The representatives of all
classes and all sectors in the nation may legislate for themselves, and the result is the
same darkness engulfing the whole of life, because the desires of human beings and
their imperfect knowledge become law, since people cannot be without prejudices
and cannot acquire perfect knowledge. Or it may be the people’s view that is the law.
And a group of nations may legislate for mankind, but the result is still the same,
because the national goals of those nations, or indeed the views of the international
community become law. In each one of these situations, the difference is only in
words.
But when the Creator of individuals, communities, nations and generations,
legislates for all, the result is a Divine law which does not favour an individual, a
community, a nation or a generation at the expense of others. God is the Lord of all
and He treats them all equally. He knows the nature and the interests of all and He
makes His law serve all their interests and meet all their needs in absolute justice.
When anyone other than God legislates for mankind, people become subservient, be
that person an individual, a class, a nation or the international community. But when
God legislates for mankind, they are all free and equal. They bow in front of no one
whatsoever and they submit to God alone. This explains how serious this question of
legislation in human life and in the life of the universe is. “Should the truth be
subservient to their desires, the heavens and the earth and all those who are in them will
become corrupted.” (23: 71) A judgement according to laws other than that revealed by
God means evil, corruption and turning away from faith, as the Qur’ān itself says.
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