ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islamic Concept of Intermediation (tawassul) Preface Islam is a comprehensive religion as it covers all aspects of human life. It is a religion of balance and moderation; it avoids extremes. Other religions overplay one aspect of human life and underplay the other, and are, therefore, lopsided.

For example, in some religions the spiritual component of life is overstressed and man is raised to the level of a mere abstraction; in other religions, the physical and the palpable aspect is overemphasized and man is reduced to the level of an animal or a machine.

Their extremistic attitude not only creates imbalance but also encourages a variety of splits and contradictions, which not only disillusion their more sensitive followers but also give rise to a sense of general apathy, even revulsion, towards their high-sounding claims. Islam acknowledges the relevance of both aspects of human life, the physical and the spiritual. But it does not dissociate them from each other; rather it weaves them into a higher form of unity.

Islam acknowledges the pressure of physical compulsions but it does not give them a free ride. On the other hand, it frames a set of definite rules to channelize them into more positive outlets; similarly, it acknowledges man’s spiritual yearnings and tries to cast them into a mould that is compatible with practical realities.

Thus, by blending man’s basic aspirations and needs into a practicable framework of action and contemplation, it caters most comprehensively to the undeniable reality of human existence. The springboard of Islamic faith is the concept of divine unity, belief in the oneness of Allah. All other values flow from this basic belief. Allah is the Supreme Creator. He has engendered no one nor has He been engendered by anyone.

Anyone who denies divine unity commits the most heinous sin and this sin is unpardonable. All other sins may be condoned by Him but the sin of associating partners with Him cannot be redeemed. Thus, in our present chaotic world, Islam is a message of hope and salvation as it gives a shape and a binding to the sprawling diversity of natural and human phenomena.

People without faith are overawed by this apparent lack of focus and connection but the people of faith are convinced that man’s drifting condition is propelled by a sense of direction, and the first step in that direction is to acknowledge the oneness of the Supreme Creator.