ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islamic Political Theory (Legislation): Volume 1 Session 6: Freedom in Islam (Part 2) Expressing skepticism on the foundation of historical development of man This skepticism is formed based on the historical development and diversity of human culture and civilization and the transformation of social orders. It must be acknowledged that the social life of mankind throughout history has passed through many critical stages and moments.

In a certain period in human history, slavery was the issue of the day, and the preservation of human civilization and advancement required that weaker and inferior human beings would be slaves of others and subjected to forced labor by the latter.

It is natural that consistent with that period, the relationship between man and God used to be described within the framework of master-servant relationship because some were masters and sovereigns while some were their servants and slaves, and human relations used to be assessed within the framework of the master-servant relationship. As such, just as the weak were considered slaves and servants of the strong and mighty, all human beings were recognized as servants of God, He being the Master.

However, as the system of slavery is now abolished, comparisons to that period are no longer relevant. Nowadays, man does not feel obedient and subservient. He feels he is his own master. So, he says that we are servants and God is the Master, but regards himself as the vicegerent of Allah. He who is the vicegerent of God has no feeling of servitude and is not inclined to receiving orders and obeying God. Rather, he has a feeling of Lordship. God is dismissed and he replaces Him.

He does whatever he likes. This is the age of modernism and the dominance of a new civilization over mankind. We have attained a level of awareness, growth and advancement in which we cannot afford to accept mandatory order, subservience, obedience, and submission to a great entity. We are in pursuit of lordship and mastership. We have gone through the period of obligation and sense of responsibility.

Even if orders, commands and duties are mentioned in the Qur’an as they are, these are related to the age of slavery because when the Prophet ( s ) began his apostleship [ risalah ], a great system was prevalent, and the initial structure of Islam and the relationship of God and the Prophet ( s ) with the people consistent with that system.