The Islamic Ideology

Islam means obedience or submission to the will of God.The will of God is expressed clearly in the religious law.The Holy Quran is the supreme expression of the Islamic law.Apart from the Quranic law,Islamic law includes old customs and traditions which are not against our religion.The life of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him),as a whole,his words and deeds ,is another important source of law,after the Holy Quran.

Islamic law covers all the important aspects of our private life.It guides us about the types of food we may or may not eat,the way we dress ourselves,the relations between men and women, and so on.All these rules of private life go together with prayers and acts of worship.We have to pray five times a day,keep fasts during the holy month of Ramazan and perform other acts of worship like sacrifice at Eid-ul-Azha.Thus,we live remembering God all the time.Perhaps,we know about all this too well.Unfortunately,we don't fully act on the rules of private living given by Islam.

Islam is quite clear about our public life too.It means that it guides us about the duties of the government and the State and our duties towards society.It also guides us about the duties of society towards the individual.

Firstly,the Holy Quran says that full power belongs to God.Therefore,all governments or States become agents of the supreme ruler,that is, God.As such,they have to obey the order of God and frame their laws according to the Holy Quran if they are truly Islamic.

Islam is a religion of true peace,justice and equality.It gives us clear directions in regard to respect for each other's rights in society.It asks us to help the poor and the needy by giving "zakat" regularly.It asks us not to give and take interest.It demands of us to be honest in personal,public and business dealings.

Islam is a flexible religion.It permits us to make use of our reason or mind to suggest solutions for new kinds of social problems.Whatever laws and rules have been given by it in concrete form are for our practical benefit.

We can say with certainty that Islam is a complete social and religious system.It can take us to heights of perfection in this world as well as in the next.

Character is Destiny (Fate)

World history proves that the greatest and lasting achievements and successes of human beings have come through the strength of their character and knowledge.Just as knowledge is power,character is the ability that tells us how to use this power and for what purposes.

Let us discuss how a high,noble and thoroughly positive character can be developed.Firstly,it is a fact that character is inherited(got from one's parents at birth) to some extent.We have often heard of a person being spoken of as noble-minded and good-hearted or good-natured.There lies something in the inner being of an individual that cannot be changed for the better or for the worse by any kind of company,education or training.

Secondly,we should consider the factors that generally affect character development.These are the social surroundings or environment in which a growing person or a student lives.The atmosphere of the place determines character in this sense.

Next,to affect character development are the political and economic conditions of society.If the political leaders are of high character and noble conduct,their thoughts,actions and behavior become shining examples for all fellow citizens.The character-formation of students,especially,is affected.Then,if the country is democratically well established,that is,when in it democratic institutions are respected and promoted,there can be an open atmosphere of discussion,argument,agreement and disagreement.The minds and hearts of young people can be positively influenced and their characters can develop depth and flexibility.If the economic situation of the country is hopeful,agriculture and industry are expanding and jobs are plentiful,positive character development is more possible.The people develop a happy attitude and a work philosophy of effort,struggle and competition.That is why the general character levels of the people the democratic advanced countries like the US,The UK and France in terms of ideas,actions and aims are very high.The high individual characters put together form a Grand National character which determines national destiny or fate.

Destiny,then,is the result or outcome of character whether it is of an individual or a nation.Our own characters and the national character in general will lead us to individual and national successes,result of the use of the scientific method based on experimentation and calculation.

In the modern context,two systems of idealism are need by us in our country-personal and national.Personal idealism should prompt us to achieve our high personal aims in society as teachers scholars,writers,scientists,office or factory workers,soldiers or any kind of professionals.This should make us successful through effort by improving our ability and efficiency.National idealism should be reflected in our literature,the mass media and speeches and talks of our main political leaders.Our people will act to realize their personal and national ideals well if they are properly educated,rightly guided in different directions by teachers and leaders and are strong religiously and spiritually.

Hopefulness-Optimism

Hopefulness is a mental condition in which we expect good results of certain happenings and situations, and feel happy about them.Optimism is a way of thinking which makes us look at the bright side of different situations and makes us expect the b est possible results.

What is hope if we can describe it psychologically?According to William McDougall,it is one of the greatest forces that operates in the mind-something that enters into the structure of character.Hope is in fact associated with desire and love.Tennyson wrote of "the mighty hope that makes us..."

"I am longing to be with you, and by the sea,where we can talk together freely and build our castles in the air."
-Bram Stoker,Dracula

Let us consider the general causes of hopefulness or optimism.Firstly,the qualities that a child inherits from his parents and forefathers determine his mental condition a great deal.There are some qualities like hopefulness,cheerfulness,peaceful nature,hopelessness,sorrowfulness,quarrelsomeness, and so on ,which are part of one's nature.

Secondly,family life at home is,largely,responsible for our hopeful of hopeless attitude towards life.If a child is born into a peaceful,happy and contented family,it can grow up into a boy or girl with an optimistic or hopeful outlook on life.With happiness and hope all around in the home,how can a member of the family avoid being hopeful in life?

"Expectations were like fine pottery.The harder you held them,the more likely they were to crack."
/Brandon Sanderson,The Way of Kings

Thirdly,the social conditions in which a person lives affect his feelings and thinking a lot.If a person lives in a very backward part of the country with narrow roads,broken houses and dirty markets,he will naturally not feel socially satisfied.If,on the other hand,the social surroundings are favorable and the people are happy and satisfied,one living amidst them will also feel happy.

Fourthly,the chance of progress in society,employment opportunities,expanding housing facilities and a proper price level keep all the people happy and hopeful.

Fifthly,the political situation in the country is a great determinant of the level of general and individual happiness and optimism.Who will not like to have a strong,stable and efficient political system like that of the US,Britain,Holland or Switzerland?

"Sometimes the price of dreams is achieving them."
-Michael J.Sullivan,Percepliquis

Social tragedies and natural calamities like fires,accidents,earthquakes,floods and wars are in plenty.Personal tragedies like diseases and deaths in families are no fewer.Frequent crimes and terrorist acts are often are unavoidable because of the inner weaknesses of human beings,social mechanisms and the policies of other countries.The people can face these bravely if they have religious faith and moral strength and enjoy social peace and harmony.

Thus,we can sat the high hopes and expectations are the result of complex social and personal causes.Of course,we can never be hopeful if we are not inwardly satisfied and socially happy.

"Never surrender your hopes and dreams to the fateful limitations others have placed on their own lives.The vision of your true destiny does not reside within the blinkered outlook of the naysayers and the doom prophets.Judge not by their words,but accept advice based on the evidence of actual results.Do not be surprised should you find a complete absence of anything mystical or miraculous in thew manifested reality of those who are so eager to advise you.Friends and family who suffer the lack of abundance,joy,love,fulfillment and prosperity in their own lives really have no business imposing their self-limiting beliefs on your reality experience."
-Anthon St.Maarten