subject: The Natural Impulse of the Mind ( al-Fitrah): Natural Law in Islam [print this page] The Natural Impulse of the Mind ( al-Fitrah): Natural Law in Islam
The principle doctrine of Islam is three-fold namely, to believe in God, to do good and to shun evil. This is identified in Islam as the purpose of man's existence and hence the ultimate goal of the Islamic Umma (Islamic Community).
The ultimate evil is to disbelieve in God, which considered to be the highest of evil, and do evil and shun good. The Umma is identified in the Qur'an as follows:
You are the best of nations evolved to mankind, enjoining what is good and shunning what is evil and believing in God.' 3: 110
Muslims are constantly urged to do good and shun evil. Good doing and evil doing are defined in terms of what man thinks is right and what he thinks is wrong displayed by Islamic Law or (Shari'ah). I
slam refers also to Natural Law, referring to the Fitrah, namely the natural impulse of the mind' in opposition to the natural impulse of base desires and lusts, which is inborn in every human being:
Do you good, as God has been good to you, and do not seek mischief in the land; for God does not love those who do mischief.'
And let there be among you a group who invite to goodness and enjoin what is right and shun what is sinful. And those are the successful.' 3: 104
The pious and righteous (are those who) pardon all men.' 3: 134
O you who believe! Let not a folk deride a folk who may be better than they are, nor let women (deride) women who may be better than they are; neither defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. Bad is the name of lewdness after faith. But whoso turns not in repentance, such are the wrong-doers.' 49: 11
Calling on the path of God should be administered in the best of manner. Three criterions are specified in the Qur'an namely, that of wisdom, that of good sermon and that of good argumentation:
Call (O Muhammad) unto the way of your Lord with wisdom, and good sermon, and reason with them in the best of ways. Verily, your Lord knows best of him who strays away from His Path, and He knows best of those who go aright.' 16: 125
Thus Man is naturally equiped with the impulse of the mind distinguishing between right and wrong and good and evil. It is for man to decide to choose between the two.
Man makes his own destiny: awaiting him the final judgement to be rewarded or punished.
The Natural Impulse of the Mind ( al-Fitrah): Natural Law in Islam
