Difference Between Deen and Religion Madhab

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEEN AND RELIGION/MADHAB RELIGION/MADHAB 1. Introduction: Introduction: Religion Religion deals with man’s relationshi relationship p with God whereas whereas Deen means man’s man’s relation relation with God and his fellow beings. Deen cover all aspects of human life while religion deals with private affairs of life. There Islam is not only a religion but also a Deen. Deen and Religion is clarified but prior to this a deliberation over the meaning and interpretation of both the words should be opted for only to facilitate a better understanding of the subsequent matter.  Allah says in the holy uran !erily !erily the Deen in the sight of Allah Allah is only Islam Islam "Inn-ud-dina ind Allah hil Islam.# Islam.# According to "Religion is a set of doctrine$ Rituals and ethics#. %Lord North Burning & "There is no living religion without something li'e a doctrine. (n the other hand$ a doctrine $ however  elaborate$ does not constitute a religion# %C.P.Tsele& C.P.Tsele&  A monastic monastic or religious order sub)ect to a regulated mode of life* life* the religious state* state* as$ to enter religion. %Chaucer & •

"Deen# means absolute sovereignty %of Allah&.

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"Deen# means absolute submission %of man to the absolute sovereign&.

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"Deen# indicate reward and accountability.

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"Deen# e+presses a way of life or a code of conduct.

It was e+igently )ust that the believers of Islam should have accepted and introduced Deen i.e.$ Deen,e, Islam as the Islamic law and way of life but that was not done. (n the contrary$ a self,invented word$ -ahab was opted for against /Deen’$ the proof of which is there in neither the 0oly ur’an nor any 1rophetic tradition. Deen has been chosen by Allah %23T&. "Indeed Allah has chosen for you this Deen4# %Al,5aqara 67896& . (nly Deen will be accepted and whoever desires other than Islam as religion , never will it be accepted from him$ and he$ in the 0ereafter$ will be among the losers. %Aal,Imran 97:;&. %Al,Anfal %Al,Anfal :79 grants him =iqh in Deen %full understanding of Deen,e,Islaam&.# %2ahih 5uqari ? 2ahih -uslim& -ahab . The 1resent day situation is an illustration of the same. "Indeed$ those who have divided their religion and become sects , you$ @( -uhammad$ are not @associated with them in anything. Their affair is only @left to  Allah* then 0e will will inform them about about what they used to do.#

Difference Between Deen and Religion/Madhab

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2. D!"inition o" R!#igion:  A set of beliefs concerning the cause$ nature$ and purpose of the universe$ especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies$ usually involving devotional and ritual observances$ and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

$. D!"inition o" D!!n:  A system of life where ABBA0 is worshipped and obeyed$ not )ust in the narrow religious sense$ but in a manner that includes all aspects of human life.

%. Di""!r!nc! &!t'!!n D!!n (nd R!#igion/M(d)(&: i. *tor! o" *u&+!cti,! E-!ri!nc!: Religion is merely some store of sub)ective e+perience and is concerned only with the so,called private relationship between God and man. Deen is an ob)ective reality and a system of collective life.

ii. Counion 'it) A#ig)t0: >very follower of a Religion is satisfied that he has established a communion with Almighty$ and the ob)ective of each individual is his own salvation. The aim of deen$ on the other hand$ is the welfare and progress of all man'ind$ and the character and constitution of a society indicates whether or not it is founded upon the Divine Baw.

iii. Not A""ord (n0 O&+!cti,! Crit!rion: Religion does not afford us any ob)ective criterion by which we could determine whether or not our actions are producing the desired results. In a social order governed by deen$ development of a collective and harmonious life correctly indicates whether or not the people are pursuing the right course i,. Hoti#! to *ci!nti"ic In,!tig(tion: Religion is hostile to scientific investigation and is an adversary of reason$ so that it could flourish unhampered with the aid of a blind faith. Deen helps in the development of human reason and 'nowledge$ allows full freedom to accept or re)ect on the basis of reason and arguments$ and encourages investigation and discovery of all the natural phenomena to illumine the path of human life and its advancement in the light of 1ermanent !alues.

,. Fo##o' t)! *uc!ti&i#iti!: Religion follows the susceptibilities and pre)udice of men and pampers them. Deen see's to lead men to a path of life that is in harmony with the realities of life.

,i. N!' Ido# (nd Mu&o3u&o: In every age$ therefore$ Religion sets up new idols and mumbo,)umbos in order to 'eep the people’s attention away from the real problem of life. 5ut deen is rational and radical7 it brea's all idols$ old and new$ and is never variable in its principles.

,ii. 4!r!tu(# *!n! o" F!(r: Religion induces a perpetual sense of fear in the minds of men and see's to frighten them into conformity. 3hile deen treats fear as a form of polytheism and see's to ma'e men courageous$ daring and self, reliant.

,iii. To Bo' E,!r0 *!(t o" Aut)orit0 (nd 4r!tig!: Religion prompts men to bow before every seat of authority and prestige$ religious as well as temporal. Deen encourages man to wal' about with his head erect$ and attain self,confidence.

i-. Tr!(t t)! M(tt!r 'it) Cont!t: Religion treats the world of matter with contempt and calls upon man to renounce it. It promises paradise only in the hereafter as a reward for the renunciation of the material world. Deen$ on the other hand$ en)oins the conquest of matter and leads man to measurable heights of attainment. It e+horts him to see' well,being and happiness in this world as well as felicity in the life hereafter.

-. B!#i!" in 4r!D!tin(tion: Religion encourages belief in fatalism %pre,destination&$ and this tends to dissuade man from active life and self,development. Deen gives man power to challenge fate$ and provides energy for a life of activity and self,development.

-i. *!!5 to Co"ort t)! W!(5:

Difference Between Deen and Religion/Madhab 26 Religion see's to comfort the wea'$ the helpless and the oppressed with the belief that the affairs of this world are governed by the will of God and that its acceptance and resignation helps to endear them to God. This sort of teaching naturally tends to morbidity$ and emboldens their religious leaders who profess to interpret the 3ill of God$ so that they indulge in their misdeeds with perfect impunity and persuade the adherents to a complete and quiet submission. Deen$ on the other hand$ raises the banner of revolt against all forms of tyranny and e+ploitation. It calls upon the wea' and the oppressed to follow the Divine Baws and thereby see' to establish a social order in which all tyrants and oppressors will be forced to accept the dictates of right and )ustice. In this social order$ there is no place for dictators$ capitalists or  priests. They are all enemies of Deen.

-ii. R!#igiou M!dit(tion: Religion en)oins religious meditation in the name of worship and thus induces self,deception. Deen e+horts men to assert themselves and struggle perpetually for the establishment of the Divine 2ocial (rder$ and its betterment when attained. 3orship in Deen really means obedience to the Baws of Allah.

-iii. Fro'n (nd *n!!r: Religion frowns and sneers at all things of arts and beauty. Deen defies those who forbid the en)oyment of  the good and beautiful things of life which God has created for the en)oyment of man.

-i,. D!nounc! E,!r0t)ing: Religion denounces everything new and declares all innovation as sin. Deen holds that the needs and demands of human life 'eep changing with the change in the conditions of life* change and innovation are$ therefore$ demanded by life itself. (nly the Divine Baws are immutable.

. An(#0! &0 Dr. Ir(r A)(d The words Deen and -adhab are entirely different from each other with regard to their underlying concepts. Although in our part of the world we generally refer to Islam as -adhab %religion&$ yet what is interesting indeed is the fact that the word -adhab has never once been used in the entire treasury of the uranic te+t and Ahadeeth literatureC Instead$ the word that has almost always been used for Islam in the original sources is Deen. The fundamental difference between the two terms must be understood. -adhab$ or religion$ is a term used for a set of beliefs and rituals of worship. (n the other hand$ Deen refers to an entire way of life that pervades all aspects of life. In other words$ as compared to -adhab$ Deen is a far more comprehensive$ all,encompassing reality. 3ith this bac'drop$ it will perhaps not be entirely correct to say that Islam is not a -adhab %religion&$ because all of the elements of a -adhab are certainly part and parcel of Islam  it includes the articles of belief$ spirituality$ and the etiquettes of worship %2alah$ 2aum$ Ea'ah and 0a))&. 0ence$ it would be more accurate to say that Islam is not merely a -adhab$ but an entire code of life %Deen&. It not only offers whatever constitutes religion$ but is endowed with the elements of a complete way of life. 0ence$ Islam is$ essentially$ Deen. In this conte+t$ it must also be understood that while several religions can co,e+ist at a time in a particular  region of the world$ there can only be a single Deen %way of life&. It is not possible$ for instance$ for  capitalism and communism to coe+ist in a country at the same time. (nly one will be dominant and prevail over others. 2imilarly$ monarchy and democracy cannot simultaneously be established in a country. A system can either be based on the law of Allah %swt&$ or it will be against the law of Allah %swt&. There cannot be two parallel systems$ although there can be several religions co,e+isting at a time in a certain place. The only e+ception can be made in the case of a single dominant system ascendant above all$ subservient to which$ all shrun'en up and sidelined$ may e+ist other systems. Allama Iqbal said7 "In a state of enslavement$ it is reduced to a single$ small droplet F The very same life which$ when freed$ becomes a ceaseless$ shoreless torrentC# 3hen Deen is sub)ugated$ it is reduced to mere religion. At the high point of Islamic history$ Islam was the single dominant system$ under which e+isted hristianity$ Hudaism$ -agianism and other creeds as religions. They were given this allowance on the clearly laid out condition to pay a nominal ta+ %Hiya& and accept their subservience to the ascendant system$ as said in 2urah At,Taubah7 "=ight4 until they pay the Hiya with willing submission$ and feel themselves subdued.# %At,Taubah