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Islamic Ideology ( 24 May 2023, NewAgeIslam.Com)

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An Overview Of Freedom Which Is A Core Islamic Principle And A Prerequisite For Human Dignity - Part – 2

By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam

 24 May 2023

Understanding the Concept of Freedom, a Fundamental Islamic Value

 Main Points

1.    Islam emphasised freedom in its teachings and granted it to its followers, making it the first and most important turning point in human history.

2.    Understanding the underlying causes of the French Revolution is essential for understanding freedom.

3.    Thinkers have different views on the concept of freedom.

4.    Slavery is the most obvious opposition to freedom.

5.    Tyranny is the worst issue facing any country.

6.    Rousseau divided freedom into four types: Natural, Civil, Political and Moral.

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 Freedom, which is also what humanity most needs, is one of the greatest gifts of Islam. Islamic perspective on freedom was therefore clear-cut and straightforward from the beginning. Islam not only emphasised freedom in its teachings but also granted it to its followers. What is the meaning of the word "freedom"? What is the purpose of freedom, and what are its tenets? What are the demands on freedom and its requirements? Thus, in terms of freedom, Islam constitutes the first and most important turning point in human history. Another crucial turning point on the road to freedom is the French Revolution. But if the underlying causes are understood, it will be simple to comprehend the entire discourse on freedom.

There are two key causes or factors behind the freedom that resulted from the French Revolution and is widespread in both the Western world and the entire modern world today. One reason is that there was a backlash against the entire situation when exploitation and tyranny rose to unconscionable heights and all traces of freedom were completely eliminated from society.

Another important cause that contributed to the backlash is the familiarity with the concept of freedom prescribed by Islam and how it was used. The original notion and objective of freedom, or the original light from whence the rays of freedom were emanating, were not employed in this usage, even if the manifestations of freedom were largely utilised. Because of this, even while the West has a great deal of freedom, man lacks the understanding of how to use that freedom wisely or what should be its purpose.

Crucial life decisions, whether they relate to the political and economic system or other facets of daily life, are, nevertheless, also susceptible to error as a result of this freedom and ignorance of the divine revelation.  Similarly, there is a shocking lack of restraint when it comes to freedom in the West. There is a group that simply advocates for individual freedom, believing that society and collectivity have approximately no status. On the other hand, collectivity is placed in such high regard that individual freedom is given little consideration.

Understanding The Concept Of Freedom

Various individuals have offered varying but related viewpoints on the concept and meaning of freedom. One of the most well-known definitions was offered by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a well-known writer and philosopher in the West who is regarded as one of the leading experts on freedom. According to Rousseau, every man should be allowed to make his own decisions about what he wants to accomplish. In other words, no man should be forced to impose his choice on himself or be given the chance to impose a choice on another person.

Immanuel Kant, who is regarded as a key figure in the development of Western culture and modernity, adds a new component to the idea of freedom. He asserts that the only decision a man should make regarding his course of conduct is the one that is morally and logically best for him. That is, nothing should be imposed upon man by anyone, including societal conventions, historical precedents, desires, or delusions; rather, man should make his own choices based on reason. Even if he makes a decision without using reason, it will be against freedom because he wasn't forced to make the decision; instead, his internal enslavement to desires and superstitions caused him to make the decision.

Consideration and acting in accordance with that consideration are the two primary elements of freedom. One also tries to understand freedom from its opponent in order to better comprehend it. 

The most obvious opposition to freedom is slavery, which is when a person is made the property of another person to be used as his or her servant like cattle and to be sold or given away anytime he or she pleases.

Tyranny is yet another significant opponent of freedom. Tyranny is when one person or group of individuals has total control over the rest of the population and imposes rules that suit their preferences. According to renowned Islamic thinker Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakbi, tyranny, particularly political tyranny, is the worst issue facing any country. According to Kawakbi, tyranny is related to many significant spheres of life, including political tyranny, in which one group dominates national politics, religious tyranny, in which one class monopolises religion and uses it for its own interests, academic tyranny, in which one group decides what is right and wrong in the scientific community, financial tyranny, in which one group controls all of society's wealth, etc.

One of the antipodes of freedom is colonialism, in which one government or nation uses force to rule over another. English and French colonialism, which in the recent past used force to maintain their dominance over multiple countries and only partially freed them after robbing them of most of their wealth, are two notable examples of this.

Another antithesis of freedom is coercion, or the act of forcing or compelling someone to do or not do something.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) divided freedom into four types: Natural freedom, civil freedom or social freedom, political freedom or democratic freedom and moral freedom. According to Rousseau, the first type of freedom is related to the condition of man when he does not form a part of society. Rather, in other words, he does not meet the full meaning of humanity. This freedom is that which has no restriction, no law and no morality. Therefore, it is the concept of freedom that is neither executable nor acceptable in any human society. Instead, Rousseau developed this category to comprehend the historical causes and influences that led to humans developing into society, as though its need and importance were limited to a philosophical level. The latter three types truly deal with the subject and examine it from various angles.

Civil or social freedom is the autonomy each member of society should have over his or her own life. It encompasses freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of thought, and freedom to make decisions for oneself. Political freedom is the complete public engagement in political decision-making and the protection of collective freedom. Thus, political freedom places a greater emphasis on collectivity whereas social freedom places a greater emphasis on individualism.

Another significant sort of freedom is moral freedom, which refers to a person's freedom from a moral and legal perspective to be constrained by laws and moral standards. As a result, it's also important to remember the rule that says we should only use our freedom to do things that are not wrong or difficult for someone else to exercise. Alternatively said, giving full thought to morality in light of freedom.

Rousseau, therefore, claims that the social contract is actually a solution to the fundamental conundrum of how to come together and coexist in such a way that each person, although being with everyone, has his or her own freedom, has free will, and is able to live a life. People create laws with mutual consent in order to make this thing possible. And the creation and application of these laws are fundamentally influenced by ethics. All facets of freedom were mentioned and explored in the framework of freedom by Rousseau, but most latest theorists tended to concentrate on a single component while ignoring the others. Pure individualism or pure collectivism was therefore more common ideas.

John Rawls, a leading figure in modern philosophy and political science, mentions two essential liberties: political liberty and liberty of conscience. Political liberty includes full and equal participation in politics, whether it concerns enacting legislation or managing and establishing a government. The first liberty covers the freedoms of thought, religion, and lifestyle. In terms of freedom, norms should, nevertheless, give justice and group interests more weight. In other words, freedom should be seen as a societal goal that applies to all of society as opposed to being seen as a particular trait.

(Continued)

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Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam.

 Part One:  An Overview Of Freedom Which Is A Core Islamic Principle And A Prerequisite For Human Dignity - Part – 1

 

URL:   https://newageislam.com/islamic-ideology/freedom-islamic-principle-human-dignity-part-2-/d/129845

 

 

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