| A comparative study of religion and Deen, should help | | | | ? Religion treats the world of matter with contempt |
| us understand the vital and fundamental | | | | and calls upon man to renounce it. It promises |
| characteristics of each and the differences between | | | | paradise only in the Hereafter as a reward for the |
| the two: "Religion & Deen (Islam)" | | | | renunciation of the material world. Deen, on the other |
| ? Religion is merely some sort of subjective | | | | hand, enjoins the conquest of matter and leads man |
| experience and is concerned only with the so-called | | | | to immeasurable heights of attainment. It exhorts him |
| private relationship between God and man. Deen is an | | | | to seek well-being and happiness in this world as well |
| objective reality and a system of collective life. Every | | | | as felicity in the life Hereafter. |
| follower of a Religion is satisfied that he has | | | | ? Religion encourages belief in fatalism, and this tends |
| established a communion with the Almighty, and the | | | | to dissuade man from active life and |
| objective of each individual is his own salvation. The | | | | self-development. Deen gives man power to |
| aim of Deen on the other hand is the welfare and | | | | challenge fate, and provides energy for a life of |
| progress of all mankind, and the character and | | | | activity and self-development. |
| constitution of a society indicates whether or not it is | | | | ? Religion seeks to comfort the weak, the helpless |
| founded upon the Divine Law. | | | | and the oppressed with the belief that the affairs of |
| ? Religion does not afford us any objective. criterion | | | | this world are governed by the Will of God and that |
| by which we could determine whether or not our | | | | its acceptance and resignation helps to endear them |
| actions are producing the desired results. In a social | | | | to God. This sort of teaching naturally tends to |
| order governed by Deen, the development of a | | | | morbidity, and emboldens their religious leaders who |
| collective and harmonious life correctly indicates | | | | profess to interpret the Will of God, so that they |
| whether or not the people are pursuing the right | | | | indulge in their misdeeds with perfect impunity and |
| course. | | | | persuade the adherents to a complete and quiet |
| ? Religion is hostile to scientific investigation and is an | | | | submission. Deen, on the other hand, raises the |
| adversary of reason, so that it could flourish | | | | banner of revolt against all forms of tyranny and |
| unhampered with the aid of a blind faith. Deen helps | | | | exploitation. It calls upon the weak and the |
| in the development of human reason and knowledge, | | | | oppressed to follow the Divine Laws and thereby |
| allows full freedom to accept or reject on the basis | | | | seek to establish a social order in which all tyrants |
| of reason and arguments, and encourages | | | | and oppressors will be forced to accept the dictates |
| investigation and discovery of all the natural | | | | of right and justice. In this social order, there is no |
| phenomena to illumine the path of human life and its | | | | place for dictators, capitalists or priests. They are all |
| advancement in the light of the Permanent Values. | | | | enemies of Deen. |
| ? Religion follows the susceptibilities and prejudices of | | | | ? Religion enjoins religious meditation in the name of |
| men and pampers them. Deen seeks to lead men to | | | | worship and thus induces self-deception. Deen |
| a path of life that is in harmony with the realities of | | | | exhorts men to assert themselves and struggle |
| life. | | | | perpetually for the establishment of the Divine Social |
| ? In every age, therefore, Religion sets up new idols | | | | Order, and its betterment when attained. Worship in |
| and mumbo-jumbos in order to keep the people's | | | | din really means obedience to the Laws of God. |
| attention away from the real problems of life. But | | | | ? Religion frowns and sneers at all things of art and |
| Deen is rational and radical: it breaks all idols, old and | | | | beauty. Deen defies those who forbid the enjoyment |
| new, and is never variable in its principles. | | | | of the good and beautiful things of life which God |
| ? Religion induces a perpetual sense of fear in the | | | | has created for the enjoyment of man. |
| minds of men and seeks to frighten them into | | | | ? Religion denounces everything new and declares all |
| conformity; While Deen treats fear as a form of | | | | innovation as sin. Deen holds that the needs and |
| polytheism and seeks to make men courageous, | | | | demands of human life keep changing with the |
| daring and self-reliant. | | | | change in the conditions of life; change and innovation |
| ? Religion prompts men to bow before every seat of | | | | are, therefore, demanded by life itself. Only the |
| authority and prestige, religious as well as temporal. | | | | Divine Laws are immutable. |
| Deen encourages man to walk about with his head | | | | It should now be easy for us to see the fundamental |
| erect, and attain self-confidence. | | | | difference between Deen and Religion. Islam means |
| ? Religion induces man to flee from struggle of life. | | | | saying "Yes" to life; while the response of religion is |
| But Deen calls upon him to face the realities of life | | | | "No"! |
| squarely, whatever the hazards. | | | | |