Explanation of Some Important Islamic Terms:
Islamic Concepts & Definitions
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{ Let no people mock another people } (Koran 49: 11).
When the prayer is finished, go forth in the land } (Koran 62:10).
Belief (iman) is incomplete for whoever does not love for his brother what he loves for himself, according to the famous hadith:
"lâ yuminu ahadukum hatta yuhibbu li-akhîhi ma yuhibbu li-nafsihi"
CFH-62
"He is not a believer who does not love for his brother what he loves for himself."
The principles of treating the illnesses of the soul
They are five:
-lightening the stomach by diminishing one's food and drink,
-taking refuge in Allah Most High from the unforeseen when it befalls,
-shunning situations that involve what one fears to fall victim to,
-continually asking for Allah's forgiveness and His blessings
upon the Prophet night and day with full presence of mind,
-and keeping the company of him who guides one to Allah.
Man Is Vice-Regent Of Allah On Earth.
Allah the Creator of the universe created man as the best creature in all creation. He says in the Holy Qur'an:
We have indeed created man in the best of forms.
Sura The Fig (95) verse 4
Sura The Fig (95) verse 4
With the best of forms and due to his particular qualities man was exalted in his position as he was made vice-regent of Allah on earth. Allah even commanded the angels to fall down in obeisance to him. But it was man who took it on to himself to shoulder this big responsibility - amânah - and to discharge the duties as deputy of the Lord, with all the difficulties and suffering this entails.
Knowledge of four objects:
The objects of knowledge (al-ma`lûmât) are four:
1st. God, Allah who is not defined by any definition, nor limited by any limitation while He is the Absolute Concious Being (al-wujûd al-mutlaq). He is neither the effect (ma`lûl), nor the cause of anything (`illa). On the contrary he exists through His very Essence and His existence is not other than His Essence.
Knowledge of Him consists of knowledge that He exists.
His Essence remains unknown, whereas the Attributes that are attributed to Him are known. Knowledge of the reality of His Essence (haqîqat al-dhât) is impossible and to dwell on it leads to /confusion/.
His Essence remains unknown, whereas the Attributes that are attributed to Him are known. Knowledge of the reality of His Essence (haqîqat al-dhât) is impossible and to dwell on it leads to /confusion/.
2nd. The second object of knowledge is the Universal Reality (al-haqîqat al-kulliyya).
This reality is eternal when the Eternal is described by it (it belongs to God), and it is temporally originated when the temporally originated is described by it (it belongs to the world). So it is qualified neither by existence nor non-existence, neither by temporal origination nor eternity (al-qidam). No objects of knowledge - whether eternal or temporally originated - are known until this reality is known, but this reality does not exist until those things described by it exist.
• Eternal existent: it exists without a precedent nonexistence (`adam mutaqaddim), such as the Being of God and His Attributes.
• Temporally originated: it exists by means of something other than itself, such as the existence of everything other than God (mâ siwâ Allâh).
• The likeness of it would be the quality of wood in timber, in a chair etc. 'Woodness' lie within the reality of any of these things. //
This reality is eternal when the Eternal is described by it (it belongs to God), and it is temporally originated when the temporally originated is described by it (it belongs to the world). So it is qualified neither by existence nor non-existence, neither by temporal origination nor eternity (al-qidam). No objects of knowledge - whether eternal or temporally originated - are known until this reality is known, but this reality does not exist until those things described by it exist.
• Eternal existent: it exists without a precedent nonexistence (`adam mutaqaddim), such as the Being of God and His Attributes.
• Temporally originated: it exists by means of something other than itself, such as the existence of everything other than God (mâ siwâ Allâh).
• The likeness of it would be the quality of wood in timber, in a chair etc. 'Woodness' lie within the reality of any of these things. //
3rd. The third object of knowledge is the entire world (al-mulk al-akbar).
4th. The fourth object of knowledge is man.
Ibn Al-`Arabi; from Fûtuhât Al-Makiyya; 118.33 ff
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