Tuesday, May 10, 2005


Almighty Allah says, "Allah is the protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light. Of those who reject faith the patrons are the Evil Ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be Companions of the Fire, to dwell therein (forever)" (Al-Baqarah: 257).

Islam teaches freedom of the soul, heart, mind, and body.
Islam teaches freedom of the individual and the society.
Islam teaches freedom in this world and in the Hereafter.

In the Qur'an the concept of freedom is described with many words and expressions, such as hurr (free) or tahrir (making a slave free); najat (protection, salvation); fawz (reaching the target, achieving the goal); and falah (total well-being, flowering of the potential, fulfillment of the latent qualities). In the Hadith it is called `itq (emancipation and liberation).
Freedom has both positive and negative connotations: freedom for something and freedom from something. Islam wants freedom for living a happy, healthy, prosperous, moral, and dignified life. Islam wants people to be free to worship, to express themselves, to earn, to have family, and to have a government of their choice. On the other hand, Islam wants people to be free from economic, political, and social oppression. Islam wants people to be free from materialism and selfishness. Islam wants people to be free from religious persecution.
Finally and most importantly, Islam wants people to be free from Hell in the eternal life and to live happily in Paradise in the company of Allah.

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