مذہب کی قدامت اور حقیقت: اسلامی تعلیمات کے تناظر میں ایک تنقیدی و تحقیقی مطالعہ

The Antiquity and Reality of Religion: A Critical and Research-Based Study in the Light of Islamic Teachings

Abstract

This research paper presents a comprehensive study of the antiquity and reality of religion, examining its definition, historical continuity, and intrinsic human necessity through the lens of Islamic teachings. The concept of religion is as ancient as the universe itself, as the entire cosmos operates in submission to divine injunctions. The study begins by analyzing various definitions of religion provided by both Muslim and non-Muslim scholars, including Edward Burnett Tylor, Immanuel Kant, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Muslim thinkers such as Imam Ghazali, Muhammad Abduh, Allama Iqbal, and Maulana Maududi. It then distinguishes between the Arabic term "Dīn" and the commonly understood notion of "madhhab" (religion), highlighting that Islam is not merely a religion but a complete and comprehensive way of life (Dīn) that governs every aspect of human existence—spiritual, moral, social, economic, political, and legal. The paper explores the meaning and concept of "Dīn" in the Qur'an, including its various connotations: obedience, judgment, sovereignty, state law, and justice. The study further demonstrates the necessity of religion from multiple perspectives: rational, historical, intellectual, natural (fiṭrah), civilizational, moral, spiritual, social, psychological, and scientific. It argues that religion, particularly Islam, fulfills fundamental human needs for meaning, purpose, emotional stability, moral guidance, and spiritual contentment. The research concludes that while Muslims may have shortcomings in practice, the reality of Islam as a divine and complete system remains unchanged, and its relevance for humanity is timeless and universal. The paper emphasizes that the decline of Muslims is not due to any deficiency in Islam but rather due to the departure of Muslims from authentic Islamic teachings.