The Islamic Personality pdf download

THE ISLAMIC PERSONALITY

Islam has provided a complete solution for man to create for himself a particular personality distinct from all others.

With the Islamic ‘aqīdah (creed), it treated his thoughts, making for man an intellectual basis upon which his thoughts would be built and according to which his mafahīm (concepts) are formed.

He can distinguish true thoughts from false ones when he measures them against the Islamic ‘aqīdah (creed), thus using it as an intellectual standard against which he can measure all thoughts.

So his ‘Aqliyyah (mentality) is built upon the ‘aqīdah (creed) which provides him with a distinct ‘aqiliyyah (mentality) and a true basis for thoughts. Thus, his ‘aqliyya (mentality) is built upon this ‘aqīdah (creed) which provides him a distinct mentality and a true criterion for thoughts and ideas, safeguarding him from erroneous thought.

 Thereby he is able to negate false ideas, remaining honest in thought and sound in comprehension.

At the same time, Islam properly treated man’s actions, which stem from his instincts and organic needs, with the Sharī’ah rules which emanate from the ‘aqīdah (creed) itself;

regulating his instincts, not suppressing them, harmonising them, not leaving them without restriction; enabling him to satisfy all his needs in a harmonious manner leading him to tranquility and stability.

 Islam has made the Islamic ‘aqīdah (creed) an intellectual one, making it suitable as an intellectual standard against which all thoughts can be measured. It also developed its’aqīdah (creed) as a comprehensive idea about man, life and the universe.

 This comprehensive idea was made to solve all man’s complexities and problems, whether internal or external, thus making it suitable as a general standard, automatically used when there arises the link between man’s desires and his mafahim (concepts).

Thus Islam established for man, a definitive basis which is a definite criterion for both mafahīm (concepts) and muyul (inclinations) i.e., for the ‘aqliyya (mentality) and the nafsiyya (disposition) at the same time.

Thus Islam formed the shakhsiyya (personality), a definite personality, distinct from all others.

Hence we find that Islam develops the Islamic personality by means of the Islamic ‘aqīdah (creed) By this Islamic ‘aqīdah (creed) both the ‘aqliyya (mentality) and the nafsiyya (disposition) are formed.

Accordingly, the Islamic ‘aqliyya (mentality) is the one that thinks on the basis of Islam, that is, it takes Islam alone as the general criterion for thoughts related to life, and is not merely a knowledgeable or contemplative mentality.

Rather, the fact that a person actually and practically takes Islam as the criterion for (judging) all thoughts makes his ‘aqliyya (mentality) Islamic.

As for the Islamic nafsiyya (disposition), it is the one that bases all its inclinations on the basis of Islam, that is, it makes Islam alone the general criterion for all satisfactions and it is not merely ascetic or stringent.

Rather, the fact that a person actually and practically makes Islam the criterion for all his drives towards satisfaction makes his nafsiyya (disposition) Islamic.

Thus, a person with such a ‘aqliyya (mentality) and nafsiyya (disposition) becomes an Islamic personality, irrespective of whether he is knowledgeable or ignorant, whether he establishes the performance of the farā’id (obligations) and mandūbāt (recommendations) and refrains from the muharramāt (prohibitions) and makrūhāt (reprehensible) acts or he observes over and above these other praiseworthy acts of obedience (mustahabāt) and avoids actions of a doubtful nature (Shubhat), in either case, the personality is Islamic, because anyone who thinks on the basis of Islam and makes his desires conform to Islam is an Islamic personality.

Indeed Islam instructed (the Muslim) to acquire more of the Islamic culture, so that his ‘aqliyya (mentality) matures and becomes capable of evaluating any thought (on the Islamic basis).

Islam also demanded the performance of actions beyond the fard (obligation) and the avoidance of actions beyond the haram (prohibitions) in order to strengthen his nafsiyya (disposition) so that it becomes capable of deterring any inclination that Islam does not sanction. All this is (in order) to