Actions versus Objects

Many instances we hear statements such as ''what does Islam say about computers'' or ''where in Islam does it mention the internet,'' all of which are tantamount to mocking the notion that Islam is complete. Such statements are reflective of a confused mentality that fails to distinguish between the actions of human beings, and the objects and tools that may or may not be associated with our actions. Understanding the distinction between actions and objects is needed to eliminate this confusion.

Actions

When we look to the human being, the life of the human being can essentially be said to consist of all the thoughts that he adopts and all the actions he carries out. Therefore, when we say that Islam is a ''complete way of life,'' Islam provides a system of thoughts that answers all of the fundamental questions needed for the human being to proceed through life and provides the human being with a comprehensive outlook. In addition, Islam provides a comprehensive system of life from which emanates solutions to all issues that human beings may face related to the life affairs as well as rules and regulations that address all the actions that the human being carries out. In this regard, the completeness of Islam is realized.

The evidence that establishes that Islam is complete are two. First, Allah (swt) affirms in the Qur'an that Islam is complete in the following ayahs:

''It (the Qur'an) is not a forged statement, but a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of everything.'' [Yusuf: 111]

''And We have revealed the Book unto you explaining all matters'' [An-Nahl: 89]

Secondly, Allah (swt) states in the Qur'an that He will hold us accountable for everything that we do, meaning that we will be held accountable on the Day of Judgment for every action that we take and every belief that we decide to adopt. Therefore, Allah (swt) must provide an Islamic answer for every action that we take and every belief that we adopt in order for a fair judgment to take place on the Day of Judgment. If Islam is not complete (meaning that there are actions, issues, problems, or beliefs for which Islam did not provide an answer), then this means that Allah (swt) will judge us for things that He did not provide an answer for, which will imply that Allah (swt) is not just. Such a deficiency cannot be attributed to Allah the All-Mighty.

When it comes to our actions and the problems and issues we face as human beings, we must refer exclusively to Islam, feeling content that Islam is complete enough to supply an answer for all of our problems in life and a rule for every action that we do. Thus, every action that we carry out must have an evidence from the Islamic legislative sources.

Two questions may arise. First, one may ask, what about issues and problems in science and technology? Secondly, what about general actions of the human being such as seeing, walking, eating, and talking? To answer the first question, we must realize that Islam is complete inasmuch as it addresses the human being in a comprehensive manner. The subject matter of Islam is the human being and not science and technology. Therefore, Islam will address the thoughts and actions of the human being and provide solutions to the issues that human beings face, regardless of the level of science and technology that exist. By doing so, Islam retains its relevance because, while science and technology always change, the human being does not change. Human beings two thousand years ago possess the same instincts and needs as the human beings today, and this situation will remain unchanged for human beings two thousand years in the future. Regardless of the age, all human beings possessed sexual desire, the need to get married and have families, the need to acquire and own wealth, the need to get educated and participate in politics, and the need to live under justice and security. Similarly, all societies must have an economic system to deal with the distribution of wealth, a judicial system to settle disputes, an educational system to cultivate certain ideas and values, a social system to organize the relations between man and woman, a political system to implement the other systems, and a system for dealing with other societies and nations - regardless of the level of science and technology. And Islam came to deal with the problems and issues that stem from the human being with his instincts and needs, as well as the problems and issues that stem from the complex relationships that exist in any society.

Also, science and technology are universal, meaning that they are not unique to a specific outlook on life. Science is the process of discovering the natural universe that Allah (swt) created, and technology is the process of utilizing science in order to build tools, machines, and objects to fulfill a specific function. The requirements to be a competent scientist will not be decided by the belief system of the individual or what way of life he submits to, but rather his ability to setup and conduct an experiment and to operate whatever instruments are needed to perform the desired measurements. Similarly, competency in engineering or programming necessitates for one to understand the principles of engineering, mathematics, and computers, not for one to be an Atheist, Christian, Muslim, or Capitalist. Therefore, the ever-changing fields of science and technology have no bearing on the applicability or relevance of Islam because the scope of Islam does not include such fields to start with. Allah (swt) gave the human being the full authority to explore the natural universe which He created and to utilize this understanding to build whatever machines, tools, and structures are needed to enhance the quality of life.

As for addressing the second question, Islam did not come to address the natural human actions that Allah (swt) endowed all human beings with. We do not need a permission to look, speak, walk, eat, and drink per se because such actions are part of the makeup of the human being. Thus, the general rule in Islam is that such actions are permitted, with the exception of those specific actions that are mentioned explicitly in the text. Thus, we are allowed to look, but we cannot look at the private parts of someone, unless there is an exception that is mentioned in the text (such as a doctor examining a patient for medical reasons). Also, we are allowed to talk, but we are not permitted to say anything that insults or degrades Islam or any aspect of the Islamic belief, nor are we allowed to verbally abuse other Muslims or our parents. In all of these instances, there is a text that specifically prohibit these actions.


Objects

In contrast to actions, where every action must have an Islamic evidence, the rule for objects is different. For objects and things, the general rule is that all objects and things are permissible, with the exception of those items that are specifically mentioned in the text. Thus, alcohol, pork, and intoxicating drugs are prohibited for consumption because there exists a text that specifically prohibits the consumption of these items.

The evidence that allows objects and things is the ayahs in the Qur'an which state that Allah (swt) has created the universe and everything within it for our disposal. Thus, in the example of foodstuff and drink, we do not require an evidence that permits fish, beef, vegetable, fruits, nuts, water, juice, and every single consumable item. Rather, the evidence that establishes the permissibility of all of these foodstuffs is the general rule derived from the ayahs in which Allah (swt) says that He created everything for our utilization.

With this understanding, the issue of computers, internet, automobiles, fax, and all other objects and things is decisively resolved. By issuing a general rule permitting all objects and exempting only a few items (such as pork for consumption and wearing gold for men), Islam saves us from being needlessly overburdened. The realm of the permissible (mubah) is by far the widest; by comparison, very few objects and items are haram. And as a result, this will shift the focus of our attention upon the ACTIONS that we carry out and not on the OBJECTS, TOOLS, AND ITEMS that we may or may not utilize to carry out our actions and resolve our problems and issues. In this context, one will notice that, because Islam was sent to address the human being, the focus of the Islamic message is upon the actions, thoughts, values, and issues that face the human being and not on the objects, tools, and things. Thus, Islam directs the human being to utilize his thinking process in a profound manner to arrive at the truthfulness of the Islamic Aqeedah while denouncing the notions of building belief based on ''faith,'' imitation of others, emotions, and speculation - WITHOUT giving any regard as to whether the people live in huts in a village or in cities laced with skyscrapers or in outer space.

The focus of the Islamic message is the human being, and hence Islam works to shape the thinking of the human being and regulate his behavior by governing his actions. What structure the human being resides in, his mode of transportation, the tools that he utilizes for communication, the weapons that he uses in war, are not the issue in Islam. The act of killing for an unjust cause is prohibited, whether the killing is done with swords and arrows or with B-2 fighter jets and artillery. The act of cheating others is not allowed, whether the act involves a wealthy merchant cheating poor villagers or the IMF and World Bank cheating the Third World. Cutting the hand of the thief is an obligation, whether the thief's hand is cut with a sword or with a laser. The act of promoting Kufr ideas and values is prohibited, regardless of whether such ideas and concepts are promoted by word of mouth or through the internet and mass media. The act of ruling by Islam and implementing the Islamic system is an obligation, whether the society is composed of villages in the desert or cities laced with skyscrapers or bubble colonies on the moon.

In conclusion, we must maintain the understanding of how Islam deals with the actions, thoughts, and issues related to the human being on the one hand, and how Islam views the objects, tools, and things that may or may not be associated with our actions and thoughts. More importantly, this comes in the context of understanding what the scope of Islam (the human being - his thoughts, actions, issues, and problems) is and what is outside this scope (such as science and technology). When this understanding is clear, we can safely dismiss such questions as ''where in Islam is there any mention of computers'' and ''where in Islam does it mention space exploration'' as utter nonsense.