THE RELIGION OF HUMANITY: Islam’s Ethical and Spiritual Outlook

FREEDOM OF THOUGHT ordering me to do so?” He replied, “No, I am only making a suggestion.” Bareerah responded, “I have no need for him.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 5283) This is an outstanding and ultimate example of how much freedom Islam gives to both women and men. Such freedom is not a sign of defiance but a recognition of human nature. A person’s intellectual and emotional growth can only take place in an environment where they are free to make their own choices. Just as a tree grows best in open air, the human mind and personality develop fully only when allowed the space for independent thought. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF TRUTH During the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Caliph, Iraq came under Muslim rule in 16 AH. A question soon arose about how to manage the fertile lands of the Tigris and Euphrates region that had come under Muslim control. According to existing custom, the military commanders believed that the greater part of these lands should be distributed among the soldiers. Umar disagreed. His view was that the land should remain under the control of the public treasury so that future generations could also benefit from it. This issue led to a strong disagreement, and the debate continued for several days. In particular, Khalid ibn alWalid, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, and Bilal ibn Rabah strongly