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

FREEDOM OF THOUGHT The differences in worship are all related to its outward details. Such variation is entirely natural, because worship is an act that cannot always be carried out with the same internal state. Sometimes a person may have deeper feelings, and sometimes less. These internal differences create variation in the outward aspects of worship. So, while there is unity in the core elements of worship, there is diversity and flexibility in the outward practices. The differences found in narrations on worship are essentially a record of this variation. This is also the case, in another sense, with social dealings. Although the basic rules in such matters are very clear, the circumstances in which those rules are applied are always changing. Because of this, adjustments often have to be made in the secondary and detailed applications of those rules. The differences found in hadith and jurisprudence on matters of social interaction are examples of this variation in application. FROM DARKNESS TOWARDS LIGHT The Quran states: “God has sent down to you a Reminder and a messenger who conveys to you God’s clear messages, so that he might lead those, who believe and do good deeds, out of darkness into light. God will admit those who believe in Him