DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHARIAH AND DEEN

Today, conditions have vastly changed. The world is free from dictatorship and coercive political systems. The collapse of the Soviet Empire in 1991 ended coercive rule in the history of mankind. These political changes have revolutionised the issue of ‘method’. Followers of Monotheism no longer need to migrate from one land to another. Nor do they need to resort to military confrontation with ruling powers in order to lead a free life—because all these are available as a result of historical processes. There are two major aspects of this revolutionary transformation: complete religious freedom and modern means. For the first time in human history, intellectual revolutions and the establishment of the United Nations has given every person and group the inalienable right to believe in, practice and preach the religion of one's choice. The only condition is that one should not engage in violence against anyone. In other words, today there is no external obstacle whatsoever for leading a peaceful religious life and for engaging in peaceful preaching work. Under such circumstances, Muslims should thank God for the new age of freedom and welcome it whole-heartedly. Unnecessary confrontation with political rulers on the basis of some self-invented ideology is meaningless. A Companion of the Prophet, Abdullah bin Umar, remarked that God had ordered Muslims to engage in war only to end religious persecution. The age of religious persecution had ended in a partial sense in Abdullah bin Umar’s time. The establishment of the United Nations has put a definite end to religious persecution. Given this religious freedom, the order to fight to end religious persecution is no longer valid. Muslims must abstain completely from any involvement in such violence. Following the scientific and industrial revolutions, modern technology has given such capability to ordinary people with its wide impact that political power has become secondary. What was thought possible only through the acquisition of political power, can be achieved in great measure through technology. The media, with its potential for tremendous impact, can be used to pursue one’s goals very effectively. It is no big effort to organise large international conferences, bringing together people from across the world. Modern means can be used to establish magnificent Islamic centres. Spreading the message of Islam to every corner of the globe is quite possible with the Internet. If these modern means are employed with wisdom and vision, one can establish ‘religious empires’ that were unimaginable in the earlier age of political empires. o