Zawaya

Islam is a religion of ease

By: Monia Ferjani

The human being is undeniably composed of body and soul; an aware mind and a material substance interacting with nature; whenever one takes over the other, balance fails and extremism prevails in the comprehensive sense of the term. Then, the individual either becomes a priest dedicated to thinking and engaged in dogmatic reflection, or he over-indulges in fun.

Religions realized this equation and believed in the need to take the individual being into account, so they promoted moderation. A human being is an entity interacting with its environment through three channels: religion, knowledge, and art. Humans tried to explain various phenomena and read the beyond through those channels, so they struggled throughout their history to reduce the gap between the latter. Consequently, new fields emerged such as sciences, arts, Islamic architecture, and others.

Islam is perhaps one of the most careful religions about moderation in dealing with religious phenomena.

Its constitution came as a book for religion and life, in an effort to establish a balanced community project. The palaces of the Caliphs hosted during the first centuries of the Hijra literary debates and doctrinal discussions, as they hosted poetry evenings and singing concerts… Also, Muslim leaders go out for tourism and fishing trips… Even the Prophet encouraged his companions by saying, “Please your hearts from time to time, or they’ll sink in boredom, and if they do, they will be blinded”, and he also said, “Fast and break your fast, sleep and get up. For your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you, your wife has a right over you, and your visitors have a right over you”. There is even a verse in the Quran clearly stating: “But seek, with that (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, the home of the Hereafter, and forget not your portion of lawful enjoyment in this world.”

Didn’t the Islamic civilization in Andalusia and the Maghreb combine religious practice with modernity and entertainment? Did that weaken their interest in life pleasures and made religion dearer to them?

This year, Ramadan coincidences with the summer vacation that most people prefer to spend with their families on the beaches, and that’s not a new thing. Did the people of the Maghreb find it hard in the past to practice their religious duties or did they abandon their tourism and entertainment? I think not.

They used to live their lives in harmony, and there was no conflict between religion and life in the first place, because their faith was stronger and more relevant.

Omar ibn Al-Khattab once saw a man grabbing an almond from the ground and shouting: “Who lost an almond? Whose almond is this?” So Omar scolded him, saying: “eat it, and cease your false piety.” Just like an almond presented no risk to integrity, enjoying life poses no risk to religion.