The Ummah’s Charter by Al-Khilafah Publications

24. Hadhaarah and madaniyyah are two words that are used widely. They have come to be applied to one thing and that is the result of the mind. It is used for philosophy, thought and anything related to the viewpoint about life. Both words became used for the tangible sensed objects, which are a result of industry and technology and for all other tangible forms in life. It is said: “the Hadhaarah of the previous nations”, or “the civilisation (madaniyyah) of the former nations”, meaning what has been left by these nations, in terms of thoughts relating to the viewpoint about life, such as religion and philosophy and so on; and what they have left, in terms of artefacts and material forms such as buildings, manufactured tools and the like. It is also said: “the culture or civilisation of this age”, meaning everything the mind has produced, in terms of thoughts and material forms. The use of these terms in this manner is mistaken. What the mind produces, in terms of what is related to the viewpoint about life, is completely different from tangible and material forms that it produces, such as industry and inventions. The correct opinion is that the first term (Hadhaarah) should be used for the first of these two meanings, while the second term (madaniyyah) should be used for the second meaning. Thus, Hadhaarah is defined as a host of concepts about life, while madaniyyah is defined as the tangible and material objects.

Civilisations (Hadhaarah) differ according to the difference in peoples and ways of life. The Communist civilisation is different to the Western civilisation. The Islamic civilisation is different to that of the Western civilisation or the Communist civilisation. To this day there is nothing called human civilisation, because the concepts nations and peoples hold concerning life are different and disparate. The civilisations that human kind has are all different and disparate. Also in the history of the world, we only see civilisations that are different and disparate. So the civilisation of Islam is different to the civilisation of Rome; the Greek civilisation is different to that of the Persians and so on and so forth. Thus, the expression ‘human civilisation’ has no reality.

25. The Islamic civilisation contradicts the Western civilisation. It also contradicts the Communist civilisation. The basis of the Islamic civilisation is the Islamic ‘Aqeedah. This is contrary to the basis of the Western civilisation, which is the separation of religion from state, and contrary to the Communist civilisation, whose basis is materialism, i.e. that man, life and universe evolve on their own. So, according to its view, the nature of the world is matter and changes in the world are different manifestations of evolving matter. This is with regards to the basis.

As for the depiction of life, for Capitalism it is one of benefit, while for Communism it is evolution of matter, i.e. the inevitable change from one state to another in an ascending motion. This is different to Islam, where its depiction of life is the criteria of Halaal and Haraam. As for happiness, for the Western and Communist civilisations it means only one thing and that is the satisfaction of the sensual pleasures; whereas in Islam happiness is the constant tranquillity, whether the sensual pleasures have been satisfied or not. When man has constant tranquillity, then he has attained happiness; if he does not achieve constant tranquillity, then he will not attain happiness, even if he has satisfied all his sensual pleasures. Happiness cannot be attained without the constant tranquillity through seeking the pleasure of Allah I. Thus happiness, fundamentally, is to seek the Good Pleasure (ridwaan) of Allah (SWTH); because it is through this way that constant tranquillity is achieved. Therefore, the Islamic civilisation is in complete contradiction with the Western and Communist civilisations, due to the contradiction in the basis, depiction of life and meaning of happiness.

26. It is not allowed to take from the non-Islamic civilisation, since it is not allowed for a Muslim to adopt thoughts about life that do not come from Islam. He is restricted to taking from Islam and forbidden to take from any other source, whether the matter is linked to the viewpoint about life, or to solutions to life’s problems. It is not allowed to take from any civilisation other than the Islamic civilisation. As for the madaniyyah, this needs to be look into; if it is not influenced by another viewpoint about life, then it is allowed to take, such as industry, weapons and ornamental tools, types of clothing, adornment and beautification. These are classed as ‘objects’; and the original opinion about objects (in Islam) is permissibility (ibaaHah). However, if they are influenced by a foreign viewpoint about life, then it is not allowed to adopt them, such as the drawings and statues for things that possess the secret of life (rooH); besides other such things for which there is an explicit prohibition. So it is allowed to take madaniyyah, but as long as there is no prohibition. As for the civilisation (Hadhaarah), it cannot be taken in any way whatsoever.

27. One should make a distinction between the empirical disciplines and subjects that are included within them such as maths on one hand, and the cultural disciplines on the other. The empirical disciplines and their related topics are universal and not specific to a nation, nor are they linked to a viewpoint about life. The facts related to science are the same in Russia as they are in America and they are the same sciences without any difference. They are the same for all peoples and nations, whether ancient or modern. They do not differ according to the difference in the nations and peoples, nor do they differ according to the viewpoint about life. This is different to culture, which is the information that influences the mind and its judgment on things. This culture differs according to the different viewpoints. So the cultural outlook in Russia differs from the cultural outlook in America. Thus, legislation, economy, history etc. are different in Russia and America. Likewise, the Islamic culture is different to the communist culture or the capitalist culture. The cultural outlook in Islam is different to that of the West and the Communists. That is why a distinction must be made between education, in its modern sense, and culture. Thus, the empirical sciences and their related subjects are studied according to need and they are taken from any human being. However, if these sciences lead to deviation from the beliefs or weakness in the convictions, then it will be forbidden to teach these particular sciences. When their effect has gone, then they can be studied. This is different to the case of culture, because teaching is restricted to the Islamic culture and does not go beyond the cultural outlook of Islam. In higher-level education and in other levels of research and analytical study though, it is allowed to teach them in order to refute and invalidate them, not to adopt them. Nothing is taught from this culture without giving the refutation at the same time. This is because the Noble Qur’an has mentioned the beliefs of others, but it mentioned them to clarify, invalidate and refute them.

As for technologies and industries such as trade, shipping and agriculture, they may be included within the sciences and consequently taken. There might be matters included under culture, such as drawing portraits of things that have rooH or manufacturing crosses (that are used by Christians), these are not taken, because they are affected by other viewpoints about life.

28. There is a difference between Tareeqah (method), waseelah (means) and usloob (style) The method is decided based on the viewpoint about life and differs according to the difference in the viewpoint about life. The method remains consistent with the viewpoint about life and does not change. As for the means and styles, they are determined by the action one wishes to undertake and do not differ according to the viewpoint about life. They are not constant and they are subject to change. Thus, instigating contradictions is part of the Communist method. Jihad according to the Islamic viewpoint is part of its method. Colonisation of people from the capitalist perspective is from their method. As for the tools used, such as tanks, swords and nuclear bombs, and the manner in which such things are used, in terms of war plans, military technology etc., they are all part of the means and styles. Therefore, it is not allowed to take the method from any source other than Islam. Rather, the method brought by Islam has to be adhered to. As for the means and styles, they can be taken as and when they are found, unless there is an explicit prohibition.