Hello Kyas, many thanks for your very fine effort in clarifying
the tenets and teachings of Islam as a religion.
Unfortunately, short of exposing myself to the risks of criticism
by all religious persons, I would risk to comment that Religion is
Man Made be it Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, Buddhism,
Shintoism, Animism, Hinduism, and all the likes.
It all started with Visions and Messages, and consequently the
interpretation of those visions and messages by the First Person
who experienced those phenomena; and subsequently by the
generations thereafter trying to interpret those First Person
Interpretations.
Religions exist because of Mans innate weakness and Mans
inability to comprehend the vastness of the Universe, and Mans
role in it.
What Man cannot understand, Man worships.
Man had worshipped Fire, Lighting, Thunder, Trees, Stones, Weather,
Stars, Sun, Moon, Animals, and all other mysteries that are beyond
Mans comprehension.
Religions exist due to Mans vanity in his quest to understand
himself and his world around him, and to satisfy his own
inquisitiveness and intellect.
As time passes, Man became more sophisticated and knowledgeable in
the workings of nature, then MAN created GOD - as an all
encompassing, all powerful, all overwhelming Being to
conveniently explain for the intricacies of the Universe that
remain beyond the grasp of Mans limited understanding.
This GOD that MAN created is unseen, unheard, untouchable, except
in the Heart, Mind, and Inner Spirit which is the basic human
conscience, basic psychological and physical emotions
This is a very sophisticated and complex concept of GOD, that is
created by Man, as it cannot be fathom, touch, seen, or heard -
unlike the earlier primitive worship of objects and visual or sound
effects of Fire, Lighting, Thunder, Stones, Animals, and
others.
MAN begin to have visions, and to receive Messages from Abraham,
to Muhammad, to Jesus, to the Indian Prince that became Buddha, and
to countless other well known Holy Personalities who started new
branches of Religions on earth.
The "First Person's Interpretations of His First Visions and
Messages received" will form the "Core Principles" of the Religion
started from hereon.
Nearly every religion depend on the guidance and interpretation of
its core religious beliefs from some Human Leaders, and much will
depend on the integrity and righteousness of such an important
person to guide the millions that follow his Interpretations of
the Holy Word.
Herein, lies the weak link in this entire religious set up.
The multitude of human beings have no say, nor influence in the
choice of such a Religious HUMAN Leader, to lead and guide them in
their understanding, interpretation and practice of their
respective Religions.
Unlike Governments that are elected, or by the Barrel of the Gun,
the Religious Leaders come into their Office by various mysterious
ways that are beyond the touch of the worlds Common Men and
Women.
It is not my intention to criticize the correctness or
incorrectness of any religions, nor its beliefs, nor its practices,
nor its tenets, nor its teachings.
However, I do question the relevance of Religious Forms that are
practiced, imposed and followed with such fervor, based on the
common Man's limited understanding of the Fundamentals of
Religions in the context of Local Cultural, Social, and Traditional
Practices in this day and age of the Twenty-First Century.
There seem to be a romantic return to the basic old ways, as
during those old days, power emanates from the Pulpits. This
occurred not only in the Middle East, but also in the Christian
communities of Europe, where the Priests guided the Kings.
This is the danger of religion in the Present Day, where
UN-qualified Humans can usurp Political Powers and control
societies as had happened in Iran, where the Mullahs have entered
the realm of Politics and Government; and as had happened in
Afghanistan, which fortunately was brought to an end.
The dangers of religions being hijacked by Religious Leaders, who
have their own quiet agenda is real, as we are currently
experiencing the events of the J.I. Group and other radical groups
in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and even in the
Philippines.
It starts with the simple practices of basic religious fundamentals
being imposed onto society, and subsequently moving towards
societys governance, and then to higher political agenda.
It is a slow inching exercise.
The dangers do exist in this region, after the Islamic dress code
has been imposed and practiced widely, there is now a slow built up
in the clamor for the Syriah Law to replace the Common Law - which
is already long practiced in the various countries of this region,
and had held multi-racial societies together.
What next - after banning short pants for boys, and imposing tudung
for girls, closing of beaches for males and females to gather,
closure of cinemas and entertainment joints, closure of bars, and
implementation of the Syriah Law to replace Common Law...?
What next..?
Do the people that practice the faith still have a say against
those who lead them, without offending the Religion itself - by
daring to question his Interpretation without commiting
heresy..???
