Portal: Islamic Doctrine: Difference between revisions

Beyond the normative, historical, and apocalyptic prescripts they contain, Islamic scriptures have what can only be described as a distinctive Islamic understanding of anthropology, sociology, and psychology. Here, the world is comprised of two fundamentally distinct parties: those who believe and live by the law of God, and those who don't - the latter must variously be transformed into the former, suppressed, or exterminated. The believing, obedient peoples are the members of the Muslim ''ummah'', or nation, which enjoys a global unity. The lands of these people comprise the ''dar al-Islam'', or Abode of Islam - the rest of the Earth, until it can be transformed, is ultimately the ''dar al-harb'', or Abode of War. Tactical and temporary alliances with non-Muslim entities may, however, be permissible. All humans are born upon the ''fitrah'', which is the natural instinct to believe in and obey the Islamic God - children's  un-Islamic upbringings, however, numb them to this instinct. Still, they can be called back to their (pre-)natural disposition - this invitation to return is known as ''Da'wah''. This Da'wah can be anything from an intellectual to a military enterprise - Indeed, per a quote from Muhammad recorded in Sahih Bukhari, some people will be dragged to "Paradise in chains".<ref>{{Bukhari|4|52|254|}}</ref> Since true religion cannot follow from compulsion, the Muslim ''Ummah'' is tasked only with achieving the extrinsic and perceptible markers of faith and ''khilafah'', or holy empire - persons may be punished or rewarded for what they say, but the true proving grounds of submission are, incontrovertibly, in the heart.