Need for Deen (Mazhab ki Zaroorat)

INSAN KA MANSB-E- KHILAFAT(Status of Man as vicegerent)

By: Muhammad Ali Khan

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Difference b/w Deen and Mazhab

• Concept• Frame of Reference• Canvas• In religious connotation• Nature (Individual and Collective)

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Religion is

GodsGods• Allah• Shiva• Budhh• Zeus• Aherman• Yazdan

PracticesPractices (rituals)

• Prayers• Meditation• Fasting• Alms• Youga

ExperiencesExperiencesLove/EcstasyNothingnessHell/HeavenTranquility SanctifiedSacrifice

BeliefsBeliefsDeathLifeImmortalityAtonementFatePrayer

SpiritsSpirits : Demons, Ancestors, Ghosts

DEENLots of Ins and Outs and What-Have-Yours

Deen is neither a single phenomenon, nor a “thing”; rather, it is a divine and dynamic collection of institutions, practices, and beliefs and social order

Attempts at a Definition

Edward Tylor Edward Tylor “The belief in spiritual beings.”

Clifford Geertz Clifford Geertz “A religion is a system of symbols which acts to establish

powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic.”

Emile Durkheim Emile Durkheim “A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative

to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden—beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them.”

Attempts at a Definition

Melford Spiro Melford Spiro “Religion is an institution consisting of culturally patterned

interaction with culturally postulated superhuman beings.”Peter Berger Peter Berger

“Religion is the human attitude towards a sacred order that includes within it all being—human or otherwise—i.e., belief in a cosmos, the meaning of which both includes and transcends man.”

Max WeberMax WeberRefused to attempt a definition of religion. [Smart Man?]

Concept

Spirituality-EB Taylor ( Social)

Emotion Ethics Mathew Arnold

(Literature)Emotional Appeal to

accept Almighty Freud (Psychology)

Only Rituals ?Humanity

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Need of Religion/Deen

Pascal Boyer’s Religion Explained (2001)

Religion Provides ExplanationsPeople created religion to explain puzzling natural

phenomenaReligion explains puzzling experiences: dreams,

prescience, etcReligion explains the origins of thingsReligion explains why there is evil and suffering

Need of Religion/Deen

Religion provides Religion provides comfortcomfortReligious explanations make mortality less

unbearableReligion allays anxiety and makes for a

comfortable world

Need of Religion/Deen

Religion provides Religion provides social ordersocial orderReligion holds society togetherReligion perpetuates a particular social orderReligion supports morality

Need of Religion

All civilizations have its Religions

Great civilizations are not died, they attempt suicide

Any social system requires religion

Science and ReligionGood & Bad given by

ReligionGuidance to WisdomReligion as Change Agent for

Natural, Spiritual, social needs

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Cont…Universal peace v/s

materialistic development (survival of the fittest is questioned)

Life after death – possibility only in religion

Accountability here and in life after death

Religion for Social CorrectionReligion as Panacea

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Liberal Arguments for need of Deen /Religion

August ComteTheological (Religion)Metaphysical (Philosophy and Psychology)Positive Stage (Science)

Napoleon says “It has kept the poor murdering the rich”Supernatural hope in dooms hopes (Imam Jaffar RA)When humans are unknowing and confused they make theories in

order to solve things. theories are usually proven false and it takes generations to believe the proof

Heaven and utopia are buckets in a well if one goes up other goes down

Religion Rich in Miracle system and myths is needed

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Cont…

Religion is a Religion is a cognitive approachcognitive approachPeople are superstitious; they will believe

anythingReligious concepts are irrefutable and Refutation

is more difficult than belief

Epilogue

Even rationalism w/o religion will be blunderAs long as there is poverty these will be godsEvolution. Nature -law of natureFirst force. If events are due to natural cause

then what is super natural causeGod is a beautiful idealization of human

wishes

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A thought !Is religion possible without GOD ?Is religion a cause to recognize the GODWill religion end when human beings will reach at

Heaven or Hell

Hazrat Ali (RA) said

“Mein ny apny Khuda ko apny eradon k totny sy pahchana”

( I recognized my God , when my intentions doomed)

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