Outline
- Introduction
- Where Should the Muslim Learn Our Faith From?
- Karma – The Definition
- Origins of the Concept of Karma
- The Concept of Rebirth; What Does it Mean for the Muslim?
- The Danger of Subscribing to the Concept of Karma
- Staying Consistent with Our Islamic Faith
- Conclusion
Introduction
Alhamdulillah.. infinite thanks and praise are due to the Almighty Allah, the Creator, the Master, the One and Only. Complete peace and salutations are upon the final Messenger to the world, Sayyiduna Muhammad, his household, his companions, and all those who follow his guided path.
This is the accompanying article for episode #6 of “A Moment Please!” Please spare six minutes to watch the video below (if you haven’t done so yet) before to diving in the article.
I assume you’ve already taken your coffee for the day. If not yet, why not we pause for A Moment Please! and make ourselves a cup each, and then come back right here… Let’s go!
Where Should the Muslim Learn Our Faith From?
Welcome back!
The main objective of this article is not to highlight and discuss karma for the reader to subscribe to. Obviously. It’s rather to create awareness of the need for the Muslim to be mindful of anything we hear from our friends from other faiths.
Therefore, anything we talk about pertaining to the subject matter is based on what the people we interact with would use to make reference to the concept. Regardless of how authentic that is in relation to their respective religions. Either way, what is there in our religion suffices our need for knowledge to stay safe.
It’s worth indicating, that people of other faiths are not obliged to speak and utter only what is “shariah-compliant” =D. However, it’s you, the Muslim who’s responsible for ensuring what you do, say, listen to, interact with, earn, or spend are Shariah-compliant.
So, what’s the primary source of knowledge in Islam?
The Primary Source of Knowledge in Islam
The primary source of knowledge for the Muslim to learn about our faith is the Qur’an and Sunnah. No third source. Anything else that talks about the Islamic faith must take its references from the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
Even with that, it’s important to note that, for the knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah to rest well and sync accordingly, in the heart of the Muslim, he should learn it from a teacher who deeply believes in, and practices the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
This is because teachers do not only impart knowledge. They also impart their belief, their thoughts and they pray for you in your absence.
Karma – The Definition
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Karma as “the force created by a person’s actions that is believed in Hinduism and Buddhism to determine what that person’s next life will be like.”
On the other hand, the Britannica Encyclopaedia defines Karmas as “ karma, in Indian religion and philosophy, the universal causal law by which good or bad actions determine the future modes of an individual’s existence. Karma represents the ethical dimension of the process of rebirth (samsara), belief in which is generally shared among the religious traditions of India.”
Here are a few things we can observe from the two definitions combined:
- Karma is a philosophy that is rooted in Indian religions.
- Human actions create forces, and these forces determine his future.
- There’re are different modes of life for every soul. Probably unlimited modes, since rebirth recycles it.
- There’s no mention of the One God, the Creator, nor His wisdom in creation and how it affects life.
- The mention of ‘next life’ doesn’t have the same implication as it’s said in Islam, which implies ‘ākhirah’.
Origins of the Concept of Karma
Wikipedia highlights, that the concept of karma is found in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Taoism. We have no proof that these religions were originally authentically ordained by the One God, and then got altered later.
Yes, even if we assume that it was originally revealed by the One God, we can strongly and comfortably argue, that it has been altered and amended. Just like Christianity and Judaism.
Thus, as Muslims, we don’t make use of, nor do we adopt and subscribe to principles from such religions. Again, for the Muslim, the Qur’an and the Surah suffices for you.
Here, I find it necessary to emphasize, that a Muslim will be safe if he only depends on the Qur’an and the Sunnah and puts them into practice, and live by them. However, if he reads all books under the sun, and refuses to read and apply the Qur’an and Sunnah, he remains in a critical zone. And nothing will solve his deviation until he embraces the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
Now, let’s touch on the concept of rebirth, briefly.
The Concept of Rebirth; What Does it Mean for the Muslim?
Religions that preach karma do try to make sense of life through the concept.
For them, in order to make sense of contradictions and confusions in life; richness versus poverty, comfort versus hardship, knowledge versus ignorance, abundance versus scarcity, stability versus instability, and you name it, karma is used to rationalize such situations.
To make sense of why a child could be born disabled, they explain that by saying, every person in the present life had a previous life. Thus, the actions of the soul in the previous life determine the person’s life in the present.
Also to them, a person who was good in his previous life will be in the present life in a higher state, i.e. humans. However, a person who was evil in the previous life could be reborn in a lower state. He could be born an animal and whatnot.
This meaning as highlighted above contradicts the Qur’an in many ways. Here are two:
- Allah created every soul to live one life. That one life starts when he was in the womb of his mother. And it continues eternally. His presence on this earth is for transit purposes only.
- The purpose of his transit on this earth is to subject him to test; the test of life. The result of that test will only be revealed during Judgement Day… Judgement Day.
If these two points are understood, then we can understand what the Qur’an says:
تَبَٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١﴾ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ
“Blessed is He in whose hand is the Kingdom: He has power over all things; He created death and life so that He might test you; and find out which of you is best in conduct. He is the Mighty, the Most Forgiving One.” (Surah al-Mulk, 67:1-2).
What are the possible dangers, if one insists on embracing the concept of karma?
The Danger of Subscribing to the Concept of Karma
Human beings are independent creatures of the One God, Allah subḥānahū wa ta’ālā. And the other creatures we see around us were also created by God and subjected to us. Animals especially were created and subjected to us, for us to consume the meat of some, to ride some, and to certainly seek beauty (decoration and comfort) with some.
Thus, for the Muslim, it can’t sink well to subscribe to the belief that whoever dies is reborn in another creature, be it another human or a different animal.
Moreover, it’s essential as it is, in one of the six pillars of Islam to believe in Qaḍā’ and Qadar (Fate and Destiny) and to also believe in the Judgement Day. A day that every human shall be resurrected and held accountable for all that it did on this earth. Those who pass the judgment successfully shall be admitted in Jannah. And those pass it unsuccessfully shall be sent to hellfire.
This belief determines our actions on this earth. Thus, no matter what the situation of your current life, your focus should be what you’re going to earn in the next life, when the Day of Judgement arrives.
Staying Consistent with Our Islamic Faith
As Muslims, we can interact with people from other religions. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, we should be able to actively influence in them. When we do, that’s how we make da’wah by action. Isn’t it?
Surely, we can learn from them, as long as what they have to offer does not contradict with the basic principles and fundamentals of Islam.
The thing is, however, we can’t have what it takes to distinguish right from wrong, since we hardly learn about our own religion. It becomes difficult if we listen to ruwaybidah instead of listening to true scholars. We can hardly do that, if our interactions with fellow Muslims happen only occasionally and accidentally.
The mind processes and outputs what it takes in more. And it rarely outputs what it seldomly takes in. And we are responsible for what we put it.
Conclusion
This article emphasized that karma contradicts Islam, and has a serious implication on the belief and faith of the Muslim when he subscribes to it. Worst still when he uses it. For the adherents of the religions of Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Sikhism, and Jainism, believing in Karma may be essential. However, for us, Muslims, believing in Karma is in extreme contradiction with Islam. And the Muslim must learn and avoid its usage.
If you want to learn about karma, you’re going to learn Buddhism. Honestly, we don’t need that, as Muslims. Learn Islam, live Islam, and die as a Muslim.
If you’ve reached this point of the article, then kindly consider sharing it with your loved ones. Do you have any personal stories of barakah effects from your trade and business experience, feel free to share with us in the comments area below, or here on Facebook.
Allāh knows best.
Allāhu Ḥāfiẓ 🙂
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