The Advantages of Religion 1

The Advantages of Religion 1
It was revealed that religion has a profound effect in reforming the individual and the society. It is also the only means of obtaining bliss and prosperity. A society which does not abide by religion loses its realignment and intellectualism and spends its precious life in aberration, externalism, and negligence. Such a society ignores wisdom, and like animals, becomes narrow-minded and foolish.
This society becomes involved in immorality and misbehavior, thus forfeiting all its humanitarian privileges. Such a society will not reach its everlasting prosperity and rather, it will experience the inauspicious outcomes and the unpleasant effects of its deviations and m is demeanors. Sooner or later, such a society will suffer from the evil consequences of its negligence and will realize that the only way towards prosperity is religion and belief in Allah. Finally, this society will regret its actions.
The Almighty Allah states:
"He will indeed be successful who purifies it, and he will indeed fail who corrupts it.(1)
It is necessary to understand that the application of religious instructions ensures the happiness and salvation of the individual and the society, otherwise only nomination does not help. Since it is only the reality itself that counts and not the claim for reality. Whoever claims to be a Muslim, and with his gloomy heart, inferior character, and awkward behavior expects to meet the angel of happiness, resembles a patient who expects to recover without having treatment as per the prescription.
Obviously with such an idea, he will not attain his goal. The Almighty Allah states:
"Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians(2), whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have reward from their Lord...."(3)
It might be assumed that, according to this verse, those who have faith in Allah and the Day of Judgment and who perform good deeds will be saved even if they do not believe in all or some prophets. But it must be realized that in Surat al-Nisa'(4), Allah considers those who disbelieve in all or some of the prophets as kafirin (unbelievers). In this respect, He states:
"Surely those who disbelieve in Allah and His apostles and (those who) desire to make a distinction between Allah and His apostles and say: 'We believe in some and disbelieve in others'; and desire to take a course between (this and) that. These it is that are truly unbelievers, and We have prepared for the unbelievers a disgraceful chastisement."(5)
As a result, whoever believes in all the prophets and performs good deeds will avail of his faith.
Human Civilization
If we study the means and factors which led to the development of human societies in the past, this truth becomes evident to us that in his life, man only demands and pursues his own prosperity and happiness. Of course, this happiness would not be possible without the total provision of all means of existence. On the other hand, with his understanding, gifted by Allah, man realizes that he can never attain and prepare all his needs on his own, so as to provide the means of his ideal welfare and prosperity, because he realizes that he cannot solve the problems of life and reach perfection by himself.
As a result, he necessarily submits himself to a social life to supply his needs and considers cooperation with others as the easiest means towards achieving his goal. He engages in acquiring the means of his livelihood collectively. That is to say, each person undertakes to provide some of the means and makes them available. Then, all individuals gather the outcome of their activities. Proportionate with his activity and social status, each individual takes a share and uses it to manage his life.
In this way, he will work hand in hand with his fellowmen to ensure his welfare. This is to say that they all endeavor for one another and pile up the outcomes of their activities. Then each member of the society gathers the product of his activity in accordance with his position and the extent of his endeavor.
Continue in the next article: ( The Advantages of Religion 2 )

NOTES:
1. (The Quran 91:9 -10)
2. Sabians are those who converted from Magian to Jewish religion.
3. (The Quran 2:62)
4. Ayat (verses) 150 and 151
5. (The Quran 4:150-151)