Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Freedom, The Unstated Facts and Points

This book is corrected and edited by Al-Hassanain (p) Institue for Islamic Heritage and Thought

• Foreword
• Note
• Preface
• The Various Meanings of Freedom
• The Importance of Understanding the Various Meanings of Freedom
• 1. Freedom as existential independence
• 2. Freedom as “free will”
• 3. Freedom as “the lack of attachment”
• 4. Freedom vis - à - vis “slavery”
• 5. Freedom in the legal and political parlance: mastery over one’s destiny
• Notes
• Freedom from the Viewpoint of Islam
• The Need for the Restraining Law
• The Difference between Moral and Legal Laws
• The Divine and Atheistic Cultures and the Difference of Their Perspectives on Law
• The Three Pillars of the Western Culture
• The Fundamental Clash between the Western Culture and Islamic Culture
• The Difference between the Islamic and Western Perspectives on the Scope of Freedom
• The Preeminence of the Spiritual and Religious Interests over the Material Interests
• The Natural Law School
• The Limit of Human Rights in the West
• The Emergence of Contradictions on the Limit of Freedom
• The Realm of Freedom in the Human Rights Declaration
• The Problems of Categorizing Freedom in the West
• Notes
• The Freedom of Belief and Expression
• Freedom of Belief as an Affair beyond the Realm of Law
• Freedom of Expression in the West: From Slogan to Reality
• The Islamic View on Freedom of Expression and the Press
• First Exposition
• Second Exposition
• Nonverbal and Media Expression
• The Responsibility of Expression
• The Freedom to Ask
• Notes
• Clarification of Doubts
• Doubt 1: Mandatory laws are against the demand of humanity
• Reply
• Doubt 2: The government’s imposition of limitations is against the demand of freedom
• Reply
• Doubt 3: The need for obeying God and the Prophet is against the demand of the Qur’anic verses
• Reply
• The Reason behind the Difference between the Two Approaches in the Qur’an
• Doubt 4: The imposition of limitations in actions is against the demand of the natural law
• Reply
• Doubt 5: Religion cannot impose limit on freedom
• Reply
• Doubt 6: Servitude is against the demand of the natural disposition [fitrah] of man
• Reply
• “Real Ownership” [malikiyyat - e i‘tibari] and “Delegated Ownership” [malikiyyat - e i‘tibari]
• The Requisite of Divine Godhood as Cosmic and Religious Lordship
• Doubt 7: The era of duty - centeredness has ended and the modern man is in pursuit of his rights
• Reply
• The Background of Those Who Rebelled against God
• Adherence to God and Freedom
• Doubt 8: The demand of the Divine Vicegerency [khilafatullah] means absolute freedom of man
• Reply
• Doubt 9: Creating ambiguity in defining the legitimate freedom
• Reply
• Doubt 10: Observance of the religious precepts is against the demand of the sovereignty of man over his own destiny
• Reply
• Notes