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Islam : The Best Of People

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stage. Islam makes it lucrative for Muslims to seek any knowledge and as the Prophet pbuH states: ‘The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind.’
Islam leads Muslims to question not only the existence of man but also the creation of mountains, trees, space and so forth. Islam holds itself out to be questioned so that through such questioning knowledge can be gained progressing to creation of theories and leading to creativity. Islam openly challenges its followers and non-believers to creativity even at the threat of its own existence. Islam uses itself as a mechanism, providing a platform to Muslims to bounce ideas against and advancing ones understanding and mind to grasp what Allah has created, why it …show more content…

However, despite Islam seeking to create a ‘Middle Ummah’, Muslims have been faced with great difficulties due to religious interpretations of the terms bid’ah (innovation) and ijtihad (critical legal thinking) and the application of these processes. Many Islamic sects use terms: bid’ah, ijtihad, kufr (disbelief or denial) and shirk (avoid or neglect in the Oneness of Allah) to counter opposing views when the topic of creativity or innovation arises.
However, from the interviews all informants understood what bida’h meant in Islam. Imam Nasar (Sunni) explained that the definition of bida’h means to create and Islam is not against bida’h. Imam Alvi (Shia) highlighted that just because bida’h has controversy surrounding it does not mean it does not exist in Islam. He indicated that Muslims are not implementing bida’h. Imam Chisti (Beralvi) provided an interpretation that the word bida’h comes from the word badah which means something new in Islam. Imam Rasab (Sufi) similarly to Imam Chisti (Beralvi) explained that it is something new. Imam Dawud (Salafi) provided his interpretation of bida’h which is what was accepted at the time of the Prophet pbuH. He explained that there is good bida’h and bad bida’h. Imam Younas (Wahabbi) explained that it is something new to Islam. Imam Huzayf (Deobandi) described that bida’h is what was not at the time of the Prophet pbuH. Imam Dawud (Salafi) and Imam Huzayf (Deobandi) responses placed a

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