The Forbearance of Islam in the Purpose of Creation and the Islamic View of Worldly Life
A paper submitted to the conference “The Forbearance of Islam: Between Its Islamic Meaning and Intellectual Extremism”, held by Jabra Scientific College, Khartoum, on 29 Jumada al-Akhirah 1439 AH.
Prepared by Abd al-Haqq al-Turkmani, head of the Center for Studies in the Interpretation of Islam in Britain.
Subject of the paper
God has placed this true religion, which He has approved for His servants, at the highest level of forbearance, ease and consideration for human capacity and ability. He has also made these religious obligations sufficient for a person to fulfil the purpose for which they were created and discharge the trust they have borne, without imposing hardship or causing harm. Indeed, He has not made acts of worship, which are the core of religion and its foremost purpose, consume all a person’s time: they occupy only their appointed times. Although they are limited and bounded, by observing them a believing servant fulfils the purpose of their existence in this life and attains eternal happiness in the Hereafter.