The Emergence of Society, Law, and Islam
In brief, the story begins with the human individual confronting the overwhelming and violent forces of nature. Faced with these challenges, early humans realized the necessity of employing strategies to preserve their lives. They built shelters in trees, mountain tops, and other fortified locations. They fashioned tools from wood and stone, stored food, and eventually arrived at the greatest invention of all - society.
For society to be viable, custom - which is the first law - came into existence. Perhaps the first custom to emerge was the one that regulated sexual relations, prohibiting unions between close relatives such as siblings, parents and children, and others. This custom helped mitigate the jealousy that often tore apart human families when sons reached adulthood. With this regulation, it became possible for fathers, adult sons, sons-in-law, and married sons to live together peacefully, either in the same home or in neighboring ones, each secure about their relationships.
It is likely that the custom governing respect for personal property arose alongside this regulation, as early societies saw little distinction between ownership of tools, caves, or spouses.
In small communities, harmonious coexistence was essential for collective hunting, defense, and survival against life’s challenges. Thus, these two customs - regulating relationships and property rights - became necessary to maintain social cohesion.
This does not mean societies developed uniformly everywhere. However, it is certain that wherever human society arose, it was built around a set of customs and traditions governing interpersonal relations. These customs marked the beginning of the struggle between the ”will to live” and the ”will to be free”.
The individual willingly or unwillingly conceded part of their freedom to society in exchange for protection and assistance. This surrender of freedom was governed by customs and social norms, which required individuals to control their impulses and refrain from actions forbidden by the rules of their community.
The more individuals triumphed over their primal instincts, the stronger their will became. Their pleasure shifted from immediate sensory gratification to pleasures sanctioned by societal norms, or even to intangible or deferred pleasures, such as societal approval, praise, divine reward in this life, or the next.
Early humans were crude and animalistic, requiring severe measures to discipline them. Accordingly, the first social customs were harsh and violent, even to the extent of sacrificing individuals on the altars of communal deities to appease their anger or win their favor.
This intense social discipline forced individuals to control their desires and suppress many impulses disapproved of by their customs or deities. While these early customs strengthened individual willpower and self-control, they also protected societal rights fostering unity and solidarity.
As society progressed, the burdensome restrictions imposed on individual freedoms gradually lessened. This evolution can be seen in later stages within Judaism and Islam, which we will discuss shortly.
From the very beginning of these customs, Islam began to emerge. At this [early] stage, humans began to realize - albeit unconsciously - that their will was not entirely free.
I will not trace Islam’s development from these early stages but instead leap directly to its three most recent manifestations: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. I will explore these stages briefly, as this space does not allow for an extensive elaboration.
However, before discussing these stages, it is essential to state that Islam, as a religion, is a single, grand idea encompassing both the beginning and the end. It began with the struggle between the ”will to live” and the ”will to be free”, which I define as the emergence of customs. This idea continues its journey and will reach its culmination on this planet when individuals achieve peace with themselves by surrendering their created will to the eternal Will of God.
To understand Islam as a single, encompassing idea, consider its reflection in the life of an individual. It is well established that the life of an individual mirrors, in a condensed form, the life of the species.
In an individual’s life, Islam begins with verbal acknowledgment and physical actions, progressing to conscious submission and contented surrender to the Will and Wisdom of God.
And the first stages of its ascension, after Islam, are faith (iman), followed by excellence (ihsan) in its three levels, and then Islam once again.
Consider these verses: “The Bedouins say, ‘We have believed.’ Say, ‘You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], ‘We have submitted,’ for faith has not yet entered your hearts.’” (49: 14)
Here, Islam represents the beginning, a stage below faith.
Then consider: “O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].” (3: 102)
Here, Islam represents the ultimate destination.
The believers were called to this ultimate submission, but they could not achieve it. Thus, God lightened the burden upon them: “So fear Allah as much as you are able and listen and obey.” (64: 16)
This replaced the command to fear Allah as He deserves with what they could bear and substituted full submission - surrendering their created will to God’s Eternal Will - with listening and obedience to the Prophet.
While this is a noble rank, it falls short of the Islam God refers to in: “And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.” (3: 85)
True Islam, then, is the culmination of human submission to God’s eternal Will, achieved through conscious surrender and contentment.
