develop his personality so that it may be able, after death, to
continue its journey further.
The word ruh has been used in the Qur’an in other senses also.
But in the present work it has not been used in any of the other
senses; the other meanings are, therefore, not given here.
- Shaitaan Man is endowed with manifold faculties and is
free to use them as he wills. These faculties include his impulses. If
he uses these faculties in accordance with the laws of God,
constructive results, which are conducive to benefit the interests of
all mankind, follow. If, on the other hand, he uses his faculties in a
manner repugnant to the laws of God, the results are destructive.
The impulse that induces man to use his faculties in contravention
of the Divine Laws is called shaitaan. The common English
equivalent for this word, namely, devil, does not properly express
the Qur’anic sense of the original term.
The word shaitaan has also been used for defiant or rebellious
human beings; in other words, for such men as defy the laws of God
themselves and also induce others to defy those laws.
Since destructive activity inevitably brings frustration and
sorrow, shaitaan has also been called iblees – which means a
disappointed being who fails to secure happiness in life. - Sharr : see Khair.
- Shirk obedience to man-made laws along with or in
contravention of the laws of God. Islam does not permit obedience
to any laws other than those laid down by God. Indeed, not only
actual obedience to other laws but even the belief that it is
permissible and proper to obey these laws is tantamount to shirk.
Polytheism is generally understood to mean the worship of idols. It
is, of course, true that idol worship, or the worship of any of the
forces of nature, amounts to shirk. But this definition is not
exhaustive, nor are these forms of worship the most serious
manifestations of shirk, for they result mainly from ignorance. The
most heinous form of shirk is the obedience to laws and injunctions
other than those of God. From the Islamic point of view, the
important thing is obedience, not worship. Muslims obey God;
they do not worship Him in the general sense of the word. - Taqdeer This is generally translated as fate, and fatalism
is widely believed to be one of the fundamental elements of the
Glossary 31