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PART III: ISLAMIC INSTITUTION
LESSON 11
FAMILY AND SOCIETY
1.0 Introduction
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Family and society have a very close relationship with each other. Family is member of society
and society encompasses family. In Islam, family consists of married husband and wife and most
of them have children. There are some families that consist of father, mother, children and other
relatives. Meanwhile, a society may consist of single society in which its members share same
values or plural society in which differences exist in various aspects of life but still manage to live
together in one country. This topic will discuss on shaping a family and society in Islam, the
responsibilities of each of member of family and society and how Islam look at family and society.
2.0 Learning Outcomes
By the end of lesson, the students should able to:
2.1 Explain the concept of family and marriage in Islam
2.2 Discuss the functions of family
2.3 Identify the rights and responsibilities in a family
2.4 Explain the concept of society and the ways to form a civilized society
3.0 List of Topics
3.1 The Development of Family Institution
3.1.1 The Philosophy and Concept
3.1.2 Functions, Rights and Responsibilities
3.2 The Formation of Society
3.2.1 The Philosophy and Concept
3.2.2 Functions, Rights and Responsibilities
3.3 Islam and Plural Society
3.3.1 The Philosophy and Concept
3.3.2 Functions, Rights and Responsibilities
3.4 The Moderate (‫)امة وسطا‬and the Best Ummah (‫)خير أمة‬
4.0 Terminologies
NONE
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5.0 Topics
5.1 The Development of Family Institution
5.1.1
Presentation
a) The Philosophy and Concept
Islam gives high priority on the development of family because family is the basic
institution that will form human civilization. Family can be attributed to a specific
group in which its members have blood or biological relationship among them. In
Islam, a family is formed through marriage of two individuals (husband and wife) who
later produce children. A family basically consists of a husband, a wife and children
or at least a child. When the children get married, they will form another family. Islam
does not recognize a family without marriage. However, in certain circumstances, a
family also includes close relations or relatives as being defined by the Oxford
Dictionary.
As the family becomes the basic institution for the creation of good civilization,
each family is obligated to educate its members to be good and useful individuals.
This responsibility must be shouldered by the father as the leader of the family and in
the absence of father, mother will play the role of the father.
b) Functions, Rights and Responsibilities
The family plays an important role in safeguarding of the purity and goodness of
human civilization. Family plays an important role in developing moral values,
personality and character. Moral values cannot be taught by the book and with the
mouth but have to be lived and put into practice every day. A person who grows up in
a family where all members respect each other, assist each other and trust each
other will naturally apply the same principles for the rest of his or her life. Family is
the place where good habits are to be nurtured from early childhood to adulthood,
habits that should never be abandoned like prayer, fasting, good manners, discipline,
etc.
To ensure the survival of the family, Islam has outlined the rights and
responsibilities of each member. Below are some examples of them.
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(i) The Rights
Rights of Husband

To be recognized as leader and head of family

To be obeyed by wife and children as long as he does not against
Islamic shari’ah

His weakness shall not be revealed by the wife to others

To get reasonable pleasure both in physical (zahir) and spiritual
(batin) from the wife

To get love and intimacy from the wife

The wife must take care of his integrity and manners both openly or
secretly
Rights of Wife

Her weakness shall not be revealed by the husband to others

To get reasonable pleasure both in physical (zahir) and spiritual
(batin) from husband

To get love and intimacy from the husband

The husband must take care of her dignity both openly or secretly
Joint Rights of Husband and Wife

Both of them deserve to enjoy the beauty and happiness of married
life

Both of them are responsible to take care of good relationship with
two family members and relatives

Family property can be inherited by either one of them
Rights of Children

To be loved by their parents

To be educated by their parents

To be protected

To be treated fairly and justly
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(ii) The Responsibilities
Husband

To lead his family to success and happiness in this world and
Hereafter

To establish good relationship with his wife

To support the family financially, materially and spiritually

To provide his family with all basic needs and necessities

To protect the family from any threats and danger
Wife

To obey her husband after Allah SWT and Rasulullah SAW

To give priority to her husband than her parents

To take care of husband’s dignity, integrity, property and wealth
Children

To obey their parents as longs as it is not against Islam

To respect their parents

To take care the feeling of their parents

To look after their parents especially when their parents are getting
old
Joint Responsibilities of Husband and Wife

To have in-depth understanding of religious knowledge

Mutual consultation in all matters especially when it comes to the
issue of making decision
5.1.2

Be honest to each other and keep promises

Help each other
Activities
Click the following links to find more about the rights and responsibilities of family
members:
a) http://discover.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=117207199
3663&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout
b) http://www.therevival.co.uk/rights-responsibilities-of-husband-and-wife
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c) http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=articles&id=135689
d) http://www.guidedones.com/metapage/introislam/parents.htm
e) www.themodernreligion.com/family/children_rights.htm
f) www.islam101.com/sociology/parchild.htm
g) islamquery.com/documents/Parents%20responsibilities
5.2. The Formation of Society
5.2.1
Presentation
a) The Philosophy and Concept
Society is group of people living in a country and shared same belief and values. In
Islamic context, Islamic society is a group of who believe in Islamic faith, living in one
place and practicing Islamic teachings. In Islamic history, the first Islamic society was
established in Madinah during the time of Rasulullah SAW.
The establishment of an Islamic society must be based on certain principles which
have been set by Islam. Among the principles are:
(i)
Islamic Sha’riah
(ii)
Upholding of good conducts
(iii)
Shaping of Muslim Personality
(iv)
Building of Places of Ibadah
(v)
Islamic brotherhood
b) Functions, Rights and Responsibilities
All members of a society have functions and responsibilities to be carried out as well
as rights that must be taken care. Carrying out the functions and responsibilities is
very important to ensure harmonious and peaceful life. The fulfillment of the rights of
each member of the society describes that the functions and responsibilities are
properly carried out by the members.
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Among the rights of the members of a society are:
(i)
To live peacefully
(ii)
To speak and give opinion
(iii)
To own property
(iv)
To have access to education
(v)
To be assisted when assistance is needed
(vi)
To be protected of their pride and dignity
(vii)
Non-Muslims have the rights to practice their religions but cannot
propagate it to Muslims.
Besides the rights, there are also responsibilities that must be carried out. Among
the responsibilities are:
5.2.2
(i)
To preserve the reputation and good name of the society
(ii)
To help each other and work hand-in-hand to develop the society
(iii)
To uphold good deeds and deter evil deeds (amar ma’ruf, nahi mungkar)
Activities
a) Should an Islamic government give special rights to Muslims such as scholarships in
education and the opportunity to work in government sector? Discuss and provide
your argument.
b) Should non-Muslims be given political right (such as being a candidate in election) in
an Islamic country? Discuss and provide your argument.
5.3 Islam and Plural/Multiracial Society
3.3.2 Functions, Rights and Responsibilities
5.3.1
Presentation
a) The Philosophy and Concept
A plural society is a society that consists of races, ethnicities culture and
religions. Islam as a system of belief and way of life recognizes the diversity of
people in terms of languages, background, skin color, ethnic group, nation, and
culture. Thus, Islam does not reject the existence of plural society. Islam does not
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prohibit its followers to co-exist with other races. In fact, Islam welcomes nonMuslims to live with Muslims so that they can see the beauty of Islam. Islam teaches
Muslims to live in a civilized way and to mingle around with all members of the
society who have different religions and beliefs. In fact, the first plural society in
Islamic civilization is the Madinah society that was established after the hijrah of
Prophet Muhammad SAW. In that plural society, the Arab Muslims lived together with
the Jews.
An Islamic government that practices Islam in its totality must give freedom to
non-Muslims to practice their belief, custom, tradition or culture with the conditions
that they are not disturbing the others right and the well being of the society. This is
because Islam recognizes universal rights of man which permit everyone, whether
Muslim or not, to enjoy the same rights without any discrimination. The non-Muslims
are free to enjoy their life as long as they do not transgress the limits.
b) Functions, Rights and Responsibilities
In a plural society that has diversity of religion, custom and culture, it must have
functions, rights and responsibilities so that all members can live together in peace,
harmony and prosperity. Thus, the society must have a regulation which is agreed by
all and bound all its members. In the plural society of Madinah, Rasulullah SAW had
made a regulation that was called ‘Sahifah Madinah’ that bound the people, Muslims
and non-Muslims. Interestingly, the Sahifah was concluded after the Prophet SAW
consulted all the community leaders that existed. Among the contents of the Sahifah
are rights and responsibilities of all members towards the state, freedom of religion
and the necessity of choosing a leader that can be made as a reference if there was
dispute among them. In this case, Rasulullah SAW was chosen as the leader.
5.3.2
Activities
Surf Google and find information about Sahifah Madinah.
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5.4 The Moderate (‫ )امة وسطا‬and the Best Ummah (‫)خير أمة‬
5.4.1
Presentation
Muslim society is regarded as the moderate and the best ummah. Ummah refers to a
universal society whose membership includes the widest possible variety of ethnicities
and races, all bound together and united by their commitment to Islam and its principles
and values. All members of the ummah follow a specific social order that serves the
purpose of Islam.
* Moderate Ummah
ً ‫س‬
ُ ْ‫طا ِلت َ ُكونُوا‬
‫ش ِهيدًا‬
َ ‫علَ ْي ُك ْم‬
ُ ‫الر‬
َّ َ‫اس َويَ ُكون‬
ِ َّ‫علَى الن‬
َ ‫سو ُل‬
َ ‫ش َهدَاء‬
َ ‫َو َكذَلِكَ َجعَ ْلنَا ُك ْم أ ُ َّمةً َو‬
“Thus have We made of you a middle (wasat) ummah, that you might be witnesses over the
people, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves.” (Baqarah : 143).
The commentators of the Qur’an explain ‘wasat’ as “justly balanced”, “the best
(khiyar or khayr)”. It means, Muslim ummah is the ummah which is just and the best that
always practise moderation at all times and places in all aspects of life. Islam orders
Muslims to avoid all extravagances on either side. Allah SWT has designed Muslim
society to be a moderate ummah. The message of Islam teaches to follow a middle path
in everything, the path that has no extremes (too many things that are forbidden vs. not
enough things that are forbidden; too much enjoyment vs. not enough enjoyment; too
harsh laws and too lax laws, too much tolerance and not enough tolerance, etc). It is a
path that put everything into a harmonious balance:
i.
Revelation and reason
ii.
The individual and the community
iii.
Spiritual and material
iv.
This world and the Hereafter
Islamic practice also does not recognize any excess in the acts of worship (not
praying 24 hours a day, not fasting twelve months a year), in laws (every accusation for a
grave crime like adultery needs four respectable eye-witnesses), and in morals and
manners (one has to honor one’s parents but not to the extent that they are more
important than the Truth; a woman obeys her husband only in what is right and lawful).
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* The Best Ummah
The Muslim ummah is mentioned in another verse as “the best ummah” as stated
in following Quranic verse.
ْ ‫ُكنت ُ ْم َخي َْر أ ُ َّم ٍة أ ُ ْخ ِر َج‬
ِ‫ع ِن ْال ُمن َك ِر َوتُؤْ ِمنُونَ بِالل‬
ِ ‫اس ت َأ ْ ُم ُرونَ بِ ْال َم ْع ُر‬
ِ َّ‫ت ِللن‬
َ َ‫وف َوت َ ْن َه ْون‬
َ‫ب لَ َكانَ َخي ًْرا لَّ ُهم ِم ْن ُه ُم ْال ُمؤْ ِمنُونَ َوأ َ ْكث َ ُر ُه ُم ْالفَا ِسقُون‬
ِ ‫َولَ ْو آ َمنَ أ َ ْه ُل ْال ِكت َا‬
“You (true believers) are the best people ever raised up for mankind; enjoining what is right,
forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah.” (Al 'Imran : 110).
Yet, we should bear in mind that our ummah is not automatically the best ummah, and
Muslim should not become arrogant and conceited. The verse is actually an Allah’s
recognition to the first generation of Muslims of the time of Prophet Muhammad SAW.
There are conditions that must be fulfilled by Muslims in order to be recognized as the
best ummah. The conditions are:
a) Believe in Allah SWT
b) Practise Islamic teachings in all aspects of life
c) Possess good akhlaq
d) Enjoin the goods (ma’ruf) and forbidd the evils (munkar).
The Muslim ummah has the potential to be the best ummah because of its sound system,
of belief, of laws and values but this potential has to be practised! Only if Muslims actually
propagate and practice these laws and values can they be the best ummah! One point to
ponder is not all Muslims societies are the best ummah because not all of them are really
practicing the Islamic teachings.
5.4.2
Activities
Do you consider the Muslims community in your country is the moderate and the best
ummah? Why?
6.0 Lesson Summary
In short, we can conclude that family and society are inter-related and in fact, family is
one component of a society. If the family has good values and be responsible, the society
will be good and responsible also. Both components will contribute to the establishment
of a country which is harmony.
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7.0 Self Assessment
7.1 Family institution is the training ground for the children to ________________.
A. use authority to other siblings
B. use their authority towards the parents
C. depend totally on their parents in all matters
D. share their responsibilities with all the family members
Answer: D
7.2 Below are the reasons why a good society can be formed through a good family
EXCEPT __________
A. an individual needs to be good to the society first.
B. society teaches man to be concerned with each others
C. family is the foundation for continuation of human race.
D. family is the basis for individual to instill the spirit of care and
responsibilities.
Answer: A
7.3 “And (one) of His signs is that He created of you, of yourselves, spouses that you may
repose in them (and find rest and tranquility in them) and He has set between you
love and mercy” (Rum:21)
Based on this verse, family institution helps man to achieve emotional stability
through __________
A
B
C
D
forming a strong society
controlling human needs
satisfying the needs of love
developing a good personality
Answer: C
7.4 Family members are bound together by _____________
A.
B.
C.
D.
marriage
community
brotherhood
social relation
Answer: A
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7.5 Family is a human ___________ group.
A. social
B. brother
C. marital
D. communal
Answer: A
7.6 The relationship between all family members requires _____________
A. marriage
B. sexual intercourse
C. economic development
D. understanding and respect
Answer: D
7.7 The concept of Ummah can be understood as ____________
A. the Arab people
B. a specific Muslim society
C. an universal Muslim society
D. people during the time of prophet
Answer: C
7.8 Ummatan wasatan refers to Muslim ummah who _______________
A. concerns with the social aspect of life
B. who able to practice moderation
C. takes care of the non-Muslims
D. transgresses the limit
Answer: B
7.9 Muslim ummah is considered as khayru ummah because it _____________
A. stresses on spiritual aspects of life
B. focuses on the material achievement
C. enjoins al-ma’ruf and forbids al-minkar
D. spends more times in doing specific ibadah
Answer: C
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