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Uswa Hasana: Difference between revisions
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In the mainstream theology of Sunni [[Islam]], the Prophet Muhammad is known as '''al-Insān al-Kāmil''' (the perfect human) and '''uswa hasana''' (an excellent model of conduct). This is taken to mean that his conduct in all things, from how he prayed, how he conducted himself in business and in war, his sexual relations with his wives, slaves and concubines, and even how he cleaned himself after defecation and urination is an exemplar and model for all humans to follow at all times, regardless of historical circumstance and independent of culture. | In the mainstream theology of Sunni [[Islam]], the Prophet Muhammad is known as '''al-Insān al-Kāmil''' (the perfect human) and '''uswa hasana''' (an excellent model of conduct). This is taken to mean that his conduct in all things, from how he prayed, how he conducted himself in business and in war, his sexual relations with his wives, slaves and concubines, and even how he cleaned himself after defecation and urination is an exemplar and model for all humans to follow at all times, regardless of historical circumstance and independent of culture. | ||
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To this day, Islamic religious scholars by and large continue to endorse the beating of disobedient wives by their husbands, and this is not seen as a crime in the laws of most Muslim countries. | To this day, Islamic religious scholars by and large continue to endorse the beating of disobedient wives by their husbands, and this is not seen as a crime in the laws of most Muslim countries. | ||
In contemporary discourse modern Muslims who wish to live and practice their faith in accordance with modern norms of behavior often condemn such actions as barbaric, and often seek to invoke Muhammad's culture context to explain them. The doctrine of Uswa Hasana, however, makes this argument exceedingly difficult, especially when the argument is between Muslims who wish to follow modern mores and traditionalist Muslims who wish to hew to the classical understanding of the canonical Islamic sources. To take one example, Muhammad himself is claimed to have said: “A man will not be asked as to why he beat his wife.”<ref>Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab - {{Abu Dawud|11|2142}}</ref> | |||
In contemporary discourse modern Muslims who wish to live and practice their faith in accordance with modern norms of | |||
==Challenges to Uswa Hasana from Within the Islamic Tradition== | ==Challenges to Uswa Hasana from Within the Islamic Tradition== | ||
An often mentioned counterpoint to Uswa Hasana is that the prophet himself appears to be rebuked in surah 80 and told to repent, thus proving the Muhammad was not perfect. Muhammad is rebuked in the Qur'an for turning away from a blind man, but this has not traditionally been taken as proof against the doctrine of Uswa Hasana. In Islam, prophets are ''ma'asoom'' معصوم (infallible/sinless/innocent). They may err (''Zallat'' | An often mentioned counterpoint to Uswa Hasana is that the prophet himself appears to be rebuked in surah 80 and told to repent, thus proving the Muhammad was not perfect. Muhammad is rebuked in the Qur'an for turning away from a blind man, but this has not traditionally been taken as proof against the doctrine of Uswa Hasana. In Islam, prophets are ''ma'asoom'' معصوم (infallible/sinless/innocent). They may err (''Zallat'' زلات "slips"), but this is not the same as committing a sin. Sin in Islam has traditionally been seen as doing something against Allah's prescribed teachings. Muhammad did not sin because the incident involving the blind man occurred prior to Allah admonishing him. An act thus only becomes a sin only after Allah ordains it as such. For example, Muhammad and the early Muslims drank [[alcohol]], but this allowance was abrogated by a later Qur'anic revelation, and the scholars have not traditionally held that Muhammad committed a sin here. | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
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[[Category:Muhammad]] | [[Category:Muhammad]] | ||
[[Category:Islamic Law]] | [[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]] | ||
[[ | [[Category:Hadith]] | ||
[[Category:Sacred history]] | |||
[[Category:Society and human nature]] | |||
[[Category:Sirah]] | |||
[[Category:Fiqh (legal theory)]] | |||