Is Sufism as a concept related to Islam? Explain.

Explanation:
The philosophy of Sufism is focused on extreme love for God as the Ultimate Value to cherish. It resembles closely the Hindu philosophy of Bhagavatism. It is an expression of passion to express divine love for God through cordials of extreme sophistication, performance of arts, and enchanting arcane rituals in various forms or manners. To be precise, it is not in total conformance with the Qur’anic Deen of Islam.

Islam defines voluntary submission to Allah, sincere devotion to the Almighty, race to excel in virtues, behavioural performance reflected in transactions, promoting virtues, curbing evils, and a personality approach seeking purification of the heart from diseases of lust, avarice, arrogance, injustice, hypocrisy, ingratitude, etc. The simplified natural mode of commitment expressed through actions and intents, self-checking of actions through Qur’anic Mirror Templates, and self-inspiring through Motivational Stories combined as a unit is the lone approved approach leading to self-cleansing of the heart, mistakenly proclaimed as soul.

Mysticism as such does not appreciate the Qur’anic theme of accountability for his/her actions and intents. No man is let free. Everyone is accountable for his deeds. Everyone is liable to be punished or rewarded based on evaluation of his/her deeds. The philosophy of mysticism in no way leads to Personality and hence needs to be condemned.

Is the Qur’an a book of Management Science?

Explanation:
Islam is a religion dedicated to self-help and self-development. It is concerned with transformation of man with commonsense to Personality destined to succeed in this world and hereafter. Personality is a status liable to benefit Self and Society. Management Science, especially Human Resource Management (HRM), is concerned with developing man to excel in its behavioural performance.

Management Science is focused on achieving goals limited only to this world. Islam as a religion defines means, methods, and methodologies similar in approach to Management Science, with a focus on goals of prosperity in this world to continue attainment of Grand Success of Salvation in the hereafter. It is thus Superior Management Science equipped with resources and vision to lead humanity to cherishing successes in this world to continue in the hereafter.

The Qur’an is thus recommended to be included as a textbook of Management Science devoted to excelling in behavioural performance of overambitious people not content with success goals limited to this temporary world of perish and decay but to succeed in the hereafter too.

What is the Purpose of the Book of Qur’an?

Explanation:
The Qur’an is the Book of Differentiation between Good and Evils (Al Furqan). With clear distinctions between virtues and vice, the Qur’an urges people with commonsense to voluntarily self-surrender to God. The self-surrender leads to sincere submission to the Almighty, allegiance to live life in compliance with God’s command of virtues, disapproval of Taghut, condemning evils, promoting good, and all-round display of righteous behavior expected of a wholesome personality.

The purpose of the book is informing ordinary man with concerns of the hereafter. The prophets as successful personalities with righteous behavior have been sent as Warners and Harbingers of glad tidings.

{…so that you may worship none but God. [Say, O Prophet:] “Behold, I come unto you from Him [as] a warner and a bearer of glad tidings: (Hud 11:2)

All men and women are tested for their response against revelations from God calling for a change of behavior. The only response accepted is Behaviour of sincere submission. Responses of any sort, whether denial, arrogance, or even an attitude of indifference, are punishable, leading to failure in the hereafter.

Is Islam a New Religion? Explain.

Explanation:
Islam is not a New Religion. It is neither a New Religion nor a unique one distinctly different from other heavenly religions sent by God. Islam is the continuation of the oldest of religions meant for developing Personality, beginning with Adam (peace be upon him). Islam is a compendium of eternal principles indispensable for Personality. Islam is the religion commanding submission to God expressed through sincere adoption of these very principles – voluntary submission reflected through actions and intents.

The Qur’an as holy book is the preserved scripture containing the contents of Islam. The Qur’an is the final, conclusive, and preserved compendium of Wisdoms revealed from time to time and scattered all across heavenly scriptures, viz. Bible and Torah. The wisdom contents of scriptures validated through the Qur’an are principle ingredients of the very first religion beginning with Adam (peace be upon him).

Why is man considered superior to all other creatures? Explain.

Explanation:
Man is superior as he is blessed with two distinct organs to acquire knowledge, i.e. Mind and Heart. Mind, as a source of Reasoning and Analysis, is capable of acquiring knowledge of all perceptible things and entities, i.e. empirical knowledge pertaining to the world of observation and experimentation.

The Heart, working in coordination with Mind, is capable of synthesizing knowledge about Metaphysical Realities, i.e. the Hereafter, Heaven, and Hell. With purity of heart – free from cardiac diseases affecting attitude and behavior – man is capable of attaining Grand Success of the Hereafter – a Reward of utmost supremacy reserved exclusively for human beings.