Islam_in_Focus_text

6. Man is a free agent endowed with a free will. This is
the essence of his humanity and the basis of his responsibili-
ty to his Creator. Without man's relative free will life would
be meaningless and God's Covenant with man would be in
vain. Without human free will, God would be defeating His
own Purpose and man would be completely incapable of
bearing any responsibility. This, of course, is unthinkable.
7. Life emanates from God. It is neither eternal nor an
end in itself, but a transitional phase, after which all shall re-
turn to the Creator.
8. Man is a responsible agent. But responsibility for sin
is borne by the actual offender alone. Sin is not hereditary,
transferable, or communal in nature. Every individual is re-
sponsible for his own deeds. And while man is susceptible to
corruption, he is also capable of redemption and reform.
This does not mean that Islam prefers the individual to the
group. Tndividualism means little or nothing when severed
from social context. What it means is that the individual has
different sets of roles to play. He must play them in such a
way as to guard his moral integrity, preserve his identity, ob-
serve the Rights of God, and fulfill his social obligations.
9. Man is a dignified honorable being. His dignity de-
rives from the fact that he is infused with the Spirit of his
Creator. What is more important is that such dignity is not
confined to any special race, color, or class of people. It is