"When Justice is served, all of us, would find rest," said Swara after greeting with Basmalah and Salaam. "On the contrary, when we saw injustice, we felt something caused us worry, fear or terror, even distrust. That's normal, because it's Human Nature."
"Modern man is always searching his soul," Swara went on, "because he is alienated from its sources of nourishment—from Allah, from the creations, and from traditions—from the sources which make him aware of his innate spiritual nature, his Fitrah.
Within his spiritual nature lies the deep, universal moral intuition that human beings are creatures of Allah to be respected. A return to his soul or his spiritual nature, will require of him to return to its sources of nourishment. He will then rediscover the origin of his moral intuitions which is his innate spiritual nature or Fitrah. By so doing he will come to know his Creator, for ‘he who knows his self, knows his Lord.'
Our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) said,
كُلُّ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ، فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ أَوْ يُنَصِّرَانِهِ أَوْ يُمَجِّسَانِهِ، كَمَثَلِ الْبَهِيمَةِ تُنْتَجُ الْبَهِيمَةَ، هَلْ تَرَى فِيهَا جَدْعَاءَ
'Every new-born child is born in a state of fitrah. Then his parents make him a Jew, a Christian or a Magian, just as an animal is born intact. Do you observe any among them that are maimed (at birth)?’ [Sahih al-Bukhari]
In another hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
لَيْسَ مِنْ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ إِلاَّ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْفِطْرَةِ حَتَّى يُعَبِّرَ عَنْهُ لِسَانُهُ
'No child is born except with this fitrah until his tongue expresses it.' [Sahih Muslim]
From the linguistic meaning, he word fitrah comes from the Arabic, fa-ta-ra, the verbal noun being fatrun. The root action means, he clave, split, slit, rent or cracked it.
The second form, fattara (hu) (verbal noun taftir), denotes repetition, muchness and frequency of the root action which means, whar we saw, he clave, split, slit, rent or cracked it.
Fitrah—according to Yasien Mohamed—having the same meaning as tatfun, linguistically means an inborn natural disposition. The term fitrah, literally means, creation; the causing a thing to exist for the first time; and the natural constitution with which a child is created in his mother’s womb.
In the context of the hadith, according to Abu Haytham, Fitrah means to be born either prosperous or unprosperous [in relation to the soul]: ‘And if his parents are Jews, they make him a Jew, with respect to his worldly situation; [i.e. with respect to inheritance, etc.] and if Christians, they make him a Christian, with respect to that situation; and if Magians, they make him a Magian, with respect to that situation; his situation is the same as that of his parents until his tongue speaks for him; but if he dies before his attaining to the age when sexual maturity begins to show itself, he dies in a state of conformity to his preceding natural constitution, with which he was created in his mother’s womb.’
So, what then the implication? That parents have a great influence on the way a person views himself/herself and the world. In addition, friends and social circumstances, are also very influential, the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
الرَّجُلُ عَلَى دِينِ خَلِيلِهِ فَلْيَنْظُرْ أَحَدُكُمْ مَنْ يُخَالِلُ
'A man is upon the religion of his best friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends.' [Sunan al-Tirmidhī; Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Nawawi]
Man is distinguished from the rest of the creation because he has been endowed with aql (intellect) and iradah (free-will). The intellect enables him to discern right from wrong and the will enables him to choose between right and wrong. He can use these faculties to complement his fitrah and to please Allah or to be untrue toit and displease Allah. The choice is his.
Man is responsible for his actions and accountable to Allah for every atom of right and wrong that he does. It is this sense of accountability that guides man to act in accordance with the Divine will. It empowers him to struggle against the wrong-doing of his lower self (nafs) as well as the negative influences of the social circumstances. The central hadith makes plain that it is the social circumstances after the birth of the child that causes the individual to diverge from fitrah. Hence if someone follows an aberrant path it is not because of any innate wrong within his nature, but because of the emergence of the lower self or nafs after birth, and negative effects in the social circumstances.
Since many infants are born with gross physical deformities, the maiming referred to in this hadith is not meant in the physical sense; it means that all children are born spiritually pure, in a state of Fitrah. The reference to animals born intact in the central hadith should be viewed as an analogy to illustrate the parallel spiritual wholeness of children at birth.
So, the central hadithsuggests that circumstantial (i.e. parental and other social) influences cause man to change and become alienated from his Fitrah. However, Allah says,
لَا تَبْدِيْلَ لِخَلْقِ اللّٰهِ
'... No change should there be in the creation of Allah ..." [QS. Ar-Rum (30):30]
This verse suggests that fitrah is a universal unchanging given of the human constitution.
Fitrah is an Islamic conception of Human Nature. Fitrah relates to man’s innate reality, but it also means something for his beliefs, values and attitudes to life, his world-view and his interaction with his environment. Fitrah cannot be viewed in isolation from man’s mind, conduct and institutions in the phenomenal world.
If so, then how do the essential link between fitrah and the metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, psychological and legal aspects of man’s existence?
Now lets examine the Metaphysical implications. The ideal point of departure for an understanding of fitrah, is the metaphysical principle that underlies the concept. Man is a ‘central being’ in the world because he has been honoured with the vicegerency of Allah on earth [khilafatullah). To qualify him for this position, he was taught the ‘names’ of all things, which means as well that he was given power and dominion over them. All creatures reflect some aspect of the Divine, but man, in his full nature as the ‘manifestation of His names and qualities’, is the only being that can reflect all the Divine names and attributes. The centrality of man’s being and existence is a fact, a given, an unchangeable reality which man must accept. However, his right to dominate over the earth as khalifah, is justified only if he remains in perfect submission to Allah, the absolute Master of nature. In addition to the function of khalifah, man was given the quality of being 'abd, a slave, the state of being in perfect submission to Allah.
Man is always in need of Divine Revelation and grace from Allah. Man may not take heed of the Divine Revelation which reminds him of his primordial nature. Although he may deviate from the dictates of his nature, which is a manifestation of the names and attributes, yet he cannot fully escape from what he is, and his essential nature must manifest itself on the periphery. No matter what man attempts to do in life, be it removed from the demands of his fitrah or in accordance with them, he cannot escape the spiritual nature of his being.
Man is born with the inborn inclination to believe in and worship Allah. The central and primary motive is manifested unconsciously. It is man’s duty to become conscious of this primary motivating force, that influences his behaviour. Even if man is outwardly inclined to worship idols, or a person, or a political system, he is still motivated by this inner drive to know Allah. The only difference is that while the believer knows that he is motivated to know Allah, the unbeliever does not. It is in this sense that the central nature of man manifests itself on the periphery.
The primordial character of man’s nature is affirmed by reference to the covenant between man in his pre-existential state and Allah. Allah says,
وَاِذْ اَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنْۢ بَنِيْٓ اٰدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُوْرِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَاَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلٰٓى اَنْفُسِهِمْۚ اَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْۗ قَالُوْا بَلٰىۛ شَهِدْنَا ۛ
'And [mention] when your Rabb took from the children of Adam—from their loins—their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], 'Alastu birabbikum?' They said, 'Balaa, shahidnaa' ....' [QS. Al-A'raf (7):172]
In this affirmation, lies the secret of man’s destiny, for man, above all the creation, accepted the burden of trust,
اِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْاَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَاَبَيْنَ اَنْ يَّحْمِلْنَهَا وَاَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْاِنْسَانُۗ اِنَّهٗ كَانَ ظَلُوْمًا جَهُوْلًاۙ
'Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was zaluuman jahuulan [unjust and ignorant (coveting its reward while forgetting the penalty for failure to keep his commitment)].' [QS. Al-Ahzab (33):72]
This acceptance of the trust is precisely the acceptance of the vicegerency of Allah on earth. This trust also implies the acceptance of freedom, and of responsibilities to both Allah and His creation. The rights and responsibilities of man are clearly defined by Islam.This is because Islam means submission to Allah. It is necessary for man to live in submission to Him, for it will ultimately save him from all deviations and spiritual abnormalities, and bring him back to his original state, his state of fitrah or the state of submission to the One, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. So, in terms of the metaphysical principle of tawhid, man’s return to his original state of fitrah can be done by accepting and affirming the Shahadah. [And indeed, man had affirmed it, long before with, 'Balaa, shahidnaa.']
At the heart of man’s inclination to recognise and worship the One God is the spirit (ruh) which Allah has breathed into man, qualifying him for the noblestatus of khalifahor vicegerent of Allah on earth. This role, He entrusted to man because of his potential superiority over the rest of creation. It is the Spirit which Allah breathed into man that enables him to enjoy a greater affinity to God than the rest of creation. Man alone is able to imbue himself with the attributes of Allah, albeit in a limited sense. The soul (ruh) is the very essence of human nature. The reality of fitrah implies the reality of the soul which is predisposed to the recognition of and submission to the One, Allah. The realisation of the fitrah means the reunion of the self (nafs) with the human soul (ruh). It is man’s responsibility to realise his essential spiritual nature, for in this realisation lies the knowledge of Allah, as suggested by the saying,
مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ فَقَدْ عَرَفَ رَبَّهُ
[man 'arafa nafsaahu faqad 'arafa rabbahu]
‘He who knows himself, knows his Lord’
[Al-Allamah Al-Fairuz Abadi said that this is not a prophetic hadith even though most people consider it a hadith from Rasulullah (ﷺ). Imam Al-Suyuthi argues that this hadith is not authentic. Shaykh Al-Albani is of the opinion that this hadith has no origin. Ibn Taymiyyah said that this hadith is Mawdhoo. Al-Zarkashi said, 'Ibn Al-Sam'ani mentioned that it was spoken by Yahya ibn Mu'adh Ar-Razi.' Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Mu'adh al-Razi (830–871 CE) was a Muslim Sufi who taught in Central Asia. One of the first to teach Sufism in masajid, he left a number of books and sayings. He was a disciple of Ibn Karram and renowned for his perseverance in worship and his great scrupulousness in matters of religion.]
The highest level of spiritual development is referred to in the Qur’an as an-nafs al-mutma’innah ‘the self made tranquil’, when man’s entire being is in total harmony with his fitrah and when the principle of tawhid is manifested in his total submission to Allah.
And what about the epistemological implications of Fitrah? Based on Knowledge, since man’s innate inclination is to worship Allah and to obey His commands, it follows that the Islamic way of life is best suited to his nature and is essential for his inner peace and happiness. Guidance for the Islamic way of life is communicated in its final form in the Qur’anic revelation. Allah would not be known to man as god if He had not endowed man with the faculties by means of which he is able to understand Divine Revelation or the organs of spiritual perception with which he may recognise his Creator. Apart from revelation as an objective source of knowledge and guidance, Allah has given man the organ of cognition, known as the heart (qalb), which is the locus of the intellect (aql). This organ enables man to comprehend the highest source of knowledge, namely, Divine Revelation, and to perceive at the highest level of human perception. Man is capable of perception from the lowest sensory perception to the highest spiritual perception. The Lowest level of knowledge in the hierarchy of knowledge is the sensory level. Even the Greek philosophers are in agreement that the senses are doubtful media for the acquisition of knowledge. A higher level of knowledge is acquired through reason, but reason itself depends upon recollections based on sensory impressions; and this limitation of reason is affirmed by the perspectivistic nature of philosophic thought throughout the ages.
There are three levels of human perception: the first level is sensory perception. Its perceptual process are sight, hearing, and smell, etc; with the medium of eyes, ears and other senses. The second level is rational perception. Its perceptual process are cognition, reasoning, and insight, etc; with the medium of aql (brain and mind). The third level is spiritual perception. Its perceptual process are intuition (firasah), intellection, and inspiration, etc; with the medium of aql and qalb. Aql is capable of both spiritual and intellectual perception, and that the mind is associated with intellectual perception of a discursive nature. The mind is capable of reasoning which is a projection of the aql on the mental plane. A distinction is made between reason, which is an expression of the mind, and intellection, which is an expression of aql.
The objectives of each of these levels of perception are associated with certain levels of knowledge and of reality. Through the senses, we acquire knowledge of the physical environment, e.g. knowledge of the biosphere. Through the mind, we acquire analytical and synthetic knowledge, knowledge acquired through reasoning alone, which includes knowledge of metaphysical and abstract phenomena, e.g. the concept of justice, or the concept of God. The knowledge of the intellect involves the experience of spiritual realities, e.g. elevation of the self, or attaining the presence of Allah. All these levels of knowledge are ‘true’ and ‘real’. Truth-falsehood is a scale on which all perceptions of all our faculties may find a place. While Islamic epistemology recognises all these levels of perception and realities as constituting legitimate knowledge, it further recognises a hierarchy of knowledge, the lowest level being the level of sensoiy perception, and the highest level being spiritual perception.
A clear distinction should be made between reason and intellect. Reason is limited to the function of analysis and logic. This will lead to the realisation of the Islamic teaching of unity (tawhid) if it functions normally. The role of revelation is to remove the impediments which prevent the intellect from functioning in a wholesome manner. Reason is only a reflection of intellect. It should be made subservient to intellect. Reason, in its subservience to aql and revelation, will serve as a positive instrument in guiding man in his journey from multiplicity to unity.
Man is able to use objective revelation to bring the subjective intellect into operation. The intellect can be operationalised through a wholesome employment of reason submissive to both the intellect and revelation. In this way, reason may occasionally cause ‘intellection’. We say ‘occasionally’, for man cannot always produce intellection. And this intellection is not a consequence of man’s efforts alone; everything depends on Divine grace and mercy. Intellection is ‘heart-knowledge’ rather than discursive reasoning. The individual is able to see with the eye of the heart (ayn al-qalb). He has knowledge, with certainty, of spiritual realities. This does not mean that the individual has, at this stage, reached full integration between the lower and higher nafs, for good intent precedes this movement towards intellect. Man’s psyche [nafs), his will, and reason must conform to Divine Revelation for intellect to be fully functional or reach its full potential.
Man’s worship of his Creator is not confined to belief and formal prayer to Allah, but includes ethical conduct as well—we're going to talk about the ethical implications of fitrah. Allah instructs and prohibits in matters relating to food and drink, marital relationships, social justice, etc. Man’s true nature is one of intrinsic goodness, and so he is expected to conform to the Divine laws that will guide him to good conduct. This in turn will strengthen his original nature and make him more inclined towards values demanded of his nature. Islam is designed : to develop a mental state with n man which will make the values of truth, honesty, brotherly feelings, etc. dear to his heart and the opposite qualities, dishonesty, hypocricy, etc. abhorrent to him. When, in the Qur’an, Allah addresses the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ), He, Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, says,
وَلٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ حَبَّبَ اِلَيْكُمُ الْاِيْمَانَ وَزَيَّنَهٗ فِيْ قُلُوْبِكُمْ وَكَرَّهَ اِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوْقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ ۗ اُولٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ الرّٰشِدُوْنَۙ
'... But Allah has endeared faith to you, making it appealing in your hearts. And He has made disbelief, rebelliousness, and disobedience detestable to you. Those are the ones rightly guided.' [QS. Al-Hujurat (49):7]
Moral excellence is a characteristic of human nature. We are easily able to recognise a morally excellent person and endeavour to emulate him or to attain a high moral standard ourselves. The reason for this easy recognition of and endeavour towards moral excellence is fitrah. Socrates was right in holding that all men possess a capacity for recognising moral excellence. We do occasionally recognise those things which are ultimately valuable when we are brought into contact with them, although we do not always recognise them, and often take things to be valuable which are not.
Virtue, or knowledge of the right, may be considered both inborn and acquired. It is not inborn in the sense that it is the conscious possession of the child at birth, but in the sense that it is an inborn quality of the soul. Man’s self develops and grows as a result of the learning that takes place in the environment, but, man’s inborn inclination to do good may be directed towards mistaken ends. He may even err by taking for good that which really is not. Man may be born good, but he is also created imperfect and weak. He needs Divine Guidance, not to be perfect, but to live in harmony with his nature and to be happy. Revelation guides man to the way of gratitude. His nature requires that he believes in Allah, and that he be grateful to Him and love Him.
The psychological or psychical implications of fitrah are associated with the nafs. Since the emotions and desires form an integral part of the nafs of man, the psychological implications are directly related to its emotional dimensions. Both the emotional and the psychological dimensions of man have positive as well as negative tendencies. If man’s emotions are controlled and directed to higher spiritual ends, then his psychical nature is disciplined. Although the biological constitution of man is completely different from his psychological constitution, the former nevertheless serves as an instrument for the drives of the psyche. The self must be trained so that it may be integrated with the spirit.The lower level of the nafs must be transformed into a positive, spiritually higher state so that the individual may be liberated from bondage to the lower nafs, for it tends towards gratification of the biological and emotional needs of the individual and away from the service of Allah.
As for the legal implications of Fitrah, that all of humankind know the universal message of tawheed in their fitrah, making them responsible for acknowledging Allah and His Oneness. Obedience to the Shari'ah, however, is only required of those who have received the message of Islam. Islamic law is distinguished from contemporary human law by virtue of Its Divine origin. The foundations and the primary sources of sharicah are the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Within the fixed parameters determined by the principles of these sources provision is made for the amendment, diversification and development of the sharicah in space and time in terms of the dynamic principles of Ijtihad. Ijtihad comprises the secondary sources of Islamic law, viz. qiyas (analogical reasoning) and ijma' (consensus). Those who, by virtue of their knowledge, competence and fearful obedience of Allah, are qualified to engage in Ijtihad are known as Mujtahidin. The four sunni Muslim Imams who codified Islamic law are examples of such men.
Din al-Islam is Din al-Fitrah, the Divinely prescribed way of life which accords fully with both the physical and spiritual human constitutions. Din al-Islam is the Way perfected for man by Allah Himself, exalted is He; and the shari'ah, the Islamic code of law, also accords with fitrah. Divine Law is the framework within which man can both exercise and regulate his free will in accordance with the Divine Will and in harmony with his fitrah. Man is not accountable for an arbitrary, uncodified or codified, human centred law conveniently attributed to God, but rather for a fully structured, absolute and immutable set of laws from Allah for man, and for the benefit of man.
Three embryological terms for early human development are presented in the Quran and substantiated by Hadith; these are 'Nutfah, 'refers to the gametes (male and female) and the zygote, however the latter comes in a special term a nutfah amshaj, in the context of genetic uniqueness [QS. Al-Insaan (76):1-2]; 'Alaqah' refers to zygote and its subsequent developmental stages required for implantation; and 'Mudghah', refers to the somite stage. In terms of human accountability, there are four stages: no accountability, no legal accountability, accountable to parents and elders only, and fully legally accountable. Legal capacity is proportional to the mental capacity of the individual as well as his capacity for free-will. Islamic law and the degree of responsibility necessary for the individual’s adherence to that law are directly linked to the particular stage of the individual’s growth. Human accountability is governed these phases provided that a person is sane and fully conscious of his actions.
Let's divide the life of a human being into two broad phases. The first phase is referred to in Islamic terminology as ahliyat al-wujub (the person has no reponsibilities, only rights) and the second phase as ahliyat al-ada’ (the person becomes responsible for discharging duties). Each phase is further subdivided into two substages. Islamic law governs these four stages by a very meticulously defined set of laws.
The first stage begins when the ruh enters the developing foetus and it ends at childbirth. At this stage, prior to childbirth, the organism is accorded human status. The foetus in the womb of the mother is referred to as naqis (incomplete), but when it is born it becomes kamil (complete). At this stage, immediately after childbirth, the human being is not held responsible for anything. However, society is held responsiblefor his welfare. For example, the prenatal organism is legally entitled to inherit, but this is not applicable when the child dies; the parents or wards are held responsible for apportioning to the unborn child his rightful share of his inheritance. Also, the mother has a major responsibility towards the child in that she is not permitted to consume anything that would harm the foetus, e.g. injurious drugs.
The second stage begins at birth and lasts until the age of approximately seven, which most jurists regard as the age of discernment (sinn at-tamyiz). From the beginning of the first until the end of the second stage, the child is not considered to be legally accountable to any being although he is subject to parental guidance and accountable to them as parents. The end of the second stage also marks the end of the first phase, ahliyat al-wujub, at the age of seven years. Up to this age he is categorised as kamil, complete, but has not been responsible for his actions nor was he expected to conform to the shari'ah.
Formal practice of the shari'ah begins at the age of discernment. The third stage, which is from seven to fifteen years of age approximately, begins when the individual attains the age of discernment. From the age of seven up to ten years parents are encouraged to use persuasion (verbal coercion), but between the ages of ten to fifteen years physical force is recommended. Parents are expected to urge their children to perform the prayer from the age of seven, according to a Prophetic tradition, and to beat them [which does not injure, does not break the skin, or does not break bones or teeth. Hits on the back or shoulders and the like. Avoid hitting the face because it is forbidden to hit the face. The spanking should not be more than ten times, the purpose is solely for education and do not show punishment unless it is necessary to explain this because there was a lot of resistance from children or many people neglected to pray, or the like] if they fail to perform it after the age of ten.
From the age of seven until the age of sexual maturity, the child is expected to pray and will be ewarded by Allah for his good deeds, but will not be punished in the next life if he does not practise the shari'ah. At this stage the child is only partially responsible, i.e. he is responsible for obeying the commands of his parents. It is the parents’ responsibility to encourage the child to pray, but he is not accountable to Allah if he does not comply with this duty.
The human being attains full responsibility in the fourth stage which begins with the age of sexual maturity (bulugh) and lasts until death. At this stage man becomes responsible for practising all the laws of the Shari'ah. Sexual maturity is determined by physical signs such as ejaculation of semen, the growth of the beard, pubic hair and hair under the armpits, and the breaking of the voice, in the case of the male; and the menstrual period, the swelling of the breasts, the growth of pubic hair and hair under the armpit, in the case of the female. If no physical signs of sexual maturity are observed, then the age of fifteen lunar years is regarded as the maximum age for maturity (bulugh), according to some scholars and eighteen according to some others.
After the attainment of bulugh, the young adult, himself or herself, becomes completely responsible for obeying Divine injunctions, for which he/she will be rewarded, and also for breaking such laws, for which he/she is now liable to be punished by Allah.
Although it becomes compulsory for a Muslim child to conform to the shari'ah at bulugh, this does not necessarily mean that he is regarded as intellectually mature. Certain restrictions upon the actions of those who despite being sexually mature, are nevertheless intellectually immature, exist in the shari'ah Since intellectual maturity is vital for the administration of, for example, financial affairs, the shari'ah restricts the freedom of an intellectually immature person.
The importance of this distinction between sexual and intellectual maturity may be illustrated by means of an example concerning the problem of inheritance. A wealthy man dies, leaving all his wealth to his seven year old son. The child becomes sexually mature at the age of twelve which makes him spiritually responsible for conforming to the shari'ah. He is, however, not financially responsible, for he has not yet attained sufficient intellectual maturity to administer his own affairs. The age of bulugh is not necessarily equivalent to the age of intellectual maturity.
Since the mental faculty of intellect (aql) is the basic criterion of taklif [the imposition of an obligation on someone], the Law concerns itself with the factors which affect the sanity and capacity of the individual. There are six natural impediments which exempt an individual from complete responsibility in shariah: insanity, mental retardation, unconsciousness, sickness, old age and death. These impediments are beyond the control of the individual, but there are other impediments which are intiated by man himself and lead him to violate the shari'ah. If a person becomes, for example, intoxicated by the consumption of alcohol and as a result is not able to perform the five daily prayers, then he is guilty of wilfully breaking the law, for which there is no exemption.
So, from an Islamic perspective, religion is not seen from the 'reward and punishment', but through its process, an essential process in the actualization of Fitrah. Similarly, all the branches of the Shari'ah, help to guide and direct the believer’s 'aql and iradah, towards the fulfilment of his ultimate goal in life—the actualisation of his Fitrah.'"
Then Swara said, "Next session, we'll talk about interpersonal relations in an Islamic perspective, but throughout this session, we've talked quite seriously about Fitrah, let's closed this session with a joke, 'A man was watching a football game, when his wife returned from the mall, loaded down with bags.
'I thought you were just going window-shopping,' he said.
'Yes,' replied his wife, 'I bought the curtains for the kitchen window, but I got a few things that match them: a can opener, coffee maker, blender, teapot, apron, napkin, frying pan, cooking spoons, soup ladle, ....' And until the football game was over, his wife had not done mentioning them, one by one."
