A. Definition of Islam
Islam etymologically means submissive, obedient, or surrender. As according to the shari'ah (terminology), there are two senses:
First: If Islam mentioned alone without being accompanied by the word of faith, the Islamic sense includes all religions, whether ushul (principal) and furu '(branches), also the whole issue of' aqidah, worship, faith, words and deeds. So this notion that Islam was admitted to the oral, believing with the heart and surrender to God Almighty for all that has been determined and destined, as the word of Allah Almighty about Prophet Ibrahim ‘Alaihissallam :
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ
أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“Behold! His Lord said to him : “Bow
(thy will to Me)” He said: "I bow (my will) to the Lord and Cherisher of
the Universe." (Al-Baqarah
:131).
Second:
If the word of Islam
is mentioned in conjunction with the
word of faith, Islam
is words and physical
deeds of someone, whether he believes in Islam or not. Meanwhile, word of
faith relating to charity care.
As Allah Almighty says :
قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آَمَنَّا قُلْ لَمْ
تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَكِنْ قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي
قُلُوبِكُمْ وَإِنْ تُطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ لَا يَلِتْكُمْ مِنْ
أَعْمَالِكُمْ شَيْئًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
The desert Arabs say, "We believe." Say, "Ye have
no faith; but ye (only)say, 'We have submitted our wills to Allah,' For not yet
has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will
not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful." (Al-Hujurat :14).
B. Islam in Normative and
Historical Stand
Islam in normative is
Islam in sacral dimension recognized the transcendental reality that is
absolute and universal, transcending space and time, or often referred to as
the Lord reality. Meanwhile Islam in historical stand is that Islam can not be
separated from historical and human life is in space and time. Islam
linked to the context of the life of its adherents. Therefore, the reality of
humanity is always under the Lord reality. In general doctrine of revelation
normatively built, mixed, standardized and analyzed through various theological
doctrinal approaches. While the historicity of human diversity through a
variety of angles explored socio-religious approach to a multi-and
interdisciplinary approaches either through historical, philosophical, psychological,
sociological, cultural and anthropological.
C. Normative Approach and Historical
Relationships in Understanding Islam
In the understanding of
the Islamic religion both approaches (normative and historical) are related to
each other. Islam in normative apparently confined by its adherents historicity.
The meaning that their understanding can not be separated completely from the
influence of the circumstances. Social and political struggles, socioeconomic,
educational level, the stability of the defense interests, interest groups,
organizations and so on even highly colored complexion normality understanding
of Islam.
Normative understanding
of Islam comes from the primary sources of the Qur'an and the Hadith, and the
historical understanding of Islam associated with time and reality.
