Skip to main content

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEEN & RELIGION


Introduction

It is irrationally considered that both "Religion" and "Deen" are the same thing. Actually, there is a huge difference in context and terminology as far as both of these terms are concerned. In this blog article, I have tried to make you understand in detail the significant difference between "Deen" and "Religion" in the context of Islam. 

However, before describing the significant difference between "Deen" and "Religion", it is quite pertinent to understand first that what is Deen in the context of Islam (Qur'an) and what is Religion in the context of human doctrine? So, let's define and understand these terms separately and later on compare and contrast these terms jointly.

What is Deen in Islam? 

The Arabic word "Deen" (دين) has three main literal meanings: religion, custom, and judgment. The term refers to the way of life Muslims must live in order to follow divine law, which includes their beliefs, character, way of life, and actions. The term (Deen not religion) is used 98 times in the Qur'an, each time with a different meaning. 

Although the word "Deen" can be found in as many as 79 verses of the Qur'an, its precise definition has been the subject of some misunderstanding and disagreement due to the lack of a precise English translation. In some parts of the Qur'an, for instance, the term is frequently translated and referred to as "religion." 

The term "Deen" has been used in various forms and meanings, such as system, power, supremacy, ascendancy, sovereignty or lordship, dominion, law, constitution, mastery, government, realm, decision, definite outcome, reward, and punishment, according to Muslim scholars. 

On the other hand, this word is also used to mean allegiance, obedience, and submission." Others have noted that the term "Deen" is also frequently used in translations of the Qur'an in a third sense, in addition to the two broad usages that have been discussed thus far, of sovereignty on the one hand and submission on the other. 

The term is most well-known in the opening chapter, al-Fati'ah, and almost all English translations translate it as "judgment." In a similar context, the verse "مَٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ" is translated as "Master of the Day of Judgment." 

However, from my perspective and understanding, the term "Deen" refers to "judgment" and "a particular way of living a life as only ordered by Allah the Almighty and no one else." Furthermore, "Deen" transcends and denies all human doctrine, logic, thought, knowledge, or school of thought because it was directly revealed by Allah the Almighty (God) to human beings through Prophets or Messengers from the first Prophet Adam AS to the last Prophet Muhammad PBUH.

What is a Religion (مذہب)?

A social-cultural system of prescribed behaviours and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations that typically relate humanity to supernatural, transcendental, and spiritual elements is typically how a religion is commonly defined. 

However, scholars do not agree on the precise definition of a religion. The divine, sacred things, faith, a supernatural being or supernatural beings, or "some sort of ultimacy and transcendence that will provide norms and power for the rest of life" may or may not be present in various religions. 

Rituals, sermons, sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, public service, and other aspects of human culture; are all some of the common examples of religious practices. In order to primarily give life a meaning; sacred scriptures, symbols, and holy places can be used to preserve religious histories and narratives. 

Religions may also attempt to explain the universe, the origin of life, and other phenomena through symbolic stories, which adherents frequently assert to be true. Faith, in addition to reason, has traditionally been regarded as a source of religious beliefs. There are about more than 1,000 different religions in the world. According to Wikipedia, a total of 84% of the world's population adheres to one or more religions. 

Additionally, the study of religion encompasses a wide range of academic fields, including comparative religion, theology, philosophy of religion, and social science studies. Speculations of religion offer different clarifications for the starting points and activities of religion, including the ontological groundworks of strict being and conviction.

Many religious scholars, writers, intellectuals, clerics, and critics consider Islam as a religion. However, I strongly disagree with this perception and phenomenon that Islam is a religion. Islam is not a religion in the context of glorious Qur'an, rather it is the "Deen". Because religion, in contrast to "Deen," is founded on the human school of thought, observation, practices, logic, knowledge, and rationality.

What is the Difference Between Deen & Religion?

One of the most widely recognised differences between Deen and Religion is that Deen is straightforwardly from Allah the All-powerful. However, religion is based on human doctrines and schools of thought and does not originate directly from God. Similarly, the Prophets of Islam were forbidden from altering anything in Deen (Islamic Scripts including Qur'an). In fact, they were given a clear directive to only spread the Deen among people which Allah the All-Powerful had already revealed it to them.

Additionally, the Qur'an is the complete code of human life. Because it comes directly from Allah the All-Powerful, it is the only source of Deen. The Qur'an is extremely straightforward and simple to comprehend and understand, and it explains everything that is significant to Islam in detail. Because of this, everything else besides the Qur'an is not Deen because it does not come directly from Allah the All-Powerful.

Allah, the Almighty doesn't like to share His power, authority, supremacy, and command. This is why Allah, the Almighty has mentioned clearly in Qur'an that He is the One and none shares His authority and power. He has no parents or children. Allah the Almighty is the one and all alone Who is worthy to be worshiped. It is He Who has given life to us (Human Beings) and created the entire universe, and to Him, we all are to return.  

Finally, Allah the Almighty all alone is the only Master of the Day of Judgment and even the Prophets of Islam have no any authority to share His power and take decisions on their own in terms of rewarding Hell or Heaven to anyone. Therefore, we need to understand Deen-e-Islam as per the context of the Glorious Qur'an only in order to be successful on the day of judgment. 


Thanks for reading. I hope this blog post has cleared up your thoughts about the difference between Deen and Religion. This is my personal opinion and hence you may disagree with that. however, I would suggest you read the Qur'an in detail and try to understand it before contradicting my point of view.

 You Should Also Read the Following Suggested Topics 

Labels:
Location: Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Read Blogs

Single National Curriculum (SNC): Its Pros & Cons

Single National Curriculum 2020  Background Pakistan is a multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and multi-ethnic country where around 74 different languages are spoken. Out of these 74 different languages, 66 languages are indigenous while the remaining 8 are non-indigenous. Urdu is the national language while English is the official language of Pakistan.  Similarly, Pakistan is the thick and second-largest Muslim-populated country in the world. Approximately 96.5% (≈210 million) people are Muslims, out of which around 85-90% are Sunni and the remaining are the Shia sect Muslims.  These two major sects are further subdivided into different groups on the basis of their particular schools of the so-called Islam ic law. On the other hand Pakistani nation is divided on the basis of political parties, ethnicity, sectarianism, culture, customs, traditions, rituals, socio-economics, and educational differences.  The current government has therefore developed and devised Single N...
5 comments
Read more

School, Community, and Teacher (B.Ed Honours Course)

School, Community, & Teacher  (SCT) in the Context of Teacher Education (B.Ed Honours Course) Background The triad of school, community, and teacher (SCT) forms a critical intersection within the educational landscape, creating an integrated ecosystem essential for fostering a healthy and sustainable teaching and learning environment . In the realm of teacher education, the terms school, teacher, and community carry multifaceted meanings that vary depending on contextual factors. To fully comprehend the overarching goals and objectives of teacher education, it is imperative to explore the synergies and intersections inherent in this SCT framework. In this discussion, we will examine each component of the SCT triad in detail, while also considering related concepts that enrich our understanding of this complex interplay. By unpacking these terms, we aim to illuminate their significance and the ways in which they collectively contribute to a robust educational experience. The sch...
Post a Comment
Read more

Definition and Scope of Statistics (Quantitative Reasoning Course)

Quantitative Reasoning Course for BS Honours Level Students  Definition and Scope of Statistics Statistics is the branch of mathematics that deals with the collection, analysis, interpretation, presentation, and organisation of data. It provides tools and methods to make sense of numerical information, identify patterns, draw inferences, and make informed decisions under uncertainty. The scope of statistics is broad and interdisciplinary: Descriptive Statistics : Summarises and describes the features of a dataset, such as calculating means, medians, or creating charts to visualise data. Inferential Statistics : Uses sample data to make generalisations or predictions about a larger population, often involving hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and regression analysis. Applied Fields : Extends to economics (e.g., forecasting trends), biology (e.g., clinical trials), social sciences (e.g., surveys), engineering (e.g., quality control), and data science (e.g., machine learning m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Quantitative Reasoning: Statistics and its Relevance in the Context of BS English/Education Course

Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning Course   Quantitative Reasoning (QR) is an ability and an academic skill to use mathematical concepts and procedures. QR often involves interpretation of empirical and numerical data, identification of patterns, flow charts, geometrical shapes, and diagrams for identifying real life problems including offering viable solutions.  QR requires logical reasoning and critical thinking to analyse the real life issues and making informed decisions. Learners often require to have some basic knowledge about statistics numeracy, quantitative values, ratio as well as descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Hence, in order to have reasonable grasp on QR, learners require to have the basic knowledge about Statistics. In simple words, Statistics plays a very pivotal role in understanding Quantitative Reasoning. What is Statistics? Statistics is one of the Branches of Applied Mathematics or  science of collecting, organising, analysing,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Quantitative Reasoning Statistical Basics

Measures of Central Tendency Measures of central tendency are the specific statistical values which describe the typical values or central position of a dataset. The three most common single statistical values include Mean, Median and Mode.  Arithmetic Mean : Average of all values (sum divided by count). Geometric Mean : nth root of the product of values (used for growth rates). Harmonic Mean : The Reciprocal of the average of reciprocals (used for rates like speed). Median : Middle value when data is ordered. Quartiles : Values dividing data into four equal parts (Q1=25th, Q2=50th=median, Q3=75th percentile). Mode : Most frequent value. Measures of Dispersion Range : Difference between maximum and minimum values. Quartile Deviation : Half the interquartile range (Q3 - Q1)/2. Mean Deviation : Average absolute deviation from the mean. Variance : Average squared deviation from the mean. Standard Deviation : Square root of variance (spread in original units). Coefficient of Varia...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dilema of Democracy & Political Leadership Crisis in Pakistan

Dilemma of Democracy & Political Leadership Crisis in Pakistan Overview Since mid 20th century,  Democracy is being considered the most accomplished process and a form of government where only people’s representatives have the right and authority to run the affairs of the state including forming certain constitutional rules and regulations.  Through democracy, people choose their representatives following a well-defined system of voting. The elected representatives then govern the affairs of the state on behalf of their people for a certain period of time (usually 4 to 5 years).  These representatives actually ensure the authority and rule of law for their people in the larger interests of any nation, state, or country. On the other hand, they are also held accountable and responsible for their actions and exercising of the powers within certain limitations as defined in the constitution or legislated through parliament.  Although Pakistan is a pure democratic...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sampling Techniques

Sampling Techniques: Quantitative Reasoning Course for BS Honours Level Students  Sampling technique involves selecting a subset of a population to study, enabling researchers to draw quantitative, qualitative and mixed conclusions about the larger group without studying everyone.  In Linguistics and Education or in any other field of study, sampling is crucial because populations (e.g., language speakers, students, teachers, customers,  users, and viewers etc.) are often large and diverse, making it impractical to study every individual.  The choice of sampling technique impacts the study’s validity, generalisability, and feasibility. Types of Sampling Techniques Basically, there are two main types of sampling techniques that are further subdivided. Both of these types including subtypes are explained below with examples. 1. Probability Sampling (Random-based, ensures every unit has a known chance of selection) Simple Random Sampling : Every individual in the popul...
Post a Comment
Read more

AFGHANISTAN CRISES: WHERE DOES PAKISTAN STAND?

Afghanistan Crises and Pakistan  Background According to history, Afghanistan has remained a war zone and a plan to invade central and south Asia for a long time. All of the invaders' troops entered South Asia through Afghanistan, from the Aryans to the Mughals. Afghanistan was the target of two major invasions in recent history. The former Soviet Union (USSR) launched its first invasion in December 1979, which lasted until 1989 and culminated in the dissolution of the Soviet Union into a number of distinct states. However, a significant portion of the formal USSR's territory, now known as the Russian Federation, is still there. As a result of the so-called September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, the United States of America (USA) and its NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) allies, including Great Britain, launched the second invasion in 2001. Al-Qaeda's leader, Usama Bin Ladin, was allegedly blamed for the 9/11 attacks and claims that Al-Qa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sampling Techniques, Distribution, CLT, Hypothesis Testing Basics, Z-Test, T-Test, ANOVA, Chi-Square, Regression Analysis

Sampling Techniques, Distribution, CLT, Hypothesis Testing Basics, Z-Test , T-Test , ANOVA , Chi-Square , Regression Analysis , etc. (Quantitative Reasoning Course for BS/ B.Ed Hons Level) The fundamental concepts of inferential statistics form a logical progression: we begin by selecting a representative sample , describe its distribution , use the Central Limit Theorem to justify normal-based methods, frame hypotheses, and finally apply the appropriate parametric or non-parametric test to make evidence-based conclusions about the population. Below is a rewritten, student-friendly overview that emphasises how each topic builds on the previous one , with clear illustrations, formulas, decision rules, and real-life examples suitable for undergraduate honours students. 1. Sampling Techniques & Sampling Distribution 🪚 Sampling Techniques:  Sampling is the process of selecting a subset of individuals from a larger population to make statistical inferences. The goal is to obta...
Post a Comment
Read more

SWOT Analysis within the Context of Education

 SWOT Analysis in Education for Curriculum Development, Classroom Management, and Planning Introduction   It was the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) which coined the term SWOT Analysis during the 1960s. Initially, the term was used for business management consultancy but later on, researchers and professionals started using it in different fields mainly for planning purposes. SWOT  analysis is a strategic planning tool or a framework which is used to identify and evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to an organization or a specific project including setting its standing operating procedures (SOPs).  It is widely used in business studies, politics, strategic military planning, think tanks, policy-making, international relations, socio-economic as well as socio-political dimensions, and education etc. Similarly, in the context of education, SWOT analysis provides a very comprehensive framework for assessing various aspects of educat...
Post a Comment
Read more