Absolute Individual Freedom
Many philosophers regard the notion of absolute individual freedom as a redundant concept, arguing instead that individual freedom must be restricted to prevent it from devolving into chaos.
Islam, however, regards freedom as absolute in essence. When we discuss freedom at any level, we are ultimately referring to absoluteness, whether we realize it or not. This is because restricted freedom is but a breath from the fragrances of absoluteness, diffused upon the people of the earth according to their capacity to bear it. Thus, restriction is not the origin; absoluteness is. Restrictions are merely transitional necessities accompanying the evolution of the individual from limitation to absoluteness.
Freedom in Islam is absolute and is a right for every human being by virtue of their humanity, regardless of their religion or race. It is a right accompanied by a duty and cannot be upheld without it. This duty is the proper exercise of freedom. Freedom becomes limited only when a free person is incapable of fulfilling that duty. In such cases, it is restricted to the extent of that incapacity and is regulated by constitutional laws. The constitutional laws in Islam are those that have the ability to reconcile the individual's need for absolute personal freedom with the community's need for comprehensive social justice. They do not sacrifice the individual for the sake of the community, nor the community for the sake of the individual. Rather, they represent a balanced measure between the two. When applied in all their particulars, they fulfill both the interests of the individual and those of the community simultaneously and within a unified framework.
Absoluteness is considered a fundamental principle in Islam because it places no limit on an individual’s progress. In Islam, a person is constantly journeying from the finite toward the infinite - or rather, from deficiency toward perfection: absolute perfection. The ultimate goal of the servant in Islam is the perfection of the Lord, and the Lord’s perfection lies in His absoluteness. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says: “And that there is not for man except that for which he strives, And that his effort is going to be seen - Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense - And that to your Lord is the finality.”( 53:39-42) This means: the ultimate end of one's journey. The journey to God is not about traversing physical distances, as we mentioned earlier, but about embodying the divine attributes through one’s character. God Almighty says:
“O mankind, you are laboring toward your Lord with [great] exertion and will meet Him.” (84:6). Whether you seek this meeting or not - where will you encounter Him? In His heavens or on His earth? He, the Exalted, has said:
“Neither My heavens nor My earth can contain Me, but the heart of My believing servant can.” Thus, the meeting with Him occurs within you - through Him, not through yourself.
Regarding this, the Infallible (the Prophet) said:
“Adorn yourselves with the attributes of Allah, for my Lord is upon a straight path.”
And Allah says:
“Be rabbānīyīn (godly people), because of what you have taught of the Scripture and because of what you have studied.” (3:79)
What renders us incapable of fulfilling the duty of absolute individual freedom is ignorance. In the excess of our ignorance, we come to love that ignorance and despise knowledge - unless it arrives in a form that aligns with our desires. “Fighting has been prescribed for you, though it is hateful to you. But it may be that you hate a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is bad for you. And Allah knows, while you do not know.” (2:216). The phrase “And it may be that you love a thing while it is bad for you” highlights our selfishness. We love ourselves and everything that proceeds from us - even our follies. Every human being is, by nature, inherently selfish, and it is within this very selfishness that the potential for growth and perfection lies.
Selfishness exists on two levels: the narrow, degraded, ignorant selfishness, and the expansive, elevated, enlightened selfishness.
The ignorant selfish person may perceive their own interest in ways that conflict with the interests of the community and, if necessary, may sacrifice the community’s welfare to pursue what they mistakenly believe to be their own interest. In contrast, the rational selfish person recognizes their true interest only when it aligns with the interests of others. Such a person resonates with the words of Abu Al-Alaa Al-Ma'arri:
If I were granted eternal life alone,
I would not desire eternity in solitude.
Let no clouds rain on me or my land,
Unless their blessings nourish the entire land.
The cornerstone of this matter lies in sound education, as encapsulated by the words of the Infallible (the Prophet): “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” From that moment, Islam positioned itself decisively against ignorant selfishness and in favor of rational selfishness. The Infallible (the Prophet) also said, “None of you truly believes until his desires align with what I have brought.” Here, “desires” refers to ignorant selfishness. He likewise stated: “Your worst enemy is your own self between your sides.” This phrase refers to the lower or base self, in contrast to the higher self - your other self - which is implied in the expression “your worst enemy.” It is as if he were saying, “Your greatest enemy is your lower self, in opposition to your higher self.” For some reason, the Qur’an frequently contrasts the terms dunya (the lower world) and ukhra (the higher world).
This contrast symbolizes ignorant selfishness versus rational selfishness. When Allah says, “Indeed, this Quran guides to that which is most upright” (17:9), it signifies guidance toward the higher self. Likewise, the verse “Whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] his soul, and whoever goes astray only goes astray against it” (17:15)
As long as we operate within the realm of ignorant selfishness, our freedom must be restricted - for the sake of both society and ourselves. This restriction must be governed by constitutional laws. From this, it becomes clear that freedom in Islam operates on two levels: the level of freedom restricted by constitutional laws, which we have already discussed, and the level of absolute freedom. At the first level, the free individual is one who thinks as he wishes, speaks as he thinks, and acts as he speaks - provided that his exercise of freedom in speech or action does not infringe upon the freedoms of others. If he exceeds these bounds, his freedom is restricted by constitutional law, as a just and proportional consequence.
The free individual at the second level of freedom is one who thinks as he wishes, speaks as he thinks, and acts as he speaks, yet the outcome of all these actions is nothing but goodness, blessing, and kindness toward another. The lower standard of the first level of freedom is justice, while the lower standard of the second level is forgiveness. A person who embodies this level of freedom harbors no hidden grudge in his veiled conscience against anyone, for he understands that wrongdoing begins in the conscience, then manifests in speech, and finally translates into action. It is such individuals - those of the second level, not those of the first - whom Allah addresses in His words: “And abandon open and secret sin. Indeed, the one who earns sin will be recompensed for what he used to commit.” (6:120). He also refers to them when He says: “Say, ‘My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed.’” (7:33). Furthermore, Allah emphasizes this in the verse: “Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it.” (2:284).
For those at the level of restricted freedom, the Prophet’s statement applies:
"Allah has overlooked for my nation what they think to themselves, as long as they do not act upon it or speak of it."
The two freedoms are intertwined, the first of which serves as a preparatory stage for the second. An individual can only reach its levels through personal effort in nurturing the self, by monitoring it, holding it accountable, and disciplining it to be entrusted with excellence and charged with doing good. Monitoring means being present with Allah at all times so that one's limbs do not act in ways displeasing to Him - whether in thought, word, or deed. Accountability means rectifying what escapes the discipline of monitoring. Since absolute individual freedom is only attained at its price, and that price, as we previously mentioned, is the proper conduct of freedom of the veiled conscience, freedom of speech, and freedom of action, Islam has tailored its acts of worship and laws to guide the individual to achieve this level.
