Dear friends what does islam mean to you, a deen a mazhab or a maslak?
regards and all the best.
Re: Is Islam a deen, a mazhab or a maslak?
Peace Mughal1
Islam in one context is - Shahadah, Salah, Sayam, Zakat, Hajj ... and no more than these ... (but this is when Islam is referred to as a rites and practices).
When the Deen is used with Islam or by itself then this refers to the system upon which these are established. Notice how Shar'ah in the sense of penal system and civil law is not contained in the 5 pillars. The 5 pillars are meant to be what an individual does to conduct his affairs. So in another sense Islam is this as well which means it is viewed as a way of life. However in the context that Islam is what every Muslim is in then this will include all of the affairs in this life and in the hereafter both outward behaviour and inner state spiritual and mental and hence that would translate to Deen.
The madzhab is only a specific line of implementation usually the fiqh aspects of it and maslak is usually a specific formula of beliefs and practices chosen over others.
It is one thing being a Muslim, but a Mo'min or a Muhsin or Muttaqi need to be considered in the whole formula as well. A Muslim can be a hypocrite but a Mo'min cannot. Every Muhsin is a Mo'min but not every Mo'min is a Muhsin.
Essentially Islam means to me a platform from which one can aim towards becoming a Muttaqi/Muhsin and at the same time is able to propagate that ideology to others effectively.
Re: Is Islam a deen, a mazhab or a maslak?
Peace Mughal1,
In addition to above comments, The religion of Islam is the the acceptance of and obedience to the teachings of Allah SWT which He revealed to His last Prophet Muhammad 
Islam is an arabic word. It appeared 6 times in the Quran and its have three meanings:
- To remain saved from misfortunates,
- Reconciliation, Pacific
- Obey the order, obedience
Deen (religion) is also an arabic word based on creed and faith in more powerful meaning/terms we can say Deen is based on Quran and the Sunnah. It appeared 92 times in the Quran and its have four meanings:
- Wreak,
- Orderer, Owner
- Obedient, follower, accepter
- Accept a path, follow/make a cult
Both words ‘Islam’ and ‘Deen’ are appeared in Quran. In Surah Az Zumar verses 3 “Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion (Deen)”. Cult (Mazhab) is also an arbic word which means ‘the way of out’. This word cult (mazhab) doens’t have poweful meaning like religion (Deen) and nor it does used anywhere in Quran. The religion (Deen) words in Quran also explain that only the Almighty Allah SWT HAS the rights to give orders or we shall only obey the orders of Allah SWT. So **Islam **is a **Deen **as Allah SWT said in Surah Al Imran 19: "Indeed, the religion (Deen) in the sight of Allah is Islam".
Re: Is Islam a deen, a mazhab or a maslak?
From an English linguistics point of view the word "cult" or "sect" is adequate for the word madzhab, but from an idiomatic point of view most Muslim translators do not use those terms, because they mean - "cult" something other than the main body and exclusive or obscure, and "sect" is a division that operates in isolation and separates itself dogmatically from others of the same type. Hence we tend to use the word "school of thought" or "group" to denote madzhab, because although we may differ from others in outward forms we share inward beliefs and hence cannot really be called sects or even cults.
Re: Is Islam a deen, a mazhab or a maslak?
The word 'cult' is also used as maslak and 'Deen' as madzhab. Hence Madzhab never used in Quran and it can be used in other then religion Islam.
I guess my knowledge is less here and I will appreciate if you explain it more. :)
Re: Is Islam a deen, a mazhab or a maslak?
Peace bro lethal kamikaze
No ... you were linguistically correct, but as you know there are certain words which although technically correct might be absolutely wrong. It's like in Urdu if we listen to our teacher we say "Sahi hai" if we translate this into English it will be "that is correct" ... We can't say that to our teacher it's like we are authorising his/her statement. But in Urdu it means something else.
In the same way although a cult or a sect does mean division but the common understanding in English is that these are so large divisions they become outside the order of that belief system. A Christian cult therefore is not viewed as the same as a Christian sect, and in Islam a sect would be what we consider major separations from Islamic 'aqeedah. The word firqah is not equal to the word madzhab in Arabic, but I agree in Urdu madzhab means any religion. But Islamically a madzhab is strictly that what it a subdivision within Islam itself not outside Islam. It is a whole lot of semantics. I was just clarifying that sometimes words have different meanings in different languages and can mean something else when translated verbatim.
Re: Is Islam a deen, a mazhab or a maslak?
I do not understand why people go all 'dictionary' about Islam trying to figure out 'what' its is ..Rather than actually following it 'As' it is.
Re: Is Islam a deen, a mazhab or a maslak?
Fbi786 
Yes I agree … I was just answering the thread … but I agree.
Re: Is Islam a deen, a mazhab or a maslak?
Psyah
FBI bro! I read it in urdu and maybe while translating into english i mispresented. rest I agree with u. 
Re: Is Islam a deen, a mazhab or a maslak?
Thank you very much dear friends sharing your thoughts.
I am of the view that Islam is a deen=divine world order=moral value based divine system=nizaam.
Islam is not a religion=system of beliefs=creed=dogma=aqeeda
Islam is not a maslak=path=human tradition.
The quran begins with bismillah in the name of Allah and the verse ends with alraheem= he is merciful.
The 2nd verse begins with AL HAMDULILLAH=rule belongs to Allah the lord who created all and provided for its sustenance. The rahmaan the raheem.
The 4th verse tells us, he is provider of frame of reference for decision making or judging things according to.
These verses as I look at them are gist of what the rest of the quran is all about.
Surah al fatiha begins by telling us about Allah himself ie he is compassionate being this is why he not only created things but st up things for looking after them and provided a guidance as to how people should live to in this world to benefit themselves.
These verses are for a person who has risen to this level of consciousness that he needs revelation to guide him further on. It is at that stage one need nizaam to organise life accordingly.
Even beginning of the next surah is interesting eg this is the book in which there is no possibility of doubt that it is a guidance for those who seek consistency. Consistency between god and mankind and between mankind themselves and between mankind and the world.
People who commit to peace in the name of the AL-GHAIB=Allah by establishing his order in the world by keeping open for mankind all that Allah has provided for for them.
Again we see that people are divided between those who are committed to peace because they do not intend to control world land and its resources and those who rather control these things and thereby cause trouble for the rest of mankind.
All this goes to show that islam is not a belief system but a world order to live by if we all wish to live and let live in peace.
regards and all the best.
Re: Is Islam a deen, a mazhab or a maslak?
Deen, way of life, path to Jannah, etc.
Re: Is Islam a deen, a mazhab or a maslak?
its a deen a whole way of life covers all aspects of life