Deen in Islam: A conceptual analysis

There are four terms, Ilah, Rabb, Deen and Ibadah which scholars consider to be fundamental concepts found in the Qur’an and the core point of Islamic dawah. Since these terms have enormous significance in the life of a believer, many scholars explain the meaning and significance of these foundational concepts with special focus on Deen. Analysing varying perspectives, this study found that the term Deen is undoubtedly one of the most significant terms found in the Quran and that this concept embodies within itself perspectives on existence, life, society and sociopolitical system. Such an understanding renders Islam much more than a religion. Islam emerges as a complete and competing ideology and a system of life and society. There is a need to eschew legalistic explanation of the concept as done by many scholars and go beyond and reconstruct the term and weave it into a political-ideological system. Thus, Islam emerges as a superior ideology towering over other “isms” and the resultant socio-political systems.