Title: What are the 'Natural Mandatory Needs' of Man? Question: Some of the general observations on 'Human Life and Living' show that: Every human being has essential survival needs (for example food, clothing, shelter/house, security of life, property and honor/self-respect, health and medical care, transport, communication, utility expenditures e.g. electricity and gas, ones own and ones children education, availability of justice, etc.) in accordance to the specific mandatory individual needs, regardless of one from the affluent or the poor, from the more scientifically advanced or from the less scientifically advanced. Every human being, NECESSARILY, has a private life as well as a collective/communal/social life within the frame of natural human existence. Human beings are born with natural variations in their mental and physical abilities. Human beings as Individuals and as societies/nations/countries have variations in their economic status and in their scientific advancements. Human beings as individuals and also as societies/nations/countries are 'virtuous' in so many ways and are also 'evil' in so many ways, regardless from the affluent or from the poor, from the more scientifically advanced or from the less scientifically advanced. Questions/Queries with reference to Islam/Quran: 'The Correct Comprehension of Natural Mandatory Needs of Human Life and Living'. Is it possible to CORRECTLY comprehend the bare minimum natural MANDATORY needs of any human being? Is it possible to CORRECTLY categorize/list the bare minimum natural MANDATORY needs of a human being, in separate sections, according to their NATURAL priority? Is it possible to CORRECTLY separate all the NATURAL constituents of a human being 'as a being' that, together, make a complete human being? Quran refers to "NAFS", "QULB/QULOOB", " A'QL (INTELLECT)". Human body is visible to everyone. The invisible "Soul"/"ROOH" is so often referred to. Needs of the 'body', 'mind' and 'soul' are so often talked. Perhaps according to 'Quran', Allah had created Adam but after that Allah 'blew (something) into (the already created) Adam'. Perhaps there is a 'Hadith' on some specific thing that NATURALLY happens to the child after 120 days of the child's conception in the mother's womb. Most of the mothers have reported to have felt child's movements in the womb after four months of conception. All this and much more perhaps justifies the CORRECT dissection of a human being, 'as a being', into its NATURAL constituents so that composition of a NATURAL human being 'as a being' could be CORRECTLY comprehended. The CORRECT answer to this perhaps makes an individual or a society/nation/country CORRECTLY comprehend the NATURAL missing aspects in their life and living as wholesome/complete NATURAL human being/s. Perhaps, the CORRECT comprehension of the NATURAL constituents of a human being 'as a being' and the natural MANDATORY needs of these constituents will also CORRECTLY assist in CORRECTLY comprehending the bare minimum natural MANDATORY needs of any human being. One of the ESSENTAL reasons of crimes committed by one is NON-ACQUISITION of one's basic NATURAL mandatory needs. The CORRECT comprehension of the bare minimum natural MANDATORY needs of any human being with reference to the NATURAL constituents of a human being 'as a being' shall perhaps also CORRECTLY assist in comprehending the types of crimes at any place/society, their CORRECT reasons and their NATURAL solutions. Also, one of the ESSENTAL reasons of one becoming psychotic is NON-ACQUISITION of one's basic NATURAL mandatory needs. The CORRECT comprehension of the bare minimum natural MANDATORY needs of any human being with reference to the NATURAL constituents of a human being 'as a being' shall, therefore, also CORRECTLY assist in comprehending the types of psychosis at any place/society, their CORRECT reasons and their NATURAL solutions. Does Islam/Quran refer to the NATURAL constituents of a human being as mentioned above and the importance of the basic MANDATORY needs of these constituents? Does Islam/Quran specify these NATURAL mandatory needs? Does Islam/Quran provide ANY method/modus operandi of CORRECTLY fulfilling these needs? If Islam/Quran provide the answers to these queries, then what are these answers? Do any of these needs and their answers overlap (ie the need of any one constituent is also the need of another constituent of the same human being and so the fulfillment of one NATURAL mandatory need satiates/satisfies two or more constituents of the same human being? Could you please provide a 'list' where ever required? Why to refer to Islam/Quran (ie holy revelation) for the CORRECT comprehension of the above mentioned queries when human beings posses the ability of "intellect"? When should Islam/Quran (ie holy revelation) be consulted and when should human "intellect" be consulted? Thank you for your kind assistance. God bless you. Malik Shahid Ahsen Pakistan Answer: Had man only been a physical being, it would have been much easier to determine the 'minimum essential needs' for his sustained existence. However, this is not the case. Man is a complex being. Once his physical needs are reasonable met, he naturally starts making provisions for his tomorrow. He not only wants his needs to be satisfied today, but also seeks security of the continued satisfaction these needs in future as well. At this stage, both the satisfaction of his present physical needs as well as a reasonable security of the continued satisfaction of these needs in future become a part of his essential needs. However, this is not the end of the line. Once these stages have been reached and covered, man's social, emotional and esthetic needs become more and more pressing and soon become a part of his essential 'mandatory' needs. The Qur'an recognizes the whole personality of man and does not restrict his 'mandatory' needs merely to those that are physical in nature and which need to be met for his continued physical existence. Nevertheless, the determination of the essential needs of man is not an issue covered by the Qur'an or Islam. Thus, it would not be correct to make a 'list' of such needs from the Qur'an and/or Islam. As for your second question, I do not think that a person should refer to the Qur'an for the determination of his basic 'mandatory' needs. The directives of Islam relate specifically to the physical and moral cleansing of man-man and man-God relationship. Thus, Islam is not concerned with whether or not a particular need is considered 'essential' by someone or not. Nevertheless, Islam is deeply concerned with the moral correctness of the method of the fulfillment and satisfaction of these needs - whether considered essential or not. This is precisely the sphere where Islam provides guidance. I hope this helps. Moiz Amjad January 10, 2003