Islam is for all universe for all times. yes? no?

Most Muslims believe that Islam has a universal message for all times. The veracity of this statement depends on what one thinks is the message of Islam.
In my earlier blog, I had argued that religions are defined by the language in which they are prescribed. No religion is born in a cultural vacuum. Islam was born in 7th century Arabia and it has DISTINCT features that reflect the reforms needed at the time. For example, rather than abolish slavery, Islam encourages better treatment and freeing slaves as atonement of sin (hoping in time this will abolish slavery). This does not mean Islam agrees with slavery, but the structure of the society in 7th century Arabia demanded a gradual and systematic abolition of slavery rather than an abrupt one. One can choose to define Islam in the specific laws of Quran and specific deeds/sayings of Muhammad, or one can choose to define Islam in the general approach and the desired outcome of these laws. If one chooses to define it with the former, one should continue to acquire slaves and treat them well, sleep with one’s slave girls and treat her children as his own etc. However, if one chooses to define Islam with the latter, one has to denounce slavery in every form.
People argue that Islamic laws are for all people and for all times. Let’s look at the argument in terms of ‘all people’. I have a Native American (Red Indian) friend who once explained the concept of ‘property’ in Native American culture: there is none. There is no concept of possessing land, property or wives in this culture. Owning a piece of land is just as foreign to them as owning an area of ‘air’ is for us. So if these people were to convert to Islam, should they start possessing their tents and dividing it in halves and thirds to give to their children? Absolutely NOT. So does that mean Islam does not have a prescription for all people…absolutely NOT, as well. It depends on how you define the law. The concept behind the law of dividing property is to be fair and just in the social dealings. It is not the thirds and five-sevenths that is the issue, but what it represents.
Now let’s look at the argument for ‘all times’. There are specific definitions (depending on the fiqh) of state of travel. It is important to know if you are ‘travelling’ or not b/c it affects your prayers and fasts. In U.S today people commute on everyday basis to distances farther than any/every fiqh’s ruling as the distance required for state of ‘travel’. In today’s world, these commuters can never fast or pray their full prayers! If you take specific laws as definition of Islam…you will find it neither applies to all people, nor for all time.
The underlining goal of all these laws, however, will apply to all people and all times.
Most people will say ‘monotheism’ is at the core of Islam and it is its main message. Fair enough. However if you look at the history of Islam there is something more fundamental than monotheism. I am convinced that monotheism is the means to the end and not the end itself. If one achieves the end without the specific means, one can still die a Muslim, in theory.
A side note here is that Ali wanted to compile a chronologically assembled Quran. It did not happen. Too bad, for it had solved a lot of ambiguity in the context of many revelations of Quran since we’d know the precise time in history each revelation was descended on Muhammad and therefore the true message of that revelation.
All the (chronologically) earlier revelations before Surah Ikhlas (which proclaims monotheistic nature of God and for the first time gives Him an appellation of “Allah”), were targeted towards social reform. These surahs show disgust on social practices such as hoarding of wealth, not caring for the weak in the society, not being neighborly and not promoting social harmony through acts of kindness. It is interesting to know that in those days some other folks were showing the same concerns over the increase in the distance between the rich and poor of the society and lack of tribal support to the weak of the society specially widows and orphans. Maybe the main message of Islam, then, is ‘social justice’. The way this goal was achieved in 7th century Arabia was to create a tribe based on ideology and not blood relations…a tribe where social justice would rule and a tribe that will defend ALL its members weak or powerful. That ideology on which this tribe (Ummah) would be based, was monotheism and prophethood of Muhammad.

In today’s world, there is no tribe and no protection based on the membership to that tribe. The political scene has changed. Western concept of ‘nationality’ is imposed on the world. Neither subcontinent, nor Middle East fits in this formula of western nationality. However, the true message of Islam (social justice) can be achieved under all political and economical models. This message of Islam is for all people and all times. Islam does not condemn Democracy, Theocracy or Oligopoly. It does not favor Capitalism, Socialism or Communism. It only wants to achieve the goal of social justice and basic human rights for all. Those who are clinging to the 7th century laws of Islam and claiming them for all people , all times…are also living in 7th century Arabia all of them, all of the time!