Quran Speaks to You

In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful. This day I have perfected your religion for you and bestowed on you the full measure of My blessings and chosen Islam as a religion for you. (The Repast, “Al-Maidah”: 5:3)


This short statement is part of a rather long verse which was the subject of our commentary in the last issue. It details certain types of food that have been forbidden to Muslims. This statement, however, merits a longer look to reflect on the great truth it states and what it means of duties and obligations which the community of believers must fulfill.


The first thought that flashes in our minds concerns the perfection of this religion. What does a believer see when he looks at the procession of faith that has started ever since the early days of human life led by Allah’s messengers, the first of whom was Adam (Peace be on him), down to the last message conveyed by the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) to all mankind? He sees a noble procession based on divine guidance and bringing light to mankind. He also sees clear landmarks defining the way. But he also realizes that every messenger was sent to his own community and every message was meant for a certain period of time, with the exception of the last Messenger and the last message. Each was a special message to a particular community living in a particular environment. Hence, each of them was adapted to certain conditions. It is true that all of them called for submission to Allah alone, because that is the essence of divine faith. They all required that divine instructions be faithfully followed, in an attitude of complete obedience to Allah alone, because this is the essence of Islam in its broader meaning of surrender to Allah. But each one of them had its own code which was suitable to the prevailing conditions of its community at the particular time in which it was revealed.


When it was Allah’s will to conclude His messages to mankind, He sent the last Prophet with a message to man, not to a particular community or a particular period. This message addresses the very nature of man which remains the same in all periods and all communities: “(This is) the natural disposition which Allah has instilled into man; no change shall be made in Allah’s creation. This is the ever true faith.” (30; 30) This message contains a law which addresses all aspects of human life and lays down basic principles and guidelines for those aspects which change according to time and environment, as well as detailed regulations for those which remain content in all periods and communities. With such general principles and detailed regulations, this law regulates human life from the time of the revelation of this message to the end of human life. All directives, laws and controls which are required to help human life to develop and prosper are given within this framework. When all this was established, Allah told the believers: “This day I have perfected your religion for you and bestowed on you the full measure of My blessings and chosen Islam as a religion for you.” Thus the faith and the law have been brought to perfection, since the combination of both constitutes religion. No believer may then imagine that religion, in this sense, requires any addition or complement to improve on it, or needs some modification or adaptation to suit local conditions. No one who entertains such thoughts is a true believer; for a believer accepts what Allah says and is satisfied with His choice. The law of the particular time in which the Qur’an was revealed applies to all time because, according to Allah’s own statement, it is the law of the religion revealed to mankind to be implemented by all communities for the rest of time. The detailed regulations and laws will remain the same, while the basic principles constitute the framework within which human life develops and progresses. When the framework is broken, man abandons faith altogether.


It is Allah, the creator of man who knows His creation, who has chosen this religion for man including this particular legal code. Anyone who claims that the law of yesterday cannot be implemented today claims to know man’s needs better than Allah. Secondly a believer is bound to reflect on the fact that Allah has bestowed the full measure of His blessings on the believers when He has perfected their religion for them. This blessing represents a rebirth of man as well as his fulfillment of the purpose of his existence. It was a life of insignificance that man has led prior to knowing his Lord and Creator, the universe and his position and role in it, as these are defined for him by the religion which his Lord has chosen for him. Prior to his liberation from submission to other creatures to attain the state of submission to Allah alone, and prior to his attainment of a position of true equality through having a law devised by Allah and supported by His authority, man has led a life not worthy of his humanity. Indeed, his new knowledge of these great facts as established by this religion of Islam was the herald of the birth of man. Without this knowledge man could be no more than an animal or, at best, a prospective hum-man being or still in the process of being formed and molded. Only through acquiring this knowledge man attains his most perfect position which is far removed from all man-made concepts which might have prevailed in different periods of human history.


Limitation of space compels us to stop at this point with the hope to continue our commentary on this great Qur’anic statement next issue, Allah willing.

Major shirk can be divided into four categories:

The first category of major shirk is “associating in supplication”, which involves directing one’s supplications to other than Allah as a means of gaining provisions or being cured from a sickness or obtaining help during a crisis or for any other purpose.


The second category of major shirk is “association in the intention”, that is, performing deeds that may be good in themselves but which are done for the sake of this worldly life and not for the sake of Allah.


The third category of major shirk is “association in loving Allah”. That is to love someone or something else more than or as much as one loves Allah.


The fourth category of major shirk is “association in obedience” which is to obey people when they make unlawful things lawful, and to believe that it is permissible to follow those who make such legislations.


Here we discuss the third category.

The third category of major shirk is “association in loving Allah”. That is to love someone or something else more than or as much as one loves Allah. Allah says: “There are men who take others besides Allah as equal with Him. They love them as much as they should love Allah. But the believers have more love for Allah.” (Qur’an 2:165)


There are people who recognize Allah as the Creator, the Owner and the Sustainer of the universe, and yet love others more than Him. Some people love money more than they love Allah and for this reason, they do not pay zakat or they gain their money from unlawful sources. They are the slaves of Dirhams and Dinars, or in today’s terminology, the slaves of Dollars. The Prophet (Pbuh), said : “He who became the slave of the Dinar or the Dirham will perish and be destroyed.” (This is part of a hadith related by Al-Bukhari).


Some people love their desires more than they love Allah. Consequently, they would follow their desires even when they lead to disobeying Allah: “Do you see the one who is taking as his lord his own desires?” (Qur’an 25:43). Therefore, loving Allah and His Messenger more than anything is a precondition for tasting the sweetness of faith. It has been narrated in an authentic hadith that the Prophet (Pbuh), said: “There are three qualities whosoever has them will taste the sweetness of Iman. Loving Allah and His Messenger above all else, loving someone solely for the sake of Allah, and hating to return to disbelief after Allah has rescued him from it, as much as he would hate being thrown into Hellfire.” (Related by Al-Bukhari).


Allah has put two criteria to test whether one’s love for Him is more than the love of anything else. The first is the following of the Sunnah of the Prophet (Pbuh). Allah says: “Say (Muhammad), if you do love Allah, follow me, Allah will love you (in return) and forgive your sins” (Qur’an 3:31). Thus, following the Sunnah in all aspects of our lives is absolutely essential.


The second criterion to know if one’s love of Allah is more than anything else is through jihad for the sake of Allah : “Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives or your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline or the houses in which you delight, are dearer to you than Allah or His Messenger, or the jihad for Allah’s sake; then wait until Allah brings about his decision; and Allah does not guide the rebellious,” (Qur’an 9:24).