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Accepting Rules in Submission and the Testimony of Faith

Translated by Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa

18th Rabee-al-Thani 1429H

25th April 2008AC

In the name of Allah Most Gracious Most merciful.

 

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All thanks be to Allah, and peace and prayers are upon the messenger, his companions and follower.

 

When Allah (May He be Exulted) bestowed upon us the guidance to Islam, the last and best of all religions, and when Allah sent to us the last and best of His messengers, and when Allah sent down to us His best and most complete of His books, when He bestowed upon us all this; He made it conditional in order to be accepted by Him is to passively surrender to His laws, and to be in total obedience to Him. Consequently, whoever does not surrender to Allah, and be led to Him through obedience and shed off polytheism then he/she is not a Muslim.

 

Today’s talk is about obedience and acceptance to being led and the relation of that with the testimony of “No God but Allah”. The talk can be summarized into the following four points:

 

First:       that submission to Allah, and following His laws and obedience to Him are the conditions of His acceptance and for Him to be pleased.

Second: that glorification and exaltation of Allah require exaltation and glorification of His rulings and laws.

Third:     knowing the signs and indications of glorifying His legal provisions.

Fourth:   looking at some examples of the initiative and quick actions of the companions of the messenger to upholding and conforming to Allah’s commands and the glorification of His law.

 

First:      that submission to Allah, and following His laws and obedience to Him are the conditions His acceptance and for Him to be pleased.

 

Because Islamic law (or Shariaa) contains some rulings which disagree with some people’s desires and suspicion, and consequently accepting such rulings is done by some; with some hesitation, reluctance and lack of enthusiasm and with some discomfort in their hearts. That is if actually not put a side such rulings all together.  Or be adamant and skillful in interpreting or misinterpreting those rulings and finding loopholes in them in order to fulfill their desires and suspicions.

 

It wouldn’t be surprising if this dangerous approach came from non Muslims like the Jews or Christians and others. Allah says: {They would love it if you would to become disbelievers as they are; then you would all be the same}. But what is surprising in this dangerous attitude is when some Muslims who may become happy and satisfied with the knowledge of this worldly life; which they have achieved. They start evaluating the Islamic law rulings with their minds. Anything that agrees with their knowledge or logic they accept; and anything that does not agree with their thoughts then they interpret and change it to suit their desires. They made their brains in charge and in control of the law. Those rulings and laws are no longer glorified and sacred in their hearts and those people feel that they can no longer be led by Islamic laws.

 

Second: that glorification and exaltation of Allah require exaltation and glorification of His rulings and laws.

 

In order to glorify Allah it is necessary to glorify his rulings and His laws that are in Koran or Sunnah. Indeed, a believer knows his God through the message God sent to him/her with His messenger (PPBU). God’s message requires obedience to His commands and prohibition. That can only be through glorifying Allah and obeying Him. This is done through magnifying what He commands and what He forbids. Doing the acts He orders to be done, and abstaining from the acts He forbids from doing. Glorifying of a command by the believer is an indication of glorifying the one who issued the command.

 

Third:    signs and indications of glorifying His legal provisions.

 

Those who glorify and magnify the legal rulings in the Koran and in the Sunnah have sings and indications. This who does not possess such indications is in a grave danger. One of the signs of glorifying a particular legal statement is having no option or having second thoughts about accepting the ruling of Allah. On the contrary, one should have absolute submission and acceptance with no hesitation or doubt. Allah says: {When Allah and His messenger give a ruling then No believing man or woman would have a choice in the matter. And this whoever disobeys Allah and His messenger is misguided with evident and clear misguidance}.

 

One of the sings of glorifying the legal rulings is the lack of discontentment when hearing the legal statement. This becomes evident during implementation. Allah says: {Believe in your God, that they would not have faith until such time that they would come to you for arbitration in their disagreements, then they would have no hassle within themselves about your ruling, and they accept it submissively}

 

One of the sings also is not to over indulge into the search for the idea or the wisdom behind a ruling, or doing detailed study and analysis of the ruling. For that contradicts the acceptance and the total disobedience to Allah. In fact, it could just happen that it can lead one to disagree with some of the legal rulings unless the wisdom of such rules has first become known. A Muslim is required to have respect towards the status of the Allah’s rulings. Despite this, there is no problem with asking and enquiring about the wisdom if it was possible to see. On the basis that comes with the total acceptance regardless.

 

Another sign of glorifying the rulings of Allah; is feeling abhorred and annoyed when Allah’s rulings are violated or infringed upon. The sign also includes trying to the best of one’s ability; to change or undo the violation or infringement.

 

A-esha (the Messenger’s wife) said: “Whenever the messenger had a choice in two matters, he would always select the easier one, as long as it is not a sin. If it was a sin then he would be further away from it than all people are. And the messenger never took revenge for himself, unless something which Allah has forbidden is violated; then he would take revenge in it; for Allah”

 

Whenever one is caring and attentive over Allah’s limits, and promptly responsive in denouncing any violations or infringements; and guiding those involved then that is a clear sign that the individual does glorify the Islamic rulings and respectful of their boundaries.

 

Another sign of those who glorify Islamic laws is that they would hold back from what they do not know. And they would be careful from launching into arguments without proper knowledge. Allah say: {And do not pursue or assume that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart about all those an individual will be responsible}

 

Arguing into the meaning of Allah and His messenger’s words without knowledge, or coating Allah unknowingly is a great sin. Not even considering the harm and misguidance it would bring to others.

 

It is a disgrace that Allah and His messenger’s words, rulings and laws become the center of discussion and arguing by people with no; or little knowledge of Islamic law. Such arguments would produce many misinterpretations, wrong meanings and disrespect to such legal statements. It leads to fewer glorifications, and to being less abided to; by those listening to such discussions and arguments. Examples of this take place on many television satellite stations.

 

Fourth: examples of the initiative and quick actions of the companions of the messenger to upholding and conforming to Allah’s commands and the glorification of His law.

 

Best of examples were given by the companions; not just when the command involved an obligation to act upon it, but also their examples included the desirable and recommended actions too; to the point that Allah Himself commended them in His Koran.

 

One example is given by Abu-Baker when Allah’s cleared A-esha from the vilification and slander stirred up about her, Abu-Baker said: “I will never give charity or give help to Mosatah after the rumors he spread about Aesha”. Abu-Baker was rich and Mosatah was poor and he was a relative to Abu-Baker. Abu-Baker used to pay him a charity on regular bases. But this verse came down: {Let those of you who have, not to withhold and let them bring to the kin, the poor, and immigrants in the cause of Allah to forgive and pardon. Would they not like Allah to forgive them too, Allah is the Most Forgiving the Most Kind}. Abu-Baker said “Yes, I would like Allah to forgive me, I will bring back the payments to Mastah, and I will never withhold it ever again”.

 

Omar ebn Al-Khattab pulled off a gutter (a roof drainage gutter) that comes off the roof of the home of Al-Abbas because the gutter was obstructing pedestrians or may cause them harm. Al-Abbas said to Omar that the Messenger himself (PPBU) installed it in this location. Omar then insisted that he (Omar) to bend over and that Abbas stands on his back to put the gutter back where it was.

 

Abdullah ebn Rawaha was coming to the mosque while the messenger (PPBU) was giving the Khutbah; when he heard the messenger saying: “Set down”. Ebn-Rawaha sat where he was out side the mosque until the messenger finished his talk. The messenger later was told about that, so he said to ebn-Rawaha: {May Allah increase your attentiveness to the obedience to Allah and his messenger}.

 

Allah says: {If the faithful are called upon to come to Allah and His messenger to arbitrate between them; that they would only say, “We listen and we obey” and they are the successful ones. And those whoever obeys Allah and his messenger, and be Allah fearing and guard himself from Allah, those are the winners}

 

 

Notes:

    1. Ansar (or Al-Ansar): The inhabitants of the city of Almadina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.

    2. Aya (or Ayah): is a verse of the Koran.

    3. Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat): is a mountain that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day.

    4. Duaa: a prayer in the form of talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.

    5. Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.

    6. Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.

    7. Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.

    8. Hijra: the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.

    9. Iman: belief or faith

    10. Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word.

    11. Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".

    12. Madinah: A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to.

    13. Mekka: is the holiest city or Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Some say it was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers.

    14. Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.
    15. Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.

    16. PPBU: Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.
    17. Qadr (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan.
    18. Sunni: is a the title of  those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.

    19. Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title used to call the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.

    20. Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Kaaba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.

    21. Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.


Faheem Bukhatwa, my email address is : faheemfb@gmail.com