Individuals who stay away from practicing Islam despite being
Muslims fall into two broad categories: There is one group whose apparent
association with Islam owes itself entirely to the accident of birth. They
retain their Muslim names and participate in some of the socially significant
Islamic events only to maintain their apparent Muslim identity. They are neither
convinced about the truthfulness of the message of Islam nor are they interested
in following it sincerely. Few people would dispute the claim that their Muslim
identity is only a this-worldly arrangement and that on the Day of Judgment
their claim to Islam would be discarded.
The second category consists of those people who take pride
in acknowledging the veracity of Islam. They make attempts to follow its
teachings as far as convenience is not threatened to be compromised. However, a
closer look at their lifestyles reveals that, much the same way as the first
group, they too are in fact immersed in their greed for their this-worldly life.
Their practical contact with the shari‘ah is strictly confined to the narrow
limits allowed by the predominance of their worldly objectives. Thus they care
to follow only that part of Islam which is consistent with the contemporary
fashion or which at least does not run contrary to its requirements. Their real
happiness is associated with worldly successes; they are genuinely grieved only
over worldly privations. Despite this completely “one-eyed” approach to life,
they are fully convinced that the exciting prospects of the other life too are,
beyond doubt, going to be for them to enjoy. Whatever be the truth about their
motives, at least some of them defend their approach by presenting arguments,
some of which are apparently based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah. It is
important, therefore, that a dispassionate analysis of those arguments be made
to help them realize that the superstructure of their expectations is based upon
extremely fragile foundations.
The gist of their arguments is being presented below. People
belonging to this category do not generally present all the listed arguments. In
fact, in most cases, it is only one of the described reasons that is cited to
absolve the individual from taking the obligations of the shari‘ah seriously.
One popular argument presented is that the most predominant
attribute of Allah Almighty is Mercy. How then is it possible that the Almighty
is going to allow us to be consigned to Hell when we are following at least some
part of Islam along side pursuing our worldly ambitions. Another argument
offered is that since we have the privilege of being the followers of the last
and the favourite Prophet of Allah (sws), and since it is a well known fact that
Allah Almighty will grant to his Prophet (sws) the right to intercede for his
followers, how is it possible that the Prophet’s intercession will not come to
our rescue. Even if the sinning side of our balance would be heavier,
intercession of the Prophet (sws) will make amends for that.
According to a third argument, many traditions of the Prophet
(sws) confirm that all those people who had recited the kalimah
shall enter Paradise, and that since we were born to Muslim families and got the
privilege of reciting the kalimah many times. Who then can deny us this
birth-right of ours. A little more reasonable amongst this group present a
seemingly more logical argument for the defence of their case. There is no
doubt, they say, that we are sinners and are violating Allah’s law on a fairly
regular basis, however, we do keep seeking His forgiveness during prayers and
even outside prayers. It is quite clear from the contents of the Qur’an and the
Sunnah that repentance cleanses one’s sins. After this knowledge, why should we
make our lives unnecessarily miserable by following all aspects of the shari‘ah.
What’s so wrong, after all, in a compromise between a this-worldly and a
that-worldly attitude?
Finally, there is another argument presented: The shari‘ah
has two types of injunctions: those which are directly relevant to Allah and
those that have to do with one’s obligations towards fellow humans. While the
latter category of injunctions are more important to be followed, the
obligations towards Allah are not. If we are telling the truth, refraining from
getting involved in bribes, helping the poor, keeping our promises, and strictly
adhering to other similar injunctions, why then shall we not be successful in
the Hereafter just for not saying prayers regularly, or not fasting, or not
going for hajj and not following similar injunctions which are matters of
personal relevance between the individual and his God. When scales are going to
be drawn on the Day of Judgement, how is it possible that our significantly
important good deeds will not be able to outweigh the relatively less important
blemishes.
Let us analyze these arguments to find out whether they do
merit the confidence of those who are using them for justifying their life
patterns or not.
1. Mercy
of God
The Qur’an indeed informs us that Allah’s mercy dominates
everything else:
My mercy enfolds everything. (7:156)
The very beginning of the Qur’an mentions two names of God
Almighty: al-Rahman and al-Rahim, both describing the profoundness of His mercy.
If one were to find the thematic link between the first two verses of Surah
Rahman, it emerges quite clearly that the decision of sending down the Divine
Revelation also owes entirely to His attribute of mercy. It says:
The Gracious God; He taught the Qur’an.
(55:1-2)
The Qur’an has, however, clarified another point as well:
that the people who are really worthy of being treated compassionately by the
Gracious God are those who as a consequence of their correct attitude are found
deserving of it.
The blessing of Allah is at hand for
those who do good. (7:56)
On another occasion, it has been clarified by the Qur’an that
the mercy of Allah has in fact been laid down for the God-conscious followers of
the Prophet (sws):
My mercy enfolds everything. I shall
enjoin it for those who ward off [evil] and pay the zakah and believe in Our
signs. Those who follow the messenger. (7:156-7)
It is the same mercy which has been referred to by the
Almighty while urging His servants who continue to be engulfed in sins not to
give up hope, since such people tread the line of sin only because they have
lost hope in Allah’s mercy; therefore, they have been comforted by being
informed that Allah can forgive all sins provided man ensures serious attempts
at correction of his attitude:
Say: “O my servants who have sinned
against their souls, despair not of the mercy of Allah. Surely, Allah forgives
all sins. Indeed, He is Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful. And turn to your Lord and
submit yourselves to Him, before there comes unto you the punishment; for then
you shall not be helped. And follow the best Teaching that has been revealed to
you from your Lord, before the punishment comes upon you suddenly, while you
perceive not.” (39:53-55)
These verses show beyond doubt that if a person wants himself
to be regarded as deserving of the mercy of the Almighty, it is imperative that
he should incline himself towards Allah and correct his attitude. It is
noticeable that even after the emotionally moving mention of His mercifulness,
Allah has still warned those who are not obedient to Him of grave consequences.
This shows beyond doubt the fact that only those people deserve Allah’s mercy
who show through their conduct that they are genuinely looking for it and are
not just pretending.
2. The
Prophet’s Intercession
There is no doubt that the Qur’an indicates that Allah
Almighty shall grant the privilege of intercession to some of His chosen people.
However, a proper understanding of the conditions laid down in the Qur’an for
the administration of intercession should preclude an individual who is
genuinely seeking success in the Hereafter from pinning his hopes on that
arrangement. The conditions laid down in the Qur’an for the administration of
intercession are the following:
1. No one shall dare to speak out on the Day of Judgement
without Allah’s leave.
2. The intercessor shall be able to intercede only for
individuals specified for the purpose.
3. The intercessor shall speak nothing but the truth.
The Qur’an says:
On the day when the Spirit and the
angels will stand in rows, they shall not speak, except he whom the Gracious God
will grant leave, and who will speak only what is right. (78:38)
The very next verse warns that the Day of Judgement is an
undeniable reality; therefore, whosoever wants his real welfare should leave
aside the strategy of pinning hopes on false supports and should, instead, adopt
the path outlined by God Almighty so as to save himself from the ignominy of
that day:
That day is sure to come. So whosoever
likes may prepare a way to his Lord. (78:39)
A similar clarification has been offered in another verse of
the Qur’an thus:
And who can intercede with Him except by
His leave? (2:255)
Authentically transmitted traditions of the Prophet (sws)
also inform that the Prophet (sws) had warned some of his very close relatives
individually of the grave consequences they were likely to face if they would
not prepare themselves for their accountability, for on the day of judgement no
soul shall be able to come to the rescue of another. A tradition mentions that
when the verse carrying the message – “And warn your near relations” (26:214) –
was revealed, the Prophet (sws) stood up and said:
O people of Quraysh! save your skins
from the Hell-fire because I will not be able to come to your rescue on the Day
of Judgement. O ‘Abd Munaf! I won’t be able to save you an inch from [the wrath
of] Allah Almighty. O ‘Abbas, son of ‘Abd al-Muttalib! I will not be able to
help you out [from the punishment of] Allah. O Safiyyah, the messenger of
Allah’s aunt, I wouldn’t be able to help you [on the Day of Judgement] from the
punishment of Allah. O Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad! You can ask anything from
my [worldly wealth; as for the hereafter, however], I will not be able to save
you from Allah’s grip. (Bukhari, No: 2548)
The Qur’an has
categorically denied in two different passages in Surah Baqarah – one addressing
the progeny of Israel, and the other, Muslims – all possibilities of
intercession coming to the rescue of individuals, in order to emphasize that it
is faith and good deeds alone that are going to help one out on the day of
Judgement. In the absence of these, none shall be allowed to interfere in the
Divine proceedings of implementation of justice. The Qur’an says:
And [Children of Israel!] guard
yourselves against the day when no soul shall serve as a substitute for another
soul at all, nor shall intercession be accepted for it, nor shall ransom be
taken from it, nor shall they be helped. (2:47-8)
The second passage says:
O you who believe! Spend out of what we
have bestowed on you before the day comes wherein there shall be no buying and
selling, nor friendship, nor intercession, and it is those who disbelieve that
do wrong to themselves. (2:254)
After these references from the Qur’an and Hadith, the only
question that remains to be answered is that if there is such categorical
negation of intercession in the original sources, what then is the context of
those Ahadith which give considerable details of intercession that will be done
by the Prophet (sws) for the benefit of his followers. What emerges on
reflecting upon the information in the original sources of Islam in this regard
is that on the Day of Judgement when the good and the bad deeds will be weighed,
some people would succeed with flying colours, while others would face the
ignominy of failure. However, it appears, that there would still remain one
group of people who would be falling on the margin. Allah’s mercy would
necessitate that they be spared from punishment. Therefore, the Almighty, in
order to elevate the status of some of the noblest people on that day will
permit them to intercede for such individuals who will be found on the margin.
The intercession, it is reported, will be duly accepted. This intercession will
not necessitate the violation of any of the inviolable principles of justice of
God Almighty.
3.
Salvation for the Reciter of Kalimah
The confusion on the question of salvation for the reciter of
kalimah owes itself to the improper understanding of the Qur’an and Hadith
narratives. The Qur’an makes it unmistakably clear that Allah Almighty has not
made salvation in the Hereafter incumbent upon an individual’s formal
association with a particular group. The Book stresses that the success in the
Hereafter is guaranteed only for those who fulfil the criterion of faith and
righteous deeds. The Qur’an says:
Sure the believers and the Jews and the
followers of Christ and the Sabians, whoever believes in God and the last Day,
and whoever does right, shall have his reward with his Lord and they will
neither have fear nor regret. (2:62)
This verse clarifies that there are only two preconditions
for salvation in the hereafter: faith in Allah, in the Hereafter, in the
Prophets, and righteous deeds. A person satisfying these conditions, wherever he
lived, shall stand successful in the eyes of Allah. As for those who relish the
prospects of residing in the pleasures of Paradise merely on getting enrolled in
the list of the followers of a Prophet, they have been clearly informed about
the impertinence of their expectations in the following verse:
Neither your wishes [O Muslims] nor the
wishes of the people of the Book [are going to matter]; whosoever does ill will
be punished for it, and will find no protector or friend apart from God; but he
who performs good deeds, whether man or a woman, and is a believer, will surely
enter Paradise, and none shall be deprived even of an iota of his reward.
(5:123-124)
One comes to learn on reading the Qur’an that much the same
way as the present-day Muslims, a group of people belonging to the Children of
Israel also believed that reciting the kalimah was enough for their salvation.
Their intransigence of not to accept the Prophethood of Muhammed (sws) owed a
great deal to this creed. The Book of Allah rejects their claim in such clear
terms that the divine words remain an eye opener for all people who care to read
it:
They say: “The fire will not touch us
for more than a few days.” Say: “Have you so received a promise from Allah so
that Allah will not withdraw His pledge or do you impute things to Allah for
which you have no knowledge at all?” (2:80)
The unequivocal verdict of the Qur’an, however, leaves the
relevance of the promise to the reciters of kalimah in the Ahadith unanswered.
Although Ahadith carrying a similar message are numerous, the following one from
the book of Imam Muslim clearly explains the proper context of most of them
carrying a similar message:
The one who dies knowing that there is
no God but Allah shall enter Paradise. (Muslim, No: 46)
Two clarifications would facilitate the understanding of
these narratives:
First, the very recitation of the kalimah for those who were
the audience of this statement necessitated defying the contemporary system,
abandoning the faith of their forefathers, earning the hatred of all those who
had turned against the Prophet (sws). The recitation of the same kalimah now is
done invariably by people who mindlessly utter the words without making any
effort to find what their meanings entail. Nothing could be more naive than the
expectations of people who believe that they are the worthy receivers of the
good tidings of Paradise on the basis of a mere utterance of this statement. The
Qur’an, on the contrary, repeatedly affirms that it is not mere utterance of the
claim to faith that is desired of an individual; what is required, on the
contrary, is the attitude that proves that his claim is not just a hollow
utterance but, instead, is based on real sincerity:
Do men think they will get away by
saying: we believe and they will not be tried? We had tried those who were
before them so that Allah knew who spoke the truth, and who were liars. (29:2-3)
Second, if a person accepts Allah as His God, it is not
possible for him to continue to remain disobedient to Him. It is indeed possible
for him to falter morally, may be every now and then, owing to his human
failings. However, if he is a true believer, he would certainly correct his
behaviour on realizing his fault and would feel ashamed of what he had done. The
Qur’an clarifies quite clearly that Allah’s favourite servants do not
deliberately insist on their sinful behaviour:
Allah loves those who are upright and
those who, when they commit a shameful act or wrong themselves, remember Allah
and implore forgiveness for their sins – and who can forgive sins except Allah –
and do not knowingly persist in what they do. (3:135-6)
Another passage of the Qur’an informs us that for the pious,
sins appear by default, not by design; for them, sinning is not a rule; it is
only an exception that is immediately succeeded by feelings of embarrassment.
The Qur’an says:
To Allah belongs whatever is in the
heavens and the earth, that He may requite those who do evil, in accordance with
their deeds, and those who do good with good. As for those who avoid the greater
sins and shameful acts, except minor trespasses, your Lord is Master of vast
forgiveness. (53:31-2)
On appreciating the above two clarifications, one realises
that the glad tidings given by the Prophet (sws) were exactly consistent with
the Qur’an which confers him with the status of a bearer of glad tidings (mubashshir).
The Qur’an says:
O Prophet: “We have sent you as a
witness and a bearer of happy tidings and an admonisher.” (33:45)
It was important that this tiding be communicated for the
benefit of specially those believers who are particularly sensitive about their
sins and, therefore, have a propensity to fall into a psychological abyss of
profound despair even on committing only a few sins. Such devoted believers have
been consoled by being informed that the all-important objective of finding a
niche in Paradise is not unachievable. The only requirement for an individual to
be able to achieve that goal is a firm commitment with the kalimah. However,
since it was a likely possibility that the less discerning minds would not be
able to pick the real spirit from the context of the message and could, as a
consequence, relinquish their commitment to following the message, the Prophet (sws),
on the urging of his companion ‘Umar, desired that the message not be
communicated to the common people. The relevant passage of a Hadith from the
book of Imam Muslim says:
‘Umar said: “O Prophet of Allah, for you
be sacrificed my close kin, did you send Abu Hurayrah with your shoes so that he
may give glad tidings of Paradise to all those he comes across who say: ‘There
is no god except Allah from the core of his heart?’” He (sws) said: “I did.”
‘Umar said: “[I would suggest you] don’t do that way, because I fear people
might rely unnecessarily upon its apparent meanings [and stop practicing Islam].
So [I suggest you just] leave them to practice. The Prophet (sws) said: ‘Then,
leave them [and let this message not be communicated to them].’” (Muslim, No:
46)
4.
Repentance
There is little doubt that repentance cleanses an individual
of all his sins. Allah Almighty forgives an individual when he decides to
correct his attitude. The Qur’an confirms that if repentance is done with all
conditions properly fulfilled, God Almighty accepts it as a matter of principle:
Allah does accept repentance, but only
of those who are guilty of an evil out of ignorance yet quickly repent, and
Allah turns to them again, for Allah is All-Knowing and All-Wise. But He does
not accept the repentance of those who continue indulging in evil until death
draws near and they say: “We now repent; nor of those who die disbelieving.” For
them We have a grievous retribution in wait. (4:17-8)
Thus writes Amin Ahsan Islahi in his commentary of these
verses:
On reflecting upon these verses, one
finds two conditions for the acceptability or otherwise of repentance. Those who
sin under the influence of emotions and then repent immediately [on realizing
their error] and correct their attitude, Allah Almighty has vowed to accept
their repentance. On the contrary, repentance is not accepted from such who
continue to sin and care to repent only when the angel of death reaches them,
nor is it accepted in the case of those who die in a state of disbelief. One
question that still remains even after the clear delineation of the two extreme
cases is regarding the fate of those individuals who, although do not get the
opportunity of repenting immediately after committing a sin, yet do not delay
until the appearance of death to perform it. The verse is silent regarding such
cases, which evinces both hope and fear. That seems to be the very purpose
behind the absence of a mention of the treatment of this category so that people
belonging to it should continue to remain between the states of fear and hope.
However, it does occur in one’s mind occasionally that people from the Muslim
ummah belonging to this category shall get the benefit of the intercession of
the Prophet (sws) because there does not seem to be any reason why such people
should not be entitled to intercession.
A sinner must repent for all his crimes. If he repents in the
case of some and stays away from doing it in the case of others, he will
continue to remain obliged to repent for the remaining crimes. The verdict of
Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the consensus of all the scholars of the Muslim ummah is
unequivocal on the obligatory nature of the need to repent is obvious beyond
doubt. The attitude of many of the Muslims, however, is quite to the contrary.
They continue to violate with impunity the unquestionably obvious injunctions of
the shari‘ah and yet take refuge in the comforting thought that they shall be
pardoned. How very similar this attitude is to that of the unworthy successors
of the early generations of the Children of Israel about whose behaviour the
Qur’an informs us thus:
Then after them a new generation
inherited the Book. They took to the goods of this base world, and said: “We
shall surely be forgiven this.” Yet they will accept similar things if they came
their way again. (7:169)
5.
Differentiating Important Directives from Unimportant Ones
Directives of the Islamic shari‘ah, if viewed from a peculiar
point of view can be divided into two categories: the rights of Allah and the
rights of the fellow human beings. However, one would need to be a complete
ignorant on matters of Islamic understanding to claim that whereas the real
desirable directives are those belonging to the former and as for the rights of
Allah, their status is only secondary. The truth is that the one directive of
the Islamic shari‘ah which has been described as the most significant requires
Muslims to hold fast to the unity of Allah and stay away from ascribing partners
to Him. The Qur’an says:
Surely, Allah will not forgive that a
partner be associated with Him; but He will forgive whatever is short of that to
whomsoever He pleases. And who so associates partners with Allah has indeed
devised a very great sin. (4:48)
It goes without saying that to uphold the requirements of the
unity of Allah is a right of Allah to the complete exclusion of the human
beings. The most important right of the human beings is that of the parents. The
Qur’an has mentioned this extremely important right only after mentioning the
right of Allah, thus clarifying the relative significance of the different
injunctions within the scheme of the teachings of Islamic shari‘ah. The Qur’an
says:
So your Lord has decreed: Do not worship
any one but Him, and be good to your parents. (17:23)
Likewise, the commonly held view amongst the masses that man
was created by Allah to care for his fellow human beings, otherwise angels were
enough to take care of the objective of worshipping Him is a misleading
contention. The Qur’an declares:
And I have not created the jinn and the
men but that they may worship Me. (51:56)
Allah Almighty desires from His believers that, instead of
getting involved in the unnecessary debate of the important and the less
important directives, they should adopt the Islamic shari‘ah completely:
O you who believe, enter the fold of
Islam completely, and do not follow in the footsteps of Satan; he is indeed your
open enemy. (2:208)
This verse clearly shows that those people who do not enter
the fold of Islam fully but are instead inclined to have simultaneous allegiance
with both Islam and kufr (disbelief), are following the footsteps of Satan.
Satan, indeed is man’s declared enemy. The attitude of Muslims towards Islamic
directives is no different from that of the Children of Israel of the time when
the Qur’an was being revealed in that they too used to pick and choose from the
shari‘ah at will. The directives that were found easier to follow, acceptable to
the people, and in accordance with the fashion of the times were followed
wholeheartedly; however, those injunctions which did not appear to be easy to
follow were conveniently ignored by them. The Qur’an condemned their behaviour
thus:
Do you then believe a part of the Book
and reject a part? There is no other award for them who so act but disgrace in
the world, and on the Day of Judgement the severest of punishment; for Allah is
not heedless of all that you do. (2:85)
Conclusion
The Qur’an tells us that whosoever desires the pleasure of
Allah and success in the Hereafter should ensure that he believes in all aspects
of Islam, makes an earnest attempt to follow it as far as is possible, stays
away from disobeying Allah and His messenger, and attaches more importance to
the considerations of life of the other world than those of the present one. The
Book of Allah doesn’t guarantee success in the next life to any one falling
short of fulfilling these conditions. The Qur’an says:
Then the one who had been rebellious and
who preferred the life of the world, will surely have Hell for his abode. But he
who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained his self from vain desires,
will surely have Paradise for abode. (79:37-41)
Muslims would do well to stay away from the futile exercise
of living under the cloud of misleading concepts and to stick to the task of
making every possible effort to meet the conditions necessary for success in the
Hereafter. In that case, they can justifiably hope for the mercy of Allah.
Allah, it is earnestly hoped, will be kind and merciful to them.
_________________
|