Yeah I keep on moving and changing the URL. I just don’t seem to settle on one name for my blog…so here it is, moved to >>>> http://nuqtah.muslimpad.com
October 3, 2006
I want it my way!
Bismillah ar-rahman ar-raheem.
A large section of Muslim youth is faced by a dilemma at some point in their lives and that is: “we are supposed to be muslims so how should we follow islam???”
Yet, the paradox of the whole situation is that they seem to reject any sort of scholarly input and established religious framework. They are not only confused about how to follow deen but, they are also incapable of deciding who to follow. So, the logical (albeit rationally erroneous) conclusion that they come to is to follow their own way.
However, if we are to follow our own way then everyone will have their own way and guess what? This leads to further division!
Living in this sort of surreal moronic bliss doesn’t really help.
The answer is very clear cut both in Quran and Sunnah.I shall at this point only quote Quran in this regard:
surah an-nisaa ayah 59:“ya ayuhal ladheena aamanu ateeu Allaha wa ateeu ar rasool wa oolil amri minkum”
“Oh you who believe, obey Allah, and obey His Messenger and those who are in authority.”
The criteria, hence, for believers is to follow:
- Quran
- Sunnah
- And those who are in authority (oolil amri minkum) i.e. people who have knowledge in other words scholars of this noble religion.
Surah al-anbiya, ayah 7:“fassalu ahlul dhikr in kuntum laa ta3lamun”
Again the same fact is reiterated here: “Ask people of remembrance/knowledge if you do not know!”
Is there any space left for doubt???
We have to understand we as Muslims are part of a “tasalsul” (continuum) that started with the Prophet sall Allahu alayhi wassalam himself, then the Sahabah, then those who followed them (tabieen), then those who followed them (taba tabieen, the four schools of thought etc…) then those who followed them….we must follow this lead, this continuum, this stream of understanding that has been carried down through generations.
And this is what is meant here in surah luqman ayah 15:“wat taba3 sabeel man anaaba ilaaiya”
” and follow the path of him who turns to Me…”
Immunity from misguidance can only be ensured if we are part of this continuum as this understanding has been continous as stream which sprang forth from the Nabi himself.
So, brothers and sisters if we really want to get our confusions cleared, we need to stop behaving as if we are an authority in our own right. The reality is quite to the contrary.
If we really want to understand this religion we have to look at the right places. We cannot just randomly pick out an ayah and a hadith and attribute a random interpretation to it. That’s not possible because firstly we have to understand arabic language and its naunces, then context of the ayah, then the period in which it was revealed, then the historical context, then its context in the sayings of the Nabi etc…
Everyone is not capable of doing that so that’s why we have “experts”. Just like we have experts in field of medicine and engineering and so forth. Similarly we have “experts” in the field of religious sciences.
If we want to ensure a proper understanding then this understanding must be taken from those who know.
May Allah azza wa jall grant us baseerah (clear insight), ameen.
September 28, 2006
The Concept of Removal of Difficulty
Bismillah ar-rahman ar-raheem,
Quran came as a Reminder and Final Message to Mankind. Its finality means that there would be no book of divine nature to be revealed after it. This leads us to explore deeper implications of Laws found therein.
One of the aspects, in fact the main aspect, of the Quran that become evident is its Reformative nature. Quran’s Law came to Reform society and instill in it a thirst to always aim for perfection. We are not perfect beings but we always aim for it.
The Divine Laws are perfect but we being humans falter and commit mistakes in its implementation. That’s why we always seek to improve.
Since Quran came to reform individuals and societies among the goals that its Laws seek to achieve is “Removal of Difficulty”.
Allah does not wish hardships for His slaves so all necessary steps and general Laws are provided within Quran to remove difficulty. This clears the way for believers and makes practice of religion and its implementation easier on their souls.
The following is an excerpt from the book “Evolution of Fiqh” by Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips elucidating upon the nature of this concept of “Removal of Difficulty” found within the Divine Text:
[quote]The Removal of Difficulty
The system of Islam has been revealed for man’s benefit. It provides him with guidance in all walks of life in order to ensure for him a righteous lifestyle within a just society committed to the service of God. Islamic laws are not meant to be a burden, creating difficulties for man in order for him to grow spiritually, as some systems may claim. They are designed to facilitate mankind’s individual and societal needs. As such, among the pillars on which Islam is based is the removal of unnecessary difficulties wherever possible. Evidence to support the fact that Islamic law is based on the concept of removal of difficulty can be found throughout the Quran. The following verses from the Quran are only a few examples:
“Allah does not burden a soul with more than it can bear.” (surah al-baqarah, ayah 286)
“Allah wishes for you ease and He does not wish difficulty for you.” (surah al-baqarah, ayah 185)
“He did not make any difficulty for you in the religion.” (surah al-hajj, ayah 78)
“Allah wishes to lighten the burden for you, for man was created weak.” (surah an-nisa, ayah 28)
Because of this principle, Allah has enacted along with the divine laws a variety of legal concessions, like the permission to break fast and shorten and join prayers during travel. Moreover, the consumption of prohibited substances (e.g. pork and alcohol) in cases of dire necessity was also permitted.
“But if anyone is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” (surah al-maidah, ayah 4)
The Prophet (saw), who was the prime example of how Islamic law was to be implemented, was himself described as always choosing the easier path whenever a choice was given to him between two possible paths, as long as the easier path was not sinful. He was also reported to have said to some of his followers on occasion of the dispatchment of governor of
Yemen, “Make things easy (for the people) and do not make them difficult.” (bukhari & muslim)
Islamic legal scholars unanimously consider this concept an indisputable fundamental principle followed by God in enactment of laws… (Evolution of Fiqh, 2nd edition, pg. 14-16) [end quote]
