Wisdom of The Shari’ah  - FRIDAY KHUTBAH

 

Posted by: "Muslimah" muslimah9918@yahoo.com muslimah9918
Date: Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:14 pm


Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

When Allah created Adam, He entered him into Paradise. He then informed him that Paradise would be his home. Adam then disobeyed Allah, and therefore, he was sent down to earth. Adam’s and his offspring’s time on earth is a test for them. Whoever passes this test will be sent back to Paradise. However, the slave will have to earn it.
Whoever misuses the power that Allah has given him and forgets the reason
behind his creation, that is to worship Allah, will enter Hell. Allah said,
what translated means, “Did you think that We had created you in
play (without any purpose), and that you would not be Brought back to Us?” [23:115].

The scholars said that “play” here means without Laws and Commandments. The Shari’ah is Allah’s Laws and legislation. It covers matters of worship, code of conduct and how to deal with others. If the reason behind the creation is sending down the Commandments as a test, then adhering to the Commandments is a must. Obedience, then, becomes a necessity that must never be abandoned. Allah, Himself, retained the exclusive job of legislating and made adhering to it a goal in itself. He said, what translated means, “The decision is only for Allah.” [6:57], and, “Surely,
His is the Creation and the Commandment.” [7:54].

Allah sent down His Laws and Commandments to His Messengers. He sent down these Laws with Wisdom and perfect Knowledge. He is the All-Knower of what benefits His slaves and what brings them harm. This is why rejecting Allah’s Laws and Commandments is rejecting Allah Who revealed them. “La Ilaha Illa Allah” affirms that Allah owns the creation and He is the only One to Command and Rule. To accept that Allah owns the creation but is not the Ruler and Legislator is Shirk and Kufr. Such beliefs lead people to legislate for themselves. “La Ilaha Illa Allah” means there is none worthy of worship and obedience except Allah, the Lord and Creator of the world.

To claim that a part of the Commandments is free of wisdom, while the rest is not, is not acceptable. Allah is free from all ill-descriptions, “...and your Lord is never forgetful.” [19:64]. All that Allah does is full of wisdom. Disbelieving in the wisdom behind a part is disbelieving in the wisdom behind all parts, and this is Kufr.

During the first generation of Islam (in Makkah) something similar occurred. Allah forbade eating Maytah (dead animals that have not been slaughtered according to Islamic law). However, the Arabs at that time would eat Maytah animals. Satan introduced to some of these disbelieving Arabs the following false claim. He told them to ask Prophet Mohammad Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam, “Who killed the Maytah animal?” The Prophet responded, “Allah.” The disbelievers then said, “So what you kill is permissible and can be eaten, but what Allah kills is Maytah, impermissible, and cannot be eaten?! Who is better, Allah or you?!” Some Muslims with weak faith believed them. Allah then
revealed the following Ayah, “Eat not (O believers) of that (meat)on which Allah’s Name has not been pronounced (at the time of slaughtering) for it is Fisq (sin and disobedience
of Allah). And certainly, the devils do inspire their friends (from mankind) to dispute with you, and if you obey them (by eating unlawful meat) then indeed you would
be Mushrikeen (polytheists).” [6:121].


Allah declared that following the disbelievers in part of the Commandments equal to disbelieving in Him. This is because to let other than Allah legislate means denying that Allah is the only One Who legislates and rejecting that His Commandments are full of wisdom. This is a clear matter, all thanks are to Allah.

Many Muslims in the present time repeat what the enemies of Islam claim about Allah’s Commandments of criticism. Examples are the matter of the man having more than one wife, divorce, slavery, punishment for thieves, capital punishment, and stoning the adulterers. Many of those who attest to La Ilaha Illa Allah repeat such false claims, not knowing what they lead to. This is a very serious matter. Believing that Allah’s
Actions or Decrees are free of wisdom is Kufr.

To disbelieve in the wisdom behind the Commandments is even clearer among those who reject all of Allah’s Laws and Commandments. They think that Islam is outdated and does not satisfy today’s needs and civilization. This type of people, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, are not believers. Some Muslims may reject a Commandment if surprised
by it and if they did not previously know the wisdom behind it. However, when they are informed that Allah decreed the ruling, and the wisdom is explained to them, they must obey. If they do not repent and accept Allah’s Commandment, they become Kuffar. An example to this situation is what Imam Ahmad reported that when Saa’d bin ‘Ubadah heard the Ayah, “And those who accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes, and reject their testimony forever.” [24:4], he said, “Is this how Allah revealed this Ayah, O Messenger of Allah?!” The Messenger said, “O Ansar (residents of Madinah), do you hear what your master is saying?!”
They said, “O Messenger of Allah, do not blame him, for he is a jealous person.
He never married other than a virgin. And if he married a woman and then divorced
her, none of us would dare marry her, because of his jealousy.” Saa’d then said, “By Allah, I do not doubt that the Ayah is true and that it is from Allah. I was only wandering: If a man slept with my wife, could I not chase him away or remove him till I produce four witnesses? By Allah, by the time I am able to produce them he will be finished with her!” Then, Allah revealed the following Ayah, “As for those who accuse their wives, but have no witnesses except themselves, let the testimony of one of them be four testimonies (i.e. testifies four times) by Allah ...” [2:85]. This example shows that a Muslim
can question the wisdom behind a Commandment and remain a Muslim.

The same occurred to Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. He questioned the wisdom behind the treaty of Al-‘Hudaibiyah between the Prophet Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam and disbelievers of Quraysh. Umar thought that this treaty did not benefit the Muslims and may result in weakening the religion. Later on, this treaty turned out to be just the opposite. The treaty of Al- ‘Hudaibiyah was one of the major victories for Islam. Umar questioned the Prophet and Abu Bakr with regards to the wisdom behind this treaty. This, though, did not negate his Islam.

Outright rejection of Allah’s Commandments or thinking that Allah’s Laws lack wisdom will indeed negate the person’s Islam. Also, rejecting the special rights that Allah gave only to His Messenger Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam constitutes a rejection of Allah’s Wisdom for choosing him and is also a rejection of the Message itself. Examples to these special rights are having more than four wives at the same time, Al-Khums (one fifth of the war booty), etc. To question Allah’s choice of Mohammad Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam is Kufr.

True Muslims accept and obey Allah’s Commandments. This is the banner that Muslims must raise, “We hear and we  obey.” It is permitted for a Muslim to inquire concerning the wisdom behind any of Allah’s Laws. This wisdom, if uncovered, will only increase Iman and strengthen the slave’s ties with his Lord. This is different from rejecting the
wisdom behind the Commandments. Muslims, unlike the disbelievers, seek to know Allah’s Wisdom behind His Laws. Allah mentioned the wisdom behind many Commandments. However, the disbelievers reject and ridicule Allah’s Laws and Commandments. Allah said, what translated means, “Woe to every sinful liar. Who hears the Verses of Allah being recited to him, yet persists with pride as if he heard them not. So announce to him a painful torment. And when he learns something of Our Verses (this Quran), he makes them a jest. For such there will be a humiliating torment.” [45:7-9].

The Muslim Creed September 2004 Vol. 12 No. 9

All the praises and thanks be to Allah, to Whom belongs all that
is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. His is all the praises and
thanks in the Hereafter, and He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware. He knows that
which goes into the earth and that which comes forth from it, and that which
descend from the heaven and that which ascends to it. And He is the Most
Merciful, the Oft-forgiving. [Surah Saba(34) Ayah 1-2]

“Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best in deed”
[al-Mulk 67:2]

O you who believe! answer (the call of) Allah and His Messenger
when he calls you to that which gives you life; and know that Allah intervenes
between man and his heart, and that to Him you shall be gathered. [8:24]

Courtesy: Sister Umm Yusuf

Click to join Divine_Lights_Of_Allah