By Abdullah Abdullah
Islam: Perfect Heavenly Deen
We as Allah’s Creation are bestowed unique power to choose, that enable us to overwrite our instincts while in some cases dampens our intellect and in both extremes result is failure. Allah the Merciful have therefore sent guidance from Heavens to Hazrat Adam علیسلام till Last and Final Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to guide us to fulfill our destiny as Supreme Creation of Allah, never forcing humanity to fall to animalism nor demanding us to be Angels. The Guidance of Allah or Law enables us to be on our genetic inclination (Fitrah) from which there is no escape and on a course to live in peace and security in this World and attain success in the Hereafter. This Constitution for all time till end of this world, is Supreme to all manmade laws and overrides their authority. Allah says in Surat Al-Imran Verse 19:
إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمُۗ
Truly, the deen with Allah is Islam
And in Surat Al-Mae’dah Allah confirms His favor unto us, in last part of Verse 3
ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِينًا ۚ
This day, I have perfected your Deen for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your deen.
Allah perfected the deen Islam for us, a perfection which cannot be altered but only adhere to, verily trying to change it means not less than claiming to be more wise than Allah (Allah safe us from this sin, Ameen). Nevertheless, we can and should always discuss purity of information or facts about our perfect deen. Alhamdulillah (All Praises are for Allah) to date not a single falsely attributed hadith to Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been able to penetrate into authentic (Sahih) sources. When we refer to Sahih sources, we experience the deen perfect, undeniably heavenly, and worthy of submission. And upon difference we must refer to Quran and authenticated hadiths as Allah does not like those who divide themselves into sects which is the characteristics of Jews and Christians who differed among each other out of mutual jealousy. Allah says in Surat Al-‘An`ām (The Cattle) Verse 159:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا لَّسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ ۚ إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ
Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects (all kinds of religious sects), you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) have no concern in them in the least. Their affair is only with Allah, Who then will tell them what they used to do.
Islam is Timeless
Enemies of Allah misrepresent Real Islam as rigid, inflexible and unable to accommodate change. Constitution or law of the land, always leave adequate possibility for decision-making in different timeline, this is true for Islam as Hazrat Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is the last Prophet (Rasool) for humanity and his departure stopped all Divine Revelations of Law. Therefore, unlike Bani Israelis governed by Prophets علیسلام from Allah, humanity now must adhere to Quran and Guidance of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم until the LAST DAY. There are many instances where Allah in His Divine Hikmah did not ordered explicit command in Quran or through Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, these are the instances where an Ijmah, collective decision, of scholars derive a solution for each situation which must not be against explicit commands in Quran and Sahih Hadiths. Likewise, Allah The Wise, Merciful Lord commands His Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to consult his companions, to show us the need to consult in matters that do not have explicit command from Allah, in Nobel Quran Surah Imran, Verse 159:
فَبِمَا رَحۡمَةٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمۡۖ وَلَوۡ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلۡقَلۡبِ لَٱنفَضُّواْ مِنۡ حَوۡلِكَۖ فَٱعۡفُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ وَشَاوِرۡهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَمۡرِۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمۡتَ فَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَوَكِّلِينَ
And by the Mercy of Allâh, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allâh’s) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allâh, certainly, Allâh loves those who put their trust (in Him).
It should be kept in mind, that whenever Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم made a decision, Allah always send command to change whenever He differed, therefore we must acquire knowledge of all his صلى الله عليه وسلم strategies and actions he صلى الله عليه وسلم acted on as a Leader, General, Diplomat, Father, Husband, Brother, etc and then take decision with complete trust in Allah. This became necessity the instant Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم departed from this world. Only armed with knowledge about Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم who deserves foremost love after Allah can we start the process of absolute transformation of human existence that guarantees peace, security and success. Remember in the past and present those who benefit from the evil system resisted to change and readily label the caller to light of guidance, a terrorist. This happened to Prophet Ibrahim علیسلامwhom Numrood tried to kill, just as Farun (Pharaoh) tried with Prophet Musa علیسلامsimilarly Prophet Eisa علیسلام was terrorized by Romans with helps of the Jews who did not accept Guidance sent to him. Finally Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ordeal of 23 plus years with house arrest, sanctions, wars, etc showed us the way to implement real deen from the Heavens in a time when no new Prophet will come for guidance from Allah. This he صلى الله عليه وسلم did by keeping Medina peaceful, aggregating power to fight outsiders and consistently carryout Dawah (invitation to deen) and welfare activities that resulted in absolute destruction of paganism without a blood being spill in Macca. Thus, Knowledge is Power and we must foremost do utmost to acquire authenticated historic Islam from the heavens saved by perfect chain of narrators reaching to Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Knowledge is Power
How many Sahih hadith books have we read lately? What are Sahih hadith? What are false? What are the gradation and categorization of hadiths? Should we follow weak or false narrations when Sahih narrations are present? We must ask these questions, not for anyone but for ourselves.
All our efforts and wealth extinguishes to learn money-procuring skills, with nothing spend on deen. Have we ever read Sahih Bukhari or Sahih Muslim, most authenticated books in the world after Quran. To blame mullahs, rulers, and non-believers is easy but the answer lies in understanding Islam from authenticated sources. How can we ask those preaching Islam about their responsibilities or ours when we do not know what questions to ask? How would we know? The answer lies in our decision using Free Will to acquire knowledge.
We must be responsible and acquire knowledge with determination to use it. For starters, reading a page of Quran daily with translation. Always use the best and the oldest source to get purest information this is the only feasible way to travel to Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم time. Do not stay in the past but learn from it and implement the learned TRUTH for our present to adapt and crave out a future with Allah’s Blessings. Life of Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has lessons for individuals as well as nation building. Verily, Knowledge is Success. To hasten the acquisition of deen, learn from those who aim to follow Life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم using valid sources traceable to him, this is the only way for highest possibility of success, In’sha’Allah. Firstly, we must use all available resources, to achieve goals, never neglecting to use all Allah granted us. For example, intellect, relationships, wealth, time, power etc as we are accountable for all blessings bestowed upon us. Secondly, ask for Allah for help, and then trust Him for guidance and success, this is the correct way of tawakkul, meaning trusting Allah for the outcome with patient. Allah says in Sûrat Âl-‘Imrân Verse 159:
وَشَاوِرۡهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَمۡرِۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمۡتَ فَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَوَكِّلِينَ
Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allâh, certainly, Allâh loves those who put their trust (in Him).
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught us the way to put trust in Allah. We can assure success only when using Quran together with Sahih Hadiths. Anas bin Malik رضی اللہ narrated that a man said:
“O Messenger of Allah! Shall I tie it and rely(upon Allah), or leave it loose and rely(upon Allah)?” He said: “Tie it and rely(upon Allah).” (Hasan) Jami` at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2707
Are you ready to “tie the knot”?
How will you use your Free Will?
Islam: The Saving Faith 