‘In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Say, “O disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship. Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.’
Despite the fact that before Islam the
Arabs did not deny God, but they did not know Him by His true identity of One
and Eternal. They did not devalue Him either, but associated Him with other
partners, idols who were supposed to represent godly ancestors or angels who
they believed were the daughters of God. In addition, they implied that there
was a relationship between Him and the jinns. They forgot His
attributes and worshiped other idols. But in any case, as the Quran says, they
said:
“We only worship them that they may
bring us nearer to Allah in position.” (Az-Zumar, 39: 4).
Moreover, the Quran says: “If you were to ask them: “Who has created
the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?” They will surely
reply: ‘Allah.’” (Al-Ankabut, 29 : 62).
“If you were to ask them: ‘Who sends
down water (rain) from the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its
death?’ They will surely reply: ‘Allah.’” » (Al-Ankabut 29: 64).
Despite their belief in God, polytheism distorted their concept as well as their traditions and rites to such an extent that they allotted part of their property to these gods, and even their children.
In fact, they were often forced to
sacrifice their children. On this subject, the Quran says:
“And the polytheists assign to Allah
from that which He created of crops and livestock a share and say, “This is for
Allah,” by their claim, “and this is for our partners [associated with Him].”
But what is for their “partners” does not reach Allah, while what is for Allah
- this reaches their “partners.” Evil is that which they rule.
And likewise, to many of the polytheists
their partners have made [to seem] pleasing the killing of their children in
order to bring about their destruction and to cover them with confusion in
their religion. And if Allah had willed, they would not have done so. So leave
them and that which they invent. (Al-Anam, 6: 137-138)
And they say, “What is in the bellies of
these animals is exclusively for our males and forbidden to our females. But if
it is [born] dead, then all of them have shares therein.” He will punish them
for their description. Indeed, He is Wise and Knowing.
Those will have lost who killed their
children in foolishness without knowledge and prohibited what Allah had
provided for them, inventing untruth about Allah. They have gone astray and
were not [rightly] guided. (Al-Anam 6: 140-141)
The Arabs were also convinced that they followed
the religion of Abraham and that they were better guided than the people of the
book (i.e., Jews and Christians) who inhabited the Arabian Peninsula at that
time; the Jews and the Christians preached the doctrine of the father and the
son insofar as Ezra and Jesus were the sons of God whereas the Arabs worshiped
the Angels and the Djinns – whom they considered [according to
them] as the true descendants of God. Their belief, they maintained, was more,
logical, and more conceivable than that of Christians and Jews. The fact
remains that they were all polytheists.
When Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) made Islam
public as being the religion of Abraham, they argued that there was no reason
for them to give up their beliefs and follow the prophet (pbuh) because they
were of same faith. In the meantime, they sought a compromise with him that he
should bow down to the idols in exchange for their prostration before [the
True] God [i.e. Allah]. He also had to stop denouncing their idols and their
way of praying. Then, and only then, would they be willing to accept what he
asked them to do. This confusion in their concepts, illustrated by the worship
of several gods while accepting Allah, was what led them to believe that the
gap between them and Muhammad (pbuh) could not be bridged. They believed that
an agreement was still possible by allowing the two groups to coexist in the
region and by granting them certain concessions.
To clear up this all-confusing situation
and to distinguish between the two forms of worship, between one doctrine and
the other - between the worship of Allah and the worship of idols, this Surah
was revealed in an assertive tone. It was revealed in such a way in order to
draw a line between monotheism (Tawheed) and polytheism.
Using all of the means mentioned, this
chapter focuses on negation in one sentence, and how! - “Say”; this
demonstrates a divine order which conveys the fact that religion belongs only
to God; nothing belongs to Muhammad (pbuh) and that God is the One Who commands
and decides.
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) is commanded to
address the polytheists in these terms: “Say: ‘O disbelievers!’ - Allah
makes us understand, especially the prophet (pbuh): They do not follow
the prescribed religion, nor do they believe in you! This Surah
highlights the reality of this difference which cannot be ignored.
Allah commands the prophet (pbuh) and the
believers to proclaim: “I am not a worshiper of what you worship” and
then Allah seeks to make it clear that this statement, this reply is supported
by Him. – “I do not worship what you worship”; “And you are
not worshipers of what I worship” is also repeated for more emphasis
in order to eliminate any attempt of doubt and misinterpretation of this Surah.
Such an attitude was essential in order to
expose the fundamental disagreements in the essence of the two beliefs and
doctrines, in the source of the two concepts and in the nature of the two
paths, i.e., of monotheism and polytheism, of faith and unbelief.
In short, this distinction is essential
for those who invite others to Islam [Dawat-i-Allah] and for
the people [in general] themselves because ignorant concepts can be mixed with
those of Islam, especially in societies that had adopted the Islamic way of
life and then turned away from it. Ignorance being what it is, there is only
one solution: it must disappear on its own to make way for Islamic principles.
The first step in this work/ field is to
get the preacher to isolate himself from ignorance. He must separate so that
there is no agreement between him and ignorance until the ignorant fully
embrace Islam. The very basis of the preacher's personality must be the obvious
fact that he is radically different from these ignorant people. They have their
religion, and he has his religion. His task is to guide them on the right path.
In the event of failure, he must detach himself completely from their circle
and openly declare: “For you is your religion, and for me is my
religion.”
The preacher must not lose sight of the
fact that he is calling to Islam people whose belief has deviated and that he
operates in an ignorant society hostile to Islam. He must realize that there is
no room for compromise. And he has also to present Islam in all its clarity in
contrast to the ignorant conception of people. He must face them with courage
and say to them frankly: “For you is your religion, and for me is my
religion.”
Our religion is based on pure and absolute
monotheism whose concepts, values, beliefs and laws cover all aspects of human
life and come from God and no one else.
Without this distinction, confusion and
doubt will persist. Thus, we need to say: Islam cannot be built on weak and
ambiguous foundations, but on firmness, clarity, frankness and fortitude as
Allah has commanded us to declare: “For you is your religion, and for
me is my religion.”
This was the method used in the early days
of Islam for calling to the divine way. And this must be the method used in our
time too so that the truth will regain its splendour and unbelief will
disappear from world society. This is a zealous, hard work, not for our own
benefit, but for the benefit of all mankind, because belief in one God must
straightaway make our hearts beat in unison. Insha-Allah.
---Friday Sermon of 03 January 2020 ~07 Jamadi’ul Awwal 1441 AH delivered by Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius.