'Deeni Ta'lim': Learn & Teach

 

Iman, Islam & Spiritual Education 

Both the words, Islam and Iman, are used synonymously. Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Verily, (the true) Deen with Allah is Islam”. (Al-Imran, 3: 20) 

“Whoever searches for a Deen other than Islam, never will it be accepted from him (i.e. His adoption of any other religion will never be acceptable to Almighty Allah). And, in the Aakhirah he (the one who chooses another religion) will be ruined”. (Al-Imran, 3: 86) 

“Whoever among you turns away from his Deen (Islam) and then dies being a Kafir, his good deeds will be ruined in this world and the Aakhirah. Such people are the inmates of the Fire; therein will they remain forever”. (Al-Baqara, 2: 218)

 

The ruin of one’s Islam in this world is the nullification of one’s Nikah. By reneging from Islam, the renegade’s (Murtad’s) wife falls out of his Nikah. He is also deprived of inheritance. He will not inherit in the estate of any Muslim. After death there is no Janaza Salat for him. The ruin of one’s deeds in relation to the Aakhirah is the everlasting residence in hell.  

Faith Matters: No Coercion

'Jihad': Never Through Compulsion!

Allah says in the Quran: 

Laa-Ikraaha fid-Deen. 
« There is no compulsion in religion. »---(Al-Baqara, 2 : 257)

It is indeed one of the most well-known Quranic verses and, moreover, of relevance, considering the conditions that prevail today. Even those who are totally ignorant of the teachings of the Holy Quran, have already heard about them. - This verse highlights the relationship between religion - in this case Islam - and compulsion and at what level compulsion can influence religious beliefs.

Some Ulema of other Jamaats, after [the revelation of] this verse, try to prove that the use of force is absolutely legal in matters of religion, but we, the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam demonstrates the opposite.

The Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam accepts this verse in its entirety, and fully appreciates its message. Another aspect of this teaching, different from that of the Orthodox, was put forward by the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam. Not only is there no doubt about the prohibition of the use of force, whatever its form in matters of faith, but it is impossible to achieve the goal sought by such means. This is what the following verse tells us.

   

Two Forms of Compulsion

Compulsion can be in two ways:

1. The use of force to spread a religion.

2. Forcibly remove someone from his religion.

So this verse tells us that we cannot force someone to accept a new faith, much less, we cannot force him to give up his faith. But those who do their utmost to dissociate Islam from its most faithful believers, will not succeed, because the verse tells us, further.

“... and whoever believes in Allah will surely have grasped a solid and unbreakable handhold ...” (Al-Baqara 2: 257).

This is the most tangible meaning of this verse. Those who are not convinced that one cannot force anyone to embrace or renounce a religion, need only try it. Besides, history confirms the veracity of this Quranic verse.

Islam on Protection of the Environment

Cleanliness is not a secondary issue. Islam has placed much importance on cleanliness as it is considered an integral part of our faith. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “Purification is half of faith.” (Muslim).

It is also said in the Quran: “Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you; He only wants to purify you and complete His favour upon you, that you may be grateful.” (Al-Maida, 5: 7).

And it also mentions that “Allah loves those who repent and who purify themselves.” (Al-Baqara 2: 223).

However, cleanliness applies not only to the body but it also relates to our environment. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) challenges us: “Keep clean the area in front of your house so as not to offend passersby.”

Then we understand how important it is to properly maintain one’s interior, not only that, but also to respect the environment in which we live, that is to say, our neighbourhood, our city and above all, nature. This is an order of our beloved Prophet (pbuh). Therefore, as Muslims, we must comply to this instruction if we do not want to incur the wrath of Allah (swt) upon us. 

Also, do not forget that our behaviour is a reflection of Islam. Others judge our religion through our behaviour. Some believe that a well-kept house is a waste of time and is quite unimportant in the eyes of Allah (swt). Now we have just pointed out that it is not.

Qur'an: Treasures for the Human Mind

The human mind is very complex. It has developed gradually and that during different stages of its already God-given developed capacity. Allah (swt), throughout the centuries, through His different Messengers, Prophets and Reformers has continued to reveal such teachings which are suitable to each respective stage, till the time arrived when the mind of man had become fully developed and means of inter-communication between different sections of humanity had been perfected, and the world had in its advancement attained the stage when it might form one country and one nation. At this stage God sent the last law-bearing prophet, that is, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) with the last and complete code of revealed laws, that is, the Holy Quran, which it is a book which is the simplified reunification or summary of all revealed laws since the beginning of time. It contains teachings suitable to the needs of every age.

Whilst being the last law-bearing revealed book, however, the doors of revelation and of spiritual advancement are still open and will continue to remain open for ever. No new law shall henceforth be revealed, but such prophets as shall lay open the hidden treasures contained in the Quran and open to mankind the doors of divine realization shall continue to arise, for no new law is required in the presence of a perfect code, and yet man is always in need of attaining to the realization of God. There can, therefore, be no new law, but the door of such prophethood as it is attained by spiritual perfection is open and should remain open for all time, for God is as much our providence as He was of our ancestors.

The doctrine that the Quran was the last and perfect code of revealed laws did not involve the consequence that man had reached the last stage of intellectual progress and could travel no further, for the human mind ever continues to advance along the path of progress, both in this world and in the next. On the contrary, the more perfect a book is the more it ought to help in the advancement of learning. With respect to the contents of a revealed book, then the word of God should be like the work of God, and that as the latter is a treasure-house of unlimited secrets which mankind has not been able wholly to discover from the creation of the universe up to the present day, so the word of God ought to be a treasure-house of inexhaustible learning and wisdom for if they were to be exhausted one would be compelled to admit that God invested the material universe, which has to do with a limited portion of man’s life, with inexhaustible treasures, but so limited the spiritual universe that is to say, His perfect Book, that its treasures were soon exhausted. This, however, is not so.

The Holy Quran contains treasures more numerous than those of the materiel universe, and these are laid open before all those who seek sincerely for them. Most people would derive intellectual pleasure from the contemplation of this new principle which thus windows the horizon of intellect to an unlimited degree, but this needs to be put to a practical test. As a humble servant of Allah, I have put this test to practice and the benefit which I have derived from the application of this principle to the study of the Quran fills me with an intoxicating joy. Now this ecstasy is even palpable on a daily basis ever since Allah has chosen this humble one as His chosen messenger. Sources of information to extol and expound the perfect divine words within the Holy Quran is given to this humble self frequently, just like rain falls and give a new life to the earth. With every reading, Allah reveals or inspires new explanations, new ways to view the revealed verses and apply them in our daily life.