THE ESSENCE OF RELIGION–PART II
Worship of God
The Demands of Worship
WHAT God desires of man, first and foremost, is that he display humility in His presence. This attitude is called worship. But man was not created in a vacuum; he has been placed in a world full of diverse circumstances. It is necessary that this spirit of worship should be present, no matter what the circumstances are.
The first aspect of worship relates to the person himself. In the course of normal living, when faced with two options—one path leading to God and the other leading to self—his spirit of worship compels him at that point to renounce the latter path and take the one indicated by God. This happens when he has totally surrendered his being, both physical and spiritual, before God to whom he has already bowed psychologically. This manifestation of worship, related to one’s self, is called submission. Occasions for such submission can occur at home, office, market or other places where the faithful may be faced with a choice between godly and ungodly ways.
The second aspect of worship relates to the external world, that is, to others. The faithful are expected to obey the commandments of God as far as they themselves are concerned, and in relation to others they are responsible for being well-wishers in every way.
Individual obedience is to obey God in matters related to one’s personal life.
Now let us take the first manifestation of worship—submission. It can be classified into individual and collective (or social) submission. Individual obedience is to obey God in matters related to one’s personal life. It covers commandments pertaining to dealings with others, like speaking the truth, keeping one’s promises, being honest and trustworthy, upholding justice and equality, being humble, giving full measure, paying everyone their due and being a well-wisher of all. In short, it covers virtues related to man’s personal life and situations in which man must make decisions. Compliance with divine injunctions means surrendering to the will of God in one’s personal affairs. A Muslim is not allowed to disobey God once he knows God’s commandments and is in a position to obey them. The Quran states:
It is not fitting for a believing man or woman to exercise any choice in his or her own affairs once God and His Messenger have reached a decision upon them. Anyone who disobeys God and His Messenger is in manifest error.
Individual obedience is an obligation which every believer must fulfil. One cannot be regarded a worshipper in the eyes of God unless he obeys the commandments related to his life and his circumstances. Worship means submission of the inner self. Externally, man should mould his life entirely on the pattern indicated by God. It is the duty of all believers to reject other inducements and submit totally to God in all matters that they face in life:
believers, submit all of you wholeheartedly, and do not walk in Satan’s footsteps; he is your sworn enemy.
The second category of commandments are termed social commandments. These are commandments, the obeying of which does not depend upon the will of an individual believer. These can be carried out only when the society is prepared to accept them. Therefore the social laws are addressed to any Muslim society which is invested with authority, rather than to individual believers who have no political power.
The social laws are addressed to Muslim society which is invested with authority,
rather than to individual believers who have no political power.
These laws are not required to be obeyed in the absolute sense, but only in relation to circumstances of the individual or group addressed. The truth is that social and political commandments are directed only at those groups of believers who are in a position to carry them out. Believers with a limited sphere of power are not required to enforce religious laws on a social or national level.
One clear principle of the Islamic laws is that, 'God does not charge a soul with more than it can bear' (2: 286). That is to say, no one is charged with a responsibility which is beyond his capacity to fulfil. To assign responsibility to anyone which is beyond his capacity is not God’s way. Then how can believers be asked to obey laws, which they are not in a position to comply with?
Taking into account all the details of religious laws, if the claim is made that it is obligatory for believers to carry out and enforce these laws in all circumstances, will amount to saying, for example, that it is the responsibility of each and every Muslim to try to acquire all those financial assets on which Zakat (obligatory charity almsgiving) has been fixed, so that he may carry out the duties in relation to Zakat.
All the commands of religion are of equal value in terms of form, but their applicability is determined by circumstances. For instance, one command of the Quran is to 'pray regularly,' another is to ‘pay Zakat.’ Both these commands are equal in importance as they are in the imperative tense. But their relevance to different individuals is not always the same. The command to pray regularly is an absolute command obligatory on each and every believer, while the command regarding Zakat is conditional, that is, it is obligatory only when one possesses enough wealth to come under the law of Zakat.
That is, if a person possesses the minimum prescribed wealth under Zakat law, this obligation to pay Zakat will be applicable to him in the absolute sense, just as the order to pray is obligatory for all. But a person who is not in possession of this minimum wealth, is neither required to pay Zakat nor is he ordered to acquire wealth so that he may be able to obey the law on Zakat. What is desirable is that the believer should be active in carrying out duties which are applicable in the present rather than engaging in such activities which may be applicable to him in the future under different circumstances.
We learn, therefore, that there are a number of religious duties that are not to be enforced in the absolute sense, being applicable only in relation to circumstances. All Islamic commandments are the expression of some inner reality. When faith is rooted in the heart, it reflects on the human personality. Yet its external expression is in proportion to the scope offered by external circumstances.
All the commands of religion are of equal value in terms of form,
but their applicability is determined by circumstances.
Further inter-relationships between believers are also an aspect of the spirit of worship. The required attitude is alluded to in the Quran as ‘Exhort one another to truth and patience' (103: 3). This exemplifies the spirit of worship which marks a Muslim’s dealings with another. Thus God has highlighted the important aspect of the demand made by faith to induce believers in Islam to opt for the course of action which God finds desirable.
Even a society of Muslim minority, however religiously aware, is not required to launch its Islamic mission as a campaign for the enforcementof Islamic laws. The correct way to reform a Muslim society is to spread the basic teachings and initial commandments of religion. In the present age the most urgent and crucial demand of worship amongst Muslim societies is to exhort its members to work for the common goal of world peace and convey the peaceful message of Islam
The most urgent and crucial demand of spirit of worship amongst Muslim societies is to exhort
its members to work for the common goal of world peace and convey the peaceful message of Islam.
This work has to be done at two levels. First, we have to condemn violence in unequivocal terms. We must tell the perpetrators of violent acts that their actions go against both Islam and reason. Secondly we must present the peaceful teachings of the Quran to those who are under the influence of violence. The Prophet has said, 'God grants to peace what He does not grant to violence'.
No Haste
Sometimes, by being hasty a man invites trouble, but then
he always has the possibility of turning the situation to good
account by adopting the way of patience.