Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Islamic Correspondence Course (Book 3)

Author: Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi

This book is corrected and edited by Al-Hassanain (p) Institue for Islamic Heritage and Thought

Table of Contents

Lesson 21: The Shari‘a 4

1. The Place of Shari’a in Islam 4

2. The Need for the Shari’a4

3. The Superiority of God-made Laws over Man-made Laws5

Lesson 22: Sources Of The Shari’a 7

1. The Qur’an & the Sunna of the Prophet7

2. The Example of the Imams7

Lesson 23: Ijtihad, Taqlid & Ihtiyat11

1. Introduction 11

2. Ijtihad 11

3. Taqlid 12

(A) Is Taqlid Reasonable?12

(B) Support from the Qur’an & Sunnah:13

Lesson 24: More About The Shari‘a 16

1. The Roots & Branches of Religion 16

2. The Classification of Shari’a Laws16

3. The Five Types of Decrees17

Lesson 25: Islam’s Spirtual Program (1)19

1. Introduction 19

2. Purpose of Creation 19

3. Program for Spiritual Training 20

(A) THE ANNUAL SPIRITUAL TRAINING 20

Lesson 26: Islam’s Spirtual Program (2)22

(B) THE DAILY SPIRITUAL TRAINING 22

Lesson 27: The Islamic Community 126

1. The Brotherhood of Islam 26

2. The Prophet & Islamic Brotherhood 26

3. The Moral Rights of Brotherhood 27

Lesson 28: The Islamic Community 229

1. Equality of Believers29

(A) THE CONCEPT 29

(B) EXAMPLES FROM HISTORY 29

(C) PROMOTION OF EQUALITY & BROTHERHOOD 32

Lesson 29: The Islamic Community 335

1. AMR BI ‘L-MA’RUF & NAHI ‘ANI ‘L-MUNKAR BIDDING THE GOOD & FORBIDDING THE EVIL35

2. Importance of Amr & Nahi35

3. Amr & Nahi: An Expression of Brotherhood 36

4. Conditions & Levels of Amr & Nahi37

Lesson 30: Islamic Economic System (1)38

1. The Middle Path 38

2. The Economic Equality 40

Lesson 31: Islamic Economic System (2)42

1. Importance of Zakat42

2. Obligatory Zakat42

(A) SHARING THE NATURAL RESOURCES 42

(B) ZAKATU ‘L-FITRA: SHARING ON THE DAY OF ‘IDDU ‘L-FITR:43

3. Recommended Zakat43

Lesson 32: Islamic Economic System (3)45

1. Khums in the Qur’an & History 45

(A) THE MEANING OF “GHANIMTUM”45

(B) THE HISTORY OF KHUMS 45

from the ‘spoils of war’, but from a buried treasure (which is one of the seven items eligible for khums.)46

(D) THE INTERPRETATION OF THE QUR’AN 46

Lesson 33: Family Life in Islam (1)48

1. Introduction 48

2. Extended & Nuclear Family Systems48

3. The Islamic View 48

4. Examples in History 49

Lesson 34: Family Life in Islam (2)51

1. Children’s Status & Rights51

2. Some Basic Rights51

3. Three Stages of Life52

Lesson 35: Family Life in Islam (3)55

1. Parents’ Status55

(A) FATHER 55

(B) MOTHER 55

2. Parents’ Rights in the Qur’an 56

3. Importance of Silatu ‘r-Rahm 57

Notes59

Lesson 21: The Shari‘a

1. The Place of Shari’a in Islam

The word “shari’a” literally means “a way.” In Islamic terminology, it means the legal system of Islam. It is normally translated as the laws of Islam or the Islamic laws.

Islam is a din-religion. The word din bears a concept wider and more comprehensive than the word ‘religion’.

It means believing in the fundamentals as well as living according to the Islamic laws. This concept of religion is beautifully conveyed in the terms used by Islamic scholars to describe the fundamental beliefs and the practical laws of Islam.

The “beliefs” are described as “usulu ‘d-din- the roots of religion”. The “shari’a laws” are described as “furu’u ‘d-din - the branches of religion”.

Beliefs without practice is incomplete Islam; and practice without belief may be useful in this world but not of much use in the hereafter.

The shari’a is a complete way of life; no aspect of human life is outside its domain. Islam expects a Muslim to follow its laws in every aspect of life: personal and familial, religious and social, moral and political, economic and business, etc. After all, “Muslim” means one who submits to God.

The Qur’an says, “When Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter, it is not for any believing man or believing woman to have a choice in their affairs. And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has gone astray into clear error.” (33:36)

2. The Need for the Shari’a

Man’s nature dictates that he can only function properly within a society. Human beings are interdependent by nature. This interdependency of human beings on each other is beautifully expressed in the following passage:

“The baker told me to bake my own bread; the tailor told me to cut and sew my own clothes; the shoemaker told me to make my own shoes; similarly, the carpenter, the engineer, the farmer, and all the labourers and workers told me to do everything by myself. It was then that I looked at myself and realized that I am naked, hungry and powerless with no shelter over my head, waiting for death to overcome me.

It was then that I realized that I cannot survive without my fellow human beings; my survival depends on living in the society.”1 A society, however, depends for its existence on laws and regulations.

If there are no laws in a society, it is overtaken by the law of the jungle: the struggle for existence and the survival of the fittest. So the need for laws to regulate the lives of human beings is beyond any doubt.

Islam teaches that because of the imperative need of laws for a civilized society, God has sent a series of messengers and prophets with divine laws for man’s guidance from the very first day of his creation.

The last Messenger was Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family) who brought the final and the perfect set of laws, Islam, as a guide for mankind till the end of time.

Many people think that there is no need for God-made laws, we can make laws by ourselves. Islam believes that a human being is a very sophisticated creature; and since he has not made his own body, nor did he create the world in which he lives, he, therefore, is not the best candidate for making laws about himself.

Common sense says that when you buy a complicated piece of equipment, like a computer, you should use it according to the ‘instruction manual’ prepared by the manufacturer of that particular machine.

To learn the computer by trial and error is not the smart way. Similarly, God as the Creator of man and the earth knows better how the human being should live.

The ‘instruction manual’ that God sent for us is known as the Qur’an. But the human being is not just any ordinary machine; rather he is more complicated than the most advanced computer a human can ever produce. So God did not only send the Qur’an-

He also sent an instructor known as Prophet Muhammad.

The Prophet of Islam brought the Qur’an to us and also provided practical examples in how to conduct our lives. According to Shi’a Islam’, after the Prophet, the Imams of Ahlu ‘1-bayt are the protectors of the Qur’an and the interpreters of its laws.

3. The Superiority of God-made Laws over Man-made Laws

At this point, I would like to show the superiority of Islamic laws over man-made laws.

Man-made laws are by necessity influenced by the law-makers’ social and racial biases. The United Nations Organization is the best example of how policies are enforced only when it suits the interest of the super-powers. The rule of the game in man-made laws is not honesty and justice, it is “the might is right”.

God-made laws are superior because of the following facts:

• God is above class status;

• God is above racial prejudice;

• God is above gender rivalry;

• God, as the Creator, fully knows humans as well as the world in which they live.

God-made laws will be just and based on fully informed decisions. Let me demonstrate the superiority of God-made laws by using the example of capital punishment.

The secular system always swings according to the mood of the people: sometimes, the people feel that capital punishment for murder is not right and so they pressure their representatives to vote against capital punishment.

But when crimes rates increase and serial murder cases occur more frequently, public opinion changes and the legislators are influenced in favour of capital punishment.

Actually both sides of this issue reflect the Judeo-Christian basis of the Western society. Judaism, on the one hand, insists on the principle of justice which demands “an eye for an eye”. On the other hand, Christianity promotes the principle of mercy by saying “turn thy other cheek.”

Islam, the final version of God-made laws, takes a balanced look at the issue of capital punishment and has beautifully accommodated both the principles of justice and mercy in its system.

The Western system did not realize the difference between the two principles of justice and mercy: while justice can be demanded and legislated, mercy cannot be forced or made into a law. You can always plead for mercy but you can never demand mercy.

Islam takes this difference into full consideration, and, therefore, it talks about capital punishment on two different levels: legal and moral. On the legal level, it sanctions the principle of justice by giving the right of retaliation to the victim.

But, immediately, the Qur’an moves on to the moral level and strongly recommends the victim to forgo his right of retaliation and either to forgive the criminal or to settle for monetary compensation. This issue has been clearly mentioned in the following verse of the Qur’an:

In it (the Torah), We wrote to them: “A life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and there is retaliation for wounds.” But (before you act according to your right, remember that) whosoever forgoes (his right of retaliation), it shall be expiation for him (against his own sins). 5:45

Thus Islam has very beautifully provided the legal safeguard for human life on the social level and also encouraged mercy from a moral point of view on the individual level.

If human beings are left on their own in this issue, they will always swing between the two extremes of justice and mercy-only Islam, the final version of God-made legal system can accommodate both these principles.

This lesson is based on An Introduction to the Shari’a by Sayyid M. Rizvi

Lesson 22: Sources Of The Shari’a

1. The Qur’an & the Sunna of the Prophet

The Muslims during the days of Prophet Muhammad lived by the shari’a by following the Qur’an and the sunna. Sunna means the example of the Prophet.

(Sunna is sometimes written as ‘sunnat’.) Was not the Qur’an enough on its own? The Qur’an is a book of guidance which was sent for the entire human world till the end of time. As such, it only deals with the general issues and mentions only the basic principles underlying the Muslim way of life.

The Qur’an is more like a constitution than a book of law. The deals were left to the Prophet.

The Qur’an itself clearly explained this relationship between the Prophet and itself in the following verses:

He raised up among the common people a Messenger from among themselves to recite to them His revelations, to purify them, and to teach them the Book and the wisdom. (62:2)

And We have revealed, to you (O Muhammad) the Reminder (that is, the Qur’an) so you may clarify to the people what has been revealed to them, and so that they may reflect. (16:44)

These two verses definitely prove that Prophet Muhammad was not just a ‘mail-man’ whose only job was to deliver the Qur’an to us. He was a teacher and a commentator of the Qur’an. Even his actions are a source of guidance for Muslims:

You have a good example in Allah’s Messenger for whosoever hopes for God and the last day, and remembers God oft. (33:21)

The obedience to the Prophet has been considered as the proof of loving Allah:

Say (O Muhammad), ‘If you love Allah, then follow me; (if you do so) Allah will love you and forgive for you your sins.’ (3:31) To show the importance of obeying the Prophet, Allah further says: Whoever obeys the Prophet has surely obeyed Allah, (4:80)

The Qur’an is not only silent on the details of things which can change over time, it is also silent on the rules of worship which can never change. For example, the Qur’an in twenty-five different places commands the Muslims to say the daily prayers (salat), but not once has Allah explained how the Muslims are to say their prayers.

(The only exception to this statement is that of salatu ‘lkhawf, the prayer said in a battle-field or when one is in danger.) This silence on the part of the Qur’an, I believe, was for the specific purpose of forcing the people to go to the Prophet, ask him for details and follow his example.

2. The Example of the Imams

After the Prophet’s death, the Muslims were very much divided on the issue of leadership. This gave birth to the two groups known as the Shi’a and the Sunnis. The Shi’a lived by the shari’a by following the Qur’an, and the sunna of the Prophet and of the Imams.

The sunna, in Shi’a definition, means “the sayings, deeds and silent approval of the Prophet and the twelve infallible Imams of Ahlu “l-bayt.”

Although the issue of the leadership has already been discussed in another lesson in Part One, I would like to mention one reason why the Imams of Ahlu 1-bayt are preferable as the source of the sharia than anyone else.

The Muslims of the early days realized the importance of the Prophet’s sunna and started to memorize his sayings known as hadith. Later generations preserved the saying they had heard from the companions of the Prophet in the books of hadith.

Even the actions of the Prophet, observed by his companions, were preserved in writing. But this process of preserving the sunna of the Prophet “was not immune from mistakes and forgery.

Many sayings were invented and wrongfully attributed to the Prophet during the early period of the Islamic history, especially during the Umayyid era.

At times, the rulers bribed the companions to fabricate ‘hadith1 in their favour and/or against their opponents. At other times, some people invented ‘hadith’ for apparently good causes not realizing that they were using the wrong means of trying to make people more religious!

Abu ‘Ismah, Faraj bin Abi Maryam al-Marwazi was asked: “From where have you got all these traditions narrated through ‘Ikrimah, from Ibn ‘Abbas, from the Prophet, describing the reward of reciting each and every surah (chapter) of the Qur’an?”

He said, “I found people interested only in the fiqh of Abu Hanifah and maghazi of Ibn Ishaq; therefore, I forged these ahadith for the pleasure of God to bring them back to the Qur’an.”

In this background of the early development of hadlth, we must find an authentic and informed source for the sunna of the Prophet.

When you look at the Muslims of the Prophet’s days, you can find no one who was more knowledgeable, informed, reliable and closer to the Prophet than the Ahlu 1-bayt, the family of the Prophet: Fatimah, ‘Ali and their sons.

After all, it is the Qur’an which testifies to their spiritual purity of the highest form by saying: “Verily Allah intends to purify you, O the Ahlu ‘l-bayt, a thorough purification.” (33:33) Combine this verse about the Ahlu ‘1-bayt’s purity with the following: “It is the holy Qur’an in a preserved tablet, none shall touch it but the purified ones.” (56:79)

The real sense of this verse is that the Qur’an which is “in a preserved tablet” is not accessible to anyone except those who are purified by Allah. This shows that the Ahlu ‘1-bayt could understand the Qur’an better than any other Muslim.

It is for this very reason that Allah commanded His Messenger to ask the people to love his Ahlu 1-bayt: Say (O Muhammad), ‘I do not ask from you any reward (for teaching Islam to you) except to love my near ones.’ (42:23)

This love was made obligatory because it would automatically entail obedience of those whom one loves. If the Ahlu ‘1-bayt were not truthful, reliable, and worthy of following, would Allah command us to love them?

These few verses of the holy Qur’an are enough to show that the best commentators of the Qur’an and the most authentic source for the Prophet’s sunna are the Imams of Ahlu ‘1-bayt.

The Prophet himself said, “I am leaving among you two worthy things. As long as you hold fast on to them both, you will never go astray after me. One is greater than the other: the Book of Allah (which is a rope suspended from the heaven to the earth) and my descendants, my Ahlu ‘1-bayt.

They will not separate from each other until they come to me at the (fountain of) Kawthar (in the hereafter). Therefore, see how you recompense me by the way you deal with them.”

This is not the place to discuss the authenticity of this hadith, but it will suffice to quote Ibn Hajar al-Makki, a famous Sunni polemicist.

After recording this hadlth from various companions who had heard it from the Prophet at various places and times, Ibn Hajar says, “And there is no contradiction in these [numerous reports] since there was nothing to prevent the Prophet from repeating [this statement] at those various places because of the importance of the holy Book and the pure Family.”2

We can conclude from these verses and the hadith mentioned above that the Ahlu 1-bayt are the divinely appointed commentators of the Qur’an, and the most authentic and the best source for the sunna. It is for this reason that we prefer them to all other sources.

Even when we quote a hadith from the Imams of Ahlu ‘1-bayt, it is actually the hadith of the Prophet which they have preserved as the true successors of the last Messenger of God. Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.), the sixth Shi’ite Imam, says:

My hadith is the hadith of my father, the hadith of my father is that of my grandfather, the hadith of my grandfather is that of Husayn [bin ‘Ali], the hadlth of Husayn is that of Hasan [bin ‘Ali], the hadlth of Hasan is that of Amiru ‘1-mu’minin [‘Ali bin Abi Talib], the hadith of Amiru ‘l-mu’minm is that of the Messenger of God (s.a.w.), and the hadith of the Messenger is a statement of Allah, the Almighty, the Great.”3

The historical circumstances did not allow the opportunity to the first three Imams of Ahlu 1-bayt to formally teach and train their followers in the matters of the shari’a. It was after the tragedy of Karbala that the Imams, especially the fifth and the sixth Imams, got the opportunity to formally train their followers in the shari’a laws.

The training by these Imams actually laid the foundation for the development of ijtihad among the Shi’as after the occultation of the twelfth Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a.s.).

During the Minor Occultation (ghaybat) of the Present Imam, it was still possible for the Shi’as to present their problems to the Imam through his specially appointed representatives. These representatives were ‘Uthman bin Said al-Amri (260-265 AH), Muhammad bin ‘Uthman al-’Amri (265-305 AH), Husayn bin Ruh (305-326 AH), and ‘All bin Muhammad al-Samiri (326-329 AH).

However, after the Imam went into the Major Occultation, the problems of the shari’a were resolved through the process known as ijtihad and taqlid-the two most important ways of living by the shari’a.

Ijtihad, in Shi’a jurisprudence, means “the process of deriving the laws of shari’a from its sources.” A person who can do ijtihad is known as a “mujtahid”. Taqlid means “to follow the mujtahid in the laws of shari’a.”

This lesson is based on An Introduction to the Shari’a by Sayyid M. Rizvi

Lesson 23: Ijtihad, Taqlid & Ihtiyat

1. Introduction

As mentioned in the previous lessons, a Muslim must follow the shari’a in every aspect of his or her life. If Islam is a religion which is to stay till the end of time, then there must always be some people who can guide the Muslims in the changing circumstances of time and of place.

After the Prophet of Islam, the most ideal persons to guide the Muslims were the Imams of Ahlu 1-bayt.

However, the Present Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi (a.s.) has gone into the Occulation and will re-appear when Allah wishes him to appear. So what is to be done in the meantime? Are the Shi’as to suspend the shari’a? No, of course not! Islam is the religion for all times and places.

2. Ijtihad

The Imams of Ahlu 1-bayt had foreseen the time of the Occulation and had prepared their followers for the situation in which they will not be in direct contact with their Imam.

This preparation was done by training the Shi’as in the science of Islamic laws, or in other words, in ijtihad. (Ijtihad means “the process of deriving the laws of the shari’a from its sources.”) Ijtihad is an essential phenomenon for the survival of the Islamic shari’a during the Occultation of the Imam (a.s.).

Without the system of ijtihad, we would not be able to apply Islamic laws in the rapidly changing circumstances of human society.

Ijtihad is not only permissible, but essential from the Islamic point of view. It is an obligation in Islam to study everything that is necessary for the spiritual development and material wellbeing of the Muslim community.

However, this obligation is of the category which is known as wajib kifa’i.4 In the present instance, for example, Islamic society needs experts in the medical sciences, in physics and chemistry, in engineering, education; and as long as there is a lack of expertise in these areas, it is an obligation on the community as a whole to acquire it. This means that a group of Muslims must devote themselves to research so as to benefit the Muslim community.

Similarly, an Islamic society without experts in the shari’a cannot properly consider itself Islamic, and so it is an obligation for a group of persons from this society to devote themselves to the study of the religious sciences to provide proper guidance to all Muslims.

This is such an important obligation that Allah has exempted those who go to seek religious knowledge from the duty of jihad. He says:

“It is not (right) for the believers to go forth all together (for Jihad). So why should not a party from every section of them (i.e., the believers) go forth to become learned in the religion, and to ivarn their people when they return to them-so that haply they may beware.” (9:122)

It is clear from many narrations that the Imams of Ahlu ‘1-bayt (a.s.) used to be pleased whenever any of their companions taught religion or gave legal rulings (fatwa) to others. There are several documented cases of Shi’as who lived far from Medina asking the Imam of their time to appoint someone in their area to adjudicate between them in religious problems:

Zakariyyah ibn Adam al- Qummi and Yunus bin ‘Abdu ‘r-Rahman, for example, were named by Imam ‘Ali ar-Riza, to solve disputes in their own districts.

In a famous hadlth, ‘Umar ibn Hanzalah asked Imam Ja’far as- Sadiq (a.s.) about the legality of two Shi’as seeking a verdict from an illegitimate ruler in a dispute over a debt or a legacy. The Imam’s answer was that it was absolutely forbidden to do so.

Then Ibn Hanzalah asked what the two should do, and the Imam replied:

“They must seek out one of your own who narrates our traditions, who is versed in what is permissible and what is forbidden, who is well-acquainted with our laws and ordinances, and accept him as judge and arbiter, for I appoint him as judge over you...”

Besides these ahadith, we have quite a few sayings of the Imams that tell us what to do if we come across two ahadith which are contradictory or semi-contradictory-and solving the contradictory ahadith is one of the functions of ijtihad.

These types of ahadith are known as al-akhbdr al-’ilajiyyah, the ahadith which solve the problems in the studying of the hadith.

In conclusion, we can say that one way of following the shari’a is to study the science of shari’a, learn the process of ijtihad and become a mujtahid.

3. Taqlid

Although we have mentioned ijtihad as the first of the possible ways of following the shari’a, it is not something which every person can do.

To become a mujtahid means spending the major part of your life in studying the Islamic sciences in general and the Islamic legal system in particular. A person must, first of all, study the Arabic language (especially classical Arabic) since all the sources of the sharifa are in classical Arabic.

Then he must study and gain expertise in Usulu ‘1-Fiqh (the Principles of Jurisprudence) which involves the methodology of defining and using the sources of the shari’a.

One also has to study the Qur’anic verses on laws, the hadith literature, and also the conclusions reached by the past mujtahids. In studying the hadith literature, one has to also study ‘ilmu ‘r-rijal which deals with the narrators of hadith- otherwise he will not be able to distinguish the authentic hadith from the inauthentic ones. In short, ijtihad is not everyone’s cup of tea.

The social life of human beings is based on mutual cooperation: each one of us takes the duty of fulfilling one of the needs of the society, and, in return, each one of us expects to benefit from the expertise of the others.

Just as not everyone can become his or her own doctor, in an Islamic society, not everyone can become a mujtahid. Those who are not mujtahid will follow the shari’a by doing taqlid-following the opinions of a highranking and pious mujtahid.

(A) Is Taqlid Reasonable?

First of all, taqlid is not “blind following,” it is based on an informed decision taken by the individual Shi’a man or woman. Before you start following the opinions of a mujtahid in the shari’a laws, you have to ascertain that he has the required expertise and that he is of upright character.

Secondly, it is not always unreasonable to follow others and to hold uncritical faith in them. We can logically distinguish four possible forms of imitation:

1. an ignorant person imitating another ignorant person;

2. a more learned person imitating a less learned person;

3. a less learned person imitating an ignorant person;

4. a less learned person imitating a more learned person.

It is quite clear that the first three forms of imitations are unreasonable and can serve no purpose. However, the fourth kind of imitation is obviously not only reasonable, but also necessary and a matter of common sense;

in our everyday life we follow and imitate others in many things; we like to take the advice of experts in matters outside our own knowledge.

Someone who wishes to build a house, explains the basic idea of what he wants to the builder and then submits to his advice as to how he should go about the actual construction.

The patient follows the treatment advised by the doctor; a litigant consults a lawyer when drawing up his case for a court. The examples are abundant;

in most cases the advice is taken voluntarily, but sometimes the citizen may be required by law to seek expert advice and act upon it, before, for example, he is allowed to take some particularly dangerous drug. The clearest example is obviously a case of a legal dispute between two parties, when they are required to take their grievances before a judge and abide by his decision if they cannot settle their dispute amicably.

The practice of taqlid is an example of the same kind: the person who is not an expert in Islamic jurisprudence is legally required to follow the instructions of the expert, that is, the mujtahid.

(B) Support from the Qur’an & Sunnah:

This sensible practice of following the mujtahid in shari’a laws has been endorsed by Islam.

As mentioned in a verse quoted earlier, the Qur’an strongly exhorts at least a group of Muslims to devote their time and energy in studying religion.

This obligation is of such importance that Allah has exempted such persons from the duty of jihad. More interesting is the reason and purpose of their knowledge: “...to warn their people...” (9:122) This verse divides the people into two groups: those who are learned in religious sciences and those who are not.

It is the duty of the learned to “warn” (a broad term which implies advice and guidance) the common people, and it is expected of the common people to “beware” (take heed of the learned persons’ advice and follow).

In shari’a matters, this process of guiding the common people is technically known as “ijtihad,” and the process of following the guidance by the common people is technically known as “taqlid”.

The Imams of Ahlu ‘1-bayt (a.s.) have endorsed this system in theory as well as in practice:

In Theory: In a famous hadith quoted earlier, ‘Umar ibn Hanzalah asked Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) about the legality of two Shi’as seeking a judgment from an illegitimate ruler or a judge appointed by such a ruler in a dispute over a debt or inheritance.

The Imam’s answer was that it was absolutely forbidden to do so; and then he read the following verse: “...(Yet in a dispute) they desire to summon one another to the judgment of the tdghut though they were commanded to reject and disbelieve in him.” (4:60)

Then ‘Umar ibn Hanzalah asked, “What should the two (Shi’as) do then?” The Imam replied, “They must seek out one of your own who narrates our traditions, who is versed in what is permissible and what is forbidden, who is well-acquainted with our laws and ordinances, and accept him as judge and arbiter for I appoint him as judge over you. If the ruling which he based on our laws is rejected, then this rejection will be tantamount to ignoring the order of Allah and rejecting us, and rejecting us is the same as rejecting Allah, and this is the same as polytheism.”

In another hadith, Abi Khadijah relates that Imam Ja’far as- Sadiq (a.s.) sent him to his companions with the following message: “If a dispute or a difference occurs among you about a property then take care not to seek judgment from those illegitimate [judges]; instead, you must seek a person who knows what is permissible and what, is forbidden by us, for I appoint him as a judge over you. And take care that you do not seek judgment against one another with an unjust ruler.”

The least that these two narrations prove is that Shi’as are not allowed to refer to unauthorized jurists for solutions to their problems instead they are advised to seek the guidance of those who are well-versed in the teachings of the Ahlu 1-bayt. In these ahadith, the practice of seeking the advice of experts in shari’a laws is taken for granted.

In Practice: There are several documented cases of Shi’as who asked the Imams of their time to appoint someone to adjudicate between them in religious problems. Such questions were raised by those who lived far from Medina or those who could not gain access to their Imam in Medina itself.

4.1htiyat

If a person is not a mujtahid and does not even want to do taqlid of any mujtahid, then according to the laws of shari’a he must do ihtiydt.

Doing ihtiydt means taking precaution. In the context of our present discussion, it means that one must adopt a line of precautionary action by which he or she can be sure of fulfilling the requirements of God’s commandment.

In practical terms, ihtiydt means that a person, in each and every problem, will have to study the views of mujtahids on that issue and act on the most precautionary of all views.

For example, if one mujtahid says that “it is disliked to smoke” and another says that “it is haram to smoke,” then one has to follow the second view. Or if one mujtahid says that “you must shave your head during the first pilgrimage to Mecca” while another says “you have a choice between shaving or just cutting a little of your hair,” then one has to follow the first view. This has to be done in each and every issue.

In short, during the Occultation (ghaybat) of the Present Imam (a.s.), there are three ways of following the shari’a: ijtihad, taqlid and ihtiyat.

Lesson 24: More About The Shari‘a

The purpose of human life in this world is to successfully go through the trials and tribulations in order to achieve salvation in the hereafter. In the hereafter, life will have no end. God did not leave us without any means of guidance.

He sent prophets, messengers and books to guide mankind towards the right path. The last prophet and messenger was the Prophet of Islam, and the final revelation was the Qur’an.

Islam is the ultimate means of guidance for mankind through the tests and trials of this world. The Prophet was sent “to convey the revelation; to purify spiritually and to teach the Qur’an and wisdom.”

Islam seeks to guide its followers by the legal system known as “shari’a”. No aspect of our life is outside the jurisdiction of the shari’a: legal and moral, personal and social, economic and politics, all issues are directly or indirectly covered by the shari’a.

In this lesson you will learn more about the Islamic laws from different perspectives.

1. The Roots & Branches of Religion

To differentiate between the matters of belief and the laws of shari’a, the Shi’a scholars have coined two interesting terms: The matter of beliefs (monotheism justice of God, prophethood, imamat and resurrection) are described as “the Roots of Religion - Usul ad-Din” because they form the foundation of our faith. The Shi’a scholars have also coined the term “the Branches of Religion - Furu’ ad-Din” for the shari’a laws.

These terminologies actually reflect the connection between “belief and “practice”. If the roots are strong, they will generate healthy branches, green leaves, colourful flowers and delicious fruits; but if the roots are weak, the tree will be considered useless.

Similarly, if a Muslim’s beliefs are strong, then it should show in the practical life of that person. A non-practicing Muslim betrays the weakness in his religious roots which are in need of further nurturing through intellectual stimulation and spiritual guidance.

The items normally listed as “the Branches of Religion” are as follows:

1. Prayers (salat).

2. Fasting in Ramadhan (sawm).

3. Pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj).

4. Tax on Wealth (zakdt).

5. Tax on Money (khums).

6. Spiritual as well as Physical Struggle for sake of Allah (jihad).

7. Promoting good in the family and society (amr bil ma’ruf).

8. Preventing evil in the family and society (nahi ‘anil munkar).

9. Loving and following the Prophet & his family (tawalla).

10. Disassociating from the enemies of the Prophet & his family (tabarra). These ten teachings reflect the main framework of the Islamic shari’a; otherwise, the entire corpus of Islamic shari’a falls under the term ‘branches of religion’.

2. The Classification of Shari’a Laws

All the issues covered by the shari’a are traditionally classified into four main groups. The classification was put in the final form by one of the great Shi’a mujtahids of the 7th Islamic century, al- Muhaqqiq al-Hilli (d. 676 AH).

His famous work of jurisprudence, Sharaya’u ‘l-Islam, is still one of the main reference books for the scholars of Islamic laws. Al-Muhaqqiq al-Hilli classified the laws into the following groups:

1. ‘Ibadat - the Acts of Worship like prayers, fasting, hajj, etc.

2. ‘Uqud - Mutual Contracts like business transaction, partnership, trusts, power of attorney issues, and marriage.

3. lyqa’at - Unilateral Instigations like divorce, confessions in legal matters, vows, etc.

4. Ahkam - Miscellaneous: anything which does not fit in the three groups above like rules of eating and drinking, agriculture, arbitration, testimony, etc.

Here I would like to present a modern classification of shari’a issues done by the late Sayyid Muhammad Baqir as-Sadr. Ayatullah as-Sadr of Najaf was a rising star among the new generation of mujtahids; unfortunately the Shi’a world was deprived of his knowledge and leadership when he was tortured and killed by Saddam’s regime in 1981.

Sadr also divides the shari’a laws into four groups but his classification makes the issues more clear for the modern man unused to classical texts.

1. ‘Ibadat - the Acts of Worship like prayers, fasting and hajj. 2. Financial Laws:

(a) On Social Level: issues like Islamic taxes of various kinds.

(b) On Individual Level:

i. the laws pertaining to the means of possessions.

ii. the laws pertaining to the utilization of one’s possessions.

3. Personal Laws: issues like marriage and divorce, eating and drinking, vows and oaths, hunting and slaughtering, bidding good and forbidding evil, etc.

4. Social Laws: issues like the political system, judiciary, penal code, jihad, etc.

3. The Five Types of Decrees

All Islamic injunctions fall within the five main categories of laws: wajib, mustahab, ja’iz, makruh, and haram. There are other sub-divisions within these five decrees.

1. Wajib: means obligatory, necessary, incumbent. An act which must be performed. One will be punished for neglecting a wajib act, e.g., the daily prayers.

Ihtiyat wajib: Sometimes you might see the term “ihtiyat wajib” in the decrees of the mujtahids. It means “precautionarily obligatory and its significance is the same as that of the wajib with one difference: wherever the mujtahid says that “it is precautionarily obligatory,” you have the option of leaving his opinion in that particular problem and following the opinion of the second best mujtahid provided the second mujtahid has a different opinion.

Wajib is also divided into two: ‘ayni and kifa’i:

Wajib ‘ayni means an obligation which is imposed on individual Muslims, e.g., the daily prayers. No one can do this duty for someone else.

Whereas wajib kifa’i means an obligation which is imposed on the Muslim community as a whole; and if it is fulfilled by one or more individuals, then the rest of the community is no longer required to do that.

For example, a dead Muslim must be buried in the proper Islamic way. This is a duty imposed on the Muslim community collectively; if some people do that, then others are not responsible; but if no one does that, then the entire community is answerable to God.

2. Mustahab, also known as sunnat, means recommended, desirable, better. It refers to the acts which are recommended but not wajib. If one neglects them, he will not be punished; however, if one performs them, he will be rewarded.

3. Ja’iz means permitted, allowed, lawful. An act which is permitted and lawful; there is no reward for performing it nor any punishment for neglecting it, e.g., drinking tea.

Halal & Mubah: There are other words which reflect the same meaning as ja’iz but with a different connotation: “Halal” also means permissible acts or things, but it is used mostly for permissible things rather than actions.

For example, the term “halal meat” is used for the meat whose consumption is permissible in Islam. Similarly, “mubah” means permissible, but it is exclusively used for things which are lawfully yours or under your control as opposed to “ghasbi- usurped”.

4. Makruh means reprehensible, disliked, discouraged. An act which is disliked by Islam but not haram. If one does a makruh act, he will not be punished; however, if he refrains from it, then he will be rewarded.

5. Haram means forbidden, prohibited. An act from which one must abstain. If someone performs a haram act, he will be punished either by the Islamic court or in the hereafter or both.

Lesson 25: Islam’s Spirtual Program (1)

1. Introduction

Islam is concerned about the physical wellbeing of its followers as well as the spiritual wellbeing.

Spiritual training is an essential part of our life. While describing the mission of the Prophet of Islam, Allah says: “He is the one who has raised among the ignorant [Arabs] a messenger from among themselves who[1.] recites to them His revelations, [2.] purifies them, and [3.] teaches them the Book and wisdom.” (62:2) The second purpose for sending the Prophet is “spiritual purification”.

Spiritual purification or training is very strongly linked to the purpose of our creation.

2. Purpose of Creation

Allah is the Creator of human beings and the entire universe. In His capacity as the Creator, only He has the right to define the purpose of creation. He says in the Qur’an:

“...He is the one who has created death and life so that He may test you to see who among you does good deeds.” (67:2) “And I have not created the jinn and the humans except so that they may serve Me.” (51:56)

When you study these two verses (and many others on this subject), you will realize that according to Allah the purpose of life is: to successfully go through the trials and tribulations in this world in order to achieve salvation in the hereafter.

Unlike this worldly life, the life in the hereafter will have no end. The trials and tribulations can also be expressed as follows: to enter into the servitude of Allah by our own will and choice.

In order to understand the concept of trial and tribulation, it is important to understand the human being:

A human being is a very delicate creature. He has a physical aspect as well as a spiritual dimension. Our whole being revolves around two main powers: the soul and the emotions. 1. The soul (ruh) or the spirit is the king of our being.

The untainted intellect and the pure conscience are various aspects of our spiritual dimension. 2. The emotions and other physical faculties are also integral parts of our being. These emotions and faculties can be broadly classified under ‘anger’ and ‘passion’.

Our entire adult life is an arena of struggle between the soul and the emotions. And herein lies the trial and tribulation of mankind. A Muslim is expected to use the soul to control the emotions.

Islam does not promote the complete suppression of emotions and desires; it only wants the Muslims to use their reason to restrain their desires by fulfilling them within the dictates of the Divine laws.

Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) has beautifully described this concept as follows:

Allah has blessed the angels with the power of reasoning but has deprived them of any desires; and He has blessed the animals with natural desires but has deprived them of the power of reasoning; and He has blessed the human beings with both the power of reasoning and also the desires.

Therefore, one who restrains his desires by the power of reasoning, he is superior to the angels (who do not have to deal with any desires and emotions).

But one who lets his desires control his reason, he is inferior to the animals (who have not been blessed with the power of reasoning).

In conclusion, we can say that the purpose of creation is to live in such a way that our soul, reason and conscience control and restrain our emotions and desires. If we can live such a life, then we have succeeded in the trials and tribulations of this world, and hope for the salvation in the hereafter.

3. Program for Spiritual Training

Islam seeks to train a person in such a way that he can be a balanced human being in the spiritual sense of the world. A morally healthy person is he who can use his reason to restrain his emotions.

Allah did not only send prophets, messengers, divine books and Imams to guide us spiritually, He has also placed certain rituals in the Islamic laws which serve as spiritual programs for Muslims. There are two main programs for spiritual training: 1. An intensive program on an annual basis. 2. A regular program on a daily basis.

(A) THE ANNUAL SPIRITUAL TRAINING

Fasting during the month of Ramadhan5 is the annual spiritual program for strengthening the soul and keeping the desires/emotions within the dictates of Divine laws. Allah has described the purpose of fasting as follows:

O You who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it had been prescribed for the nations before you - so that you may become God-fearing. (2:183)

God-fearing means taqwa. Taqwa, normally translated as “fearing God”, means the mind-set in which a person fears God’s displeasure because of the love that he has for God. In other words, taqwa is a frame of mind which prevents the person from committing sins that cause God’s displeasure with him.

How does fasting in Ramadhan help in acquiring such a mindset of taqwa? Fasting is a ritual which begins at dawn and ends at sunset; and during that entire time, a Muslim is expected to refrain from ten things as follows:

1. Food. 2. Drink. 3. Inhaling smoke or dust. 4. Vomiting intentionally. 5. Submerging the head into a body of water. 6. Liquid enema.

7. Sexual intercourse. 8. Masturbation. 9. Staying till dawn in the state of impurity caused by sexual discharge.

10. To ascribe a statement wrongfully to God or His divine representatives.

The above list includes the two strongest desires of a human being: food and sex. By abstaining from them during the daytime for the whole month of Ramadhan, a Muslim is trained to strengthen his willpower and control his desires. By the end of Ramadhan, a Muslim is expected to be a spiritually stronger person than what he was before Ramadhan.

A Muslim who goes through this annual spiritual training is expected to maintain the domination of his soul over his desires and emotions.

However, this is not always easy for everyone. The spiritual power is not a static commodity; it has the potential of increasing and decreasing. The more you protect it, the more it will protect you; but if you neglect it, soon the desires will gain control of your life.

Generally, people go through a cycle of spiritual strength and weakness. As the distance in time increases between the Muslim and the month of Ramadhan, the soul starts to lose its strength in the face of material temptations.

That is why Allah has legislated the fasting on an annual basis so that we may get the opportunity to re-energize our soul and spirit at least once every year.

One way of maintaining the domination of soul over desires is by fasting after the month of Ramadhan on the days which are highly recommended in our shari’a. These days are:

• first and last Thursdays of every lunar month;

• first Wednesday after the 10th of every lunar month;

• 13th, 14th and 15th of each lunar month;

• the entire month of Rajab and Sha’ban;

• 4th to 9th of Shawwal; 25th and 29th of Dhul Qa’dah;

• 1st to 9th of Dhul Hijja; 18th of Dhul Hijja; 24th of Dhul Hijja;

• 1st, 3rd and 7th of Muharram;

• 17th of Rabi al-Awwal; 15th of Jamadi al-Ula; 27th of Rajab.

Fasting on these days (especially the first three in the list) will surely help in maintaining the strength of the spiritual power and will go a long way in keeping the desires under control.

In short, the ritual of fasting is actually a spiritual training to strengthen the soul and control the desires - the very nature of the trial and tribulation faced by us in this life.

Lesson 26: Islam’s Spirtual Program (2)

(B) THE DAILY SPIRITUAL TRAINING

Islam has also provided its followers with a program for spiritual training on a daily basis. This program is known as salat. Salat is not a “prayer” in the sense of talking to God whenever, wherever and however you like.

Salat is an act of worship which must be done in a prescribed manner. Whenever we use the words “ritual prayer” it refers to salat and not to “prayer” in the sense explained above.

In appearance, salat is just an act of worship; but with further insight into the philosophy of salat, you will realize that it is also a program which trains the Muslims to spiritually strengthen themselves and to become the masters of their own lives rather than be slaves of their desires.

It is this aspect of salat which has made it the pillar of Islam. The Prophet says: “The salat is the pillar of religion.”

While describing the effect which salat should have on the lives of Muslims, Allah says: “Establish the salat; surely the salat prevents [the doer] from the indecencies and the forbidden facts].

And surely the remembrance of Allah is great.” (29:45) This verse clearly says that a true salat would help the doer in staying away from sins. It is in the light of this verse that the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.) said, “The first deed to be checked [on the Day of Judgment] will be the salat: if it is accepted, then other deeds will also be accepted; but if it is rejected, then other deeds will also be rejected.”

What the Prophet meant was that the salat plays a pivotal role in the life of a Muslim: if his salat was a true salat and had affected his behaviour then there is a great chance that his other deeds will also be good; but if his salat was just a ritual without any impact on his life, then there is a lesser chance that his other deeds would be good.

The five daily prayers, provided done with understanding, will not just be rituals but a program for spiritual upliftment of the Muslim. The salat will constantly remind him to keep the purpose of life in focus and work towards it.

That is why the Prophet once asked his companions, “If there is a stream outside your house and you wash yourself in it five time every day, then would any dirt remain on your body?” When the answer was negative, the Prophet said, “Indeed the example of salat is like that flowing stream - whenever one performs a salat, the sins between the two prayers are washed away.”6

In this lesson, we will look at just three aspects of salat which can help us in spiritual training.

(i) Wuzu: Reminder of Spiritual Purity

Every Muslim is required to do ritual ablution (wuzu) before salat. Even this simple ablution is a way of reminding us about spiritual purification. When we study the two verses of the Qur’an about ablutions, we see that there are two planes of purification: physical and spiritual.

Although wuzu and ghusl (the major ablution) are related to physical purification, there is a more sublime reason underlying these two ablutions - they serve as a reminder to and gateway of spiritual purification.

In the chapter al-Baqarah, after talking about one of the major ablutions, the Qur’an says:

“Surely Allah loves those who oftenly turn to Him, and He also loves those who cleanse themselves.” (2:222) In another verse, after talking about wuzu, the Qur’an says:

“Allah does not desire to make any impediment for you; but He desires to cleanse you, & that He may complete His blessings upon you;

haply you may be grateful” (5:6)

We find two different themes in these verses: First: Allah loves those who cleanse themselves, and that He desires to cleanse us. Second: He wants to complete His blessings upon us, and that He loves those who oftenly turn towards Him. The first theme is related to the physical cleanliness, while the second theme is related to the spiritual purity.

The words of the first theme are very clear; they refer to cleanliness. But what do the words of the second theme mean? What is the meaning of “oftenly turning to Allah?” Turning to Allah implies that the person had turned away from Allah. What does this mean? These are the questions which I will discuss below.

In the Islamic value system, the human soul is like a light bulb. If the bulb is protected from dust and dirt, it will enlighten the area around it; but if dust and dirt is allowed to accumulate on the bulb, then it will not be able to illuminate the area as much as before.

Similarly, the human soul has to be protected from spiritual ‘dirt’ and uncleanliness, otherwise it will not be able to guide the person as rightly as before.

After swearing by the most majestic signs of His creation, Allah says in chapter 91, verses 1-10 that the pure human soul has the ability to understand what is right and what is wrong provided it is purified and uncorrupted.

He makes it clear that the soul, just like the body, is capable of becoming spiritually impure and unclean. Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) has said, “The human soul is a precious jewel; whoever protects it, enhances its (effectiveness), and whosoever degrades it, decreases its (effectiveness).”

The impurities that can corrupt a human soul are collectively known as “sins”. Accumulation of sins can indeed render the human soul spiritually ineffective and, in Qur’anic expression, ‘seize the heart’.

Allah says, “Whatever (sins) they have committed has seized their heart.” (83:14) By committing sins, not only is the soul of a Muslim seized but he also spiritually turns away from Allah. Sins create a distance between God and man.

Can a person rescue his soul from the seizing of the sins? Can a sinner spiritually get closer to God? Yes, indeed, a sinful person can spiritually return to Allah. Returning to Allah means repenting and asking forgiveness for your sins. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) has explained this phenomenon as follows: “Each believer has a bright soul.

When he commits a sin, a dark dot appears on his bright soul. If he repents, the dark dot will disappear. But if he persists in his sins, the darkness will increase until it covers the entire soul-then the person would never return towards goodness.”7

Just as our bodies can become impure by the physical things, our souls can become impure by sins. To rid our bodies of the physical dirt, we use water; similarly, to rid our souls of the spiritual impurities, we use tawbah (repentance). In short, the human soul is corruptible; it is corrupted by sins; the corrupted soul can be purified by tawbah.

After talking about ritual ablutions which are done by water, Allah says that “He loves those who do tawbah”. By this He is drawing our attention to the spiritual purification. So with this insight into the Qur’anic verses, whenever a Muslim does the ritual ablution, he also remembers the spiritual purification which is even more important than the physical purification.

(ii) Salat Helps in Spiritual Training

The five daily prayers have different” numbers of cycles known as rak’ah. Each rak’ah consists of the act of standing while reciting two short chapters from the Qur’an, the act of bowing and two prostrations.

The fajr (dawn) prayer consists of 2 cycles.

The zu.hr (noon) prayer consists of 4 cycles.

The ‘asr (afternoon) prayer consists of 4 cycles.

The maghrib (evening) prayer consists of 3 cycles.

The ‘isha (night) prayer consists of 4 cycles. -

One wonders why Islam prescribed a different number of cycles for these prayers? Why could not they be the same for all ritual prayers?

Many people have attempted to explain it in different ways, but I have also looked at this question and came to the conclusion that there is no particular reason for this variety in the number of cycles. It seems that this difference in the number of cycles was introduced by Islam in order to create a sense of discipline among the Muslims and to create the spirit of absolute obedience to the Divine laws.

A Muslim is someone who voluntarily submits himself to Allah. This is not always easy keeping in mind the trials and tribulations which we are going through. Praying on a daily basis and following the number of cycles prescribed by the shari’a without questioning its merit is a way of instilling in us the spirit of obedience to the laws of Islam.

You must pray in the prescribed manner even if you do not understand the merit of some of its rules; you should pray with the thought in your mind that this is how Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, wants you to pray.

This will indeed help you in harnessing the power of desires and emotions within yourself, and help you in getting closer to the purpose of life - to totally submit ourselves to the will of Allah.

(iii) Sajdah: Daily Reminder of the Purpose of Life

Sajdah is the last part in each cycle of salat; it is the part where you prostrate in such a way that your forehead, both palms, both knees and the big toes of both feet are touching the ground. Sajdah is to be done twice in each cycle: one should go into the first sajdah, then sit upright for a moment, and then go into the second sajdah.

Imam ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) was once asked why we have two sajdahs in each cycle of salat. The reply that the Imam gave shows that sajdah (like many other parts of the ritual prayer) has a symbolic meaning also.

He said, “While you are in the first sajdah, you are saying [to God] ‘From it [the earth] You have created me.’

While getting up from the first sajdah, you are saying ‘From it You have taken me out.’

When you go into the second sajdah, you are saying To it You will return me.’

While getting up from the second sajdah, you are saying, ‘From it You will take me out again.”’

In this hadith, the holy Imam has actually applied the following verse to the sajdah: “From it We have created you, and to it We shall return you, and from it We shall take you out again.” (20:55) If you study this hadith carefully, you will realize that:

1. You have been created from the earth. Remembering your origin will not allow you to be arrogant and proud on the basis of race or wealth.

2. Getting up from the first sajdah is like our birth, going down into the second sajdah is like death and getting up from the second sajdah is like resurrection. This symbolic meaning will never let us forget the day of judgment and the life hereafter.

3. It also shows that this worldly life is symbolically nothing more than a few moments that you sit between the two sajdahs. This insight into the philosophy of sajdah will surely transform your salat from a mere ritual to a practical reminder about your origin, the transient nature of this world and your ultimate destination in the hereafter.

What you have read above are just three examples from the rules related to salat which help the Muslims in focusing on the purpose of life and strengthening themselves spiritually. We thank Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, for providing such means of spiritual training in the daily rituals of an Islamic life.

Lesson 27: The Islamic Community 1

1. The Brotherhood of Islam

A Muslim is related to different people in different ways: first, he is very closely related to his family members; second, he is related to his relatives;

and finally, he is related to other Muslims in the bond of religious brotherhood known as the Muslim Ummah. The first two circles of relationship are based on family ties.

You and your brother or you and your cousin are from a common fore-father. But the third relationship is not based on family ties, it is based on religious ties.

All Muslims are related to one another through Islam, and this relationship is known as the “Islamic Brotherhood”. Allah says in the Qur’an, ‘’Indeed the believers are brothers.” (49:10)

The basis of Islamic brotherhood is not a common forefather, but the common God, Prophet, the Book, etc. All Muslims believe in Allah, Prophet Muhammad, and the Qur’an, and they all pray towards the same Ka’bah.

Relationships are also based on common race, language or country. People of the same race, same language or same country feel a special fraternity towards each other. But Islamic brotherhood transcends all these boundaries of race, language, country, colour and wealth.

Allah says in the Qur’an: “O you mankind! We have created you from a male and a female; and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know each other [more easily]. Indeed, the most noble among you in view of Allah is the most pious of you.” (49:13)

All Muslims are brethren of each other even if they are from different families, races, and countries, or have different skin colour and language. Muslims in China, Mexico, Iraq, Kenya, USA, India, England, Turkey, Malaysia, Ghana, Japan and Tunis are all brethren of one another on the basis of their common faith and beliefs.

Their colour, country, and language are less important when it comes to their relationship based on Islam.

All the Muslims of the world form a single brotherhood or community which is known as “the Muslim Ummah”. Every Muslim is a member of the ummah. The Ka’bah is a visual center of gravity for the Muslim ummah-Muslims all over the world face the same Ka’bah five times a day and confirm their brotherhood.

2. The Prophet & Islamic Brotherhood

The issue of Islamic brotherhood and fraternity was so important in Islam that soon after migrating to Medina, the first important social decree of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was on the issue of brotherhood.

The Muslim community of Medina was divided into two groups: the Ansar and the Muhajirin. “Ansar” (Helpers) was a title used for the natives of Medina, whereas “Muhajirin” (Immigrants) was a title used for those Muslims, mostly Meccans, who had migrated to Medina.

Among the Ansar, there were two tribes known as the Aws and the Khazraj who were bitter enemies and had fought each other for more than a century. The Prophet had resolved this conflict even before he migrated to Medina.

With the advent of Islam, the Aws and the Khazraj put their past animosity behind and accepted the bond of Islamic brotherhood. Referring to this blessing of Islam, Allah says: “And remember the favour of Allah upon you-you indeed were enemies (of each other) and then He created fraternity between your hearts and thus you became brethren by His blessing...” (3:103)

The Prophet found that there was cultural and economic disparity among the Ansar and the Muhajirin. So with the guidance of Allah, the Prophet announced one day that he was going to establish the bond of brotherhood between the Ansar and the Muhajirin.

He gathered the two groups at the mosque and then started calling out the name of one Muhajir and one Ansar, and declared them to be brothers of each other. Referring to this bond of brotherhood, Allah says: “Those who believed, migrated and fought in the way of Allah [i.e., the Muhdjirin], and those who gave shelter and helped [i.e., the Ansar]-they are the true believers, for them is forgiveness and a noble sustenance...” (8:75)

Some of the Ansar went beyond the call of duty in fulfilling the rights of brotherhood: they divided their entire wealth into two and gave one-half to their immigrant brother-in-faith.

Some even specified a substantial portion in their estate to be inherited by their immigrant brother-in-faith. Then Allah revealed the following verse “The blood relatives have more right to each other in the Book of Allah”.

This shows that one of the first steps towards building an Islamic community is creating the atmosphere for Islamic brotherhood and fraternity.

An interesting segment of the event of brotherhood is that when the Prophet had joined each Muhajir with an Ansar, ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (a Muhajir) was left out. So he came to the Prophet (who was also a Muhajir) and complained that he had been left out from the bond of brotherhood between the Muhajirin and the Ansar. The Prophet said, “O ‘Ali! You are my brother in this world as well as in the hereafter.”

3. The Moral Rights of Brotherhood

Islamic brotherhood as expressed in the Qur’an (“Indeed the believers are brothers”) is not just a fancy idea. It had been implemented by the Prophet in Medina. There are certain rights which the believers have over each other.

Allah has described some of those rights immediately after the verse quoted above. In this lesson, you will learn six of those rights from the Qur’an: “O you who believe!

1. “No people should laugh at, or make fun of, another people.”

You might laugh at others because of what you see-their appearance, dress or way of living. But you do not know anything about their hearts and minds.

Their faces and dresses might look funny to you, but inside they may be better than you. Therefore, do not make fun of other people “because those who are being laughed at may be better, in Allah’s view, than those who laugh.” (49:11)

2. “Do not find fault with your own Muslim brothers.” (49:11) A Muslim should pay more attention to his own deeds and try to amend his own mistakes. There is no need to probe and find the faults or mistakes of others.

3. “Do not call one another by insulting nicknames.” (49:11) Every Muslim has a good name; call others by their proper name or by a nickname which they use for themselves. But never call names because Allah does not like that one Muslim should insult his own brother-in-faith.

After mentioning these three rights of Muslim over each other, Allah ends the verse with the following statement: “And those who (commit such sins and) do not ask forgiveness, they are the unjust people.”

This verse of the Qur’an makes it clear that even such trivial things - making fun of others or calling names- are so much disliked by Allah that He considers such sins as “injustice”. And He surely does not like the unjust people!

4. “O you who believe! Avoid most of the suspicious [thoughts about other Muslims].” (49:12)

The reason why Allah wants us to avoid most of the suspicious thoughts about other Muslims has been explained by Allah in the next sentence: “Surely suspicion in most cases is a sin.” Islam wants you to think positively about your Muslim brother and sister.

5. “And do not spy [on each other].” (49:12)

Spying on your Muslim brother or sister and trying to find their weak points and secrets is not allowed in Islam.

6. “Nor should some of you backbite others.” (49:12) “Backbiting” is known in Arabic as ghibat. Ghibat means talking about the hidden bodily defects or secret inappropriate behaviour of someone behind his/her back.

The reason why ghibat of another Muslim is forbidden in Islam has been explained by Allah in the next sentence of the verse: “Does any one of you like to bite the flesh of his dead brother?! Surely you dislike it.”

Ghibat is just like biting the dead body of your own brother: he cannot defend himself. Saying bad things about someone in his absence is almost the same-he is not present to defend himself. In this sense, the term “backbiting” is very close to the meaning of “ghibat”.

The last three sins -suspicion, spying and backbiting- are connected to each other. If you avoid the first one, you will be able to stay away from the other two sins.

But if you always suspect others, then you will be tempted to spy on them or find bad things about them. If you find out anything negative about others, then you are tempted to gossip about them.

So keep your mind clean and try to think good of your Muslim brethren. These are some ethical rights which Muslims have over each other.