Authority in Islam

 

Critic:-

I do observe that far too many Muslims are claiming to speak for Islam. It would be better for them to stop pretending to do so. I feel most of them really know that they don't speak for all the more than a billion Muslims or for the abstraction Islam but are putting on a brave show to bring people around to their point of view. I am afraid that some of them actually think Islam is equivalent to what they think. There is one particular poster on this internet site that I am suspicious about.

Comment:-

This Christian appears to have misunderstood the Islamic position.

Islam does not have a Pope. In Catholic Christianity it is the Church or more correctly the Pope that is the authority and speaks for Christianity. Christians who reject the authority of the Pope seem to think that they can invent their own Christianity as this Christian does. Indeed, many reject the authority of the Bible and pick and choose parts they accept and reject. He also seems to want to invent his own Islam and objects to Muslims speaking for Islam.

He should study and understand the following:-

"O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those in authority amongst you; and if you dispute (quarrel or argue) about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you (in truth) believe in Allah and the Last Day; that is better and fairer in the end." Quran 4:59

According to this verse a Muslim must consult Allah or the Messenger. The third authority is mentioned but does not have the right to speak authoritatively for Islam. In practice this means that the only primary authority for Islam is the Quran, and secondly the Sunna of the Prophet.

Therefore, Muslims who study, understand and apply the Quran and Sunna in a comprehensive manner and live by it can be said to speak for Islam in so far as their as their opinions are supported by quotations from the Quran and genuine Sunna without contradictions or inconsistencies.

According to a report, the Prophet understood that people read the Quran differently and recommended that a person should learn the Quran from five different knowledgeable people in order to come to a more balanced view.

Another critic, a Muslim, asserted that Islam is not a single comprehensive system because there are a great number of diverse ideas and practices among Muslims. The implication was that no Muslim could be regarded as a spokesman for Islam. This view can be rejected. The diversity of opinions and practices among Muslims cannot be said to be Islamic as these are often based on ignorance or partial knowledge of the Quran and on foreign ideas and practices, many of which can be shown to be incompatible with the letter or spirit of the Quran.

It is true, of course, that the Quran gives us general guidelines and that several particular systems could be derived from this. But the fact remains that the Quran and Sunna do provide a single set of comprehensive guidelines and that Muslims are required to follow these. It is, therefore, a question of studying, understanding and applying these and not of speculation and fantasies. Muslims cannot make up their own Islam, nor must they take the authority of the ignorant or those with personal agendas or those prone to sectarianism.

Question:-

It seems to me and many others that the world is in a dire state and that it urgency requires the application of Islamic Principles to solve its problems. But what do you think of the Taliban. Are they an example of what can be expected from an Islamic regime? That seems to be a general fear in the West.

Answer:-

It is true that the Taliban profess to be Muslims, but according to reports they have been fanatical, extremists and very oppressive. As a consequence they have alienated the people. This attitude cannot achieve success.

What the Quran teaches is the following:-

"There is no compulsion in religion; the right way is henceforth distinct from the wrong. And whoever rejects Taghut (false deities) and believes in Allah, he has grasped a firm handle which will not break; but Allah is both Hearer and Knower. Allah is the patron of those who believe, He brings them forth from darkness into light. But those who disbelieve, their patrons are false deities; these bring them forth from light to darkness. Such are fellows of the Fire, they will dwell therein." 2:256-257

"Say: O mankind! There has come to you the Truth from your Lord, and he who is guided by it, his guidance is only for his own soul; and he who errs, errs only against it; and I am not a warder over you." 10:109

"Say: Obey Allah and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away then it is for him to do only that wherewith he has been charged, and for you to do only that wherewith you have been charged. If you obey him, you are rightly guided. But the Messenger has no other charge but to convey the message plainly." 24:54

"Verily, Allah changes not the condition of a people until they change that which is in their heart (or in their souls or change it for themselves). And when Allah wishes misfortune for a people there is no averting it, nor have they a protector beside Him." 13:11

"Say: O my people! Work in your manner (or work as and how you can), surely I too am working. But soon you will come to know who it is to whom there shall come a punishment which will disgrace him and to whom will be due an enduring punishment. Verily, We have revealed to you the Book with the truth for the sake of mankind; so whoever follows the right way, it is for the good of his own soul and whoever errs, he errs only to its injury; and you are not a custodian over them." 39:39-41

"O you who believe! Forbid not the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, nor transgress (or commit excess); verily, Allah loves not the transgressors." 5:87

"Hold fast, all together, to the cable of Allah, and do not separate (divide or part in sects); but remember the favours of Allah towards you, when you were enemies and He made friendship between your heart, and on the morrow you became brothers, by His grace. You were on the edge of an abyss of fire, but He rescued you there from. Thus does Allah show to you His revelations; perchance you may be guided; And that there may spring from you a nation who invite to goodness, and bid right conduct, and forbid what is wrong (or indecent); these are the successful." 3:103-104

"If you avoid great sins from which you are forbidden, We will remit (or expel) your lesser offences (or all evil in you) and make you enter a noble gate." 4:31

"It was by the mercy of Allah that you did deal gently with them (O Muhammad), for had you been rough and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from around you. But pardon them, and ask forgiveness for them, and consult with them on the conduct of affair. As when you have resolved, then put your trust in Allah; verily, Allah loves those who trust (Him)." 3:159

"Verily, those who divided their religion and became sectarians, you have no concern with them. Their affair is in the hands of Allah, He will then inform them of that which they used to do." 6:160

"Then set your purpose for religion as a man upright by nature - the nature made by Allah in which He has made men; there is no altering (the laws of) Allah's creation; that is the right religion, but most people do not know - turning to Him only, and be careful of your duty to Him and keep up prayer and be not of those who ascribe partners to Him (polytheists), of those who split their religion and became schismatic, every sect rejoicing in its own tenets." 30:30-32

"So whatever thing you are given, that is only a provision of the life of this world, and that which is with Allah is better and more lasting for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. And those who shun the great sins and indecencies, and whenever they are angry they forgive. And those who respond to their Lord and establish prayer, and whose conduct their affairs by mutual consultation, and who spend out of what We have given them. And those who, when great wrong afflicts them, defend themselves." 42:36-39

"Permission is given to those who fight because they have been wronged." 22:39

"Fight in the Cause of Allah with those who fight you, but transgress not the limits (or begin not hostilities); verily, Allah loves not those who transgress (or the aggressors)." 2:190

"....and persecution is a greater sin than slaughter." 2:217

"Allah does not forbid you respecting those who have not made war against you on account of your religion, and have not driven you forth from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice. Allah only forbids you respecting those who made war upon you on account of your religion, and drove you forth from your homes and backed up others in your expulsion, that you make friends with them, and whoever makes friends with them, these are the unjust." 60:8-9

"What ails you that you do not fight in Allah's way, and for the weak (oppressed) men, women and children, who cry: Lord, rescue us from this town of oppressive people, and raise for us from Thee a Patron (or protecting friend), and raise for us from Thee  a help? Those who believe fight in the way of Allah; and those who disbelieve fight in the way of Taghut (The Evil One); fight you then against the friends (supporters, protectors, patrons) of Satan, verily, Satan's strategies are feeble indeed." 4:75-76

 

"This shall they suffer for what their hands have sent on before: - for verily, Allah is no oppressor to His servants." 3:182

It is clear that the Taliban obey the Quran selectively. Unfortunately, Muslims are in a degenerate state and most are Muslim in name only, do not know the Quran and do not practice Islam. Many of those who pray utter make the postures and utter the words mechanically without understanding. They have certainly come across the words "I bear witness that none deserves worship except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger." But their behaviour does not show that this is the case. They worship all kinds of other things. We are told that Allah is Benevolent, Merciful and forgiving, and that Muhammad too was kind and tolerant. But this does not manifest in their attitudes or actions. It is clear that this cannot be changed by imposing an oppressive regime.

History shows that when communities degenerate then there is much suffering and this makes change necessary. It encourages revolutions. But all revolutions have involved much bloodshed and suffering because there has been opposition from those who have benefited from the old system and because of the inexperience and incompetence of the revolutionary regime. That suffering is not necessarily worse than before. But eventually there is a compromise and things tend to settle down and normalise after a time. People get used to the new conditions of life as they did to the old ones. A better method of bringing about change would be gradual reform. But this can only be done by those who have not been conditioned by the existing system and if they have the power. The only hope is improvement in the educational system which must be made more comprehensive to include not just intellectual and physical skills but should also inculcate moral and spiritual values.

But today it is not just the Muslims that are in a dire state, but so is the whole world, spiritually, psychologically, socially, politically, economically and environmentally. Much of the political business, commercial and cultural activities in the West can be regarded as criminal or immoral from the Islamic point of view. That is also why they get into periodical crisis with much suffering for the ordinary people while the rich and powerful who control things remain relatively immune and do not care. But the suffering can be regarded as a punishment for indifference and degenerate state. The suffering caused to the Afghans and other Muslims by the foreign invasions and dominance can also be regarded as punishment for their degenerate state and indifference, and ought to be a stimulus to awakening and change.

However, because of their rather primitive, relatively ignorant and fanatical views and incompetence, it would be a disaster if the Taliban won in the struggle against the West, though they appear to be the only force that is opposing American aggression. Nor can the Western invaders be allowed to win as that would simply encourage even more the already spreading depravity, corruption and all the psychological, social and environmental problems that they have created. What is required is an enlightened leadership both in the Muslim world and in all other nations, people willing to learn and apply what they have learnt in an enlightened manner. It is necessary to understand that from the Islamic point of view all religions were originally sent God through Messengers - they were Islam. They became corrupt because of worldly, non-spiritual influences. This applies also to Islam. The pure religious teachings need to be recovered. It is not necessary at all that everyone should become a Muslim in the restricted sense. It is only necessary that Islamic ideas should be adopted.

"Mankind were one community, and Allah sent unto them Prophets as bearers of good tidings (gospels) and as Warners, and revealed therewith Scriptures with Truth that it might judge between mankind concerning that wherein they differ. And only those unto whom it was given differed concerning it, after clear proofs had come unto them through hatred of one another." 2:213

"And unto thee (Muhammad), We have revealed the scriptures with the Truth, confirming whatever scripture was before it and a watcher over it. So judge between them by that which Allah hath revealed and follow not their desires away from the truth. For each We have appointed a divine law and a traced out path. Had Allah willed He could have made you one community. But that He may try you by that which He hath given you He made you different. So vie with one another in Good Works. Unto Allah ye will return, and He will then inform you of that wherein ye differ." 5:48

"Say, O people of the scriptures, ye have naught of guidance till ye observe the Torah and the Gospels and that which was revealed unto you from your Lord. That which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) from thy Lord is certain to increase the rebelliousness and disbelief of many of them. But grieve not for the disbelieving folk. Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does right, there shall no fear come upon them nor shall they grieve." 5:68-69

Question:-

It is claimed by some Muslims, even prominent authoritative ones, that because in most secular democratic countries such as in the West Muslims are able to practice their religion freely, then no Islamic Shariah Law is needed there. What is your view on this subject?

Answer:-

It depends on what is meant by “practicing religion freely”. Does this refer only to a set of certain ritualistic practices? It is true, of course, that such freedom is better than none. It is amazing to hear supposedly knowledgeable Muslims speak in superficial terms, especially when the psychological, social and environmental problems that are prevalent world-wide, particularly in the West.

The fact is that human beings are inter-dependent with their environment – it affects and forms them, though they also affect and modify the environment. Human beings are formed not only by what they do, but also by what they experience and by inherited genetic factors. It has not been understood that what is required for human development is a psychological, ideological, moral, social, economic and physical environment that will channel human attention, experiences, thoughts, motives and actions and facilitate and stimulate development. That is what the Shariah ought to implement. Or at least its goals ought to affect and modify the laws of nations to various degrees. The Shariah itself, of course, as understood and implemented by Muslims may well fall short of its own ideals.

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