Obedience of the Lord

The Ahle Kitab are also guilty of polytheism in the matter of obedience, while it is only Allah who is the Lord of all the worlds. He is the one who created man and other creatures bestowed form and body to them. He makes each of the creatures to reach to their perfection. From the time a child is conceived till he reaches the lap of death, in whole life span of man, Allah does not forsake him even for a moment. In the same way Allah is not careless of them in the Hereafter.

Thus man should leave the form and system of his spiritual life also in the hands of the Almighty. He should consider anyone his Lord. He should act only on Allah’s command. He should not obey anyone in opposition to the order of Allah. He should not obey his desires, the Satar or other people if they are instigating him to disobey Allah. The Holy Quran has criticized those people.

أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَهَهُ هَوَاهُ

 “Have you then considered him who takes his low desire for his god?”

(Surah Jathiya 45:23)

إِنَّهُمُ اتَّخَذُوا الشَّيَاطِينَ أَوْلِيَاء مِن دُونِ اللّهِ

“Surely they took Shaitans for guardians beside Allah.”

(Surah Araaf 7:30)

Whether they are from the genre of mankind or from the jinns obeying these Shaitans in opposition to the commands of Allah is Shirk (polytheism) of action.

The Almighty Allah had taken the covenant from all mankind that they will not obey any Satan.

أَلَمْ أَعْهَدْ إِلَيْكُمْ يَا بَنِي آدَمَ أَن لَّا تَعْبُدُوا الشَّيْطَانَ

“Did I not charge you, O children of Adam! That you should not serve the Shaitan?”

(Surah Yasin 36:60)

However,

اتَّخَذُواْ أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللّهِ وَالْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا أُمِرُواْ إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُواْ إِلَـهًا وَاحِدًا لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

“They have taken their doctors of law and their monks for lords besides Allah, and (also) the Messiah son of Marium and they were enjoined that they should serve one God only, there is no god but He; far from His glory be what they set up (with Him).”

(Surah Taubah 9:31)

The above ayat shows that one who obeys someone other than Allah in opposition to divine command or one who follows the command of someone other than Allah while this command is against Allah’s command, has actually done Shirk.

People who make the legal things illegal and the illegal things legal

Abu baser asked Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) the interpretation of the above verse (Surah Taubah 9:31). Imam (a.s.) said,

“Know that! By Allah they never did ask the people to worship them because if they had said so, the people would not have obeyed. But they asked them to consider haraam things halaal for their sake and to consider the halaal things haraam. Thu they worshipped them thoughtlessly.”

(Usoole Kafi, Chapter of Shirk)

The following tradition of Imam Sadiq (a.s.) is also mentioned in Usoole Kafi:

“One who obeys a person in divine disobedience has actually worshipped him.”

Following the scholars of false religions is also Shirk

Some Muslim sects consider it obligatory to follow certain religious leaders with regard to the Islamic practical law while their leaders have prescribed haraam and halaal without any firm proof.

It is said about Imam Abu Hanifah that he used to say, “The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said this regarding the matter but I say this…”

Quality of the Shia Marja-e-Taqleed

According to the Shia sect one of the qualities of a Mujtahid who can be followed in Taqlead is that he should not be a slave of his base desires and every verdict of his should be based on the Holy Quran and the traditions of Ahle Bayt (a.s.)

The Ulil-Amr (those who are vested with authority) is twelve, according to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.). They are the twelve Imam of ahle Bayt (a.s.). Obeying them is like obeying the Prophet (s.a.w.s.). The Twelfth Imam, Imam Mahdi (a.s.), during this ghaibat period has made it incumbent on us to obey a Mujtahid who does not value his personal opinion in front of Allah’s command. Thus the taqleed of this Mujtahid will amount to be the obedience of Imam (a.s.) and that in turn is the obedience of Allah and His Prophet (s.a.).

Shirk along with worship

It is possible for Ahle Kitab and Muslims to indulge in Shirk. While they worship. For example, the Christians worship Isa (a.s.) as the Son of God, as God himself. In the same way the Ghulat consider Ali (a.s.) as the creator and the sustaner of the Universe. They consider him a partner of Allah in this regard. Some sufi people worship their pirs. They think that he and Allah are one and the same. Or the Allah has incarnated Himself in their bodies. This is the same Shirk – like condition of Riyakari that we have discussed before.

We should try to Understand the meaning of ‘Allah’s Slavery’

In order to understand the different types of hidden Shirks, we must understand the meaning of Allah’s service and who can be called the servant of Allah’s service and who can be called the servant of Allah whenever a save and intelligent person sees himself and other he understands at once that all the necessary elements of life have been provided by the Almighty. No one has anything of his own. All creatures are in need of Allah in all aspects of their life. They seek Him for fulfillment of their needs. He should know that they are the subjects of the Almighty. Allah is the Lord and Master of all creatures.

إِن كُلُّ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَنِ عَبْدًا

“There is no one in the heavens and the earth but will come to the Beneficent God as a servant.”

(Surah Maryam 19:93)

Man should understand his nothingness. He should know that he is needy of Allah in every aspect. He is himself a beggar of the Almighty. The Almighty Allah is incomparable. All the strength and power belongs to Him. If man decides to dissociate from the Almighty even for a moment, he will find that he is destroyed. Knowing this he should remain only as the slave of Almighty. This method of expressing ones abasement before Allah and confession of ones neediness before Him is known as worship. Forget about fulfilling the rights of the bounties of Allah he cannot even thank for them sufficiently. Thus man can only devote his every moment of life to the Almighty.

Obedience in every moment of life

The bounties of Allah are present for us in every moment of our life. He is always our Lord and sustainer. Thus even we should serve him alone every moment of our life. The Almighty Allah has also bestowed the favour of teaching man the way to serve Him. He did not leave humanity confused in this regard. He taught us to method of worship through the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s). Allah has also prohibited us to worship in the way we like. Such a thing is an innovation in religion (bida’t) and haraam (illegal).

In addition to this He has made the worship easy for us (the Muslims). The physical worship is that in 24 hours we have to perform only seventeen Rakats (units) of Prayer. We have to fast only one month of the year. We have to perform Hajj only once in our lifetime (if we are capable). We have to pay some religious taxes like Khums and Zakat, which are easy too. The Almighty Allah has prescribed great rewards for this little worship. He has made only the fulfillment of obligatory acts to be sufficient for one of gain nearness to Allah. The recommended acts and supregatory prayers will only increase this proximity to Allah and enhance the grades of the believer. However, the necessary condition for the correctness of worship acts is that they should be only for the nearness of Allah.

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاء رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا ???

“And (do) not join anyone in the service of his Lord.”

(Surah Kahf 18:110)

Thus if worship act, whether obligatory or recommended, should not be for the creatures to see and to earn their praises. Even along with the service of Allah we aim to achieve these things, it is prohibited and it is a greater sin.

He should not serve anyone else

If man forgets to perform some worship acts on time, Allah will forgive him this carelessness the activity that had diverted him from prayer was not haraam. Or in those moments he had not worshipped anything else. He should not have worshipped Sahitan. He should not have given preference to his selfish desires over the commands of Allah. The same conditions apply for prayers on time, even if apart from prayer time man continues to si. If for example, he prays correct prayer at the time of Zuhr. At least he will not be eligible for punishment of omitting prayer. But Allah shall not accept such prayers. Because, he does not say the truth when he recites: “I serve You alone.” One who serves one person at one time and another at other times cannot be a sincere servant of Allah. The prayers of this person will not raise his status. It does not increase proximity to Allah. Allah accepts the worship only of those who fear Allah all the time.

إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ

“Allah only accepts from those who guard (against evil).”

(Surah Maidah 5:27)

Mawlana Rumi says,

The mother of all idols is the idol of your self.

Because all those idols are snakes and there are python.

Worship of the Desires

A Muslim recites “iyyaka Nabudo” (I worship You alone), ten times every 24 hours. However, he spent the major part of those 24 hours in the worship of his self, his desires, worship of Satan etc. He remains a slave of carnal desires and Satanic hopes. He is prepared to be humiliated for worldly wealth. That is, he even becomes a slave of money. He betrays trusts and does not fulfill the rights of others. So much so that for money he is prepared to sell his religion also. That is why the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) said,

“The slave of Dirhams and Dinars will be destroyed.”

The king summoned a wise man. When he came to the king he did not fulfill the rituals of respecting the king. “You have not shown respect to me,” complained the king. The wise man said, “That is because I am the ruler of that of which you are the slave. You are the slave of your wealth and position. While I do not give importance to these things.”

History is replete with examples where people have even sold their religion for wealth. As an example we mention the story of Qadi Shurah of Kufa.

When Ibne Ziyad ordered Qadi Shurah to issue a verdict (fatwa) for the killing of Imam Husain (a.s.) he was not initially prepared to do it. Ibne Ziyad insisted. Qadi Shuray banged his ink well on his head and he began to bleed from the head. In the condition he asked, “How can it be possible for me to issue such a verdict?”

During the night Ibne Ziyad dispatched to his house huge qualities of gold and valuables in numerous sacks. The next day he himself came to Darur Amara and said, “I gave it a deep thought last night. As a result I have understood that fighting against Husain (a.s.) is obligatory (wajib), because he has revolted against Yazid, the caliph of this time and intends to spread mischief.”

It is written in the book Jawahirul Kalam,

“Seventy crore dirhams were collected annually in the treasury of Kufa. Nothing had been taken out of it since the time of Muawiyah. Till the time Imam Husain (a.s.) turned towards Karbala. Whatever wealth had accumulated during those yeas in the Kufa treasury was distributed among the Yazidite forces by Ibne Ziyad.”

In the same way Samra bin Jundab is considered to be a companion of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). Muawiyah said to him, “Go to the pulpit and announce that you have heard the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) say that following ayat:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاء مَرْضَاتِ اللّهِ

“And among men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah.”

(Surah Baqarah 2:207)

Is revealed in the praise of Ibne Muljim the killer of Ali (a.s.). (While it is actually revealed for Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.)

And also say, that the ayat:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيُشْهِدُ اللّهَ عَلَى مَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ

“And among men is he whose speech about the life of this world causes you to wonder, and he calls on Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the most violent of adversaries.”

(Surah Baqarah 2:204)

Is revealed for Ali (a.s.) In return of which I shall pay you a thousand Dirhams.

Samra did not agree. But he relented when Muawiyah offered him two thousand Dirhams. He at once went to the pulpit and uttered such false things. How apt are the following couplets:

O wealth! I do not know how lucky you were born. In your love the son becomes the enemy of his mother. You are the beloved of kings and rich people. The king gets satisfaction from you and the army gets décor. Even the pious does not turn towards the prayer niche without thinking about you.

And the creator does not step on the pulpit without your love.

A person forgets Allah even as he is busy in prayers. The appetite for wealth is in his heart. Though he ulters: “Thee Alone we worship” actually he is attached to something else. Such a servant is in fact a polytheist. Rather he is a real Satan. He shall get degradation in the Hereafter and Hell fire. How nicely Sayyid Bahrul Uloom has described this,

“When you are busy only in prayers you must not distracted by polytheism, lie, following a habit etc. You should not be such and you should not do any of such acts. You should not utter something regarding which you will have to regret. While you are slake of your desires even during prayers!

(Arabic Couplets)

Slave of many masters and Slave of One Master

The Holy Quran says,

ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا رَّجُلًا فِيهِ شُرَكَاء مُتَشَاكِسُونَ وَرَجُلًا سَلَمًا لِّرَجُلٍ هَلْ يَسْتَوِيَانِ مَثَلًا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

“Allah sets forth an example: There is a slave in whom are (several) partners differing with one another, and there is another slave wholly owned by one man. Are the two alike in condition? (All) praise is due to Allah. Nay! Most of them do not know.”

(Surah Zumar 39:29)

Obviously when a person is a slave of numerous self desires, Satanic instigations and he pleads with so many people, how can we expect him to live in peace. While the slave of only Allah experience utmost peace and comfort.

Since you have got a single heart you must choose only one lower.

(Persian couplet)

Steadfastness in Tawheed

Tawheed (oneness of Allah) is the foundation of Islam. Indeed one who turns away from the obedience of one God and begins to serve hi personal desires and Satan, his faith is destroyed. Such a person cannot defend his belief. That is why a person must say in all sincerity: I witness that there is no god except Allah.” He should be steadfast in his faith. Such people are mentioned in the Quran.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

“(As for) those who say: Our Lord is Allah, then continue in the right way, the angels descend upon them, saying: Fear not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the garden which you were promised.”

(Surah Ha Mim 41:30)

It is mentioned in Tafseer Minhajus Sadeqeen that Sufyan Ibne Abdullah Thaqfi requested the Holy Prophet to teach him a quality that he can acquire. The Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, “Say My Lord is only Allah. Then be steadfast upon it.”

He asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what is the most dangerous thing that we should bewared of?”

The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) caught his tongue with his hand said, “That you guard your tonque.”

An Example

Abdullah Ibne Hudaifah Ibne Qays was taken a prisoner while fighting against the Romans. The Romans told him to embrace Christianity and they would release him. Abdullah did not agree. The Romans heated olive oil in a huge pot and brought a Musim prisoner before Abdullah. When he also did not agree to embrace Christianity, he was thrown into the boiling oil in front of Abdullah’s eyes. His flesh separated from him and his bones disintegrated.

Once more Abdullah was told to embrace Christianity. But he did not relent. The chief of the Christians said, “Cast him into the oil too.” Hearing this Abdullah began to weep. Upon hearing him wail that Christian chief ordered that he be brought back. Abdullah said, “I am not weeping due to the pain I am going to suffer I am crying because I regret having only one life and I could sacrifice my life for Allah only once. It was my heart’s desire that each hair of my body had one life and each time I had been revived to die again in martyrdom.”

The Christian leader was astounded. Thinking of freeing him he said, “Kiss my head and I will set you free.” Abdullah refused. The chief became furious and said, “Give up Islam! Become a Christian. I will give you my daughter and bequeath my wealth to you.” Abdullah still did not agree. The chief said, “Okay! Kiss my head and I will release 80 Muslim prisoners with you. Abdullah accepted this. They returned to Madinah. The other Muslims made fun of him saying: You have kissed an infidel!” Abdullah said, “Due that gesture Allah released eighty Muslim prisoners.” This incident is mentioned on page 128 of the second volume of Safinatun Behar.