Worship of the Jinn
Similar to the angels, the Arabs also
considered the jinn to be above the status of worshippers and
a group belonging to the realm of the divine. The Qur’ān
refers to this assumption of theirs in the following words:
And they have invented a blood-relationship between Him and
the jinn: but the jinn know [quite well] that they have indeed
to appear [before his Judgment-Seat]! Glory to Allah. [He is
free] from the things they ascribe [to Him]!” (37:158-159)
As a consequence of their inclusion in this superior status,
the jinn were believed to be part of the divine creator. “Yet
they make the jinn equals with Allah, though Allah did create
the jinn” (6:100)
These jinn began to be considered to be providers of benefit
or harm, in the same sense as God should be. It was believed
that if the jinn wanted to harm anyone, no one could stop them
and if they wished to benefit someone, they could do so
without any restrictions. As a result, human sacrifice, which
is the last stage of subservience and degradation and of which
only God is worthy, began to be offered to them to calm their
rage and anger. Even God has not demanded human sacrifice in
the form in which it was offered to the jinn. The Qur’ān says:
“Even so, in the eyes of most of the pagans, their ‘partners’
made alluring the slaughter of their children.” (6:137)
In case of tribulations, the Idolaters called out to the jinn
and sought their protection. “True, there were persons among
mankind who took shelter with persons among the jinn, but they
increased them in folly.” (72:6)
Because of the
belief in their divinity, it began to be thought that they had
access to a group of angels from whom they could bring
information related to the supernatural for soothsayers. Hence
the business of sorcery thrived on the basis of these beliefs.
The Qur’ān refutes this:
We have indeed decked the lower heaven with beauty [in] the
stars, - [For beauty] and for guard against all obstinate
rebellious evil spirits. [So] they should not strain their
ears in the direction of the Exalted Assembly but be cast away
from every side, Repulsed, for they are under a perpetual
penalty, Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and
they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.
(37:6-10)
Sorcerers
interacted with the jinn in their keenness to predict the
future and thus involved a large population in the evils of
black magic, thus giving rise to worship of the jinn. The
Qur’ān refers to this:
O’ you assembly of The jinn! Much (toll) did you take of men.
(6:128)
The sorcerers
fulfilled all requirements of worship and servitude to the
jinn, focus on meditation to them in order to learn of future
happenings and when ignorant people came to them to listen to
predictions, they would con them through true and false tales.
The Qur’ān refers to their craftiness”
[Into whose
ears] they pour hearsay vanities, and most of them are liars.
(26:223)
The Qur’ān is in
the form of poetry with rhyming words at the beginning and
end, as was the discourse of the sorcerers and both included
predictions. Due to this apparent similarity, the Quraysh, at
the beginning of prophethood, taunted the Prophet (sws) that
he was a sorcerer and that his revelations were not brought by
angels but that it was merely revelations brought by the jinn
who did the same for other sorcerers. The Qur’ān refuted this:
No evil ones have brought down this [Revelation]: It would
neither suit them nor would they be able [to produce it].
Indeed they have been removed far from even [a chance of]
hearing it. (26:210-212)
The first answer
that the Qur’ān has given to the Quraysh is the same as given
by Jesus (sws) to his detractors, the Pharisees. When the
Pharisees first heard the impactful speeches from Jesus (sws),
observed his miracles and achievements, and saw that people
were becoming his followers in large numbers, to reduce his
influence and to make people suspect him, they started to
spread the idea that Jesus (sws) had brought the biggest devil
Beelzebub under his control through some magic and was
demonstrating these miracles with his help, claiming that he
did so with the help of God in order to impress people. The
Bible says:
But when the Pharisees heard this, they said: “It is only by
Beelzebub, the prince of demons that this fellow drives out
demons.” (Matthew, 12:24)
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Every kingdom
divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or
household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan
drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can
his kingdom stand?” (Matthew, 12:25-26)
By using the words “It would neither suit them”, the Qur’ān
refers to the same reality: how can these revelations, of
which every word is against the objectives and desires of
Satan come with help from Satan? How can he destroy his own
dastardly business by bringing this blessed Book of guidance?
If he were to do so, this means that he would destroy his own
world and become his own enemy.
The second part “nor would they be able [to produce it].
Indeed they have been removed far from even [a chance of)
hearing it” is the same as given above in the verses from
Sūrah Sāffāt (37) and which the jinn admit to themselves in
Sūrah Jinn (72): “We used, indeed, to sit there in [hidden]
stations, to [steal] a hearing; but any who listen now will
find a flaming fire watching him in ambush.” (72:9)
The Qur’ān has also refuted any connection between the jinn
and angels and has repeatedly said that there is no satanic
influence in it. To this effect, it has sworn by the falling
of stars, their breaking and throwing as a means of evidence.
This meant the falling of meteors and the driving away of
devils. Examples of this are given in Sūrah Wāqi‘ah, Sūrah
hāqqah, Sūrah Takwīr and Sūrah Najm. Sūrah Shūrā refutes this
from another perspective. It is said that devils cannot come
upon prophets: just as the fly sits on filthy and impure
things, devils and the jinn descend upon dirty and evil souls
only. They do not dare descend upon God’s messengers or make
any adulteration to their discourse through their own sayings:
“Shall I inform you, [O people!], on whom it is that the evil
ones descend? They descend on every lying, wicked person,
[into whose ears] they pour hearsay vanities, and most of them
are liars. (26:221-223)
Star
Worship
All idol
worshipping nations have worshipped the sun and moon as an
established ritual. Arabs also considered these to be divine
beings. The Qur’ān has refuted this:
Among His Signs are the Night and the Day, and the Sun and the
Moon. Adore not the sun and the moon, but adore Allah, Who
created them, if it is Him ye wish to serve. (41:37)
The people of
Arabia were also believers in the influence of star zones.
They believed that star zones had
a great deal to do with prosperity of the earth. They
considered rain to be their blessing. When it rained, they
would say: “such and such star zone poured a lot.” This
connection, for them was not figurative but they really had
faith that it was the job of star zone to bring down rain.
The famous star “Sirius” was also an idol of the Arabs.
Ta’bbata Sharran says:
شامس في القر حتى اذا ما
ذكت الشعرى فبرد و ظل
(The Praised One brings warmth during
winter until Sirius emerges in summer, it causes shadow and
coolness.)
Winter in Arabia was a season of poverty
and famine. Cold winds from the North brought all trading
activities across Arabia to an end. This is why Arabs called
winter days ominous days. Travel and trade activities were
considered specific to summer and because Sirius emerged
during these days, all of this blessing was assumed to be
related to this star. The Qur’ān has refuted this claim in
Sūrah Najm:
That it is He Who gives wealth and satisfaction; that He is
the Lord of Sirius. (53:48-49)
The religious
concepts of Arabs combined these various elements to put
together a collection of gods, in which God occupied the
status of one who is placed high upon the skies, or one who is
the mighty god, and the other gods were His courtiers or
members of His kingdom. Similitude, that has always been a
significant aspect and causes of shirk, added another element
to this concept. They started to believe that just as the
rulers and kings on earth deputed management of their remote
areas to their officials, so had God given responsibility of
ruling and managing the arrangements of the world to these
gods. He devoted His time only to matters related with
management of the heavens, which held the status of a capital.
For the world, His status was no more than a reclusive first
cause who was not in touch with normal
happenings of the world. While this concept relates to purity
and dissociation from any pollution, and was found among many
idol worshipping nations, it negates, on the one hand, the
omnipotence of God and His knowledge, and, on the other, it
results in division of His power and control. This is why the
Qur’ān has refuted it:
Allah: There is no god but He, the Living, the
Self-Subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep.
His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there
can intercede in His presence except as He permits? He knows
what [appears to His creatures as] before or after or behind
them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as
He wills. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the
earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them
for He is the Most High, the Supreme [in glory]. (2:255)
Verily your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the
earth in six days, and is firmly established on the throne [of
authority], regulating and governing all things. No
intercessor (can plead with Him) except after His leave [has
been obtained]. (10:3)
The Qur’ān refutes the partitioning of
God’s kingdom as a consequence of such division of
responsibilities:
Allah has said: “Take not [for worship] two gods: for He is
just One Allah. Then fear Me [and Me alone].” (16:51)
It is He Who is Allah in heaven and Allah on earth; and He is
full of Wisdom and Knowledge. (43:84)
The same idea is given in the following verses.
Say: “If there had been [other] gods with Him, as they say,
behold, they would certainly have sought out a way to the Lord
of the Throne!”(17:42)
If there were, in the heavens and the earth, other gods
besides Allah, there would have been confusion in both! but
glory to Allah, the Lord of the Throne: [High is He] above
what they attribute to Him! (21:22)
By believing
these gods to be directly involved in management of the earth,
the Arabs considered them to be eligible for all the
requirements of worship and veneration that were reserved for
God. The Ka‘bah was for God; so they made special altars and
idols for them. Hajj and sacrifice were rituals for God, so
for them too, Hajj and sacrifice rituals were established. God
stated specific animals as sacrifice for specific rituals, the
idolaters established bahīra, sā’ibah, wasīlah and hām
for their gods. There was a reserved quota for God in
agricultural produce and livestock: the gods were also
considered to be worthy of specified shares of the same. Since
these gods were responsible for the control and management of
worldly affairs, their share was higher.
Even so, in the
eyes of most of the pagans, their partners made alluring the
slaughter of their children, in order to lead them to their
own destruction, and cause confusion in their religion. If
Allah had willed, they would not have done so: But leave alone
them and their inventions. (6:137)
God’s share
could be transferred to them; their share could not be given
to God. Only animals could be sacrificed for God, but, as
stated above, even children could be offered in sacrifice for
the gods. God had declared harām only a few things for them.
But many other things were made taboo in relation to these
gods. God sent revelation and inspiration: these gods began to
make decisions through the spears of chance.
The elite would
implement all of these acts of worship for the jinn, angels
and planets, but these were not available to common people.
The latter would consider idols made of mud, stone and wood to
be the drivers of the world. The Qur’ān has kept the mentality
of both the elite and common men when refuting idol worship:
Verily those
whom ye call upon besides Allah are servants like unto you:
Call upon them, and let them listen to your prayer, if ye are
truthful! (7:194)
If ye call them to guidance, they will
not obey: For you it is the same whether ye call them or ye
hold your peace! 7:193)
Ancestor Worship
In this
gathering of gods, they gave space to those ancestors,
narratives of whose religious sanctity were wide spread among
them. Their graves and signs first became centres of blessings
and acceptance of prayers and evolved into deities. Gradually,
they developed beliefs and concepts similar to the ones they
had about The jinn and angels. The Qur’ān refuted this:
Those whom they invoke besides Allah
create nothing and are themselves created. [They are things]
dead, lifeless: nor do they know when they will be raised up.
(16:20-21)
The worst thing
about this was that they gave the behaviour and attitudes of
their ancestors the status of religion and shariah. Hence, in
resistance to the call from the Prophet (sws), the greatest
driving factor was this obsession with ancestor worship. When
they were invited to follow the path of God and His rules and
instructions were explained to them they would say: “What!
Shall we give up the ways of our forefathers merely on the
wishes of a crazy poet? This cannot be.”
When it is said
to them: “Come to what Allah hath revealed; come to the
Messenger.” They say: “Enough for us are the ways we found our
fathers following.” what! Even though their fathers were void
of knowledge and guidance?” (5:104)
The last part of
this verse suggests that while the behaviour and living style
of ancestors is good because one is emotionally attached to
them, yet it cannot be deemed correct merely on the basis of
its practice by ancestors. The basic questions that must be
asked are whether these practices are rational; aligned with
human nature; consistent with morality: briefly, whether it is
according to the path decreed by God. If it meets these
criteria, it is correct and the fact that one’s ancestors also
followed it is in its favour. But if it is proven fake on the
basis of these criteria, it is false, and the fact of it
having being practiced by ancestors cannot provide it any
legitimacy.
The world has
always tended to hold extreme views in this matter. Ancient
ignorance maintained that the way of ancestors was always the
right one, simply because it had been going on for ages. The
view that the modern age takes can best be defined by the
words of the poet Tennyson: “If the best behaviour exists
always, it will damage the world.” Both these paths are the
paths of extremes. One is based on following the ignorant, as
a result of not using one’s rationality; the other is based on
rebellion and arrogance, which is the consequence of taking
one’s rationality beyond its limits. One guides towards a type
of shirk, ancestor worship; the other takes one towards
atheism and disbelief in the Day of Judgement, that is, in
itself, the door to self worship. In both the paths, a human
is deprived of the realities of God consciousness and
oblivious of his responsibilities towards life after death. If
it cannot be valid for a human to put a seal on his ability to
think and differentiate and thus become part of a herd of
cattle, it is equally not legitimate for him to leave one path
and enter another without assessing the veracity of one and
errors of the other.
In both these
paths, a human is guilty of following the footsteps of Satan.
The path of rationality and nature is the one that is found in
the lives of good people and prophets and messengers before
their prophethood. Their approach was that as soon as they
reached adulthood, they evaluated the traditions they had
inherited and, if they found anything contradictory to
rationality and their natural inclination, they bid farewell
to it. In this path, they had to tolerate innumerous
tribulations from their people. But they did not pay any heed
to this. These people were the pinnacle of humanity and they
have been the front liners in obtaining the
benefits of truth always. Just as when the sun rises, its rays
shine upon the highest peaks, similarly, whenever truth has
shone in the world, their hearts and minds lit up first. An
excellent example of this is from the life of Joseph (sws). It
is said:
I have abandoned
the ways of a people that believe not in Allah and that [even]
deny the Hereafter. And I follow the ways of my fathers,
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and never could we attribute any
partners whatever to Allah. That [comes] of the grace of Allah
to us and to mankind. (12:37-38)
It is known
about Joseph (sws) that, apparently, he neither accepted any
religion, nor abandoned any. He remained on the same religion
in which he was born until the end of his life and revelation
came to him while he was following this religion. He came
across the Coptic faith in Egypt, but his pure heart remained
unaffected by its impurities. However, he says that he left
the religion of his nation that did not believe in God and the
Day of Judgement and entered that of his ancestors, Abraham (sws),
Isaac (sws) and Jacob (sws). It is obvious that this
renouncement and acceptance was rational and internal. He had
not accepted his ancestor’s faith merely because it was his
inheritance, but he had assessed its truth and validity with
all the purity of heart and piety of his soul. This path was
the result of his own evaluation, had become his own and had
penetrated every fibre of his being. His rationality gave
evidence to its truth and his heart was completely satisfied
over the fact that it was natural and God given. He had not
become attached to it because of his prejudice towards his
ancestors. He would have followed this path, had there been
not a single being in the world doing the same. It was by the
grace of God that his ancestors followed the same path. This
is proven by the life of trials and tribulations he led in
Egypt. Challenges came one after the other but he did not
falter. Even as darkness increased, so did his composure. The
more he was made to move from his stand, the more he became
firm. People in the world, who accept a path as guided by the
light of understanding, do so in its reality, not as a means
to imitate others, even if the latter were their ancestors.
And if they leave any path, they leave it on its own value,
even if they did not tread it at all. This is the discernment
and analysis of the core of a religion. If this does not
exist, all faiths become lifeless and soulless. This is so to
the extent that if anyone accepts truth not because it is the
truth, but because it was the religion of his ancestors, he
would be committing ancestor worship, which is shirk.
In this
gathering of gods, the idolaters of Arabia were also included.
But before the warnings of the revelation, just as they had
been ignorant of other idolatrous practices
and beliefs, they were also unaware of this. They called
themselves servants of God, but were ignorant of the
requirements and essentials of servitude. Hence they had
crossed the boundaries of servitude and entered the sphere of
divinity. We shall briefly discuss these various forms of
transgressions as mentioned in the Qur’ān as these are
extremely significant.
a. It is known that the Arabs did not deny
their status as servants and the greatness of God. However,
they had deviated from serving God and its requirements. ie.
worshipping only Him and of following the true path. They
included others in this obedience. For them worship was
nothing more than a few rituals. They were not concerned if
worship was of God and they obeyed themselves or others.
Instead of God’s guidance, they would follow their own
desires, ancestors, leaders and rulers against the
instructions of God and think that this made no difference to
their worship. But the Qur’ān warned that worshipping God is
meaningless without obeying Him. It is an essential
requirement of serving God that He also be obeyed.
Verily it is We
Who have revealed the Book to thee in Truth: so serve Allah,
offering Him sincere devotion. Is it not to Allah that sincere
devotion is due? But those who take for protectors other than
Allah [say]: “We only serve them in order that they may bring
us nearer to Allah.” Truly Allah will judge between them in
that wherein they differ. But Allah guides not such as are
false and ungrateful. (39:2-3)
Verses of similar content are found in many
places in the Qur’ān and if quoted here, would result in
lengthening the text. The meaning of all is that the faith
which God had revealed had been altered and changed to the
extent that it created many differences among people and many
innovations. This resulted in a barrier to pure worship of
God. In the presence of innovations, people who were
worshipping God were deprived of His worship, because although
they believed in Him, they obeyed entities other than Him.
This Book erased these differences and removed involvement of
things unrelated to God in the sharī‘ah. It emerged as a
decisive statement between truth and falsehood. Now, the
worship of and obedience of God is a straight path. Thus,
worship Him, and obey Him only. That is, only the worship
accompanied by total obedience is trustworthy. If God’s name
is evoked at specific times, and others, including one’s own
desires are made a part of obedience, then this is merely the
kingdom of Nimrod, from which no good can be expected.
Seest thou such
a one as takes for his god his own passion (or impulse)? Could
thou be a disposer of affairs for him?
(25:43)
The path to obey God is to follow the
footsteps of His messengers.
He who obeys the
Messenger, obeys Allah. But if any turn away, We have not sent
thee to watch over their (evil deeds).
(4:80)
This is why all
prophets have invited people to worship God and obey them.
That ye should worship Allah, fear Him
and obey me: (71:3)
This means that God must be worshipped and
served by obeying His prophet and at the same time, those
people who are against the path of God must be ignored.
Messengers, too have clarified this: “And follow not
the bidding of those who are extravagant.”
(26:151). Obey us and do not follow those who have exceeded
God’s boundaries and are rebellious.
This is the exact stage where the dispute
between believers of tawhīd and polytheism becomes active.
When the worship of God does not rely only on worship rituals
but demands that servants of God obey only Him, and declare
that every obedience that goes against God’s obedience is
shirk, this is unacceptable to those people who claim that
they themselves are also worth being worshipped. From among
the scholars of Islam, Ibn Taymiyah has written an essay
titled “al-‘Ubūdiyyah” that is extremely useful. It brings to
light the fact that worship is not a collection of rituals,
but that the entire religion is encapsulated within its
meaning and that worship of God without obeying Him is
meaningless.
b. Based on this, God has stated that law
making was in His purview and did not allow anyone to share in
it. Thus, in many places where tawhīd has been mentioned, it
is said that it is God’s prerogative to declare something
halāl or harām. He is the King: it is His right to make laws
for His subjects and His Kingdom. Making laws that go against
His laws is going against tawhīd, following in the footsteps
of the devils and refuting worship of God. The person who
makes a law against the law of God is suggesting that he is an
associate of God, and if he gives this right to someone else,
he is associating him with God. If he further claims that this
law is from God, he is guilty of fabrication as well as shirk
upon God. If we read verses number 163-173 of Surah Baqarah.
The first five verses mention tawhid and then the following
verse is given:
O ye people! Eat
of what is on earth, Lawful and good; and do not follow the
footsteps of the evil one, for he is to you an avowed enemy.
(2:168)
“Do not follow the footsteps of the evil
one” indicates the invitation to shirk which Satan had pointed
to on the very first day:
I will mislead
them, and I will create in them false desires; I will order
them to slit the ears of cattle, and to deface the nature
created by Allah. Whoever, forsaking Allah, takes Satan for a
friend, has of a surety suffered a loss that is manifest.
(4:119)
After this, the real purpose of Satan has
been clarified, that he invites man towards obscenity and
evil, wants him to establish for himself what is halāl and
harām, become his own path and then connect it to God without
any evidence.
Then, the Qur’ān says that when man is
invited to guidance from the Lord, he brings evidence of
traditions of his ancestors, whereas such traditions carry no
evidence unless the basis of their beliefs and practices is
built upon the path of God. Sticking to the traditions of
ancestors without proof of sharī‘ah is to evict oneself from
the group of humans and enter the herd of cattle and be
included in those who are deaf and dumb:
When it is said
to them: “Follow what Allah has revealed.” They say: “Nay! we
shall follow the ways of our fathers.” What! Even though their
fathers were void of wisdom and guidance? The parable of those
who reject faith is as if one were to shout like a goat-herd,
to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries: deaf,
dumb, and blind, they are void of wisdom. (2:170-171)
It is then said that for them who claim to
worship God, it cannot be that they worship God, but declare
things halāl and harām based on their own desires. The
essential requirement of His worship is that one accepts His
right to establish the law and clarify it.
O ye who
believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you,
and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him ye worship.
(2:172)
This point has been made essential for
worship and servitude of God in all God revealed religions
that matters of life be run according to the revealed sharī‘ah
and nothing else be made a guiding principle.
Giving examples of previous nations, God
informs us that the same instruction had been given to Jews:
It was We who
revealed the law [to Moses]: therein was guidance and light.
By its standard have been judged the Jews, by the prophets who
bowed [as in Islam] to Allah’s will, by the rabbis and the
doctors of law: for to them was entrusted the protection of
Allah’s book, and they were witnesses thereto: therefore fear
not men, but fear me, and sell not my signs for a miserable
price. If any do fail to judge by [the light of] what Allah
hath revealed, they are [no better than] unbelievers.
(5:44)
Then the Qur’ān tells us that the same
instruction had been given to Christians that they should
manage the affairs of their lives according to God’s
revelation, otherwise they would be considered anarchic.
Let the people
of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If
any do fail to judge by [the light of] what Allah hath
revealed, they are [no better than] those who rebel.
(5:47)
And then, the Qur’ān says that the same
instruction is now given to Muslims, to run their lives
according to the guidance provided in the Book that has been
revealed to them:
To thee We sent
the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came
before it, and guarding it in safety: so judge between them by
what Allah hath revealed, and follow not their vain desires,
diverging from the Truth that has come to thee.
(5:48)
The very same message in greater detail is
given in verses 136 to 153. The last verse says that groups
are bonded together and discipline is established on the basis
of law and sharī‘ah, and, hence it is necessary that the right
of God only to make laws and sharī‘ah is accepted. He is the
Creator and the Lord. If others are included in this right,
and every nation and group is given the right to make its own
laws, a natural consequence would be indiscipline, chaos and
anarchy:
Verily, this is
My way, leading straight: follow it: follow not [other] paths:
they will scatter you about from His [great] path: thus doth
He command you. That ye may be righteous. (6:153)
The same requirement of tawhīd and framing
of laws in given in verses 54 and 55 of Sūrah Nahl, but there
is no space for much detail.
c. One form of self worship is when some
people who have prosperous and free of care and have had
control over wealth and resources of knowledge and art, begin
to believe that this state of peace and satisfaction is their
personal right and the fruit of their own capabilities and
knowledge. This mental condition, whether of an individual or
group, is one of mischief. It gives rise to many problems. If
one delves within its depths, one finds that it is clearly
shirk. Because everything that is in the world belongs to God;
all resources have been created by Him and the manner in which
we use our bodies and our mental capacities and abilities are
also His endowments to us:
Say: It is He
Who has created you [and made you grow], and made for you the
faculties of hearing, seeing, feeling and understanding:
little thanks it is ye give. (67:23)
No grade of our rise and ability, no status
of our knowledge and benevolence and no position of our
dignity and grandeur is one which could make us independent of
devotion and servitude to Him. As Sulaymān (sws) and Dhū al-Qarnayn,
we are as poor and needy as Salmān (rta) and Abū Dharr (rta).
Indigence and humility is our personal characteristic that we
cannot be rid of, regardless of the heights we might reach of
power and strength.
This form of shirk was also present among
the Arabs of jāhilliyah, and they believed their prosperity
and care free lives to be the result of their wisdom and
knowledge and the fruit of their personal right. They did not
believe in life after death, and even if they did as an
assumption, they did not believe that it was necessary to have
firm beliefs or to carry out necessary actions towards it.
They thought that they would live happily then, as they were
doing in this life. This good life was their personal
privilege and no one could deprive them of this. The Qur’ān
has portrayed this mental condition:
Now, when
trouble touches man, he cries to Us: But when We bestow a
favour upon him as from Ourselves, he says: “This has been
given to me because of a certain knowledge [I have]!” Nay, but
this is but a trial, but most of them understand not!
(39:49)
In other words, humans do not gain anything
from their own abilities; whatever they gain is through God’s
endowment and His purpose is to challenge them to see if they
are grateful or not. But many are ignorant of this challenge
and are often ungrateful. They consider what they obtain from
God is a result of their abilities and the fruit of their
personal right and hence assume a share in God’s power. This
is the root of arrogance and anarchy. In another place, this
arrogant mentality is explained as follows:
When we give him
a taste of some Mercy from Ourselves, after some adversity has
touched him, he is sure to say: “This is due to my [merit]: I
think not that the Hour [of Judgment] will [ever] be
established; but if I am brought back to my Lord, I have
[much] good [stored] in His sight!” But We will show the
unbelievers the truth of all that they did, and We shall give
them the taste of a severe penalty. (41:50)
The same mentality is
mentioned in Sūrah Muddaththir.
To whom I
granted resources in abundance, And sons to be by his side! To
whom I made [life] smooth and comfortable! Yet is he
greedy-that I should add [yet more].
(74:12-15)
The last sentence: “that I should
add yet more” means that he thinks that
even if he has to return to God, he will get much more there
than what he has in this world. This is because he considers
all this wealth and status to be his right, not a challenge
and endowment from God.
This is depicted in
Sūrah Ma‘ārij:
Now what is the
matter with the unbelievers that they rush madly before thee-
From the right and from the left, in crowds? Does every man
of them long to enter the Garden of Bliss? By no means! For
We have created them out of the [base matter] they know!
(70:36-39)
This is a depiction of the situation faced
by the Prophet (sws) when he was inviting people towards the
Qur’ān. When he would relate the verses about humiliation of
rulers and of reward and punishment, leaders of the Quraysh
were stricken. The idea of a day coming when the scale of
height and lowliness would be in the hands of faith and good
deeds, and the poorest of farmers and humblest of labourers
would be envied by the greatest of leaders was unacceptable to
them. When they heard these verses of the Qur’ān, they would
refute them and would pounce upon the Prophet (sws), eager to
ridicule them. In the arrogance of the personal right which is
the natural consequence of an inherited hegemony, they said
that even if they did return to God, they would be better off
there than these lowly people. Whatever they possessed was
their rightful privilege and it could not be taken from them
anywhere, either in this world or in the next. They were born
to rule, to live a luxurious life and to remain above other
people. The Qur’ān answered them:
For We have
created them out of the (base matter) they know!
(70:39)
It was not necessary to define the words
“they know”: its insignificance was well known to them. The
drop of liquid that is not worth the sense of superiority and
purity, pride over inherited and personal claims and lineage
and the human whose entire capabilities, strengths and
energies are confined between the two weaknesses of childhood
and old age:
It is Allah Who
created you in a state of [helpless] weakness, then gave [you]
strength after weakness, then, after strength, gave you
weakness and a hoary head: He creates as He wills, and it is
He Who has all knowledge and power.(30:54)
It is not legitimate for this human to
consider himself beyond servitude, oblivious of action and
obedience and an associate of God in His power. This reality
has been explained in Surah Najm explicitly.
Yes, to Allah
belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth: so that He
rewards those who do evil, according to their deeds, and He
rewards those who do good, with what is best. Those who avoid
great sins and shameful deeds, only (falling into) small
faults, verily thy Lord is ample in forgiveness. He knows you
well when He brings you out of the earth, And when ye are
hidden in your mothers’ wombs. Therefore justify not
yourselves: He knows best who it is that guards against evil.
(53:31-32)
The intercession of angels has been refuted
in the verse above it, and then the truth of reward and
punishment has been explained. It is said that success before
God is only for those people who refrain from lewdness and bad
deeds, and if ever they do get drops of mud on their clothes,
they wash them away with tears of remorse and penitence. As
for those who are engrossed in thoughts of arrogance of
personal rights, and believe in their own greatness and worthy
of Paradise by birth, they should know that God was aware of
them when He created them out of dust, and then when they were
placed as a drop in the wombs of their mothers and took the
form of embryos. It does not become such lowly and
insignificant beings whose beginnings were so humble, to be
overwhelmed with their superiority. Whatever they have is what
God has given them. Not a particle is the result of their
abilities and power.
This idolatrous mindset is portrayed in
Sūrah Kahf:
Set forth to
them the parable of two men: for one of them We provided two
gardens of grape-vines and surrounded them with date palms; in
between the two We placed corn-fields. Each of those gardens
brought forth its produce, and failed not in the least
therein: in the midst of them We caused a river to flow.
[Abundant] was the produce this man had: he said to his
companion, in the course of a mutual argument: “More wealth
have I than you, and more honour and power in [my following
of] men.” He went into his garden in a state [of mind] unjust
to his soul: He said: “I deem not that this will ever perish,
nor do I deem that the Hour [of Judgment] will [ever] come:
Even if I am brought back to my Lord, I shall surely find
[there] something better in exchange.” His companion said to
him, in the course of the argument with him: “Do you deny Him
Who created thee out of dust, then out of a sperm-drop, then
fashioned thee into a man? But [I think] for my part that He
is Allah, My Lord, and none shall I associate with my Lord.”
(18:32-36)
This is a portrayal of the pride that held
great importance in the life of Arabs. The word “contempt” is
often used for it in Arabic literature. If one thinks about
it, all the problems of a mind possessed with pride and
arrogance of perceived personal rights become clear. In answer
to this, the other person who believes in tawhid says the same
thing which has been stated in the verses of Sūrah Najm and
Sūrah Ma‘ārij above. That is, his attention has been brought
to creation and its reality; the human whose reality is dust,
who was a drop of impure liquid in its beginning, personal
claim is completely meaningless. And then the fact that this
pride and arrogance is actually shirk. The person who develops
this pride in himself associates himself with God. He then
disassociates himself from this shirk. “But (I think)
for my part that He is Allah, My Lord, and none shall I
associate with my Lord.” In the verse that follows, there is
mention of destruction of the self righteous man and his
laments are described in these words: “Woe is me! Would I had
never ascribed partners to my Lord and Cherisher!” (18:42)
It appears from
this that as long as wealth and prosperity existed, his eyes
remained closed; he was proud of his wisdom and strength, his
gatherings and his equipage; but when his garden was destroyed
and neither his strategy nor his servants could be of any
help, “Nor had he numbers to help him against Allah, nor was
he able to deliver himself. (18:43), the irrelevance of these
idols was clear to him and he lamented upon his bad luck for
having associated them with God.
The minds that
are full of pride become depressed and disheartened, but as
soon as circumstances change and wealth and property comes
together; the trappings of shows of glory and strength are
visible; the lordliness buried within their desires is
awakened and they become haughty and conceited, in the words
of the Qur’ān, and begin to spend their entire strength in
creating anarchy on earth and forcing others to accept their
superiority, over and above the kingship of God:
He it is Who
enables you to traverse through land and sea; so that ye even
board ships; they sail with them with a favourable wind, and
they rejoice thereat; then comes a stormy wind and the waves
come to them from all sides, and they think they are being
overwhelmed: they cry unto Allah, sincerely offering (their)
duty unto Him saying, "If thou dost deliver us from this, we
shall truly show our gratitude! But when he delivers them,
behold! they transgress insolently through the earth in
defiance of right! O mankind! your insolence is against your
own souls,- an enjoyment of the life of the present: in the
end, to Us is your return, and We shall show you the truth of
all that ye did.” (10:22-23)
This is the
mentality of idolaters, as mentioned in Sūrah Qasas:
But seek, with
the [wealth] which Allah has bestowed on thee, the Home of the
Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou
good, as Allah has been good to thee, and seek not [occasions
for] mischief in the land: for Allah loves not those who do
mischief. He said: “This has been given to me because of a
certain knowledge which I have.” Did he not know that Allah
had destroyed, before him, [whole] generations, which were
superior to him in strength and greater in the amount [of
riches] they had collected? but the wicked are not called
[immediately] to account for their sins. (28:77-78)
It is mentioned in Sūrah Fajr:
Now, as for man,
when his Lord tries him, giving him honour and gifts, then
saith he, (puffed up): “My Lord has honoured me.” But when He
trieth him, restricting his subsistence for him, then sys he
[in despair]: “My Lord has humiliated me!” (89:15-16)
In other words,
he either becomes proud and conceited and begins to spread
anarchy, thinking that he is worthy of honour and whatever he
has is due to his own privilege, or becomes despicable and
abject, believing that God has abased and forsaken him. He
thus loses the self respect that could provide him the status
of a dignified and honourable person in society. This
imbalance is the result of the mistake a person makes when he
begins to believe that the blessings of God are due to his own
privilege and the fruits of his own ability and efforts. This
idea is an idolatrous idea. The monotheistic concept is that
hardship and good times, times of prosperity and poverty, all
come from God; that all are challenges for him. He should
believe that prosperous times are for him to give thanks and
times of poverty are a challenge for his perseverance. A
servant is assessed on the scale of faith in both these
situations because faith is the totality of both gratitude and
perseverance. If a person has this idea, his inner self will
be balanced. He will neither lose heart when faced with
problems, nor will he become proud and arrogant during times
of wealth and prosperity. When he is surrounded by enemies and
there are huge rewards for his head, then when the last danger
is upon him, he will console his only companion in these
words: “If ye help not [your leader], [it is no matter]: for
Allah did indeed help him, when the Unbelievers drove him out:
he had no more than one companion; they two were in the cave,
and he said to his companion: ‘Have no fear, for Allah is with
us.’ Then Allah sent down His peace upon him, and strengthened
him with forces which ye saw not, and humbled to the depths
the word of the Unbelievers. But the word of Allah is exalted
to the heights: for Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.” (9:40);
and when he might be mistaken for a great king within his vast
clouds of armies, his forehead is prostrating to his God on
the saddle of his horse. The Qur’ān has used the term nafs e
muṭma’innah for such a soul:
[To the
righteous soul will be said:] “O (thou) soul, in [complete]
rest and satisfaction! Come back thou to thy Lord, well
pleased [thyself], and well-pleasing unto Him!” (89:27-30)
(Translated by Nikhat
Sattar)
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