Village Journals
Resonate your identity with Naseeb journals. Express your opinions, share your thoughts, post your writings and connect with like minded people through the power of expression.
Resonate your identity with Naseeb journals. Express your opinions, share your thoughts, post your writings and connect with like minded people through the power of expression.
*Between Belief and Worship*
www.islamicarchitecture.org
www.islamicarchitecture.org
By Amin Ahsan Islahi
Muslim Indian Scholar
One of the most common misconceptions of our times is the assumption that one's affirmation of certain beliefs suffices for deliverance. It is done at the expense of neglecting and disregarding good deeds and morals. This misconception was initially restricted to certain sects. However, it has now crept into the whole body of believers so that it is hard to condemn it.
Notwithstanding its popularity, we must affirm that this misconception runs counter to the teachings of the Qur'an and the Prophet's Sunnah. In almost every instance of exhorting man to believe, the Qur'an asks at the same time that he should do good deeds. It is therefore evident that both are intertwined. It is expected of every believer to do good deeds. For example,
(The believers are only those whose hearts quake with awe when Allah is mentioned, and when His revelations are rehearsed to them, it increases their faith and they put their trust in their Lord, who establish prayer and who spend of what We have provided them. These are they who are the true believers.) (Al-Anfal 8:2-4)
The Qur'an likens iman to a fruit-bearing tree with its roots deeply embedded and branches spreading out, and bearing fruit in all seasons:
(Do you not see how Allah sets forth a parable? ? a good word like a good tree, its roots firmly fixed, and its branches reaching the heavens: giving its fruit at all times by the command of its Lord.) (Ibrahim: 14:24-25)
The "good tree" in the above passage obviously stands for iman. Its roots being deeply embedded signifies the faith penetrating deeply in the human nature. In other words, it is not something superficial without roots, or something that may be uprooted easily. In sharp contrast to it is unbelief that does not have any firm basis (Ibrahim 14:26). Faith is like a strong tree that is not brought down by storms. Moreover, it yields fruit in all seasons. Its outspread branches provide shade and refuge to everyone. The allusion here is to the blessings accruing from the pious life of a believer. Those in contact with him also derive many benefits from him. These benefits are manifest in practical life and bear out his faith. It helps the believer to attain exaltation and elevation, as is declared by Allah: (To Him mount up goodly words and the righteous work exalts them) (Fatir 35:10). We learn from this verse that goodly words ascend?it is their nature?but they need support, which is provided by good deeds. Taken in this sense, faith may be compared to a vine that blooms as it gains some support?without support it cannot grow well, if at all.
Faith demands that they take the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as the supreme ruler and abide by his decision. If they fail to do so, their claim to faith cannot be accepted. The Qur'an brings home this point elsewhere thus:
(The faithful are those only who believe in Allah and His Messenger and have not doubted thereafter, and have striven hard with their riches and their lives in the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere ones.) (Al- Hujurat 49:15).
www.sacred-destinations.com
www.sacred-destinations.com
www.islamicarchitecture.org
By Amin Ahsan Islahi
Muslim Indian Scholar
One of the most common misconceptions of our times is the assumption that one's affirmation of certain beliefs suffices for deliverance. It is done at the expense of neglecting and disregarding good deeds and morals. This misconception was initially restricted to certain sects. However, it has now crept into the whole body of believers so that it is hard to condemn it.
Notwithstanding its popularity, we must affirm that this misconception runs counter to the teachings of the Qur'an and the Prophet's Sunnah. In almost every instance of exhorting man to believe, the Qur'an asks at the same time that he should do good deeds. It is therefore evident that both are intertwined. It is expected of every believer to do good deeds. For example,
(The believers are only those whose hearts quake with awe when Allah is mentioned, and when His revelations are rehearsed to them, it increases their faith and they put their trust in their Lord, who establish prayer and who spend of what We have provided them. These are they who are the true believers.) (Al-Anfal 8:2-4)
The Qur'an likens iman to a fruit-bearing tree with its roots deeply embedded and branches spreading out, and bearing fruit in all seasons:
(Do you not see how Allah sets forth a parable? ? a good word like a good tree, its roots firmly fixed, and its branches reaching the heavens: giving its fruit at all times by the command of its Lord.) (Ibrahim: 14:24-25)
The "good tree" in the above passage obviously stands for iman. Its roots being deeply embedded signifies the faith penetrating deeply in the human nature. In other words, it is not something superficial without roots, or something that may be uprooted easily. In sharp contrast to it is unbelief that does not have any firm basis (Ibrahim 14:26). Faith is like a strong tree that is not brought down by storms. Moreover, it yields fruit in all seasons. Its outspread branches provide shade and refuge to everyone. The allusion here is to the blessings accruing from the pious life of a believer. Those in contact with him also derive many benefits from him. These benefits are manifest in practical life and bear out his faith. It helps the believer to attain exaltation and elevation, as is declared by Allah: (To Him mount up goodly words and the righteous work exalts them) (Fatir 35:10). We learn from this verse that goodly words ascend?it is their nature?but they need support, which is provided by good deeds. Taken in this sense, faith may be compared to a vine that blooms as it gains some support?without support it cannot grow well, if at all.
Faith demands that they take the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as the supreme ruler and abide by his decision. If they fail to do so, their claim to faith cannot be accepted. The Qur'an brings home this point elsewhere thus:
(The faithful are those only who believe in Allah and His Messenger and have not doubted thereafter, and have striven hard with their riches and their lives in the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere ones.) (Al- Hujurat 49:15).
www.sacred-destinations.com
www.sacred-destinations.com