Salam,
The common word that is used to refer to the ritual of cleansing before establishing the Salat or the obligatory prayers is ablution or in its Arabic word it is called ”wudu’”. The ablution is a pre requisite for the performance of Salat and in the Quran it has been stated very clearly what is to be done and the sequences in the ritual of “wudu’”. The following verse shows clearly the sequences of the ablution:
O ye who believe! When ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands and arms to the elbows; Rub your heads with water; and wash your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favor to you, that ye may be grateful. (Surah 5:6)
The sequence of the ritual of ablution is very important in the Quran and if one ponders in the above verse it begins with “O you who believe!” which means that only those who believe in His Book will follow the sequences commanded by God and God is particular that the sequences must not be distorted that it will nullify the actual Salat. However many Muslims especially the Ahl Sunnah Wal Jumaah (Sunni Muslims) consciously or unconsciously did not realized that every time they performed the ritual of ablution they transgressed the rule set by God by adding the action of rubbing both their ears which distorted the divine inspiration of the rule of ablution inspired to the Prophet Muhammad. This distortion is found in the following hadith which clearly contradict the sequences which is the true inspiration to the Prophet in the Quran as stated in the Surah 5:6 above.
It is found In: Sunan Abu Dawood Chapter No: 1, Purification (Kitab Al Taharah) Hadith no: 135 Narrated: Abdullah bin Amr bin Al Aas
A man came to the Prophet (pbuh) and asked him: Messenger of Allah how is the ablution to be performed? He (the Prophet) then called for water in a vessel and washed his hands up to the wrists three times, then washed his face three times, and washed his forearms three times. He then wiped his head and inserted both his index fingers in his ear-holes; he wiped the back of his ears with his thumbs and the front of his ears with the index fingers. He then washed his feet three times. Then he said: This is how ablution should be performed. If anyone does more or less than this, he has done wrong and transgressed, or (said) transgressed and done wrong.
As a role model who obeys the command of God it is impossible to imagine that the Prophet would have performed the ablution as reported in the Sunnan of Abu Dawood by having an extra ritual to wash or clean both parts of the ears with the index fingers. As a Messenger of God he is to follow only that which he has been commanded by God and being obedient to God he is a man who believes and fears God’s retribution. The sunnan of Abu Dawood is thus reporting a falsehood which is in contradiction with the message of the Quran. There was never an instruction to clean the ears as quoted in the Quran and the Prophet would never do something which he was not told to perform. He only follow what he was commanded to do and he fear God’s warning to him as stated in the following verses of the Quran:
That this is verily the word of an honored apostle; it is not the word of a poet: little it is ye believe! Nor is it the word of a soothsayer: little admonition it is ye receive. This is a Message sent down from the Lord of the Worlds. And if the apostle were to invent any sayings in Our name, We should certainly seize him by his right hand, And We should certainly then cut off the artery of his heart: Nor could any of you withhold him from Our wrath. But verily this is a Message for the God fearing. And We certainly know that there are amongst you those that reject it. But truly revelation is a cause of sorrow for the Unbelievers. But verily it is Truth of assured certainty. (Surah 69:40-51)
I do not say to you, I have with me the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me. Say: Are the blind and the seeing one alike? Do you not then reflect? (Surah 6:50)
It is clear from the above warning the Prophet will not dare to invent the washing of the ears to be added in the sequence of the ablution and he said he would only follow that which is revealed to him. Thus those who propagated the idea were sinister in their agenda and the consequence is detriment to the souls of those who follow this falsehood that they must realized the distorted ablution other than that being done by the Prophet which is stated in the Quran will nullify their Salat whenever and every time they perform the distorted ablution.
Asar
Monday, September 19, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The Prophet's Azan
Salam,
One of the important aspects of the Salat is the call to prayer or the azan which is today being announced at every time when there is an obligatory Salat to be performed. The account of how it came into being and the wording to be pronounced do not seem to have its roots from the Prophet himself but by the suggestion of others to the Prophet. According to the Hadith the call was proposed by Umar and the wordings came from other than the Prophet. On the contrary from the sources of the Quran it can be determined that the first azan was made by the Prophet himself as he was the one receiving the inspiration from God and naturally he was the one who pronounced the azan prior to any other people of his time and the following verse of the Quran gave this evidence:
O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed to Salat on the Day of Congregation, hasten earnestly to the remembrance of God, and leave of business: that is best for you if you but knew! (Surah 62:9)
The above verse easily informed us that there is a call to Salat and the time of the call is easily traced as there is only one time that a call of the azan was made.and it was then at the time of business. In the Arab society it is normal for the Arab at mid noon when the sun’s decline from its zenith they will have a short nap or “siesta” as the Mexican do in Mexico. And the Quran confirmed that this time is rest time or it is treated as their privacy time and it is stated in the Quran that there are three times of privacy for the Arab which is mentioned and it is the time before dawn, at noon when the sun is blazing hot and when it is darkness at night time.
The Quran depicted where the Arab were at those times and they were all at their homes resting and they have a short break from business and trading activities and it is unlikely that these were the times the Prophet made his call or azan to his people to assemble to perform Salat on the Day of Congregation. The timing of the Salat on the Day of Congregation cannot be possible to be done at any of the times as near the time of dawn or when the sun’s decline at noon or at night time as mentioned in the verse below:
O you who believe! Let those whom your right hands possess and those who have not attained puberty ask your permission three times before they come to your bedroom before the dawn prayer (Salatil Fajri), and when you put off your garments at noon, and after the evening prayer (Salatil Ishaaa). These are three times of privacy for you. Outside these times there is no blame on you or them, if you move about attending to each other. Thus God make clear to you the Signs and God is All Knowing, All Wise. (Surah 24:58)
As described from the above verse it is unlikely that there is any call being made to do congregation at the times mentioned above since it is their privacy time. So the only possible or likely time that the Salat on the Day of Congregation was being held would be at the time of Wusta in the late afternoon which is the middle time between noon and dusk. This is the time their community is busy with activities of trade and businesses and that satisfy the description of the Surah 62:9 when the call was made to establish the Salat on the day of congregation to break a while from business for the remembrance of God. Based on the same Surah 62:9 the Prophet would be pronouncing the azan by calling people to Salat according to what is being stated in the verses at Surah 62:9 -11 and he would be making the call (azan) by following strictly the message that was inspired to him by God. There is nothing that the Prophet would change as he was a personality who feared the wrath of Allah and will not fail to perform his duties as that which is prescribed by God in the Quran which is inspired only to him. The Prophet’s call of the azan is taken from the evidences of the Surah 62:9-11 and from the evidences the effect can be arrived with having the following features taken directly in it sequences from the following verses:
O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on the Day of Assembly, hastens earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if ye but knew! And when the Prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the Bounty of Allah: and celebrate the Praises of Allah often (and without stint): that ye may prosper. But when they see some bargain or some amusement, they disperse headlong to it, and leave thee standing. Say: "The (blessing) from the Presence of Allah is better than any amusement or bargain! and Allah is the Best to provide (for all needs)."
(Surah 62:9-11)
The Prophet’s azan from the above evidences will be following exactly what has been inspired to him from God and he will follow the sequence of the inspiration above and when he call or make the azan he will be saying as follows:
O you who believe! Hasten to prayer.
Hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allah.
Leave off business, that is best for you if you but knew.
The blessing from the Presence of Allah is better than any amusement or bargain. And Allah is the best to provide.
This is the evidence the Prophet Muhammad make his call (azan) to the believers to establish their Salat in the Quran. There is no evidence from any other source that the Prophet himself made the call of the azan. Any call of the azan or the description of it were done by other people like Bilal or other companions of the Prophet but the Prophet himself was never recorded to call the azan to invite people to do the Salat to remember God during his time. There was also no evidence that he received an inspiration of the call to azan from other sources and there is no doubt that only the Quran is the source of his azan and this is through the inspiration at the above Surah 62:9. Also it is understandable the present call of the azan would have been done only by others as it is unlikely the Prophet would announce publictly to bear his own witness that he is Muhammad the messenger of God which is one of the requirement of the current azan. This proves that the current call of the azan was an invention and not the one which was done by the Prophet, the one done by the Prophet is recorded in the Quran and it is the one we should follow.
Asar
One of the important aspects of the Salat is the call to prayer or the azan which is today being announced at every time when there is an obligatory Salat to be performed. The account of how it came into being and the wording to be pronounced do not seem to have its roots from the Prophet himself but by the suggestion of others to the Prophet. According to the Hadith the call was proposed by Umar and the wordings came from other than the Prophet. On the contrary from the sources of the Quran it can be determined that the first azan was made by the Prophet himself as he was the one receiving the inspiration from God and naturally he was the one who pronounced the azan prior to any other people of his time and the following verse of the Quran gave this evidence:
O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed to Salat on the Day of Congregation, hasten earnestly to the remembrance of God, and leave of business: that is best for you if you but knew! (Surah 62:9)
The above verse easily informed us that there is a call to Salat and the time of the call is easily traced as there is only one time that a call of the azan was made.and it was then at the time of business. In the Arab society it is normal for the Arab at mid noon when the sun’s decline from its zenith they will have a short nap or “siesta” as the Mexican do in Mexico. And the Quran confirmed that this time is rest time or it is treated as their privacy time and it is stated in the Quran that there are three times of privacy for the Arab which is mentioned and it is the time before dawn, at noon when the sun is blazing hot and when it is darkness at night time.
The Quran depicted where the Arab were at those times and they were all at their homes resting and they have a short break from business and trading activities and it is unlikely that these were the times the Prophet made his call or azan to his people to assemble to perform Salat on the Day of Congregation. The timing of the Salat on the Day of Congregation cannot be possible to be done at any of the times as near the time of dawn or when the sun’s decline at noon or at night time as mentioned in the verse below:
O you who believe! Let those whom your right hands possess and those who have not attained puberty ask your permission three times before they come to your bedroom before the dawn prayer (Salatil Fajri), and when you put off your garments at noon, and after the evening prayer (Salatil Ishaaa). These are three times of privacy for you. Outside these times there is no blame on you or them, if you move about attending to each other. Thus God make clear to you the Signs and God is All Knowing, All Wise. (Surah 24:58)
As described from the above verse it is unlikely that there is any call being made to do congregation at the times mentioned above since it is their privacy time. So the only possible or likely time that the Salat on the Day of Congregation was being held would be at the time of Wusta in the late afternoon which is the middle time between noon and dusk. This is the time their community is busy with activities of trade and businesses and that satisfy the description of the Surah 62:9 when the call was made to establish the Salat on the day of congregation to break a while from business for the remembrance of God. Based on the same Surah 62:9 the Prophet would be pronouncing the azan by calling people to Salat according to what is being stated in the verses at Surah 62:9 -11 and he would be making the call (azan) by following strictly the message that was inspired to him by God. There is nothing that the Prophet would change as he was a personality who feared the wrath of Allah and will not fail to perform his duties as that which is prescribed by God in the Quran which is inspired only to him. The Prophet’s call of the azan is taken from the evidences of the Surah 62:9-11 and from the evidences the effect can be arrived with having the following features taken directly in it sequences from the following verses:
O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on the Day of Assembly, hastens earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if ye but knew! And when the Prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the Bounty of Allah: and celebrate the Praises of Allah often (and without stint): that ye may prosper. But when they see some bargain or some amusement, they disperse headlong to it, and leave thee standing. Say: "The (blessing) from the Presence of Allah is better than any amusement or bargain! and Allah is the Best to provide (for all needs)."
(Surah 62:9-11)
The Prophet’s azan from the above evidences will be following exactly what has been inspired to him from God and he will follow the sequence of the inspiration above and when he call or make the azan he will be saying as follows:
O you who believe! Hasten to prayer.
Hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allah.
Leave off business, that is best for you if you but knew.
The blessing from the Presence of Allah is better than any amusement or bargain. And Allah is the best to provide.
This is the evidence the Prophet Muhammad make his call (azan) to the believers to establish their Salat in the Quran. There is no evidence from any other source that the Prophet himself made the call of the azan. Any call of the azan or the description of it were done by other people like Bilal or other companions of the Prophet but the Prophet himself was never recorded to call the azan to invite people to do the Salat to remember God during his time. There was also no evidence that he received an inspiration of the call to azan from other sources and there is no doubt that only the Quran is the source of his azan and this is through the inspiration at the above Surah 62:9. Also it is understandable the present call of the azan would have been done only by others as it is unlikely the Prophet would announce publictly to bear his own witness that he is Muhammad the messenger of God which is one of the requirement of the current azan. This proves that the current call of the azan was an invention and not the one which was done by the Prophet, the one done by the Prophet is recorded in the Quran and it is the one we should follow.
Asar
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Failure to acknowledge the Quran is furnished with details
Salam,
Although the Quran is a pure light that can direct our paths and bring us into an understanding of God and His salvation, man needs to read the Book in the language he understands. The major reason as to why many Muslims do not understand the Quran is purely because they read the Quran in Arabic a language they do not understand. The very first step for non Arab to understand the Quran is to read the translation and there are numerous translations of the Quran in many languages in the world today. The Holy Quran, the holy book of about 1 billion Muslims around the world is now available, with selected verses translated in 114 languages and the complete book in 47 languages of the world.Having read the translation it is only appropriate that effort should be made to learn the Arabic language at least completing the basic level.
While the Quran is in Arabic it is not necessarily the Arab have a total understanding of the Quran unless they practice what they believed. On the contrary the Arab is known to be the least people who follow the guidance from the Quran and the Quran confirmed their position by the following verses:
The Arabs are the worst in unbelief and hypocrisy, and most fitted to be in ignorance of the command which Allah hath sent down to His Messenger: But Allah is All-knowing, All-Wise. (Surah 9:97)
Then the Apostle will say: "O my Lord! Truly my people took this Qur'an for just foolish nonsense." (Surah 25:30)
There are many examples in the Quran that exhibit the failure of those who read the Book but they failed to understand the message and some of those who comprehend the knowledge from the Quran yet failed to put up the principles into practice. In another word they falter to submit to what they understand and what they believe to be the truth because not very many Muslims take their guidance solely from the Quran and most of them just take the easy way by following the majority. The Quran is guidance and by understanding it is to submit to its principles and this is achieved by obeying God and His Messenger as portrayed in the Quran in great detail, just believing is not sufficient until it is manifested in practice as shown by the following example below:
The Arabs say, 'We believe.' Say: 'You do not believe; rather say, "We surrender"; for belief has not yet entered your hearts. If you obey God and His Messenger, He will not diminish you anything of your works. God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.' (Surah 49:14)
Following the Salat practice of the fathers
Most people in this world inherit the practices of their fathers. Children for generation have been following the footstep of their fathers and the fathers before them. Most of the children were not given the opportunity to understand other religion and they are being taught only their ways to religion is the correct way as such they became blind followers. However following the practice of our fathers do not guaranty that we have the truth in our hands. God is fair to all mankind and He is the Knower of All Things and each human need to find their own path as God in the Quran has given warning that following the ways of the fathers will not be an excuse in the Day of Judgment as He has plainly stated in the Quran during our genesis, it has been made clear to us that this is not a debility to put an excuse as shown by the following verse:
And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their loins, their descendants, and made them bear witness against their own souls: Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes! We bear witness. Lest you should say on the day of resurrection: Surely we were heedless of this. Or you should say: Only our fathers associated others (with Allah) before, and we were an offspring after them: Wilt Thou then destroys us for what the vain doers did? (Surah 7:172-173)
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? (Surah 5:104)
When they are told to follow the Revelation that Allah has sent down, they say: "Nay, we shall follow the ways that we found our fathers following. "What! even if it is Satan beckoning them to the Penalty of the Blazing Fire? (Surah 31:21)
In conjunction with the above acknowledgment during genesis we bear witness that Allah is our Lord and as such we have been cautioned to check the practices of our fathers whether it has its origin from divine sources. That which is conceded from sources other than the Book of God is invention. The repercussion will be idolatry, ignorance and diabolical. For salvation it is our duty to make the effort to read and find out the truth and the truth comes only from God and it is written in His Book as His Apostle said:
"O men! Now Truth hath reached you from your Lord! Those who receive guidance, do so for the good of their own souls; those who stray, do so to their own loss: and I am not (set) over you to arrange your affairs."
(Surah 10:108)
The Truth comes from Allah alone; so be not of those who doubt.
(Surah 3:60)
By following the practice of our Prophet as portrayed in the Quran naturally give us the confidence and reliability that it is sanctioned by God. When the detail of the Salat is emulated as shown by the example of the Prophet there should not be any more reservation or doubt in our heart as every single action can be justified with the words in the Quran. On the contrary how is one to justify to God that it is Suboh and not fajar he was enjoined; from which source that one prays two, four, four, three and four bowing (rakaat) for the five daily obligatory prayers? The Prophet perform his prayers with a mid tone voice according to Surah 17:110 how relevant it is then when others recite the two rakaat in laud pitch in Suboh, four rakaat silent at noon and late afternoon, two laud and one silent for the maghrib and two laud and two silent for the Ishaa Salat? Surely when the sources were unknown and ambiguous it will naturally effectuate point to the reason it has been the practice of the fathers and their fathers before them.
Incorrect attitudes towards the Quran
It has been the standpoint of the scholars of Islam that when the Quran is being referred, to them it sets out the principles framework of Islamic jurisprudent but the detailed is explained by sources outside the Quran. In another word they claimed the Quran is without detail. However when one take a closer and deeper look into the message of the Quran the actions taken by the scholars is repugnant to the Words of God as stated in the Quran that it was inspired to the Prophet Muhammad without leaving any detail as proven by the following evidences:
There is not an animal that lives on the earth or a being that flies on its wings, but forms part of communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they all shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. (Surah 6:38)
Ramadhan is the month in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear Signs for guidance and judgment between right and wrong. (Surah 2:185)
For We had certainly sent unto them a Book, based on knowledge, which We explained in detail, a guide and a mercy to all who believe. (Surah 7:52)
Invariably in the hereafter the Prophet Muhammad will be a witness to authenticate that God has completely sent down His message without leaving out any detail in the Quran. Indeed the Prophet has done his part in this world by propagating the detailed message whether it is the Salat or the Zakat or any other injunction sufficient for the salvation of those who believe and those who follow his examples to be in the category of those who received mercy from God in the hereafter. He will be the witness as to whether we have followed the details as has been laid out by God in the Quran or of those who reject the details shown in the His revelation:
One day We shall raise from all peoples a witness against them, from amongst themselves: and We shall bring thee as a witness against these people: and We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims. (Surah 16:89)
Verily We have propounded for men, in this Qur'an every kind of Parable: But if thou bring to them any Sign, the Unbelievers are sure to say, "Ye do nothing but talk vanities." Thus does Allah seal up the hearts of those who understand not. So patiently persevere: for verily the promise of Allah is true: nor let those shake thy firmness those who has no certainty of faith. (Surah 30:58-60)
Usage of the intelligence
In order to extract and understand the details in the Quran there is a need to adopt the use of our intelligence and an open mind. The capacity to solve problems and to put thing together systematically is a clear and definite criterion of intelligence. And God bestow on us freedom to choose is a specific human quality and something valuable in itself, in relation to its objects can be used to good value or wrong value. Nevertheless since we are given the faculties of seeing, hearing and understanding by God the primary initiative is to be grateful for His wonderful gift to mankind:
It is He Who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when ye knew nothing; and He gave you hearing and sight and intelligence and affections: that ye may give thanks to Allah. (Surah 16:78)
The use of our intelligence is to submit to what has been commanded by God and to follow the examples that were being shown by all the messengers of God. The submission is on the Words of God that is the Truth which He has made it plain and easy for us to comply. As an example there is nothing to add or to subtract on His command to do the ablution as stated in Surah 5:6 or Surah 4:43 and only an ignorant mind will embrace the distortion. And so is the command to stand, bow and prostrate before God, there is nothing to dispute that it is all a physical movement in postures. These postures reflect our willingness to humble ourselves to God the action of which will register as our devotion to Him. However the use of intelligence if not verify with the virtue described in the Quran will become dishonor and immorality and this has been cautioned by God in the following verse showing the example of former people:
Remember also the 'Ad and the Thamud people: clearly will appear to you from the traces of their buildings (their fate): the Evil One made their deeds alluring to them, and kept them back from the Path, though they were gifted with intelligence and skill. (Surah 29:38)
Thus the Quran provide the guidance by examples between right and wrong or of good and evil and the path to the right religion. There is no such thing as blind faith but it must come with evidences and proofs provided from the inspired message. The message is in detail and had it not been made plain and clear to mankind the disbelievers of the Quran will not be uttering the following statement in hell:
They will say: "Yes indeed; a Warner did come to us, but we rejected him and said, 'Allah never sent down any (Message): ye are nothing but an egregious delusion!'" They will further say: "Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we should not (now) be among the Companions of the Blazing Fire!" (Surah 67:9-10)
Asar
Although the Quran is a pure light that can direct our paths and bring us into an understanding of God and His salvation, man needs to read the Book in the language he understands. The major reason as to why many Muslims do not understand the Quran is purely because they read the Quran in Arabic a language they do not understand. The very first step for non Arab to understand the Quran is to read the translation and there are numerous translations of the Quran in many languages in the world today. The Holy Quran, the holy book of about 1 billion Muslims around the world is now available, with selected verses translated in 114 languages and the complete book in 47 languages of the world.Having read the translation it is only appropriate that effort should be made to learn the Arabic language at least completing the basic level.
While the Quran is in Arabic it is not necessarily the Arab have a total understanding of the Quran unless they practice what they believed. On the contrary the Arab is known to be the least people who follow the guidance from the Quran and the Quran confirmed their position by the following verses:
The Arabs are the worst in unbelief and hypocrisy, and most fitted to be in ignorance of the command which Allah hath sent down to His Messenger: But Allah is All-knowing, All-Wise. (Surah 9:97)
Then the Apostle will say: "O my Lord! Truly my people took this Qur'an for just foolish nonsense." (Surah 25:30)
There are many examples in the Quran that exhibit the failure of those who read the Book but they failed to understand the message and some of those who comprehend the knowledge from the Quran yet failed to put up the principles into practice. In another word they falter to submit to what they understand and what they believe to be the truth because not very many Muslims take their guidance solely from the Quran and most of them just take the easy way by following the majority. The Quran is guidance and by understanding it is to submit to its principles and this is achieved by obeying God and His Messenger as portrayed in the Quran in great detail, just believing is not sufficient until it is manifested in practice as shown by the following example below:
The Arabs say, 'We believe.' Say: 'You do not believe; rather say, "We surrender"; for belief has not yet entered your hearts. If you obey God and His Messenger, He will not diminish you anything of your works. God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.' (Surah 49:14)
Following the Salat practice of the fathers
Most people in this world inherit the practices of their fathers. Children for generation have been following the footstep of their fathers and the fathers before them. Most of the children were not given the opportunity to understand other religion and they are being taught only their ways to religion is the correct way as such they became blind followers. However following the practice of our fathers do not guaranty that we have the truth in our hands. God is fair to all mankind and He is the Knower of All Things and each human need to find their own path as God in the Quran has given warning that following the ways of the fathers will not be an excuse in the Day of Judgment as He has plainly stated in the Quran during our genesis, it has been made clear to us that this is not a debility to put an excuse as shown by the following verse:
And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their loins, their descendants, and made them bear witness against their own souls: Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes! We bear witness. Lest you should say on the day of resurrection: Surely we were heedless of this. Or you should say: Only our fathers associated others (with Allah) before, and we were an offspring after them: Wilt Thou then destroys us for what the vain doers did? (Surah 7:172-173)
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? (Surah 5:104)
When they are told to follow the Revelation that Allah has sent down, they say: "Nay, we shall follow the ways that we found our fathers following. "What! even if it is Satan beckoning them to the Penalty of the Blazing Fire? (Surah 31:21)
In conjunction with the above acknowledgment during genesis we bear witness that Allah is our Lord and as such we have been cautioned to check the practices of our fathers whether it has its origin from divine sources. That which is conceded from sources other than the Book of God is invention. The repercussion will be idolatry, ignorance and diabolical. For salvation it is our duty to make the effort to read and find out the truth and the truth comes only from God and it is written in His Book as His Apostle said:
"O men! Now Truth hath reached you from your Lord! Those who receive guidance, do so for the good of their own souls; those who stray, do so to their own loss: and I am not (set) over you to arrange your affairs."
(Surah 10:108)
The Truth comes from Allah alone; so be not of those who doubt.
(Surah 3:60)
By following the practice of our Prophet as portrayed in the Quran naturally give us the confidence and reliability that it is sanctioned by God. When the detail of the Salat is emulated as shown by the example of the Prophet there should not be any more reservation or doubt in our heart as every single action can be justified with the words in the Quran. On the contrary how is one to justify to God that it is Suboh and not fajar he was enjoined; from which source that one prays two, four, four, three and four bowing (rakaat) for the five daily obligatory prayers? The Prophet perform his prayers with a mid tone voice according to Surah 17:110 how relevant it is then when others recite the two rakaat in laud pitch in Suboh, four rakaat silent at noon and late afternoon, two laud and one silent for the maghrib and two laud and two silent for the Ishaa Salat? Surely when the sources were unknown and ambiguous it will naturally effectuate point to the reason it has been the practice of the fathers and their fathers before them.
Incorrect attitudes towards the Quran
It has been the standpoint of the scholars of Islam that when the Quran is being referred, to them it sets out the principles framework of Islamic jurisprudent but the detailed is explained by sources outside the Quran. In another word they claimed the Quran is without detail. However when one take a closer and deeper look into the message of the Quran the actions taken by the scholars is repugnant to the Words of God as stated in the Quran that it was inspired to the Prophet Muhammad without leaving any detail as proven by the following evidences:
There is not an animal that lives on the earth or a being that flies on its wings, but forms part of communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they all shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. (Surah 6:38)
Ramadhan is the month in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear Signs for guidance and judgment between right and wrong. (Surah 2:185)
For We had certainly sent unto them a Book, based on knowledge, which We explained in detail, a guide and a mercy to all who believe. (Surah 7:52)
Invariably in the hereafter the Prophet Muhammad will be a witness to authenticate that God has completely sent down His message without leaving out any detail in the Quran. Indeed the Prophet has done his part in this world by propagating the detailed message whether it is the Salat or the Zakat or any other injunction sufficient for the salvation of those who believe and those who follow his examples to be in the category of those who received mercy from God in the hereafter. He will be the witness as to whether we have followed the details as has been laid out by God in the Quran or of those who reject the details shown in the His revelation:
One day We shall raise from all peoples a witness against them, from amongst themselves: and We shall bring thee as a witness against these people: and We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims. (Surah 16:89)
Verily We have propounded for men, in this Qur'an every kind of Parable: But if thou bring to them any Sign, the Unbelievers are sure to say, "Ye do nothing but talk vanities." Thus does Allah seal up the hearts of those who understand not. So patiently persevere: for verily the promise of Allah is true: nor let those shake thy firmness those who has no certainty of faith. (Surah 30:58-60)
Usage of the intelligence
In order to extract and understand the details in the Quran there is a need to adopt the use of our intelligence and an open mind. The capacity to solve problems and to put thing together systematically is a clear and definite criterion of intelligence. And God bestow on us freedom to choose is a specific human quality and something valuable in itself, in relation to its objects can be used to good value or wrong value. Nevertheless since we are given the faculties of seeing, hearing and understanding by God the primary initiative is to be grateful for His wonderful gift to mankind:
It is He Who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when ye knew nothing; and He gave you hearing and sight and intelligence and affections: that ye may give thanks to Allah. (Surah 16:78)
The use of our intelligence is to submit to what has been commanded by God and to follow the examples that were being shown by all the messengers of God. The submission is on the Words of God that is the Truth which He has made it plain and easy for us to comply. As an example there is nothing to add or to subtract on His command to do the ablution as stated in Surah 5:6 or Surah 4:43 and only an ignorant mind will embrace the distortion. And so is the command to stand, bow and prostrate before God, there is nothing to dispute that it is all a physical movement in postures. These postures reflect our willingness to humble ourselves to God the action of which will register as our devotion to Him. However the use of intelligence if not verify with the virtue described in the Quran will become dishonor and immorality and this has been cautioned by God in the following verse showing the example of former people:
Remember also the 'Ad and the Thamud people: clearly will appear to you from the traces of their buildings (their fate): the Evil One made their deeds alluring to them, and kept them back from the Path, though they were gifted with intelligence and skill. (Surah 29:38)
Thus the Quran provide the guidance by examples between right and wrong or of good and evil and the path to the right religion. There is no such thing as blind faith but it must come with evidences and proofs provided from the inspired message. The message is in detail and had it not been made plain and clear to mankind the disbelievers of the Quran will not be uttering the following statement in hell:
They will say: "Yes indeed; a Warner did come to us, but we rejected him and said, 'Allah never sent down any (Message): ye are nothing but an egregious delusion!'" They will further say: "Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we should not (now) be among the Companions of the Blazing Fire!" (Surah 67:9-10)
Asar
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