Guidance
Critic:-
Many Muslims quote the Quran to say that we
must obey Allah as well as the Prophet. I have objections: The statement loses
50% of its validity at the moment the prophet died. You cannot "obey"
someone who cannot command anymore, so what remains to obey is the Quran.
Comment:-
Why?
(1) The Quran is a record of what the Prophet
received as revelation. It was left by the Prophet just as some instructions
not in the Quran, but recorded in Hadith.
(2) If you accept the Quran as worthy of
obedience, then you cannot pick and choose what you want to obey. The Quran
instructs in numerous places to obey the Prophet. If you do not, then you are
not obeying the Quran - you are not obeying Allah - you have not submitted.
"Quran-only" is self-contradictory.
(3) The Quran also points to nature, the
creations of Allah, from which we must also learn. E.g.:-
"Verily, in the creation of the
heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, and in the ship
that sail the seas with that which profits mankind, and in the rain which Allah
sends down from heaven and quickens therewith the earth after its death, and
spreads abroad therein all kinds of animals, and in the shifting of the winds,
and in the clouds that are pressed into service betwixt heaven and earth, are
signs for people who can understand." 2:164
(4) We have also been given intelligence by
Allah and we are required to use it, though we are warned against its
corruption by fantasies, desires, habits, addictions, guesswork etc.
"And follow (or pursue) not that of
which you have no knowledge; verily, the hearing, the sight, and the heart, of
all of these it shall be asked (to give an account). And walk not on the earth
proudly (insolently); verily, you can not rend the earth asunder, nor can you
stretch to the height of the mountains." 17:36-37
(5) There are numerous instructions in the
Quran that provide a discipline by which development can be achieved and we can
contact Allah directly, who will then guide us.
"Is he who was dead and We have
quickened (given him life) him, and made for him a light, wherein walks amongst
men, like him whose likeness is one walking in utter darkness whence he cannot
emerge? Thus is their conduct made seemly to the disbelievers." 6:123
"Say: Shall we call, instead of unto
Allah, unto that which neither profits us nor harms us, and be thrown back upon
our heels after Allah has guided us - like him whom Satan hath led away
infatuated and bewildered in the earth, who has companions who call him to
misguidance, saying: 'Come to us? ' Say: Verily, Allah's guidance is true
Guidance, and we are bidden to surrender unto the Lord of the Worlds."
6:71
We have, therefore, five sources of guidance.
Critic:-
Copying of the Prophets Sunnah bears two
dangers:-
1. Is what we think that the Prophet did
authentic? How reliable are our sources and how good are the circumstances for
the Prophet's particular acts of Sunnah described?
2. Would the Prophet do the same anytime and
anywhere?
Comment:-
(1) The same problem would arise with respect
to interpreting the Quran.
(2) We are required to use our intelligence
and not imitate blindly.
(3) The Prophet was sent to provide an
example. He adapted the Quran to the situations he was faced with. We have to
do the same.
(4) Research has to be done and has been
done.
(5) The Quran also requires that we follow a
third authority, those who have knowledge and not personal prejudices,
fantasies, desires, rationalisations, excuses.
"O you who believe! Obey Allah, and
obey the Messenger and those in authority amongst you; and if you dispute
(quarrel or argue) about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you
(in truth) believe in Allah and the Last Day; that is better and fairer in the
end." 4:59
(6) The purpose of the coming of the
Messengers and the Scriptures was to bring about development in man and his
community. This inevitably means change. The Quran is guidance and cannot
possibly be regarded as a straight jacket that holds back. For instance we are
required to seek and promote truth, compassion and justice. These cannot be
interpreted as referring rigidly to a particular set of rules. The Quran tells
us, for instance, that though retaliation is allowed, forgiveness is better. On
the other hand we are also warned against excessive sentimentality and
tolerance which would allow evil to spread.
Critic:-
What is the modality of spiritual
development, for one to change one's Nafs?
Answer:-
You approach Allah with a honest heart, and
stick to The Straight Path, as stated in The Opening (Surat Al Fatiha), and
which is constantly repeated in prayers.
Critic:-
But this is a non-thinker's response. The
zillion dollar question is:- "What is the straight path?". The whole
problem of sectarianism comes from an attempt to answer this question. The
truth is, you cannot possibly do both: (1) approach Allah with a honest heart
and (2) stick to The Straight Path. An open heart always seeks its own path, it
never constrains that path with dogmas.
Comment:-
The Quran is the Word of God which is Truth.
It is not a Book of Dogma. It is dogma for those who do not make any effort to
understand.
The Straight Path is that which is described
in the Quran. There are many instructions in it.
An open and honest heart is one that is open
to the Word of Allah and tries to understand it rather than follows its own
desires, prejudices, fantasies, excuse making, or rationalisations.
Critic:-
What is the relationship between the change
of Nafs and the change in the external World? Do we change our Nafs with a
focus on the external changes that we desire? How do we draw a line between
"my Nafs" and the "World external to myself". Where is it
that my Nafs ends and the external world starts. I find it impossible to tell
the boundary! I need more help on this.
The argument you presented goes like this:
Allah makes us responsible to change our Nafs. As a result of us changing our
Nafs, Allah changes the World external to us. Allah clearly says elsewhere that
He is the one who changes the Nafs of people. If He changes my Nafs than how am
I to change it too? Allah does not change the state of a nation unless they
change their Nafs. [13:11]
Comment:-
(1) We have been given certain instructions
in the Quran. By following these our Nafs changes.
"O you who believe! Respond unto
Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to that which quickens you; and know
that Allah comes in between a man and his own heart; and that He it is unto
Whom you shall be gathered." 8:24
Note carefully: It is not your striving as
such that change your Nafs, but your striving creates the conditions in which
you become receptive to the spirit and guidance of Allah. This is like tuning a
radio or television to a broadcast.
Study also the following:-
"The dwellers of the desert (or
desert Arabs) say: We believe. Say: You believe not, but rather say: We submit;
for faith has not yet entered into your heart; and if you obey Allah and His
Messenger, He will not diminish aught of your deeds; surely Allah is Forgiving,
Merciful." 49:14
(2) As you receive understanding you receive
further guidance and there is gradual development like a student going through
several levels. Islam is a Straight
Way towards a destination.
(3) When the Nafs is changed then our
behaviour changes, as well as the way we see the world and interpret it.
(4) When our behaviour changes then the
reactions of the things in our environment with whom we interact, including
people, also changes.
(5) When this happens then the whole
conditions of life change.
(6) As all this is according to the Laws
created by Allah, then both the change in us and the change in the environment
and the whole conditions of life are caused by Allah.
(7) The purpose of Islam is to create the
right conditions in which progressive spiritual development can continue.
I am sure people could work this out
themselves had they studied the Quran with an open sincere mind. As the Quran
points out, it is a revelation in the heart of those who have been given
knowledge. But Allah guides not the disbelievers and miscreants.
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