The aim of life is to worship Allah by believing in the a’qeedah and submitting to Islamic laws, Allah (swt) says “Say: My prayer, my service of sacrifice, my living and my dying are all for Allah the Lord of the worlds.” (al Ana’m 6:162) and “Blessed is He in whose Hand is the Mulk (Dominion) and He is over all things Powerful. Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best in action...” (Al Mulk 67:1-2) The Muslims must follow every aspect of Islam otherwise they would be following the path of Shaytaan who aims to deviate them from that which has been revealed to them, Allah (swt) says “O you who believe! Enter into submission completely and do not follow the footsteps of Shaytaan for he is an clear enemy to you.” (Al Baqarah 2:208) Islam is a complete way of life and therefore, the Quran and Sunnah governs every detail of our life, beliefs, personal worship (prayer, fasting etc.), character and manners, economic transactions, social life (marriage, divorce), education etc. From among the most important affairs that Islam commands, is the comprehensive application of Islamic law over the whole of society under a common leadership (Imaamah). It is obligatory to appoint a leader to unite the Muslim Ummah and to lead the Muslims in their collective affairs in the spiritual and worldly spheres. It is the Imaam who appoints the zakah collectors and distributors and it is the Imaam who appoints the qudaa’ (judges) and the hudood (prescribed punishments) are not to be applied without the authority of the Imaam. The Imaam is ultimately responsible for the education of the Muslim ummah and he is also responsible for the conveying of Islam to non-Muslim nations. Even the Salah is under the ultimate authority of the Imaam, Nabi (saw) said “...A person should not lead (prayer) where another has authority [sultaanihi]...” (MUSLIM [no.1420-1422] IBN MAAJAH [no.980] NASAA’I [no.786] ABU DAWOOD [no.582] from Abu Masoo’d al Ansaari) and if the Imaam is capable he must punish those who refuse to pray it (by execution according to the majority of scholars) just as he should fight those who refuse to pay the zakah, A’bdullah ibn U’mar reports that Nabi (saw) said “I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify that that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and they establish the salah and give the zakah. If they do it their blood and wealth are safe from me except by right (of shari’ah) and their accounting is with Allah.” (MUSLIM kitaabul Imaan [no.33] BUKHAARI) Without Imaamah we see that the majority of the shari’ah is absent in the public life. The Muslim will be accounted for all of his acts and may be punished for the neglect of any duty and for the performance of any prohibition. Therefore we can not expect to be safe from punishment unless we perform all duties to Allah including establishing darul Islam and ruling the whole of our lives by the shari’ah, Allah says “So by your Lord, We shall account them all for everything that they used to do” (al Hijr 15:92-93) In hundreds of ayaat and ahadeeth the duty to govern by the whole of Islamic law was made clear, Allah (swt) says “And rule between them by that which Allah revealed to you and do not follow their vain desires away from the truth which came to you” (al Maai’dah 5:48) In fact, to reject this principle would be kufr and exclude the person from the fold of Islam, Allah (swt) says “But no by your Lord, they can have no imaan (belief) until they make you judge in all disputes among them and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions and accept them with fullest submission.” (Al Nisaa’ 4:65) Allah (swt) commanded the Muslims to obey the Quran and Sunnah and obey the legitimate authority over them (i.e. the Imaam) “O you who believe! Obey Allah, obey the messenger and those in authority amongst you and if you differ in anything between yourselves then refer it back to Allah and His messenger if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.” (Al Nisa 4:59) and thus it would be sinful to neglect this command and Allah warned us about this matter by connecting it to our belief by the words “O you who believe...” and by the words “...if you believe in Allah...” and Allah (swt) further warned us by reminding us about the Last Day. The obligation to be under the authority of the khaleefah and be governed by the shari’ah is an individual obligation from which no legally responsible Muslim is excluded. We enter into the legitimate authority of the Imaam by giving the baya’ah (oath of allegiance) either in person or by our consent and then we must listen to and obey his commands as long as they are ma’roof (i.e. not contradicted by Islam). This is proven by many ahadeeth, e.g. Abdullah ibn Umar reported that Nabi (saw) said Whoever separates his hand from at-Taaah (obedience to the khaleefah) then he will meet Allah on Yawmil Qiyaamah with no hujjah (excuse or proof) and whoever dies without a bayaah upon his neck (meaning allegiance to the khaleefah/Imaam) then he dies the death of jaahileeyah. (MUSLIM kitaabul Imaarah [no.4562-4564) Appointing the Imaam is fard kifaayah (i.e. a duty of sufficiency, if some perform it the rest are relieved of the sin) and it has been achieved if an Imaam has been appointed who meets the conditions. However, giving baya’ah to the Imaam and being under his authority is fardul a’yn (i.e. a duty on all) and a Muslim would be sinful to neglect this duty, Ibn A’bbaas reported that Nabi (saw) said “He who sees from his ameer something he dislikes, let him be patient with him for he who splits away from the Jama’ah by a handspan and then dies, he dies a death of jaahileeyah.” (BUKHAARI [English version vol.9 no.177], MUSLIM kitaabul Imaarah [no.4559], AHMAD) Allah commanded the Muslims with unity under one leader and this Imaarah was the constant system for the Muslims to organise their affairs, al Harith al Ashari reported that Nabi (saw) said “I command you with five which Allah commanded me with: Listening and obeying, Jihaad and Hijrah and the Jama’ah, for he who leaves the Jama’ah by a handsbreadth, then he has thrown off the yoke of Islam from his neck” (AHMAD, AT-TAYAALISI, IBN HIBBAAN, IBN KHUZAYMAH, AL-HAAKIM) It would be obligatory to work under the Imaam to establish darul Islam, apply the whole shari’ah and unify the Muslim world as Allah (swt) says “...establish the deen and do not make divisions in it...” (ash Shoora 42:13) and “And fight them until there is no more fitnah and the deen is all for Allah” (al Anfaal 8:39) In conclusion, it is clear that the Muslims must live their lives by the whole shari’ah and this includes being under an Imaam and establishing darul Islam where the Muslims will be secure to practise the deen, Allah (swt) says “Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous actions, that He will certainly grant them succession in the earth (layastakhlifannahum fil Ard) as He granted succession (istikhlaaf) to those before them and that he will grant them the power (tamkeen) for their deen, that which He has chosen for them. And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear, they worship Me and do not associate anything with Me. But whoever disbelieved after this they are the faasiqoon.” (an Noor 24:55) Whoever disagreed with working to establish the deen and whoever chose to prefer the kufr laws and the kufr authority then he would be a disbeliever and for the Fire, and whoever neglected to work for the deen would be sinful, Allah (swt) says “And whoever seeks a deen other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him and in the hereafter he will be one of the losers.” (aali I’mraan 3:85)
Posted on: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 12:14:00 +0000