There are two types of questions that are extremely disliked in Islam : 1. Raising questions that do not have immediate practical benefit to questioner or that are not relevant to their current situation. These are the speculative questions people ask: what if such and such happens, without encountering that situation or expecting to encounter it in near future. 2. The questions that emanate from reluctance to obey or that seek to make a general command into a more specific one. The example of this type of questioning is illustrated by the story of slaughtering of cow mentioned in the Soorah Al-Baqarah. The raised questioned about the kind of cow to be slaughtered because of their reluctance to slaughter it. In an effort to sidetrack the command they kept asking for more specifics. Originally, they could have slaughtered any cow and the command would have been fulfilled. But in response to their questions, it became a very specific cow of certain age, colour and other attributes. Often we fall into this trap when we are not satisfied with a general command and keep asking questions to pinpoint specifics. This type of questions and attitude was extremely disliked by Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu alayhi wa sallam). Muslims were told (the translation of the meaning of the Qur-aan) : O believers! Do not ask questions about things which if declared to you may trouble you, and if you question about them when the Qur’aan is being revealed, they shall be declared to you; Allaah has pardoned this, and Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing. A people before you did ask such questions, and then became disbelievers on account of them. (Al-Maaidah 5:101) Often, Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa), being kind and merciful to people, leaves some commands in general terms to allow people flexibility to act upon them as their circumstances allow, but some people ask question that end up making a command very specific. Such specificity becomes a burden for many others. That kind of attitude had made Sharee’ah burdensome and difficult to follow for Banee Israaeel. Hence, Muslims were told to avoid that tendency. When the Prophet (sal-Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) presented the general Qur’aanic command that Hajj has been made obligatory for Muslims, a person asked, “Is it an annual obligation?” The Prophet (sal-Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) did not respond. When he kept repeating the question, the Prophet (sal-Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) responded, “Pity on you. If I say yes, it will become a yearly obligation, then you will not be able to follow the command and will disobey.” He (sal-Allaahu alayhi wa sallam), also was reported to have said, “The biggest culprit among Muslims is he who raised questions about something that was not prohibited for people, but answers to his questions ended up making it prohibited.” He (sal-Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) also told, “Indeed Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) has obligated obligations, so do not disregard them; He has prohibited some things, do not approach them; He has set some limits, do not transgress them; He has not talked about some things without forgetting them, so do not enquire about them.” In the light of the above, Muslims should curb the tendency of making generalities, more specific; concise points into detailed statements; vague concepts into categorical pronouncements or, loosely defined rules into precisely defined regulations. Most of the discord in the Ummah has in fact resulted form people violating these teaching of Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu alayhi wa sallam). A perfect example of what to question and what not to question The Holy Qur-aan presents, the attitude of Ibraaheem ‘Alayhissalaam as a perfect and the most beautiful example of a Muslim’s attitude in terms of where to raise questions and where to submit instantly and willingly. When he grew up, he took a rational approach to his parents and his society’s believes. Through his logical and rational approach, he concluded that it does not make sense to worship the idols that people make with their own hands. He reflected on the universal realities around him (the translation of the meaning of the Qur-aan): And thus did We show Ibraaheem the matters of kingdom of the heavens and the earth in order that he would be of those who are sure. (Al-An’aam 6:75) He concluded that any finite entities such as stars, moon or sun are not worthy of worship. One must submit only to One and Only Infinite Creator of this finite universe, thus he announced (the translation of the meaning of the Qur-aan): Surely I have turned myself truly, wholly and solely to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth, and I am not of the polytheists. (Al-An’aam 6:79) But once he accepted Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) as his Lord, He submitted to him most willingly, without any hesitation or reservations, and without even asking about why a certain action should be carried out. He listened and immediately obeyed. Whether it was leaving his family to an uninhabited, inhospitable desert, or sacrificing his one and only son or anything else, he jumped to obedience willingly and wholeheartedly, no question asked. He presented the perfect example of questioning the faith so that one adopts only the correct faith, but obeying unconditionally like an obedient slave, without asking questions, and having full faith in the wisdom and knowledge of Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) . Every now and then people ask some inappropriate question in the matters of religion. To support their questions they throw in the example of Ibraaheem’s ‘Alayhissalaam asking Allaah Ta’aalaa to show how He raises the dead. This example is commonly misunderstood and hence quoted inappropriately. First of all, neither did Ibraaheem ‘Alayhissalaam question Allaah’s (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) capability of raising the dead nor did he ask for a proof for that capability. He already had full faith in it. In fact he did not even ask a question, rather, he just requested a demonstration to gain personal knowledge of ‘How’ it happens. As a prophet he was being shown the behind the scene workings of Allaah’s kingdom, as every prophet is given that knowledge to enable him to become witness to mankind of the realities of faith on the basis of their personal observation, instead of just being told about these facts. From that perspective, he asked for this demonstration (the translation of the meaning of the Qur-aan): And when Ibraaheem said: My Lord! Show me how do you give life to the dead, He said: Do you not believe? He said: Yes I do, but that my heart may be satisfied. (Al-Baqarah 2:260)
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 18:43:33 +0000
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