Lesson five

Lesson five:
The meaning of Islamic Religion
Allah (the Exalted) said:
﴿إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡإِسۡلَٰمُ﴾ [آل عمران: 19].
Meaning: indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam. Q3: V19. And He said:
﴿وَمَن يَبۡتَغِ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡإِسۡلَٰمِ دِينٗا فَلَن يُقۡبَلَ مِنۡهُ وَهُوَ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ ٨٥﴾ [آل عمران: 85].
Meaning: And whoever desires other than Islam as religion- never will it be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. Q3: V85. And He (S.W.T) said:
﴿فَإِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهٞ وَٰحِدٞ فَلَهُۥٓ أَسۡلِمُواْۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلۡمُخۡبِتِينَ ٣٤﴾ [الحج: 34].
Meaning… for your God [worthy of worship] is one God, so to Him submit. And [O Muhammad] give good tidings to who are humble [before their Lord] Q22: V34. And He (S.W.T) said:
﴿وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡأُمِّيِّ‍ۧنَ ءَأَسۡلَمۡتُمۡۚ فَإِنۡ أَسۡلَمُواْ فَقَدِ ٱهۡتَدَواْۖ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡبَلَٰغُۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرُۢ بِٱلۡعِبَادِ ٢٠﴾ [آل عمران:20].
Meaning:" And say to those who were given the scripture, and [to] the unlearned, "Have you submitted yourselves?" And if they submit [in Islam], they are rightly guided; but if they turn away- then upon you is only the [duty of] notification. And Allah is All-seeing of [His] servants. Q3: V20. And He (S.W.T) also said:
﴿وَمَنۡ أَحۡسَنُ دِينٗا مِّمَّنۡ أَسۡلَمَ وَجۡهَهُۥ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحۡسِنٞ﴾ [النساء: 125].
Meaning: "And who is better in religion than who submits himself to Allah while being a doer of good…" Q4: V125.
So, the meaning of Islam is to be sincere to Allah the Almighty in religion and to submit to His commands and rules.
And it is a creed and a law. The creed is built upon authentic knowledge, and the [Islamic] laws, are rules which are obligatory upon a servant to comply with.
Allah (the Exalted) said:
﴿وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓاْ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ حُنَفَآءَ وَيُقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلۡقَيِّمَةِ ٥﴾ [البینة:5].
Meaning: And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish salah [five daily prayers] and to give Zakah [alms]. And that is the correct religion. Q98: V5.
Therefore, a servant will not become a Muslim until he combines two things.
The first thing is sincerity to Almighty Allah in religion by practicing Islamic monotheism and shunning shirk [polytheism].
The second thing is submission to [the will] of Allah by obeying His commands and avoiding whatever He forbids.
So, whoever professes the unity of God and complies with His orders is a Muslim.
And with this, you will understand that a polytheist is not a Muslim, because he did not make his religion sincere to Almighty Allah.
And he who disdains the worship of Allah is [also] not a Muslim, because he has refrained (from the worship of Allah) and has not submitted to Allah's commands. Allah (the Exalted) said:
﴿لَّن يَسۡتَنكِفَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ أَن يَكُونَ عَبۡدٗا لِّلَّهِ وَلَا ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ ٱلۡمُقَرَّبُونَۚ وَمَن يَسۡتَنكِفۡ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِهِۦ وَيَسۡتَكۡبِرۡ فَسَيَحۡشُرُهُمۡ إِلَيۡهِ جَمِيعٗا ١٧٢ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمۡ أُجُورَهُمۡ وَيَزِيدُهُم مِّن فَضۡلِهِۦۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسۡتَنكَفُواْ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرُواْ فَيُعَذِّبُهُمۡ عَذَابًا أَلِيمٗا وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِيّٗا وَلَا نَصِيرٗا ١٧٣﴾ [النساء: 172-173].
Meaning: Never would the messiah disdain to be a servant of Allah, nor would the angels near [to Him]. And whoever disdains His worship and is arrogant- he will gather them to Himself all together (172) And as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, He will give them in full their rewards and grant them extra from His bounty. But as for those who disdained and were arrogant, He will punish them with a painful punishment, and they will not find for themselves besides Allah any protector or helper (173). Q4: 172 and 173.
Chapter: And Muslims are of different levels with regards to the perfection of their Islam, based on their differences in sincerity and submission. Hence, they are categorized into the three levels of faith as explained by the Prophet (SAW) in the Hadith of Jibreel which are:
1-Level of Islam [submission]
2- Level of Al'iman
3- Level of Al'ihsan.
And the [arrangement of these levels according to their] preference is; first the level of Ihsan then the level of Iman then the level of Islam.
Therefore, every Mu'min is a Muslim but not every Muslim is aMu'min.
And the pillars of Islam are five as in the two [most] authentic books [of Hadith i.e, Bukhri and Muslim] from the narration of Abdullah Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W) said:
«بُنِيَ الإِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ، وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ، وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ وَالْحَجِّ، وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ».
Meaning: "Islam is built on five pillars: To testify that "Laailaa ill-Allah, Muhammadur-Rasulullah"(none is worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah), to establish Salah [five daily prayers], to offer Zakah [obligatory charity], to perform Hajj (pilgrimage to Makah), and to fast the month of Ramadan. And the Prophet (S.A.W) also said:
«رَأْسُ الْأَمْرِ الْإِسْلَامُ، وَعَمُودُهُ الصَّلَاةُ، وَذِرْوَةُ سَنَامِهِ الْجِهَادُ  فِي سَبِيلِ‌اللهِ». [رواه أحمد من حديث مُعاذِ بن جَبَلٍ].
Meaning: The peak of the matter is Islam, and its pillar is prayer, and its summit is jihad for the sake of Allah. Reported by Ahmad from the narration of Mu'adh Ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him).
Chapter: And Mu'minun (the believers) vary in their belief [in terms of perfection].Consequently, some of them are more faithful than others, because (Iman) faith means; belief in the heart, utterance by tongue and action with organs, it is subject to increase and decrease.
Whenever a servant's belief is more perfect, and his words and deeds are better, his faith will be greater.
And when a servant commits a sin, his faith will decrease. But if he repents and reforms, Allah will accept his repentance.
And completion of Iman [faith] has been described by the Prophet (S.A.W) in his sayings;
«مَنْ أَحَبَّ لِلَّهِ وَأَبْغَضَ لِلَّهِ وَأَعْطَى لِلَّهِ وَمَنَعَ لِلَّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَكْمَلَ الإِيمَانَ». [رواه أبو دَاوُدَ وغيرُه من حديثِ أبي أُمامة البَاهِلِيِّ].
Meaning: whoever loves for the sake of Allah, hates for the sake of Allah, gives for the sake of Allah, and refused to give for the sake of Allah, has already completed Iman [faith]. Reported by Abu Dawood and others from the narration of Abu Umama al bahili(may Allah be pleased with him).
And loving for Allah is wider than loving for Allah's sake, it comprises whatever is loved for the sake of Allah (the Exalted) such as persons, actions, utterances, aims, characters, places, periods and so on.
Likewise, giving for the sake of Allah is more encompassing in meaning than just donation of wealth; rather, it comprises all what can be given, Including; wealth, honor, knowledge, efforts, and time.
Likewise, forbiddance.
Therefore, whoever makes his love for the sake of Allah, his hatred for the sake of Allah, his donations for the sake of Allah, and his forbiddance for the sake of Allah; he is a Mu'min who has met all conditions of Iman [faith]
Chapter: the articles of faith are six as was explained by the Prophet (S.A.W) in his sayings;
«أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ».
Meaning:"Iman [faith] is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His messengers, and the last day and to believe in destiny- good and bad
It is obligatory upon every Muslim to believe in these articles; whoever disbelieves in any one among them is [considered] a pagan, i.e., non-Muslim.
And Iman [faith] has other [sub] branches which are ramified from these [six] branches just as the branches of a tree are ramified from it as well, and the more a servant fulfils the properties [i.e, sub branches] of Iman and its acts, the more he will be perfect in his faith. Abu huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (S.A.W) said:
«الإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُونَ أَوْ بِضْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ شُعْبَةً فَأَفْضَلُهَا قَوْلُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَدْنَاهَا إِمَاطَةُ الأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ» [صحیح مسلم].
Meaning: "Iman has a few above seventy or few above sixty branches, the superior is saying La'ilaha- illa- llah, and the inferior is removing harmful things from the path, and shyness is one of the branches of faith." Reported by Muslim.
Hence, the branches of Iman are its attributes and its parts, amongst them are cardiac, verbal and active services, and the Prophet (S.A.W) has given an example of each kind. Thus, his saying; "La'ilahailla-llah" is a speech by tongue, and removing harmful objects from the path is an active practice, while shyness is cardiac [ i.e. the work of the heart]
One may combine between the attributes of faith and those of hypocrisy in him simultaneously. Thus, there will be in him – at once- some habits of faith and some of hypocrisy, and consequently he will be characterized by nifaq [hypocrisy] until he gives it up. As the Prophet (S.A.W) said:
«أَرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ كَانَ مُنَافِقًا، أَوْ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةٍ كَانَتْ فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنَ النِّفَاقِ حَتَّى يَدَعَهَا: إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ، وَإِذَا عَاهَدَ غَدَرَ، وَإِذَا خَاصَمَ فَجَرَ». [متفق عليه].
Meaning: Whoever has the following four [characteristics] will be a pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of it will have one characteristic of hypocrisy until he gives it up; whenever he is entrusted, he betrays, whenever he speaks, he lies, whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous, and whenever he quarrel, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner. Bukahri and Muslim.
Chapter: The Prophet (S.A.W) has explained the meaning of Al'ihsan [perfection] in his saying;
Meaning: Ihsan means to worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, and if you are not seeing him then, he is seeing you.
And Allah has created us in order to test us as to which of us is best in deed. And He had told us that among the purposes of creating us is to test us, who among us will be best in deed. As He said:
﴿وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ وَكَانَ عَرۡشُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلۡمَآءِ لِيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ أَيُّكُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلٗاۗ﴾ [هود: 7].
Meaning: And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days – and His thrown had been upon water- that He might test you as to which of you is best in deed. Q10: V7. And He (the Almighty) said:
﴿ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ وَٱلۡحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ أَيُّكُمۡ أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلٗاۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٢﴾ [الملك: 2].
Meaning: And He who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed- and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving. Q67: V2. Fudail the binIyad [one of the pious predecessors in Islam] said:
«﴿أَحۡسَنُ عَمَلٗا﴾ أي أخلصه وأصوبه».
Meaning:"… Best in deed…" i.e, the most sincere and most correct.
For, a work will not be good until it is done sincerely for the sake of Allah (the Exalted) and correct in accordance with the traditions of the Prophet (S.A.W).
Following the guidance of the Prophet (S.A.W) saves from extremism and negligence.
With this, you know that among the nullifiers of Ihsan [perfection] is shirk [polytheism], bid'ah [innovation], negligence and extremism.
Therefore, a polytheist is an evil doer not a Philanthropist, likewise the innovator and the extremist.
Ihsan [perfection] is of two degrees;
The Ihsan which is wajib [compulsory] that is performing obligations with sincerity [to Allah] and according to the teachings of the Prophet (S.A.W), without extremism or negligence.
And the Ihsan which is mustahabb [i.e, desirable] that is; drawing closer to Allah by performing Annawafil [supererogatory acts of worship] and completing the non-compulsory parts of Ibadah and its manners, and abstaining from ambiguities and undesirable acts, so that he worships Allah as if he sees Him, and he strives in performing acts of worship in its most perfect form, within his capacities. So, he should not charge himself with what is beyond his capacity and he should not be negligent by leaving what he can afford to do from the acts of worship which will bring him closer to Almighty Allah.
And Ihsan [perfection] in every act of worship depends on its kind, and all that is determined by the strength of his sincerity [to Allah] and following the guidance of prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) in that particular act of worship.
[For instance], perfection in wudoo [ablution] is achieved by doing it properly, completing its compulsory acts and ethics, without exceeding the legitimate boundaries in washing.
And perfection in Salah [Prayer] is achieved by establishing it humbly and serenely with the presence of mind, at the beginning of its time, and that he establishes it as a farewell prayer in such a way that he fulfills its necessary and supererogatory acts perfectly as if he is seeing Allah (the Almighty).
And perfection in Zakah [charity] and sadaqah [non-compulsory charity]-is achieved- by giving out charity while seeking for Allah's pleasure, hopping for His mercy and fearing His punishment, wishing no reward or gratitude from whom he gave the charity, and he should not follow up what he has spent with a remind of it or other injury, he should also give it out from the pleasant among his wealth, not the defected or detestable ones, and without delaying the charity [from its right time] or causing difficulties for the needy in receiving it, and he should not behave arrogantly to him, [more over], he should not [give it] for Riya'a or sum'ah [i.e, for people to see or hear].
Likewise other acts of worship, a servant ought to try to be perfect in it to the best of his ability, and he should follow the guidance of the Prophet (S.A.W) in that.
And whoever desires perfection and pray to Allah to assist him in achieving it, there is hope for him to be granted with success in achieving it. Abu- Dardaa (may Allah be pleased with him) said;" verily, knowledge is – only acquired- by learning, and patience is acquired by struggle, and whoever struggle for good will be granted success in it, and whoever takes precaution against evil would be protected from it".
The doors of Ihsan are many, in the authentic book of Imam Muslim from the narration of Shaddad Ibn Aws bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet (S.A.W) said:
«إنَّ اللهَ كتَبَ الإحسانَ على كلِّ شيءٍ؛ فإذا قَتَلْتُم فَأَحْسِنُوا القِتْلةَ، وإذا ذَبَحْتُم فأَحْسِنوا الذِّبْحةَ، وَلْيُحِدَّ أحدُكُم شَفْرَتَهُ وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبيحَتَهُ».
Meaning: "Verily Allah has prescribed proficiency in all things. Thus, if you kill, kill well; and if you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare the animal he slaughters from suffering."
Thus, perfection is prescribed in all things, and perfection in everything depends on it. The Prophet (S.A.W) explained here perfection in slaughtering. So, he who diverts from his guidance by not sharpening the blade and does not spare the animal he slaughters from suffering, would not have practiced perfection in his slaughter.
And this shows the importance of knowledge in the religion, because with it, a seeker of Ihsan will knows the guidance of the Prophet (S.A.W) in the acts of worship. Thus, he knows his guidance in Wudoo [ablution], prayer, charity, fasting, jihad, transactions, eating and drinking, sleeping, marriage, social relations, charity, relations and treating people with their individual differences, and so on.
A servant will not reach the degree of perfection except by Allah's assistance and success. That is why it is legislated- at the end of every salah [prayer] -for one to supplicate with
«اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّيْ عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ».
Meaning: O Allah, help me remember You, express
Gratitude to You and worship You in the best manner.
Therefore, the servant's need for Allah's help in achieving Ihsan [perfection] is continuous and frequent.