Lecture No. 3
TOPIC: Obedience of God
Definition
of Obedience
طاع
يطاع Each of these verb mean be rendered , he was
or became obedient or he obeyed.
The
affirmation of creation and command “for Allah alone in the Holy Qur’an:
“ So the roof of those wrong-doers and unjust people was
cut down; and all praises belong to God alone who is the Lord of the Universe.” (7:45)
Certainly, one who
affirms that Allah is the creator must logically affirm that command is his
alone, because the one who created mankind is the one who knows mankind, worldy
interests and what may guarantee success for them in the next world.
In fact, it would
be absurd to expect that any one other then the inventor of an entirely new
piece of machinery would be able to explain how to use or repair it.
Allah ordered the
Muslims to obey Him, and to obey His Prophet and those in positions of
leadership:
“O Believers! Obey God and obey the
Messenger and the Rulers who are from amongst you; if you should quarrel on
anything, refer it to God and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the
Last Day. It is fairer and much better in its result.”
To obey Allah is to follow His book,
and to obey the Prophet is to follow the Sunnah. Indeed, the command to obey is
repeated twice in the above-mentioned verse in order to emphasize that
obedience is owed separately to each one of the two. That reason for this is
that the Sunnah is in fact divine revelation, which the Prophet was charged
with delivering. The command is not, it may be noted, repeated in the verse
before “those among you who have been entrusted with authority”, which means
that obedience to them is conditional upon their orders being in accordance
with the Quran and Sunnah.
This point is
emphasized by a Hadith related by Imams Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of
Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, in which the Prophet, (صلي الله عليه
وسلم), said,
“Hearing and obeying are the duties
of a Muslim, in what he likes and dislikes, as long as he is not ordered to
commit a misdeed. If he is ordered to commit a misdeed, then he is not to hear
and not to obey”.
Imam Muslim related
on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Prophet of Allah, (صلي الله عليه
وسلم), said.
“After me you shall
be ruled by rulers; the righteous ruler will rule you righteously, and the
shameless will rule you shamelessly. Then, hear them and obey them in all that
is in keeping with the truth”.
Allah
most High ordered the believers to refer all disputed matters to Allah and His
Prophet. Moreover, He linked obedience to this command to faith itself by
saying:
“If you should quarrel on
anything, refer it to God and the Messenger ,if you believe in Allah and the
Last Day. It is fairer and much better in its result.”
Of course, the meaning of referring
such a matter to Allah is that it be referred to the Quran; while the meaning
of referring it to the Prophet is that it be referred to the Sunnah. Indeed,
the Quran and Sunnah constitute the comprehensive source of legislation in
Islam, as has been previously mentioned.
In
addition, Allah linked obedience to this command with faith so as to indicate
that no claim to complete faith may be accepted from one who does not refer
disputed matters to the Shariah for a ruling. Thus, faith in the principle of
legitimacy and acting in accordance with it are the necessary outcome of faith
in Allah and the Last Day.
Allah
Most High explained that to refer disputed matters to Allah and His prophet is
better for this Ummah than interpretations not directly based on revelation.
Allah Most High said:
This is good for you and the best interpretation. (4:59).
This verse shows that law may not be
framed by reason alone, because reason is not a legislator. Thus, good lies in
the implementation of Allah’s law.
Allah also explained that the claim to
faith in that which was revealed by Allah to his Prophet, (صلي الله عليه وسلم),
and to the Prophet before him, when made by those who govern in accordance with
man-made laws and statutes which prevent the implementation of the Shariah and
the arbitral decision of His Prophet, is a false claim.
Thus,
the requirements of faith are that the believer rely upon the arbitration of
Allah’s Shariah, and not upon man-made laws.
Allah
Most High swore by His own person that those who claim to believe in Him yet do
not implement His Shariah are not truthful in their claims.
Thus,
true faith requires that the Shariah be made an arbitrater, that its decision
is accepted without rancor, and that it be gladly implemented and executed.
Allah Most High informed us that those who
do not rule in accordance with what He has revealed are indeed disbelievers,
tyrants and wrongdoers.
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