Shariah Is Universal In Nature - It Addresses the Whole Mankind As All Human Beings Have Same Parents, Adam and Eve
By Dr
Nazir Ahmad Zargar
January 10,
2021
The
revealed law of Islam is termed Sharī‘ah. The portion of the Islamic law which
is not directly revealed but is derived from the revealed sources through
analogical deduction (Ijtihad) is termed Fiqh. While Sharī‘ah is unchangeable
like universal principles, Fiqh changes with the changing situations and needs.
Hence Ijtihad serves as the principle of dynamism, in Islam.
The
Sharī‘ah is universal in nature. It is meant for all. It addresses the whole
mankind as all human beings have same parents — Ādam and Hawwa (Eve). That is
why it sanctions the true morals which are common to all and discusses about
the moral prohibitions against lewdness and all unseemly acts. Allāh ﷻ
says:
“Say (O
Muhammad) : “Come I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join
not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not
your children because of poverty – We provide sustenance for you and for them;
come not near to Al-Fawāhish (Shameful sins, illegal sexual intercourse)
whether committed openly or secretly; and kill not anyone whom Allāh ﷻ has forbidden, except for a just cause
(according to Islāmic Law). This He has commanded you that you may understand.
“And come not near to the orphan’s property, except to improve it, until he (or
she) attains the age of full strength; and give full measure and full weight
with justice. We burden not any person, but that which he can bear. And
whenever you give your word (i.e. judge between men or give evidence), say the
truth even if a near relative is concerned, and fulfill the covenant of Allāh ﷻ.
This He commands you, that you may remember.”
(Al-Qur’ān, Al-An‘ām 6:151-152)
Allāh’s
Messenger ﷺ
has said:
“Avoid the
seven great destructive sins.” The people enquired, “O Allāh’s Messenger! What
are they?” He said, “ (1) To join others in worship along with Allāh, (2) to
practise sorcery, (3) to kill a person which Allāh has forbidden except for a
just cause (according to Islāmic Law), (4) to eat up Ribā (usury), (5) to eat
up an orphan’s wealth, (6) to show one’s back to the enemy and fleeing from the
battlefield at the time of fighting, (7) and to accuse chaste women, who never
even think of anything touching their chastity and are true believers.”
The
universal character of the Sharī‘ah is clearly brought to light in this Ayah:
“Verily!
Allāh commands you that you should render back the trusts to those to whom they
are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice.”
(Al-Qur’ān, Al-Nisā 4:58)
In this
Āyah the Muslims (especially the Muslim rulers) have been commanded to judge
with justice when they judge between (not only the Muslims but) the whole
mankind as the phrase used is (between people)
not or
(between the Muslims). This indicates that in the sight of Sharī‘ah all
humans are same whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims, friends or foes,
natives or “foreigners”; whichever language they speak and of whichever colour
they may be, justice demands that judgment should be fair.[1]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sharī‘ah is
principally based upon the benefit of the beings. That is why it holds that
originally and essentially all beneficial actions are legitimate, all harmful
ones illegitimate. Justice being the fundamental principle existing in every
commandment of the Sharī‘ah, its every rule bears witness to this
generalization when it takes into consideration human nature and its general
weaknesses and basic needs.
The divine
attributes Rahmān (the Compassionate) and Rahīm (the Merciful) imply that Allāh
is Oft Forgiving, protecting His creatures, “preserving them, guiding them, and
leading them to clear light and higher life.” (Abdullah Y. Ali) The word Rahmān
expresses Allāh’s love to man. Therefore, Allāh’s relation to man is the
relation par excellence of love, sympathy, concern, solicitude, compassion and
mercy.” (Daryabadi)
Both the
words Rahmān and Rahīm are derived from Rahmah ‘which signifies tenderness,
requiring the exercise of beneficence and thus comprising the idea of love and
mercy.’ While the Rahmān donotes Allāh’s tenderness towards all His creatures
in general, Rahīm denotes His tenderness towards His believers and worshipers
in particular. All this implies that the soul of Islam is two things:
Respecting the Commandments (i.e. the Islāmic Sharī‘ah) of Allāh ﷻ
and showing compassion towards His creatures.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also Read: The Classical Islamic Law (Islamic Sharia Law) is NOT a Word
of God!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allāh ﷻ
says:
“Whoever
honours the sacred rites of Allāh, for him it is good in the sight of his
Lord.” (Al-Qur’ān, Al-Hajj 22:30)
And
Rasūlullāh ﷺ
has said:
“Behave
well towards people.” (Nawawi’s al-Arba‘in)
Allāh’s
love for His creatures is so great that any harm done to any single creature
amounts to Him as if whole of His creation has been harmed and similarly any
good done to any single creature is as if the whole creature has been
benefited. He says:
“If any
one slew a person—unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the
land—it would be as if he slew the whole people. And if any one saved a life,
it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.” (Al-Qur’ān, al-Mā’idah 5:32)
The orphan
and the beggar need love and mercy. We must perform our duties towards them.
Allāh says:
“Therefore,
treat not the orphan with harshness, nor repulse him who asks.” (Al-Qur’ān, Al-Duhā 93:9-10)
Love and
mercy towards the orphan demands that he should never be subjected to any
injustice:
(Al-Qur’ān,
Al-Nisā’ 4:2)
“To
orphans restore their property (when they reach their age), nor substitute
(your) worthless things for (their) good ones; and devour not their substances
(by mixing it up) with your own. For this is indeed a great sin.” (4:2)
Allāh’s
Messenger being Mercy for all creatures (Al-Qur’ān, Al-Anbiyā’ 21:107) has laid
tremendous stress on kind treatment of orphans, girls, the weak, the poor and
lowly, women and mercy and affection upon them. He has also laid great stress
that the virtuous, aged, and poor and needy should never be persecuted. Few of
his Ahādīth are as under:
“By Allāh
in whose hands is my life, you will not enter the Paradise unless you believe
(in Islam), and you will not believe unless you love one another. May I tell
you something so that you may love one another? Spread Salām (greeting with
peace) between you.”
“I and one
who takes care of an orphan, whether related to him or a stranger, will be like
these two (like the forefinger and the middle finger of Allāh’s Messenger) in
Paradise.”
“He who
works hard on behalf of old women and the indigent, is like a Mujāhid in the
cause of Allāh; and the narrator thinks, he added: “and like the person
standing in prayer and who never tires, and like one who observes the fast and
does not break it.”
“One who
brings up two girls right from their childhood till their maturity, will appear
on the Day of Judgment attached to me like two fingers of hand and he joined
his fingers.”
“A poor
woman came to me with her two daughters. I gave her three dates. She gave one
to each girl and wanted the third to eat herself. The two girls asked her for
this also. So she divided it into two parts and gave one to each of the girls.
I was much impressed by her action and mentioned all this to Allāh’s Messenger.
He said: “Allāh has ordained Paradise for her in consequence of this action; or
‘Allāh freed her from the hell on account of this gesture.”
“Look for
my pleasure among the weak ones, for you are helped (against our enemies) and
provided (your sustenance) on account of the weak ones among you.”
In his
farewell address on the eve of his last Pilgrimage, after glorifying and
praising Allāh he cautioned his followers thus:
“The most
perfect Muslims in the matter of faith is one who has an excellent behavior;
and the best among you are those who behave best towards their wives.”
All the
above quoted Ahādīth clearly show that love and mercy for all compels one to do
justice to all. This in turn leaves every one satisfied and thus peace prevails
in society.
Original
Headline: Shari'ah- The Law of Justice and Compassion
Source: The Greater Kashmir
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-ideology/shariah-universal-nature-addresses-whole/d/124040
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism