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Islam is the Religion of Life
Author : Dr Noah Ali Salman
Date Added : 11-09-2024

Islam is the Religion of Life and the Path to Eternity

 

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

Some people view Islam through a philosophical lens, analyzing many of its positions, rationalizing its rulings, and exploring its aspects. These individuals are capable of presenting various types of discussions and intriguing methods each day to draw attention to themselves, seeking recognition. However, on the other hand, they remain at this level without progressing further. Their work is not strenuous or challenging; it involves contemplation of rulings, discerning the underlying reasons, and then expressing what their intellect has reached in refined language.

Some people are less concerned with reasoning and research; instead, they are focused on learning the Islamic ruling and applying it to themselves. They align their lives according to this guidance and then look into the reasoning behind it or do not do so.

The difference between the two is clear. There is a stark contrast between someone who hears the call to prayer and immediately rushes to perform the prayer, and someone who hears it and instead rushes to his pen and paper to write an extensive analysis on the meaning of the call to prayer, its noble goals, and the beauty of its words, producing pages of writing. This person then promises readers that he will discuss the prayer in a later meeting, without feeling any guilt about not standing up to fulfill his duty and bowing down in humility before his Lord. Such a person may not understand the wisdom in certain matters, allowing doubt to seep into his heart and attempting to subject the religion to his own opinions. He might start distorting the religion according to his reflections, which is the first step towards opposing and distorting the religion. This approach can lead to people’s discontent and rejection of him, as they rely on the light God has placed in the hearts of the Ummah to distinguish between truth and falsehood, fulfilling Allah's promise in His Book, it states (What means): "Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian" [Al-Hijr/ 9].

There is no doubt that Allah informed His Prophet about this type of people who would appear among his Ummah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against them by saying: "None of you truly believes until his desires are in accordance with what I have brought." As for those who seek to make what the Prophet (peace be upon him) brought conform to their own desires, they are the ones about whom Allah Says in His book (What means): "And indeed, many will lead [people] away from their own desires without knowledge. Indeed, your Lord is Most Knowing of the transgressors" [Al-An'am, 119].

There is also no doubt that among Islamic rulings, some are aspects of wisdom that the intellect can grasp, while others may not be comprehensible to the mind. In the face of these rulings, people's attitudes vary.

This does not mean that Islam contains rulings that are beyond human capability, or that it is suitable only for angels who are created for obedience. Rather, Islam is a realistic religion that takes into account human conditions and what they are naturally inclined to. Hence, it has allowed for concessions, which are leniencies in worship in cases such as travel, illness, and other excuses.

Islam has not left any aspect of life, big or small, without addressing it and providing solutions. It has outlined the path for people to follow. It is important to understand that the actions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are largely considered legislation; they reflect a human life guided by the light of Allah. A person who lived for twenty-three years inevitably experienced all that humans go through and faced typical human circumstances. This demonstrates that this religion is applicable to human beings, not just angels, as it is based on emulating the life of a human being.

The practical implementation of this is evident in the lives of the Companions of the Prophet, who applied the teachings of Islam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was not isolated or withdrawn in his home; he was a man of life who engaged in all aspects of it—war and peace, trade and commerce, judiciary and governance. His life’s example shows that Islam did not restrict him in his actions but guided him to the most righteous and correct path. In his prophetic period, he achieved what neither those before nor after him have matched. Furthermore, he produced a generation that remains exemplary and instilled in the hearts a strong faith that continues to inspire and drive us to this day.

A brief comparison between Islam and some spiritual religions reveals a clear difference. Those religions focus on the soul and its training, neglecting and undervaluing worldly life. They even view it as something to be discarded by any means possible. Some advocate enduring harm and accepting oppression as a path to higher spiritual realms. However, they have been forced to contradict this principle because it is not practical for a life where good and evil are intermingled and no absolute dominance of one over the other is possible in this world.

Islam, on the other hand, has a balanced and comprehensive approach as outlined in its scriptures. For instance, the Quran says [What means]: "Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors" [Al-Baqarah/190]. It also commands to confront evil wherever it is found: "And kill them wherever you overtake them" [Al-Baqarah, 191], and "O you who have believed, fight those adjacent to you of the disbelievers and let them find in you harshness" [At-Tawbah, 123]. Yet, in times of peace, it instructs: "O you who have believed, when you contract a debt for a specified term, write it down" [Al-Baqarah/282], and “O you who have believed, fulfill the contracts" [Al-Ma’idah/1]. Islam's role in all aspects of life is too vast to fully explore here.

Following the laws of Islam in their entirety, without deviation or compromise, is the path to eternal life in the Hereafter. This eternal life is not uniform; human beings were created to be eternal, but some will spend eternity in Paradise and others in Hell. Allah Says (What means): "Indeed, it is either eternal Paradise or eternal Fire" (Al-Baqarah, 81). He also Says (What means): "But those who believe and do righteous deeds — those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally." [Al-Baqarah/ 82].

Eternal life is a reality, but there is a significant difference between the two types of eternity. If we believe that this religion is from Allah, and that He has commanded us to adhere to it, holding us accountable for every transgression and rewarding every act of obedience, we must be certain that eternal life in Paradise is for the obedient and righteous, while sinners and those who oppose will face severe consequences.

Moreover, Allah Says (What means): "Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam" [Al-Imran/19], as well: "And whoever desires other than Islam as religion — never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers" [Al-Imran/85].

If we understand this, we will believe that Islam is the path to eternal life in Paradise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

A man insulted the Divine Essence; is it obligatory for him to perform Ghusl?

 
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Insulting or blaspheming the Divine Essence (Dhat al-Ilahiyyah) constitutes apostasy (Riddah). The perpetrator of this grave sin must immediately repeat the two testimonies of faith (Shahadah) and sincerely repent to Allah the Exalted. It is recommended (Sunnah) for them to perform a ritual bath (Ghusl), though it is not a mandatory condition [for the validity of their return to Islam]. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the Sharia basis of the Udhiyah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The Sharia basis of the Udhiyah (sacrificial offering) is firmly established through the Quran, the Sunnah, and the Consensus (Ijma') of the Muslims:
1. Evidence from the Holy Quran
Allah the Exalted says {what means}: "And the camels and cattle We have appointed for you as among the symbols of Allah; for you therein is good." [Al-Hajj/36]. He also says {what means}: "So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone]" [Al-Kawthar/2]. According to the most well-known scholarly interpretations of this verse, "prayer" refers to the Eid prayer, and "sacrifice" refers to the slaughtering of the Udhiyah.
2. Evidence from the Sunnah
Al-Bara' bin 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "The first thing we start with on this day of ours is to pray, then we return and sacrifice. Whoever does that has followed our Sunnah, and whoever slaughters before [the prayer], it is merely meat he has provided for his family; it is not part of the ritual sacrifice in any way" [Reported by Bukhari & Muslim].
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Prophet ﷺ sacrificed two white rams with horns. He slaughtered them with his own hand, mentioned the name of Allah (Tasmiyah), and said the Takbir" [Reported by Bukhari & Muslim].
3. Evidence from Scholarly Consensus (Ijma')
The Muslims have reached a unanimous consensus on the Sharia basis of the Udhiyah, and no one among the scholars has disagreed with this. [Al-Sherbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj, Vol.6/P.122].And Allah the Exalted knows best.

What is the ruling on offering a sheep as a sacrifice (Udhiyah) if its fat-tail is sound, except that when it was young, the tip of its fat-tail was cut so that it would grow larger? And what is the ruling in case of doubt regarding the amount that was cut?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Cutting a minor, insignificant portion from the tip of an animal's fat-tail (al-alyah) to encourage it to grow larger is not considered a defect, and it does not prevent the animal from being valid for sacrifice (Udhiyah).
 
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (Vol.9/P.352): "There is some scholarly deliberation regarding the common practice of cutting the tip of the fat-tail so that it grows larger. It could potentially be likened to a partial cut of the ear—supported by the jurists' general rule: 'even if it is a small amount.' On the other hand, if it is an exceptionally minor cut, it might have no effect on validity. This is explicitly clarified by the juristic exception to the general rule, which states that cutting a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm. This latter view is more well-founded.
 
Furthermore, I found that some scholars investigated this matter and concluded: 'It should not affect validity if a custom-sanctioned portion of its fat-tail is removed during its youth to make it grow larger and look better, just as castrating a male animal causes no harm.' However, applying this unconditionally contradicts the established texts of the jurists, as understood from what I have laid out; thus, the restriction I specified is what must be relied upon."
 
Similarly, it is mentioned in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (8/135): "If a small piece is cut from the fat-tail to help it grow larger, the most well-founded view is that the sacrifice remains valid, as was given in a formal legal verdict (Fatwa) by my father [Shihab al-Din al-Ramli], may Allah be pleased with him. This is proven by the jurists' maxim: 'The loss of a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm.'"
 
In cases where there is doubt as to whether the portion cut was large or small, the animal is still deemed valid for sacrifice. It is noted in Hashiyat al-Shubramallisi ‘ala Nihayat al-Muhtaj (Vol.8/P.135):
 
"This matter requires careful consideration, but the closer and more correct view is that it is valid. This is because soundness is the default state for the animal from which the piece was cut, and it aligns with what usually occurs—namely, that the part removed to help the fat-tail grow larger is naturally very small." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

What is the ruling on performing the night prayer (*qiyām al-layl*) between the first and second adhān of Fajr? And which is better: delaying the prayer until shortly before the Fajr adhān, or performing it earlier than that?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The time for night prayer (qiyām al-layl) begins after the Maghrib prayer and lasts until the second adhān of Fajr. The best time for it is the last third of the night, and best of all are the fourth and fifth sixths of the night. If the night is divided into two halves, the latter half is better.
Whoever intends to pray at night is encouraged to delay the Witr until he has prayed the night prayer. If he knows that he will not wake up, it is better for him to pray and perform Witr before sleeping, so that he does not miss both the night prayer and the Witr.
It is stated in Mughnī al-Muḥtāj (Vpl.1/p.462): “I say: The voluntary prayer of the night, that is, the absolute voluntary prayer (al-nafl al-muṭlaq), is better than the absolute voluntary prayer of the day, because of the report in Muslim: ‘The best prayer after the obligatory prayer is the night prayer.’ In another narration of his: ‘In the night there is an hour that no Muslim man meets while asking Allah for any good of this world and the next except that He gives it to him, and that is every night.’ It is also because the night is a time of heedlessness. I restricted the voluntary prayer to the absolute kind following the commentator, although what the ḥadīth and the underlying meaning require is that the night rawātib be preferred over the day rawātib, since the jurists preferred the two rakʿahs of Fajr over everything except Witr. The middle of the night is better than its two ends if it is divided into thirds, because heedlessness is greatest then and worship is hardest. If he wishes to pray during some third, the best is the fourth and fifth sixths, based on the ḥadīth in the two Ṣaḥīḥs: ‘The most beloved prayer to Allah the Exalted is the prayer of Dāwūd: he would sleep half the night, stand for a third of it, and sleep for a sixth.’ Then the latter part is better than the first if he divides it into two halves, because of the saying of Allah the Exalted: ‘And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness’ [al-Dhāriyāt: 18], and the report of the two Shaykhs: ‘Our Lord, Blessed and Exalted, descends,’ meaning His command descends, ‘to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, and says: Who calls upon Me, that I may answer him? Who asks of Me, that I may give him? Who seeks My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’”
It is also stated in ʿUmdat al-Sālik (p. 60): “It is better to perform it [the Witr] immediately after the sunnah of ʿIshāʾ, unless he has tahajjud, in which case it is better to delay it so that he performs Witr after it. If he performs Witr and then wishes to pray tahajjud, he prays two rakʿahs at a time and does not repeat the Witr, nor does he need to cancel it with a single rakʿah before the tahajjud. It is recommended that he not deliberately pray after it.”
Qiyām al-layl is a term applied to any prayer performed at night. Tahajjud, on the other hand, refers to the night prayer that follows sleep, whether it is prayed after Maghrib or after ʿIshāʾ, or the prayer performed after ʿIshāʾ without sleep. On this basis, the Witr is also called tahajjud, since it is only prayed after ʿIshāʾ.
It is stated in al-Majmūʿ (Vol.4/p.84): “The sound position, as stated in al-Umm and al-Mukhtaṣar, is that the Witr is called tahajjud.”
It is stated in Nihāyat al-Zayn (Vol.1/p.114): “Among the absolute voluntary prayers is qiyām al-layl. If it is performed after sleep, even during the time of Maghrib and after having prayed ʿIshāʾ early (taqdīman), it is called tahajjud.”
And it is stated in Ḥāshiyat al-Bujayrimī ʿalā al-Khaṭīb (Vol.1/p.418): “His statement: ‘(the night prayer)’: the genitive construction (iḍāfah) carries the sense of fī, meaning a prayer in the night. His statement: ‘(it would be more fitting)’: the reason it is more fitting is that the night prayer includes both tahajjud and other prayers.” And Allah Almighty knows best.

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