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Religion and Sharia
Author : Dr. Jadallah Bassam
Date Added : 30-01-2024

Religion and Sharia

 

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

 

"The Deen/Religion" with a short vowel on the "D" refers to divine rulings that guide humans towards happiness. It is named "Deen" because it is the means by which individuals are rewarded or punished in the afterlife. This concept is vital and significant, influencing human life and remaining an essential societal need. Therefore, countries, institutions, and individuals need to incorporate it into their laws, priorities, and plans. It cannot be ignored, as it is inherent in human nature, a natural disposition created by Allah, and it aligns with sound reasoning and solid evidence. This is particularly true when the religion encompasses a comprehensive legal framework covering various aspects of life, including worship, transactions, and ethics.

 

In the precise sense, scholars like Al-Fakhr al-Razi have defined religion as a "divine constitution that guides people of intellect towards virtues through their praiseworthy choices." This notion is reiterated in various expressions, such as Sharif al-Jurjani's statement: "Religion is a divine constitution that invites people of intellect to accept what is with the Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him." Similarly, they say, "Religion, in terminology, is a celestial law guiding people of intellect toward virtues in essence, such as the legal rulings revealed to the Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him." The underlying idea is that religion consists of a set of rulings and teachings from God, which, when pondered upon by those of sound intellect, lead them to recognize their validity and the necessity of adhering to them. The ultimate goal of these rulings is to bring happiness to humanity.

 

Discussions about the concept of religion have arisen in both ancient and contemporary philosophical debates. These discussions have explored the meaning, origin, evolution, and the extent of religion's intertwining with human life. Scholars have debated the comprehensiveness of its rulings, leading to the classification of religion into various types. Philosophers, for example, have described it as civil religion, natural religion, the religion of philosophers, or the religion of the ancients. Some philosophers have even denied the validity of religion altogether, considering it a cause of backwardness. Others have gone so far as to invent, synthesize, or distort religions, viewing religion as a human, earthly creation.

 

Whatever the case may be, our focus in this article is to clarify an important issue from the perspective of the Islamic creed: "The Religion before God is Islam (submission to His Will): " [Al-Emran, 19]. The point emphasized here is that religion in Islam is not a matter of personal desires or whims, nor is it subject to human experiments, societal evaluations, or individual opinions. Rather, it consists of divine judgments and teachings with an absolute source.

 

One of the characteristics of these divine judgments is that they align with reason and do not contradict it. Indeed, those endowed with reason find themselves naturally inclined towards these judgments when they understand them. The result of this inclination is the attainment of goodness for the adherent, leading to complete happiness. This happiness encompasses both the worldly and the hereafter, as emphasized by the Quran. Allah, the Most High, says {What means}: " And those who are blessed shall be in the Garden: They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth: a gift without break." [Hud, 108]. Additionally, it is narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) supplicated, "...O Allah, I ask You for success in judgment, and [to be] among the martyrs, and to live a life of the fortunate." [Sunan At-Tirmidhi].

 

If we contemplate this concept in its principles and objectives, we find that by adhering to Islam and its teachings, we strive for complete happiness. In the religion of Islam and its laws, there is no conflict between male and female, father and mother, father and son or daughter, ruler and ruled, or between the rich and the poor. There is no contradiction between duties, and no preference is given to any individual over another among the children of Adam. Instead, everyone is equal in the eyes of this upright religion, and dignity is accorded to all based on the fundamental principle. Allah, the Most High, says {What means}: "And We have certainly honored the children of Adam." [Al-Isra, 70].

 

Afterwards, people vary based on what Allah has entrusted them with in terms of abilities, capacities, and readiness to bear the responsibility of the divine commandments. Allah, the Most High, says {What means}: " We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof: but man undertook it;- He was indeed unjust and foolish;-." [Al-Ahzab, 72]. Moreover, the variation among people is functional, depending on their constitution, nature, and abilities. However, fundamentally, the address is directed to every individual, regardless of differences in classes, colors, nationalities, or races. Whoever does good and carries out the trust as it deserves has done good for themselves, and whoever does evil has wronged themselves.

 

Delving into the concept of religion, as we have mentioned, leads us to the pinnacle of the religious perfection that takes into consideration humanity in the most complete sense. It neither unjustly equates individuals through a forced equality that some advocate, nor neglects them, leaving them adrift without divine guidance. Rather, it strikes a balance, embodying a system filled with wisdom, mercy, and justice, guiding towards goodness.

 

Finally, we must fully understand these realities. Such understanding is sufficient to fortify us against a significant influx of contemporary doubts that may undermine our intellectual and societal security, jeopardizing natural relationships between people and even within oneself. After grasping these principles, we should take a decisive stance on the issue of religion: to adhere to it. As narrated from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), "None of you believes until his desires conform to what I have brought." We ask Allah for continuous blessings and a good ending. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

"I told my family at night: 'I will fast tomorrow as qaḍā' (a make-up fast),' but I forgot to make the intention before sleeping. Is my fast valid?"

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
 
The intention is obligatory in acts of worship. For obligatory fasting, the required intention is to resolve to fast during the night [before dawn]. Its proper locus is the heart, while verbalizing the intention out loud in acts of worship is a sunnah — so that the tongue may align with the heart. If the intent behind the statement in question was the intention to fast, then it is valid; but if the intent was merely to inform someone, or reflected hesitation or doubt, then it is not valid.
 
It is stated in *Bushrā al-Karīm* (Vol.1/P.216): "It is a sunnah to verbalize the intention — that is, whatever has already been intended in the heart, whether an obligatory or a voluntary act — such as specifying the number of rak‘ahs, just before the opening takbīr — so that the tongue may assist the heart, and because this is further removed from whispered doubts (waswasah), and in order to accommodate the view of those who held it obligatory in every act of worship that requires an intention (even though this is a minority position), by analogy with Ḥajj."
 
Accordingly: if the intention to fast arose in your heart before the second adhān [i.e., before Fajr], then your fast is valid.
 
And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

Is an elderly or chronically ill person required to pay additional fidyah if they delay it beyond the first year?

An elderly person or someone permanently unable to fast must pay fidyah by feeding one needy person for each missed day.
However, if they delay paying fidyah beyond the first year, no additional fidyah is required.
This differs from someone who delays making up missed Ramadan fasts (qada) without a valid excuse until the next Ramadan begins—such a person is required to pay an additional fidyah for the delay.

Who is responsible for performing the aqiqah?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
The one upon whom the 'aqīqah is incumbent is whoever is obligated to financially maintain the newborn — whether the father, paternal grandfather, or mother. It is to be performed from their own wealth, not from the wealth of the newborn child.
As for one upon whom the financial maintenance of the newborn is not obligatory, they may not perform the 'aqīqah except with the permission of the one upon whom it is obligatory — namely, the father. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on forgiving a tenant next month's rent, with the intention of counting it toward zakāh al-māl?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
It does not fulfill the obligation to count the rent owed on a house, or a portion of it, in lieu of zakāh. Rather, it is necessary to first transfer ownership of the zakāh amount to the poor person directly; only afterward may he be asked to pay the rent [from that money].
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik (p. 112): "If someone gives [money] to a poor person, stipulating that the recipient return it to him in payment of a debt owed to him, or says, 'I am making what you owe me into zakāh, so take it [as such]' — this is not valid. But if he gives it to him with the [unstated] intention that the recipient will use it to repay him, or says, 'Repay what you owe me, so that I may [then separately] give it to you as zakāh,' or the debtor himself says, 'Give it to me, so that I may [then] repay you with it' — this is valid, and there is no binding obligation for the recipient to actually fulfill this [informal understanding]."
We would also remind [the reader] of the ḥadīth of the Prophet ﷺ: "The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim: he does not wrong him, nor does he abandon him [to harm]. Whoever attends to the needs of his brother, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will attend to his needs. Whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will relieve him of one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection. And whoever conceals [the faults of] a Muslim, Allah will conceal him on the Day of Resurrection." (Agreed upon). And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

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