Islam is Simple
Islam is simple. Its practices are simple. Its rules are easy. Its commandments are logical and it focuses on simplicity and promotes it in every aspect of life.
It invites people to believe in the oneness of God who alone
can give guidance to all. It invites people to explore and subdue the material
resources created by God for the betterment of all human beings. It invites
people to conduct their personal and mutual affairs in all aspects of life
according to the guidance given through the messengers of Allah culminating in
the finalization of the message known as the Quran, It asks people to regard
all human beings as part of a single-family ensuring that the dignity of each
and everyone is secured and it exhorts people to respect everything that exists
in the universe.
There is no complication and no ambiguity in this simplicity
of Islam. Whatever culture, region, ethnic or racial group one belongs to, one
can live his or her commitment to God. What we know as five pillars of Islam,
i.e., declaration of faith (Shahada), prayer (Salat), fasting (Siyam), alms-giving (Zakat) and pilgrimage (Hajj) reinforce the simplicity to constantly
remind people of the ultimate reality of the existence of a higher, neutral and the objective authority whose powers are beyond the comprehension of human beings.
Being the last of the messengers and prophets, the Prophet
Muhammad and all other prophets are role models for all human beings as they
lived the divine message in its fullest sense in their times and situations. The
Quran is a living testimony of the narratives of their lives.
Terrified with the idea of losing its influence and grip
over people for leading them to God, the so-called clergy evolved over the centuries, many complicated rituals and practices that defeated the very purpose of the
faith and turned it again into magical fantasy. The clergy designed its own
specific robe and specific title to give it the legitimacy in the eyes of
people. Even though it was against the spirit of the faith, yet it became
institutionalized. The Quran explained the role of Prophet Muhammad clearly
when it said: “He liberated them from their heavy
burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. (7:157)
Today, the religion has been
turned into a complex institution of rules and regulations without whose
practice one’s commitment to Allah is considered invalid. Even these rules and
regulations are not standardized as scores of sects and schools of thoughts and
factions have their own versions of these rules and regulations to dictate the
behavior of their followers.
Thus, the focus of religious
clergy, religious scholarship and the masses in general now is to justify,
defend and promote these rules and regulations rather than focusing on the simplicity of Islam and its essential message. In this race of proving oneself
superior over the other, everyone is neglecting the basics and the most
fundamental aspects of faith, i.e., the exploration and the universalization of
the divinely created material resources for the well being of each and every
human being on the basis of divine guidance. Few are talking about the essence of the Quran.
Consequently, everything is in a mess. To get people out of
this mess the clergy creates new rituals and new practices and by attributing
them to the Prophet of Islam without any concrete and valid proof, they try to
legitimize their verdict, thus deceiving people for some more time.
During the invasion of Egypt by Napoleon, the clergy asked
people to complete the reading of the Sahi Bukhari and Sahi Muslim to avert the
occupation. The people responded to the called, but the country was occupied.
During the recent crisis in Pakistan,
the clergy asked people to recite Sura Shams of the Quran 700,000 times. The
masses responded, but the violence intensified further. Seemingly, the prayers
proposed by the clergy have been producing paradoxical results. Yet few are
willing to evaluate their religious understanding.
The same rhetoric of the past still exists and simpler deen and the divine guidance has been turned into a complex and long maze of
rituals, rules, and regulations.
The only way out is when each individual would liberate
himself from the clutches of the clergy and devote time and energy in reading
the divine message time and time again to develop a unique personal connection
with Allah in a social context. To do that, it is not essential to know the
Arabic language. The divine message can be understood in any language without
any difficulty provided we are willing to invest time. Let us return to the simplicity
of Islam. God can find in all situations, even in the den of sins. This is the
simplicity of Islam.
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