READ AND THINK IN EXACTITUDE: A CALL TO MIND ON HEEDING ALLAH’S INJUNCTIONS.
“Most Muslims in the world today look at the Qur’ân like a patient, whom given a prescription, keeps reading it but never take the medicine.” [Hassan Hathout]
The new wave that affects the Ummah nowadays is that, most of us read the Qur’ân as though we are reading a novel, news or story book. Most Muslims of these days do not see any necessity in devoting time towards studying the Book of Wisdom (Qur’ân): “Perfect wisdom (this Quran), but (the preaching of) warners benefit them not.” (Qur’ân 54:5). Before one is able to derive wisdom from a particular source, the learner must have taken time to think and reason on the meaning of the knowledge, and then make it understandable. An understandable knowledge then become the basis from which wisdom is derived. Majority of the Ummah now value the activities (idle talks) that neither improve their welfare or increase them in beneficial knowledge. Thus, we need to make a conscientious move to changing our attitude towards the Remembrance and Reminder of Allah (Qur’ân).
Whereas, we have those that have profound knowledge of the Qur’ân and also take their time towards reasoning on the injunctions and prescriptions of Allah, in order to derive understanding and wisdom therein, others neglect the practice, thinking that the knowledge they posses is enough. The Qur’ân was sent down to us so that we can take a straight path towards Allah by adhering to the illustration and seeking the guidance of Allah, for the believers to be contented with pious life. “This (the Quran) is a plain statement for mankind, a guidance and instruction to those who are Pious.” [Qur’ân 3:138].
In the light of westernisation, it is so demeaning that the affairs of majority of the Ummah has been affected by the conspiracy theory of the secularist and the haters of Islam. The Western values and European civilization has misled many Muslims, and this makes many of us absentminded in giving proper adherence to the Islamic heritage. Muslims and some supposed and acclaimed scholars of Islam have been unwittingly imitating the unbelievers in the conception that is unaligned with Islamic standards. This they do as most usually give thought to the unislamic source of knowledge than they would do to an Islamic source. The lackadaisical attitude some of the Ummah made them adherent to some acclaimed scholars’ opinion and reasoning on the injunctions of Allah. The judgement proffered by some of these unheeding scholars to certain matters in life has affected most of their succeeding (following) generation. Most of the Ummah just follow the opinion of some learned scholars without adequate consideration and devotion of their personal time on reasoning and thinking about the sources of the knowledge; to derive wisdom on how to make decision on their life matters.
Islam has no such thing has blind following or imitation (taqlid), as this will cause more loss than benefits to the Muslim Ummah. Blind imitation happened to be unsolicited in Islam, as it limits one in giving meaningful thought to the words of Allah. This makes some people render other people’s acts invalid without first reasoning on the situation that warrant such acts.
Another issue which belittles the advancement of knowledge is what is known as ‘Intelligent worship’. Many among the Ummah do not bother to seek more Islamic knowledge, let alone thinking of which knowledge to acquire understanding of the injunctions of Allah, they regard their brain as a genuine guide to know the right from wrong. Most of these people forget that, the brain also walks on something (knowledge), before the process of thought; and if the means is unavailable, the available become the means. Hence they think of being right without meaningful knowledge. This coincides with the injunctions of Allah, and his emphasis on using logic and intellect in deriving meaning from the Qur’ân: “Shall he then who knows that what has been revealed unto you from your Lord is the truth be like him who is blind? But it is only those who use their reasoning that pay heed.” [Qur’ân 13:19]
Walking through personal experience, I realised that many Muslims have given in to unvalidated conception, because it is the order of the day. Some Muslims claimed to have been to madrasa (Islamic School), and as such acquired Islamic knowledge, but it gets to my nerves when I see these people acting unislamic. Seeing that some actions are the order of the day, most of these people quickly adopt the trending lifestyle, and they forget to let it pass through the test of reasoning (intelligence). Hence, they disregard the ruling of the Qur’ân on such lifestyle. They do this in the hope to be among the current trend, but do not remember that perfection of manners lies in Islamic lifestyle: “…This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Al-Maida 5:3).
The tide in the ‘New World Order’ has brandished many Muslims on an attitude of resentment towards modelling their life on the injunctions of the Qur’ân and the lifestyle of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Many also do not give logical thought to the Hadith of the Prophet (ﷺ), thus they refused to follow his Sunnah (lifestyle/way). This they do, as they disregard spending their time on deriving meaningful inference from the Prophetic Sunnah. Some hardly read the Qur’ân, let alone devoting time to thinking about the injunctions. The impact of this, is for them to take an unbeliever as their role model, and following their footstep. Most neglect the personality that Allah recommended for us to emulate. “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad SAW) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.” [Qur’ân 33:21]. The one with high standard character: “And verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) are on an exalted standard of character.” [Qur’ân 68:4]
This is a call to mind to every Muslim concerned around the world, that we need to start giving meaningful thought to the words of Allah, by reasoning, thinking, and meditating on the reminder of Allah, so that it may be of great benefit to our living on earth and our abode in the Ăkhira (Hereafter). Doing this will make the Ummah derive wisdom on how to live a blissful life and impact positively on the life of others. It is high time we focused on our pristine source of knowledge (Qur’ân and Sunnah), in order to follow a straight path specified by Allah as the path of felicity (Paradise).
Any error and mistake from the write up is a liability on the writer’s imperfect inference on the reminder of Allah. The Qur’ân is free from all imperfections, as Allah is All-Knower and All-Wise.
Wa’Llahu Aalam.
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