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There Is No Obedience To Anybody While Disobeying Allah

A general rule of Islam implies that there is no obedience to any creature when it involves disobedience (or sinning) to Allah, the Exalted. Obedience to others other than Allah is only allowed in matters of one’s likes and dislikes. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “He who complies with the command of a master, a leader or a ruler in disobedience and defiance of Allah is an unbeliever and a Mushrik (he who associates partners with Allah). There shall be no obedience to a creature of Allah when it would involve disobeying or displeasing Allah.” [Saheeh Muslim, Book Imarah, p.1469]

He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) also said: “Obedience is only in what is good.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (Eng. trans. 9/193/259) and Saheeh Muslim (Eng. trans. 3 / 1022/no.4535)

And: “Hearing and obeying is (binding) upon the Muslim in what he likes or dislikes, so long as he is not ordered to sin. If he is ordered with sin, then there is no hearing and no obeying.” [Agreed upon]

Similarly, obedience to parents is only obligatory in matters that are permitted by Allah, the Exalted, and as Allah says: But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not, but behave with them in the world kindly, and follow the path of him who turns to Me in repentance and in obedience. Then to Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do. (31:15)

Imam Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy upon him) writes in the Tafseer of the above verse: “means, if they try hard to make you follow them in their (false) religion, then do not accept that from them, but do not let that stop you from behaving towards them with respect.”

Allah also said in Soorah Al-Ankabut, “And We have enjoined on man to be good and dutiful to his parents, but if they strive to make you join with Me (in worship) anything (as a partner) of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. Unto Me is your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.” (29: 8)

An excellent example of the above (first) verse is found in the narration of Sa’d Ibn Malik, who said: “This verse (31:15) was revealed concerning me. I was a man who honored his mother, but when I became a Muslim, she said: ‘O Sa’d! What is this new thing I see you doing? Leave this religion of yours, or I will not eat or drink until I die, and people will say: ‘Shame on you, for what you have done to me and they will say that you have killed your mother.’ I said, ‘Do not do that, O mother, for I will not give up this religion of mine for anything.’ She stayed without eating for one day and one night, and she became exhausted; then she stayed for another day and night without eating, and she became utterly exhausted. When I saw that, I said: ‘O mother, by Allah, even if you had one hundred souls and they were to depart one by one, I would not give up this religion of mine for anything, so if you want to, eat, and if you want to, do not eat.’ So she ate.” [Mentioned by Ibn Al-Athir in Usd al-Ghabah 2: 216]

Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: “Abu Bakr said in his book, Zad-ul-Musafir, ‘Whosoever made his parents angry and brought tears to them is required to go back and make them laugh.’ This indicates that it is necessary to obey parents with regards to permissible things and whatever they command should be avoided, if all this brings their benefit and does not harm their child, including ending travel plans and staying with them if they wished that.’

Allah And Evil

Good and evil are not alien to humankind. Humans are equipped with a sharp vision to separate the former from the latter. More often than not, he strikes the right choice between right and wrong. Even where he fails, he is found to have another good sense. This sense helps him appreciate the correct choice when someone else distinguishes
between good and evil. While he appears to be instinctively inclined to good in order to personify it, he seems to experience strong repulsion to evil – so much so that he wants to eliminate it altogether. His adherence to good makes him feel relieved, contented, and humble. And his submission to evil causes him to feel low, embarrassed, and arrogant. However, perpetual adherence to either virtue or vice determines the course of his life before too
long. Little does he deviate from this course once it is set by his conscious compliance with either of them – he is then destined to reach the destination defined by his own actions.

The Holy Quran says that the Lord has shown him both these ways. In addition to blessing him with eyes, tongue, and lips, he also blessed him with the knowledge of right and wrong (Quran 90:9-10). In more than one place, the Quran reinforces that man knows both ways and it is up to him to choose whatever he may wish; he can either become thankful by taking the correct course of life or be unthankful by treading the path of evil (Quran 76:3). The Lord indeed has inspired him the boundaries to respect and the vices to avoid that lie beyond them (Quran 91:7-8). The assertions of the Quran can hardly be disputed since they depict a phenomenon commonly observed. The
tradition of the majority of humankind seems to be pregnant with narratives of how they have cherished the good virtues and loathed the despicable ways of evil. The annals of history record the awe-inspiring anecdotes of the sacrifices made for upholding the virtue of justice, and eradicating the evil of oppression. From a simple shoemaker to a grand emperor each has made unforgettable contributions to the preservation of virtues and elimination of
evil. It is therefore highly improbable that we can put down the assertions of the Holy Book regarding the human knowledge of right and wrong.

Despite our instinctive impulses to comply with our knowledge of good and bad, the Holy Quran enjoins us to remind each other of the mutual teaching of Truth. It is true that we have the knowledge; we nonetheless have other frailties that obstruct perpetual adherence to good. The Holy Book recognizes that to have this knowledge does not mean that we have acquired a knack and that we are now preconditioned to do good (Quran 103:3). For if we were
conditioned, there would have been no reward for us in the Hereafter. To confuse knowledge with conditioning is to overlook the central problem in most issues facing humankind on the face of this earth. Unless hypnotized by falsehood, man will carry out good works by his own free desire. To galvanize human desire in the favor of good, one needs to be reminded constantly. It is a duty prescribed for us – to help others and be helped in order to lead a life that is virtuous.

Rights Of The Worshiped And A Worshiper

Mu’adh Bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), narrated: I was riding behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) and there was nothing between him and me but the part of the saddle when he said: Mu’adh Bin Jabal, to which I replied: At your beck and call, and at your pleasure, Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He moved along for a while when again he said: Mu’adh bin Jabal, to which I replied: At your beck and call, and at your pleasure, Messenger of Allah(peace be upon him). He then again moved along for a while and said: Mu’adh bin Jabal, to which I replied: At your beck and call, and at your pleasure, Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He (the Holy Prophet) asked: Do you know what right has Allah upon His servants? I said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He (the Prophet, peace be upon him) said: Verily the right of Allah over His servants is that they should worship Him, not associating anything with Him. He (peace be upon him), with Mu’adh behind him, moved along for a while and said: Mu’adh Bin Jabal, to which I replied: At your beck and call, and at your pleasure, Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He asked: Do you know the servants’ rights upon Allah in case they do it (i.e. they worship Allah without associating anything with Him)? I (Mu’adh bin Jabal) replied: Allah and His Messenger know best. (Upon this) he (the Prophet, peace be upon him) remarked: That He would not torment them (with the fire of Hell).

Hadith number in Sahih Muslim [Arabic only]: 43

Verses From The Holy Quran On The Creation Of The Earth And Its Beauty

Here are some beautiful verses from the Holy Quran on the creation of the Earth and its beauty.

The Earth is green and beautiful, and Allah has appointed you his stewards over it. The whole Earth has been created as a place of worship, pure and clean. Whoever plants a tree and diligently looks after it until it matures and bears fruit is rewarded. If a Muslim plants a tree or sows a field and humans and beasts and birds eat from it, all of it is love on his part.

1 – Surat Luqman: “Do you not see that Allah (SWT) has made what is in the heaven and earth subservient to you and made complete to you His favors outwardly and inwardly?” [31:20]

2 – Surat Al-Teen: “We have indeed created man in the best of molds.” [95:4]

3 – Surat Al-Sajdah: “He Who created all things in the best way and He began the creation of man from clay.” [32:7]

4 – Surat Aale Imran: “And to Allah belongs the dominion of the Heaven and Earth, and Allah is over all things. Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.” [189-90]

5 – Surat Al-Roum: “Devote thyself single-mindedly to the faith, and thus follow the nature designed by Allah, the nature according to which He has fashioned mankind; there is no altering the creation of Allah.” [30:30]

6 – Surat Al-An’am: “And there is no animal that walks upon the earth nor a bird that flies with its two wings but they are like yourselves; We have not neglected anything in the book, and then to their Lord shall they be gathered.” [6:38]

7 – Surat Luqman: “He created the heavens without pillars as you see them, and put mountains upon the earth lest it might convulse with you, and He spread it with animals of all kinds; and We sent down water from the clouds, then caused to grow therein (vegetation) of every noble kind.” [31:10]

8 – Surat Qaf: “And the Earth, We spread it out, and cast therein firmly set mountains and We have made to grow therein of all beautiful kinds; to give sight and as a reminder to every servant who turns to Allah.” [50:7-8]

9 – Surat Al-Raad: “And it is He who spread the earth and made in it firm mountains and rivers, and of all fruits, he has made in it two kinds; He makes the night cover the day; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect.” [13:3]

10 – Surat Al-Raad: “It is He who shows you the lightning, causing fear and hope and who brings up the heavy cloud. And the thunder declares His glory and His praise, and the angels too for awe of Him; and He sends them thunderbolts and smites with them whom He pleases, yet they dispute concerning Allah, and He is mighty in prowess.” [13:13-14]

11 – Surat Al-Anbiyya: “Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the Earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?” [21:30]

12 – Surat Al-Anbiyya: “And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs, are turning away.” [21:32]

13 – Surat Al-Nahl: “He causes to grow for you thereby herbage, and the olives, and the palm trees, and the grapes, and of all the fruits; most surely there is a sign in this for a people who reflect.” [16:11]

14 – Surat Al-Nahl: “And he has made subservient for you the night and the day and the sun and the moon, and the stars are made subservient by His commandment; most surely there are signs in this for a people who ponder.” [16:12]

15 – Surat Al-Nahl: “Eat of all the fruits and walk in the ways of your Lord submissively. there comes forth from within it a beverage of many colors, in which there is healing for men; most surely there is a sign in this (life of bees) for a people who reflect.” [16:69]

16 – Surat Al-An’am: “And it is He who sends down rain from the sky, and We produce thereby the growth of all things. We produce from it greenery from which We produce grains arranged in layers. And from the palm trees – of its emerging fruit are clusters hanging low. And [We produce] gardens of grapevines and olives and pomegranates, similar yet varied. Look at [each of] its fruit when it yields and [at] it’s ripening. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.” [6:99]

17 – Surat Ghaafir: “It is Allah Who has made for you the earth as a resting place, and the sky as a canopy, and has given you shape and made your shapes beautiful and has provided for you sustenance.” [40:64]

18 – Surat Al-Hijr: “And the Earth; we have spread it forth and made in it firm mountains and caused to grow in it every suitable thing.” [15:19]

by Khalid Latif.