A good balance of the spiritual and society

Islam: Between Ritual Worship and Development of Society

Written by Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
Translation by Umm Hajar (ummhajar@gmail.com)

In the world of Islam, we often have to face two types of conception that weaken this majestic religion. First is the conception that only restricts the effectuation of Islam to matters of ritual ibadah (act of worship) only without regarding or paying less attention to the issues of civilization growth and the survival of the ummah (Muslim community). It is as if Allah will only question personal matters on Judgment Day. On the other hand, issues on surrounding world or the relationship between Muslims or others seem to be excluded from the list of matters to be questioned and its reward weighed by Allah on Judgment Day. This conception has actually become a poison that sterilized some pro-religion groups throughout time.


The second conception that threatens this religion comes from those that trivialize or belittle the emphasis or discussion on matters of ritual ibadah in this religion. To these people, full emphasis must be given to matters of physical and economic development as well as the establishment of the external image of the ummah. Issues on ritual ibadah are too marginal and we do not have to ask too much about it. To them, it is as if on Judgment Day Allah will only question about matters of human relation only without questioning about the relation between humans and their Lord.

Both conceptions have actually disregarded the reality of Islam. Islam is a religion that stresses the importance of matters relating to the association of a soul with his Lord in his ritual ibadah. Similarly, Islam also put an emphasis on the association among humans specifically in fostering this world with the development of culture and civilization that is based on the teachings of Allah and His Messenger. Allah says in describing the humiliation that befell the previous human societies (translated as): “Shame is pitched over them (like a tent) wherever they are found, except when under a covenant (of protection) from Allah and from men…” (surah Ali Imran: 112)

Abdullah bin al-Mubarak was a prominent scholar that became one of the main references for understanding al-Kitab (al-Quran) and al-Sunnah. His comprehension and appreciation of Islam was unrivaled. In year 177H, he wrote to his comrade who was also a prominent scholar named al-Fudail bin ‘Iyad. Al-Fudail was an avid worshipper in Mecca and Medina and was so involved in his worshipping activity that he seemed to forget about the jihad (holy struggle) in defending the Islamic authority at that time. In his letter, he wrote a poem that was full with deep meanings. Among the verses that he wrote were:

O the worshipper of the Two Holy Lands, if you look at us,
Surely you will know that indeed you are being superficial in your worship,
Whoever submerges his neck in his tears (due to his deep meditation),
Verily, our neck is submerging in blood,
Whoever tires his horse riding through a worthless path,
Verily, our horses are getting weary in the battlefield.
(refer to: al-Zahabi, Siyar A’lam al-Nubala, 8/412, Beirut: Muassasah al-Risalah).

In that poem, he intended to portray that the ibadah of an individual who is not concerned about the survival and destiny of the ummah is not a genuine ibadah. The deep concentration in worship and the tears shed is meaningless if one abandons the holy struggle while the others sacrifice and being sacrificed in fighting in Allah’s Cause. The journey undertaken for performing ibadah on an individual basis is worthless if we just let the others fight to their death in defending the ummah.

A true Muslim makes his life journey to be in balance between focusing to matters of ritual ibadah and focusing to the development of ummah in realizing his caliph duty on the face of this earth. The focus on ritual ibadah includes restoration of the soul from the angle of sincerity and perseverance as well as matching the original examples set by the Prophet s.a.w without producing add-ons that are not taught in the sunnah. In the meantime, the focus on developing the ummah should involve issues on the directions taken that are meeting the requirement set by Allah and His Messenger and the effectiveness of actions being performed as well as the strategy to ensure the glory of the ummah. To be neglectful of either of the two perspectives is considered as negligence towards this grand religion. No one is allowed to assume that either one of the two segments is not important or trivial.

The relationship between a person and Allah is the core of human civilization. The connection happens when the emotion and soul always remember Allah and ritual ibadah is performed using the methods shown by Allah through His Messenger. In truth, the need for a person to connect with Allah through ritual worship is being shared by all human beings who have humanistic characters. Only those who have altered their natural habit refuse to turn back to the Lord. That is because human beings are created with a natural tendency to be submissive and in connection with the Lord. This is the answer to the question of why almost the entire humankind on the face of the earth embraces religions. Whatever religion it may be, it is a reflection of the human needs to be close to the Lord or to ask for His help. However, other than the basic of belief, Islam is differentiated from the others by its specific way of connecting humans with the Lord that is depicted by the Lord Himself through His official envoy that is Allah’s Messenger s.a.w. In another words, this is the acknowledged method in preserving the relationship between humans and the Lord.

If not, it can only be classified as deviant teaching that does not receive any endorsement from the Lord. Therefore, no method in performing ritual ibadah is accepted unless it is given an emphasis on the sincerity of intention and the authenticity of its method as it is showed by the certified representative of the Lord that is Muhammad the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. If a Muslim takes lightly the issues of ritual ibadah such that he says “Just perform your ibadah in any way as long as you’re performing it” or “Just perform your prayer in whatever way as long as you’re performing it”, then he actually fails to differentiate between the religion of the Lord that was revealed to the Lord’s certified representative and the fabricated religion that is originated solely by the human’s idea or need. Allah says (translated as): “What! Have they partners (in godhead), who have established for them some religion without the permission of Allah?” (Surah al-Syura:21) ‘A’isha reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: “If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected.” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Subsequently, Dr Yusuf al-Qaradawi said: ”A Muslim must, in his ibadah, adhere to the boundaries prescribed for him. It is not enough to just aim for the blessing of Allah but the ibadah must be performed in the form that is authorized by Allah with the kaifiyyat (manner) that is blessed by Him. The ibadah of a Muslim is not supposed to be something that is fabricated by people based on their own desires and supposition. It is forbidden for anyone among the imams of Muslims even though his academic level is astronomical, and also forbidden for any educational body even though its status is tremendous, and also forbidden for any academic institution or for any groups of the Muslims be it small or big to fabricate (ibtida’) a new ibadah in the religion of Allah, or to add on to the ibadah specified in this religion, or to change the way ibadah was done during the time of the Prophet s.a.w. This is because only Allah is the maker of sharia (Islamic Law) and the Messenger s.a.w is the one who conveyed it while we are just the followers. All goodness is in al-ittiba’ (abide by what had been specified by Allah and His Messenger)”. (Al-Qaradawi, Al-`Ibadah fi Al-Islam, pg. 165-167, Beirut: Muassasah al-Risalah).

Therefore, although Amina Wadud the woman who led Friday prayer a few years ago probably had a good intention of upholding women development to prove – in her view – gender equal rights but that was not the way to do it. Ritual ibadah in Islam cannot be performed without the illustration provided by Allah’s Messenger s.a.w. Although there is no specific prohibition, ibadah cannot be performed without any examples from the Prophet s.a.w. If we were to search the textual evidence that prohibits a woman from leading Friday prayer, surely we would not find any. As for the hadith from Jabir that was reported by Ibn Majah, “Do not let women to lead the prayer of men, the Bedouin to lead the prayer of the migrators and an evil person to lead the prayer of the Believers.” Its chain of narration is weak and it cannot be used as a point of reasoning. Instead, in a hadith from Umm Waraqah that was reported by Abu Daud with a hasan (good) chain of narration states that the Prophet s.a.w asked Umm Waraqah to lead the prayer of her household members in which one of them was a man. This hadith is a proof for enabling women to lead the prayer of men in their houses. It is like a mother leading prayer in her house and is followed by her son.

This is the standpoint supported by many ulama and among them is Dr ‘Abd al-Karim Zaidan in his book Al-Mufassal fi Ahkam al-Marah. However, Aminah Wadud wanted more than that. She inferred this hadith in a way that justified her desire to lead the Friday prayer. During the time of the Prophet s.a.w, Friday prayer was performed every week. There was not any woman appointed by the Prophet to become the imam of any of the mosques during that time whereas the women back then were more religious than Aminah Wadud. When Allah’s Messenger s.a.w passed away, some of his wives were still alive including ‘Aisya, Hafsah and Umm Salamah. Their knowledge was vast taken directly from the Prophet s.a.w in both the understanding and application of Islam. Still, it never crossed their minds to lead the Friday prayer. Furthermore, none among the Muslims who loved and adored them so much offered them to lead the Friday prayer. This was because that particular practice was never done during the time of the Prophet s.a.w. Therefore, ritual ibadah cannot be performed without any evidence to verify it although there is no evidence that indicates it is prohibited. In ritual ibadah, we cannot say that because the Prophet s.a.w did not prohibit it then we are free to do anything as long as there is no prohibition. Instead, in ritual ibadah, we must ask if the Prophet s.a.w instructed it or did it. This is the correct question to ask because if not, people will make all kinds of add-ons in ibadah. Even if he performed the subuh (dawn) prayer for eight rakaat (prescribed number of bows in prayer), he would just say: “I was sincere (in doing it). There was no prohibition from the Prophet s.a.w regarding the eight rakaat and the most important thing is sincerity.” If that happened, then the authenticity of the religion would be tainted.

Humans are allowed to be innovative and creative in other matters concerning their lives but not in matters of ritual ibadah. Allah harmonized all of us as a symbol of a united ummah in one religion. However, when we cross this forbidden ground, we will then see the Muslim society having various ways of ibadah that are different from each other. Differences in methods of ibadah between sufi groups, races, countries and so on. Subsequently, sectarian feelings emerge with words such as “This is our way” or “This is the way of our country or region” echo everywhere. They should be thinking of saying this is the way demonstrated by Allah’s Messenger s.a.w in his hadith and we are all his followers. Even more, some religious teachers only use custom as the basis of their teachings without knowing the relevant textual evidence.

Thus, it is not surprising if the ummah fail to be united when being oppressed by the enemy since even in matters of ibadah some have sectarian attitude. Unfortunately, in this world where we are required to be innovative and creative to enable us to manufacture quality products that are beneficial for humankinds and able to elevate the status of this ummah, we do not progress much. In fact, the part of Islamic world that has many editions of new methods of ibadah fail to produce or develop new materials or products for the world to use.

Thus, the emphasis on ritual ibadah is not to be deemed as trivial. There is a need for a balanced development between spiritual and physical, between the authentic way of ibadah and the progress of the mind as well as a creative and innovative civilization. Once again, I would like to cite the words of al-Qaradawi: “However, what we would like to assert from the beginning is that the hadarah (civilization) Islam intends to build is not like other civilizations that emphasize more on the body and the desire of a person, that emphasize on instant pleasure in this world. Thus, it places the world as the biggest matter to be concerned of and that is the limit to its knowledge. It does not allocate to Allah a position that is mentioned in its philosophy. There is no room for the Afterlife in its system of thought and education. This contradicts with hadarah al-Islam (Islamic Civilization). It connects human with Allah, ties the earth with the heavens. It makes the world for the Afterlife, blends the soul with materialism, balances the mind and heart and unites knowledge and religious belief. It puts a lot of concern on the fineness of manner as it does on material development. It is actually both spiritual and material civilization, dreams and reality, godly and humane, personal conduct and development and individual and communal. It is a civilization that is balanced and moderate.” (Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Al-Sunnah masdaran li al-Ma’rifat wa al-Hadarat, pg. 204, cetakan: Dar al-Syuruq, Mesir.).

Unfortunately, we always meet with those who put strong emphasis on matters of ritual ibadah but neglect issues of the development of ummah civilization. At the same time, we also meet with many who discuss issues of civilization but are so inattentive and forgetful over matters of ritual ibadah. Therefore, born were religious groups without strength, professional groups without guidance. Ibadah only fails to make us into leaders of the world and material civilization only fails to make us into servants of Allah. Do revert to a balanced way of putting emphasis.



Source: http://drmaza.com/english_section/?p=38