Penuntut Ilmu Tidaklah Futur

Seorang penuntut ilmu tidak boleh futur dalam usahanya untuk memperoleh dan mengamalkan ilmu. Futur yaitu rasa malas, enggan, dan lamban dimana sebelumnya ia rajin, bersungguh-sungguh, dan penuh semangat.

Futur adalah satu penyakit yang sering menyerang sebagian ahli ibadah, para da’i, dan penuntut ilmu. Sehingga seseorang menjadi lemah dan malas, bahkan terkadang berhenti sama sekali dari melakukan aktivitas kebaikan.

Orang yang terkena penyakit futur ini berada pada tiga golongan, yaitu:

1. Golongan yang berhenti sama sekali dari aktivitasnya dengan sebab futur, dan golongan ini banyak sekali.
2. Golongan yang terus dalam kemalasan dan patah semangat, namun tidak sampai berhenti sama sekali dari aktivitasnya, dan golongan ini lebih banyak lagi.
3. Golongan yang kembali pada keadaan semula, dan golongan ini sangat sedikit. [1]

Futur memiliki banyak dan bermacam-macam sebab. Apabila seorang muslim selamat dari sebagiannya, maka sedikit sekali kemungkinan selamat dari yang lainnya. Sebab-sebab ini sebagiannya ada yang bersifat umum dan ada yang bersifat khusus.

Di antara sebab-sebab itu adalah.

• Hilangnya keikhlasan.
• Lemahnya ilmu syar’i.
• Ketergantungan hati kepada dunia dan melupakan akhirat.
• Fitnah (cobaan) berupa isteri dan anak.
• Hidup di tengah masyarakat yang rusak.
• Berteman dengan orang-orang yang memiliki keinginan yang lemah dan cita-cita duniawi.
• Melakukan dosa dan maksiyat serta memakan yang haram.
• Tidak mempunyai tujuan yang jelas (baik dalam menuntut ilmu maupun berdakwah).
• Lemahnya iman.
• Menyendiri (tidak mau berjama’ah).
• Lemahnya pendidikan. [Lihat al-Futur Mazhaahiruhu wa Asbaabuhu wal 'Ilaaj (hal. 43-71)]

Futur adalah penyakit yang sangat ganas, namun tidaklah Allah menurunkan penyakit melainkan Dia pun menurunkan obatnya. Akan mengetahuinya orang-orang yang mau mengetahuinya, dan tidak akan mengetahuinya orang-orang yang enggan mengetahuinya.

Di antara obat penyakit futur adalah.

• Memperbaharui keimanan. Yaitu dengan mentauhidkan Allah dan memohon kepada-Nya agar ditambah keimanan, serta memperbanyak ibadah, menjaga shalat wajib yang lima waktu dengan berjama’ah, mengerjakan shalat-shalat sunnah rawatib, melakukan shalat Tahajjud dan Witir. Begitu juga dengan bersedekah, silaturahmi, birrul walidain, dan selainnya dari amal-amal ketaatan.
• Merasa selalu diawasi Allah Ta’ala dan banyak berdzikir kepada-Nya.
• Ikhlas dan takwa.
• Mensucikan hati (dari kotoran syirik, bid’ah dan maksiyat).
• Menuntut ilmu, tekun menghadiri pelajaran, majelis taklim, muhadharah ilmiyyah, dan daurah-daurah syar’iyyah.
• Mengatur waktu dan mengintrospeksi diri.
• Mencari teman yang baik (shalih).
• Memperbanyak mengingat kematian dan takut terhadap suul khatimah (akhir kehidupan yang jelek).
• Sabar dan belajar untuk sabar.
• Berdo’a dan memohon pertologan Allah. [Ibid (hal. 88-119) dengan diringkas]

ADAB MENUNTUT ILMU

Mukaddimah:

Segala puji hanya bagi Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, shalawat dan salam semoga selalu tercurah kepada Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam, keluarga, para sahabat dan pengikut setia mereka sampai hari kiamat, Amma ba’du:

Allah telah menjaga pertahanan kaum muslimin dengan mujahidin (orang-orang yang berjihad) dan menjaga syariat Islam dengan para penuntut ilmu, sebagaimana dalam firman-Nya:

“Tidak sepatutnya bagi orang-orang yang mukmin itu pergi semuanya (ke medan perang). Mengapa tidak pergi dari tiap-tiap golongan diantara mereka beberapa orang untuk memperdalam pengetahuan mereka tentang agama dan untuk memberi peringatan kepada kaumnya apabila mereka telah kembali kepadanya, supaya mereka itu dapat menjaga dirinya.” (QS. At Taubah:122)

Pada ayat tersebut, Allah membagi orang-orang yang beriman menjadi dua kelompok, mewajibkan kepada salah satunya berjihad fi sabilillah dan kepada yang lainnya mempelajari ilmu agama. Sehingga tidak berangkat untuk berjihad semuanya karena hal ini menyebabkan rusaknya syariat dan hilangnya ilmu, dan tidak pula menuntut ilmu semuanya sehingga orang-orang kafir akan mengalahkan agama ini. Karena itulah Allah mengangkat derajat kedua kelompok tersebut. (Hilyah al ‘Alim al Mu’allim, Salim al Hilaliy hl:5-6)

Yang dimaksud dengan ilmu tersebut adalah ilmu syar’i, yaitu ilmu yang Allah turunkan kepada Nabi-Nya Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam berupa keterangan dan petunjuk. Jadi ilmu yang dipuji dan disanjung adalah ilmu wahyu, ilmu yang Allah turunkan saja. Sebagaimana sabda Nabi Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam:

“Barangsiapa yang Allah menghendaki padanya kebaikan maka Dia akan menjadikannya mengerti masalah agama.” (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)

Beliau Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam bersabda pula:

“Sesungguhnya para nabi tidak mewariskan dinar dan dirham, hanya saja mereka mewariskan ilmu. Maka barangsiapa mengambilnya berarti ia mengambil nasib (bagian) yang banyak.” (HR. Abu Dawud dan At Tirmidzi)

Sebagaimana telah kita ketahui bahwasanya yang diwariskan oleh para nabi adalah ilmu syariat Allah dan bukan yang lainnya. (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal:11)

Hukum Menuntut Ilmu Syar’i

Menuntut ilmu syar’i adalah fardlu kifayah yaitu apabila telah mencukupi (para penuntut ilmu) maka bagi yang lain hukumnya adalah sunnah, namun bisa juga menjadi wajib bagi tiap orang atau fardlu ‘ain yaitu ilmu tentang ibadah atau muamalah yang hendak ia kerjakan. (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal:21)

Penuntut Ilmu Hendaklah Menghiasi Dirinya Dengan Adab-Adab Sebagai Berikut:

Pertama: Mengikhlaskan Niat Hanya Karena Allah

Hendaklah dalam menuntut ilmu niatnya adalah wajah Allah dan kampong akhirat, sebagaimana sabda Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam:

“Barangsiapa menuntut ilmu-yang mestinya untuk mencari wajah Allah-, tiadalah ia mempelajarinya melainkan hanya untuk mendapatkan bagian dari dunia, pasti ia tidak akan mendapatkan bau surga pada hari kiamat.” (HR. Ahmad dll). Ini adalah ancaman yang keras. (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal :25)

Apabila ilmu telah kehilangan niat yang ikhlas; berpindahlah ia dari ketaatan yang paling afdhal menjadi penyimpangan yang paling rendah. Diriwayatkan dari Sufyan ats Tsauri rahimahullah berkata: “Tiadalah aku mengobati sesuatu yang lebih berat dari niatku.”

Dari Umar bin Dzar bahwasanya ia berkata kepada ayahnya: “Wahai ayahku! Mengapa orang-orang menangis apabila ayah menasehati mereka, sedang mereka tidak menangis apabila orang lain yang menasehati mereka?” Ayahnya menjawab:” Wahai puteraku! Tidak sama ratapan seorang ibu yang ditinggal mati anaknya dengan ratapan wanita yang dibayar (untuk meratap). (Hilyah Tholibil ‘Ilmi, Bakr Abu Zaid hal: 9-10)

Kedua: Memberantas Kebodohan Dirinya dan Orang Lain

Hendaklah dalam menuntut ilmu berniat untuk memberantas kebodohan dari dirinya dan dari orang lain, karena pada dasarnya manusia itu jahil (bodoh), sebagaimana firman Allah:

“Dan Allah mengeluarkan kamu dari perut ibumu dalam keadaan tidak mengetahui sesuatupun, dan Dia memberi kamu pendengaran, penglihatan dan hati, agar kamu bersyukur.” (QS. An Nahl:7

Imam Ahmad rahimahullah berkata:

“Ilmu itu tiada bandingannya bagi orang yang niatnya benar.” Mereka bertanya: ”Bagaimanakah hal itu?” Beliau menjawab: “Berniat memberantas kebodohan dari dirinya dan dari orang lain.” (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal 26-27)

Ketiga : Membela Syariat

Hendaklah dalam menuntut ilmu berniat membela syariat, karena kitab-kitab tidak mungkin bisa membela syariat. Tiadalah yang membela syariat melainkan para pengemban syariat. Disamping itu, bid’ah juga selalu muncul silih berganti yang ada kalanya belum pernah terjadi pada jaman dahulu dan tidak ada dalam kitab-kitab sehingga tidak mungkin membela syariat kecuali para penuntut ilmu. (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal 27-28).

Alangkah banyaknya kitab dan alangkah banyak pula perbedaan didalamnya! Seorang muslim tidak lagi tahu apa yang harus ia ambil dan apa yang harus ia tinggalkan? Dari mana memulai dan dimana berakhir! (Wasiyyatu Muwaddi’, Husain Al ‘Awayisyah hal :29-30).

Keempat : Berlapang Dada Dalam Masalah Khilafiyah (Perbedaan Pendapat)

Hendaklah selalu berlapang dada dalam menyikapi perbedaan pendapat yang bersumber dari ijtihad. Yaitu permasalahan yang memungkinkan seseorang berpendapat dan terbuka kemungkinan untuk berbeda. Adapun siapa saja yang menyelisihi jalan salafush shalih dalam masalah aqidah maka hal ini tidak bisa diterima dan ditolelir. (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal 28-29) . Baca pula untuk masalah ini kitab Perpecahan Umat, karya: Dr Nasir al ‘Aql, penerbit Darul Haq Jakarta.

Kelima : Mengamalkan Ilmu atau Zakat Ilmu

Hendaklah para penuntut ilmu mengamalkan ilmunya, baik berupa aqidah, ibadah, akhlak, adab dan muamalah, karena hal ini adalah merupakan hasil dan buah dari ilmu itu. Pengemban ilmu itu seperti pembawa senjata; Bisa berguna dan bisa pula mencelakakan sebagaimana sabda Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam:

“Al Qur’an itu membelamu atau mencelakakanmu.” (HR. Muslim)

Membelamu apabila kamu amalkan dan mencelakakanmu apabila tidak kamu amalkan. (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal:32)

Karena keutamaan ilmu itulah ia semakin bertambah dengan banyaknya nafkah (diamalkan dan diajarkan) dan berkurang apabila kita saying (tidak diamalkan dan diajarkan) serta yang merusaknya adalah al kitman (menyembunyikan ilmu). (Hiyah Tholibil Ilmi, Bakr Abu Zaid hal :72)

Keenam : Berdakwah Kepada Allah

Allah berfirman:

“Dan hendaklah ada diantara kamu segolongan ummat yang menyeru kepada kebajikan, menyuruh kepada yang makruf dan mencegah dari yang mungkar; mereka itulah orang-orang yang beruntung.” (QS. Ali Imran:104)

Hendaklah mendakwahkan ilmunya kepada Allah dalam berbagai kesempatan, baik di masjid, di majlis-majlis, di pasar dan diberbagai kesempatan. (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal :37-38).

Ketujuh : Hikmah

Hendaklah menghiasi dirinya dengan hikmah. Apabila kita menempuh cara ini pastilah kita mendapatkan kebaikan yang sangat banyak, sebagaimana firman Allah:

“Dan barangsiapa yang dianugerahi al hikmah itu, ia benar-benar telah dianugerahi karunia yang banyak.” (QS. Al Baqarah:269)

Al Hakim (orang yang bijaksana) adalah orang yang menempatkan sesuatu pada tempatnya. Allah telah menyebutkan tingkatan-tingkatan dakwah dalam firman-Nya :

“Serulah (manusia) kejalan Tuhanmu dengan hikmah dan pelajaran yang baik dan bantahlah mereka dengan cara yang baik.” (QS. An Nahl:125)

Dan Alla menyebutkan pula tingkatan keempat tentang berdebat dengan ahli kitab dalam firman-Nya:

“Dan janganlah kamu berdebat dengan ahli kitab, melainkan dengan cara yang paling baik, kecuali dengan orang-orang dzalim diantara mereka.” (QS. Al ‘Ankabut:46)

(Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal:37-3

Kedelapan : Sabar Dalam Menuntut Ilmu

Hendaklah sabar dalam menuntut ilmu, tidak terputus (ditengah jalan) dan tidak pula bosan, bahkan terus menerus menuntut ilmu semampunya. Kisah tentang kesabaran slafush shalih dalam menuntut ilmu sangatlah banyak, sebagaimana diriwayatkan dari Ibnu ‘Abbas radhiallahu anhuma bahwa beliau ditanya oleh seseorang: “Dengan apa anda bisa mendapatkan ilmu?” Beliau menjawab: “Dengan lisan yang selalu bertanya dan hati yang selalu memahami serta badan yang tidak pernah bosan.” (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal:40 dan 61)

Bahkan sebagian dari mereka (salafus shalih) merasakan sakit yang menyebabkannya tidak bisa bangun dikarenakan tertinggal satu hadits saja. Sebagaimana terjadi kepada Syu’bah bin al Hajjaj rahimahullah, ia berkata: “Ketika aku belajar hadits dan tertinggal (satu hadits) maka akupun menjadi sakit.”

Barangsiapa mengetahui keutamaan ilmu dan merasakan kelezatannya pastilah ia selalu ingin menambah dan mengupayakannya, ia selalu lapar (ilmu) dan tidak pernah keying sebagaimana sabda Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam: “ Ada dua kelompok manusia yang selalu lapar dan tidak pernah kenyang: orang yang lapar ilmu tidak pernah keying dan orang yang lapar dunia tidak pernah keying pula.” (HR. Al Hakim dll dengan sanad tsabit) (Hilyah al ‘Alim al Mu’allim, Syaikh Salim al Hialaliy hal 22-23)

Abu al ‘Aliyah rahimahullah menuturkan:”Kami mendengar riwayat (hadits) dari Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam sedang kami berada di Basrah (Iraq), lalu kamipun tidak puas sehingga kami berangkat ke kota Madinah agar mendengar dari mulut mereka (para perawinya) secara langsung.” (‘Audah ila as Sunnah, Syaikh Ali Hasan al Atsariy hal 44).

Kesembilan : Menghormati dan Menghargai Ulama

Hendaklah para penuntut ilmu menghormati dan menghargai para ulama dan berlapang dada dalam menyikapi perbedaan pendapat diantara mereka serta memberi udzur (alasan) kepada para ulama yang menurut keyakinan mereka telah berbuat kesalahan. Ini adalah masalah yang sangat penting, karena sebagian orang sengaja mencari-cari kesalahan orang lain untuk menjatuhkan mereka dimata masyarakat. Ini adalah kesalahan terbesar. (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal 41).

Hendaklah menghormati majlis (ilmu) dan menampakkan kesenangan terhadap pelajaran serta mengambil faedahnya. Apabila seorang syaikh (guru) melakukan suatu kesalahan atau kekeliruan maka janganlah hal itu membuatnya jatuh dihadapanmu, karena hal ini menjadikanmu tidak lagi mendapatkan ilmunya. Siapasih orang yang tidak pernah berbuat kesalahan.?

Jangan sekali-kali memancing kemarahannya dengan “Perang urat syaraf”, yaitu menguji kemampuan ilmu dan kesabarannya. Apabila hendak berguru ke orang lain maka mintalah ijin kepadanya, karena hal ini menjadikannya selalu menghormatimu, semakin cinta dan saying kepadamu.” (Hilyah Tholibil ‘Ilmi, Bakr Abu Zaid hal:36).

Kesepuluh : Memegang Teguh Al Kitab dan As Sunnah

Wajib bagi para penuntut ilmu untuk mengambil ilmu dari sumbernya yang tidak mungkin seseorang sukses bila tidak memulai darinya, yaitu:

1. Al-Qur’anul Karim; Wajib bagi para penuntut ilmu untuk berupaya membaca, menghafal, memahami dan mengamalkannya.

2. As Sunnah As Shahihah; Ini adalah sumber kedua syariat Islam (setelah Al Qur’an) dan penjelas al Qur’an Karim.

3. Sumber ketiga adalah ucapan para ulama, janganlah anda menyepelekan ucapan para ulama karena mereka lebih mantap ilmunya dari anda.

(Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hl :43,44, dan 45)

Kesebelas : At Tatsabbut dan Ats Tsabat

Termasuk adab terpenting yang wajib dimiliki oleh penuntut ilmu adalah; At Tatsabbut. Yang dimaksud dengan At Tatsabbut adalah berhati-hati dalam menukil berita dan ketika berbicara.

Adapun ats tsabat adalah sabar dan tabah untuk tidak bosan dan marah, dan agar tidak mengambil ilmu hanya secuil-secuil saja lalu ia tinggalkan, karena hal ini berdampak negatif dan menyia-nyiakan waktu tanpa faedah. (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hl :50)

Keduabelas : Berupaya Untuk Memahami Maksud Allah dan Rasul-Nya

Termasuk adab terpenting pula adalah masalah pemahaman tentang maksud Allah dan juga maksud Rasulullah Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam; Karena banyak orang yang diberi ilmu namun tidak diberi pemahaman. Tidak cukup hanya menghapal al Qur’an dan hadits saja tanpa memahaminya, jadi harus dipahami maksud Allah dan Rasul-Nya Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam. Alangkah banyaknya penyimpangan yang dilakukan oleh kaum yang berdalil dengan nash-nash yang tidak sesuai dengan maksud Allah dan Rasul-Nya Shalallahu ‘Alaihi Wassalam sehingga timbullah kesesatan karenanya. Kesalahan dalam pemahaman lebih berbahaya dari pada kesalahan dikarenakan kebodohan. Seorang yang jahil (bodoh) apabila melakukan kesalahan dikarenakan kebodohannya ia akan segera menyadarinya dan belajar, adapun seorang yang salah dalam memahami sesuatu ia tidak akan pernah merasa salah dan bahkan selalu merasa benar. (Kitab al ‘Ilmi, Syaikh Utsaimin hal :52)

Inilah sebagian dari adab yang harus dimiliki oleh para penuntut ilmu agar menjadi suri tauladan yang baik dan mendapatkan kesuksesan di dunia dan di akhirat, amien.

Maraji’:

Al Qur’anul Karim dan Terjemahannya, hadiah dari kerajaan Saudi Arabia.

Kitab Al Ilmi, karya Syaikh Muhammad bin Shalih al Utsaimin

Hilyah Tholibil Ilmi, karya Syaikh Bakr bin Abdillah Abu Zaid

Hilyatul ‘Alim Al Mu’allim Wa Bulghatu Ath Thalib Al Muta’allim, karya Syaikh Salim bin Ied al Hilaliy

‘Audah ‘Ila As Sunnah, karya Syaikh Ali Hasan al Attsariy

Washiyyatu Muwaddi’, karya Syaikh Husain bin ‘Audah al ‘Awayisyah

CONCEPT OF GOD IN ISLAM

It's a known fact that every language has one or more terms that are used in reference to God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the case with Allah. Allah is the personal name of the One true God. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness when compared with the word god which can be made plural, gods or feminine, goddess. It is interesting to notice that Allah is the personal name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus and a sister language of Arabic.

The One true God is a reflection of the unique concept that Islam associates with God. To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing and nothing is comparable to Him. The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was asked by his contemporaries about Allah; the answer came directly from God Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Quran, which is considered the essence of the unity or the motto of monotheism. This is chapter 112 which reads:

"In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Say (O Mohammad) He is God the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone."

Some non-Muslims allege that God in Islam is a stern and cruel God who demands to be obeyed fully. He is not loving and kind. Nothing can be farther from truth than this allegation. It's enough to know that, with the exception of one, each of the 114 chapters of the Quran begins with the verse: "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate." In one of the sayings of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) we are told that "God is more loving and kinder than a mother to her dear child."

But God is also Just. Hence evildoers and sinners must have their share of punishment and the virtues, His bounties and favors. Actually God's attribute of Mercy has full manifestation in His attribute of Justice. People suffering throughout their lives for His sake and people oppressing and exploiting other people all their life should not receive similar treatment from their Lord. Expecting similar treatment for them will amount to negating the very belief in the accountability of man in the Hereafter and thereby negating all the incentives for a moral and virtues life in this world. The following Quraniac verses are very clear and straight forward in this respect.

"Verily, for the Righteous are gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord. Shall We then treat the people of Faith like the people of Sin ? What is the matter with you ? How judge ye ?" (68:34-36)

Islam rejects characterizing God in any human form or depicting Him as favoring certain individual or nations on the basis of wealth, power or race. He created the human-beings as equals. They may distinguish themselves and get His favor through virtue and piety only.

The concept that God rested in the seventh day of creation, that God rested with one of His soldiers, that God is an envious plotter against mankind, or that God is incarnate in any human being are considered blasphemy from the Islamic point of view.

The unique usage of Allah as a personal name of God is a reflection of Islam's emphasis on the purity of the belief in God which is the essence of the message of all God's messengers. Because of this, Islam considers associating any deity or personality with God as a deadly sin which God will never forgive, despite the fact He may forgive all other sins. The Creator must be of a different nature from the things created because if he is of the same nature as they are, he will be temporal and will therefore need a maker. It follows that nothing is like Him. If the maker is not temporal, then he must be eternal. But if he is eternal, he cannot be caused, and if nothing caused to come into existence, nothing outside him causes him to continue to exist, which means that he must be self-sufficient. And if he does not depend on anything for the continuous of his own existence, then this existence can have no end. The Creator is therefore eternal and everlasting:

"He is the First and the Last"

He is Self-sufficient or Self-subsistent or, to use a Quranic term, Al-Qayyum. The Creator does not create only in the sense of bringing things into being, He also preserves them and takes them out of existence and is the ultimate cause of whatever happens to them.

"God is the Creator of everything. He is the guardian over everything. Unto Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth."(39:62,63)

"No creature is there crawling on the earth, but its provision rests on God. He knows its lodgingplace and its repository." (11:6)

God's Attributes

If the Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His attributes must also be eternal and everlasting. He should not lose any of His attributes nor acquire new ones. If this is so, than His attributes are absolute. Can there be more than one creator with such absolute attributes ? Can there be for example, two absolutely powerful Creators ? A moment's thought shows that this is not feasible.

The Quran summarizes this argument in the following verses:

"God has not taken to Himself any son, nor is there any god with Him: For then each god would have taken of that which he created and some of them would have risen up over others." (23:91) And Why, where there gods in earth and heaven other than God, they (heaven and earth) would surely go to ruin. (21:22)

The Oneness of God

The Quran reminds of the falsity of all alleged gods. To the worshippers of man-made objects it asks:

"Do you worship what you have carved yourself."(37:95)

"or have you taken unto you others beside Him to be your protectors, even such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves ?"(13:16)

To the worshippers of heavenly bodies it cites the story of Abraham:

"When night out spread over him he saw a star and said 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said, 'I love not the setters.' When he saw moon rising he said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said: 'If my Lord does not guide me I shall surely be of the people gone astray.' When he saw the sun rising, he said, 'This is my Lord; this is greater.' But when it set he said, 'O my people, surely I quit that which you associate, I have turned my face to Him who originated the heavens and the earth; a man of pure faith, I am not of the idolaters."(6:76-79)

The Believer's Attitude

In order to be a Muslim i.e., to surrender oneself to God, it's necessary to believe in the oneness of God, in the sense of His being the only Creator, Preserver, Nourisher, etc.. But this belief - later on called Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah is not enough. Many of the idolaters knew and believed that only the Supreme God could do all this. But that was not enough to make them Muslims. To tawhid ar-rububiyyah one must add tawhid al'uluhiyyah i.e., one acknowledges the fact that it is God alone who deserves to be worshipped, and thus abstains from worshipping any other thing or being.

Having achieved this knowledge of the one true God, man should constantly have faith in Him, and should allow nothing to induce him to deny truth.

When faith enters a person's heart, it causes certain mental states which result in certain actions. Taken together these mental states and actions are the proof for the true faith. The Prophet said, "Faith is that which resides firmly in the heart and which is proved by deeds".

Foremost among those mental states is the feeling of gratitude towards God, which could be said to be the essence of 'ibada' (worship).

The feeling of gratitude is so important that a non-believer is called 'kafir', which means 'one who denies a truth' and also 'one who is ungrateful'.

A believer loves, and is grateful to God for the bounties He bestowed upon him, but being aware of the fact that his good deeds, whether mental or physical, are far from being commensurate with Divine favors, he is always anxious lest God should punish him, here or in the Hereafter. He, therefore, fears Him, surrenders himself to Him and serves Him with great humility. One cannot be in such a mental state without being almost all the time mindful of God. Remembering God is thus the life force of faith, without which it fades and withers away.

The Quran tries to promote this feeling of gratitude by repeating the attributes of God very frequently. We find most of these attributes mentioned together in the following verses of Quran:

"He is God; there is no god but He. He is the Knower of the unseen and the visible; He is the All-merciful, the All-Compassionate. He is God; there is no god but He. He is the King, the All-holy, the All-peace, the Guardian of Faith, the All-preserver, the All-mighty, the All-compeller, the All-sublime. Glory be to God, above that they associate! He is God the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the All-mighty, the All-wise." (59:22-24)

"There is no god but He, the Living the Everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave ? He knows what lays before them and what is after them, and they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills. His thrown comprises the heavens and earth; the preserving of them oppresses Him not; He is the All-high, the All-glorious."(2:255)

"People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion; and say not as to God but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not, 'Three.' Refrain; better is it for you. God is only one God. Glory be to Him - (He is) above having a son."(4:171)***

Pillars of Faith: GOD

Dr. Ja`far Sheikh Idris

  

Muhammad, peace be upon him, was sent to invite people to God and to teach them how to perform the task for which they were created, namely to worship Him. Many of the people whom he addressed had a hazy idea of God. Some did believe in Him, though they associated other lesser gods with Him, but a few of them were downright atheists, or materialists, whose creed was, 'we live and we die and nothing causes our death except Time.' [Jathiya XLV: 24] Before inviting such atheists to God one must first convince them that there is such being. "What reason do you have for believing that there is a God?" This, logically, is the first question which a theistic view of life should address itself to. The Qur'anic answer to it is given in the following words:

" . . were they created out of nothing? Or were they the creations (of themselves) or did they create the heavens and earth."[Tur, Lll: 36]

The Qur'an is here saying that for everything like man that has a beginning in time, there are only three ways of explaining how it came to be.

a.Either it is created, or made, or caused by nothing at all i.e. it came out of nothing. b.Or it is the creator of itself. c.c. Or it has a creator, cause, or maker, outside itself.

The third possibility is not mentioned in the quoted verse but it is understood because the verse is addressed to people who deny the existence of a creator and it is telling them that if there is no creator then only two possibilities remain. But the Qur'an does not go into the details of showing why the first two positions are untenable. Clarity of expression often convinces people of the truth or untruth of a statement. Mental seeing here, more than physical seeing, is believing (or rejecting). This is borne out in the case of these Qur'anic words by a historical event. Jubayr Ibn Mut`im, until then, a non-Muslim was sent by Quraysh on a mission to the Muslims at Madina. He says that when he arrived he heard the Prophet, who was leading the evening prayer, reading Surat al-Tur and when he reached the foregoing verses "my heart was almost rent asunder.''] Shortly after that Jubayr embraced Islam.

Why did this happen to him? Probably because the verse made things clear to him for the first time. It is inconceivable for something to come out of or be made by nothing at all, he realized, and it is even more inconceivable that it should bring itself into being. Hence the only conclusion is that it must have a creator outside itself.

A thesis is therefore untenable if it means the denial of any maker or cause whatsoever. But admitting that this is indeed so, one might still wonder why should that cause or maker or creator be the God to whom Muhammad was inviting people? Why shouldn't it be one of the many other gods in whom people believe or why shouldn't it even be the "matter" of the materialists? Almost the entire Qur'an deals with this question but we shall do our best to give a brief answer which would provide the reader with the basics of the Qur'anic position. In a nutshell the answer is as follows: to explain the coming into being of temporal things, the creator (or cause or maker) for which we are looking, must (logically must) have the attribute of the God to whom Muhammad invites us. How so?

The creator must be of a different nature from the things created because, if he is of the same nature as they are, he will have to be temporal and therefore need a maker. It follows that "nothing is like Him." [Shura, XLII: 11] If the maker is not temporal then he must be eternal. But if he is eternal, he cannot be caused, and if nothing causes him to come into existence, nothing causes him to continue to exist, which means that he must be self sufficient. And if he does not depend on anything for the continuance of his existence, then that existence can have no end. The creator is therefore eternal and everlasting: "He is the first and the last." [Hadid, LVII: 3] "All that dwells upon the earth is perishing, yet still abides the Face of thy Lord, majestic, splendid." [Rahman, LV: 26-27]

There are two ways in which causes produce their effects. Either they produce them naturally or intentionally. The maker that has the attributes we have enumerated cannot be a natural cause. Because if things of this world flow from Him naturally and spontaneously, they cannot be but of the same nature as He is. And if like all natural causes He causes only under certain conditions, then His power is limited. It follows that He must be a willful agent. But intention implies knowledge and both imply life. So, that maker must be a living all-knowing agent with a will that is absolutely free. Thus God according to the Qur'an does everything with intention and for a purpose.

"Surely We have created everything in (due) measure." [Qamar, LXIV: 49]

"What, did you think that We created you only for sport?" [Mu'minun, XXIII: 115]

He is absolutely free to do whatever he wills [Hud, Xl: 107] and is aware of every movement of His creation.

"He knows what is in land and sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. Not a grain in the earth's shadow, not a thing fresh or withered, but it is in a Book Manifest. It is He who recalls you by night, and He knows what you work by day."[An'am, Vl: 59-60]

God is living:

"There is no God but He, the living, the everlasting. Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows what lies before them and what is after them, and they comprehend not anything of His knowledge save such as He wills. His throne comprises the heavens and earth; the preserving of them oppresses Him not; He is the All-high, the All-Glorious.[Baqara, II: 255]

God is not only willing and powerful, He is also Just in that He does not punish a sinner for more than his crime. He is merciful and His mercy, in the words of the Prophet "overcame his punishment." So He does not punish us for whatever we do, but forgives and erases our sins, and magnifies and multiplies our good deeds.

"The likeness of those who expend their wealth in the way of God is as the likeness of a grain of corn that sprouts seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains, so God multiplies unto whom He will; God is All-embracing, All-knowing."[Baqara, Il: 261]

These, and many others which can be arrived at in a similar way, are the attributes which the true creator must possess. Any other being or object which is alleged to be a god or an ultimate cause and which necessarily lacks some of them cannot in actual fact be what it is believed to be. Thus, having shown clearly what the true God should be like, the Qur'an goes on to show why there cannot be any god but He, and reveals the falsity of all alleged gods.

To the worshipers of man-made objects it says:

"Do you worship what you have carved out and God created you and what you make?"[Saffat, XXXVIl: 95]

and

"... have they taken unto themselves others beside Him who create nothing, who are themselves created, who cannot protect them, nor can they protect themselves."

[A`raf, Vll: 191-192]

To the worshipers of heavenly bodies it relates as a reminder the story of Abraham:

When night outspread over him he saw a star and said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said, 'l love not the setters.' When he saw the moon rising, he said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he said, 'If my Lord does not guide me I shall surely be of the people gone astray.' when he saw the sun rising, he said, 'This is my Lord; this is greater!' But when it set he said, 'O my people, surely I am quit of what you associate with God. I have turned my face to Him who originated the heavens and the earth, a man of pure faith; I am not of the idolaters.'[An`am, Vl: 76-79]

And when, later on, the Prophet comes i nto contact with the Jews and Christians, the Qur'an condemns their belief in the divine nature of human-beings.

"The Jews say, 'Ezra is the son of God.' The Christians say, 'The Messiah is the son of God.' That is the utterance of their mouths, conforming with the unbelievers before them. God assail them! How they are perverted."[Tawba, IX: 30]

It tells them that if everything is created by God then it must be His servant and cannot, therefore be his son, [Maryam, XIX: 88-95].

It then goes on to explain to the Christians the real nature of Jesus.

"Truly, the likeness of Jesus in God's sight is as Adam's likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him 'Be!' and he was." [Aal `Imran, Ill: 59]

For someone to take something as a god, it is not necessary that he should acknowledge it as such or worship it in a ritualistic way; it is enough for him to follow its dictates obediently, or devote to it acts or have towards it feelings which should be devoted to or felt towards God only. There are many such unacknowledged gods.

"Hast thou seen him who has taken his caprice to be his God? Wilt thou be a guardian over him?" [Furqan,] XXV: 43]

"They have taken their rabbis and their monks as lords apart from God, and the Messiah, Mary's son, and they were commanded to serve but one God."[Tawba, IX: 31]

Thus to be a Muslim - i.e.. to surrender oneself to God— it is necessary to believe in the unity of God in the sense of His being the only creator, preserver and nourisher. But this belief - later on called tawhid ar-rububiyya - is not enough. In fact many of the idolaters did know and believe that it is the supreme God alone who can do all this. But that was not enough to make them Muslims. To tawhid ar-rububiyya one must add tawhid al uluhiyya i.e. one must acknowledge the fact that it is this God alone who deserves to be worshiped, and therefore abstain from directing any of one's acts of worship to someone or someth ing else. In the Qur'an the argument for tawhid al-uluhiyya is based on tawhid ar-rububiyya i.e. if it is God alone who creates and controls everything why then and to what end do you worship others beside Him?

"O you men, serve your Lord who created you, and those that were before you; haply so you will be god-fearing; who assigned to you the earth for a couch, and heaven for an edifice, and sent down out of heaven water, wherewith He brought forth fruits for your provision; so set not up rivals to God wittingly."[al-Baqara, Il: 21-22]

Having known the true God, man is called upon to affirm what he knows i.e. to believe and have faith in God, and not allow any ulterior motives to induce him to deny a fact which he knows to be true.

"... that they who have been given knowledge may know it is the truth from thy Lord and so believe in it, and thus their hearts become humble unto him."[Hajj, XXII: 54]

"But when our signs came to them visibly, they said, "This is a manifest sorcery;' end they denied them, though their souls acknowledged them, wrongfully and out of pride." [Naml, XXVII: 14]

When faith enters a person's heart, it causes therein certain mental states, which result in certain apparent actions, both of which are the proof of true faith.

Foremost among those mental states is the feeling of gratitude towards God, which could be said to be the essence of ibada (worshiping or serving God).

This feeling of gratitude is so important that a nonbeliever is called kafir which means, 'one who denies a truth' and also 'one who is ungrateful.' One can understand why this is so when one reads in the Qur'an that the main motive for denying the existence of God is that of unjustified pride. Such a proud person feels that it does not become him to be created or governed by a being whom he must thus acknowledge to be greater than himself and to whom he must be grateful.

"Those who dispute concerning the signs of God without any authority come to them, in their hearts is only pride that they shall never attain."[Ghafir, XL: 56]

With the feeling of gratitude goes that of love.

"There are some people who take to themselves (for worship) others apart from God loving them as they should love God: But those who believe, love God more ardently than they love anything else."[Baqara, Il: 165]

A believer loves and is grateful to God for His bounties, but being aware of the fact that his good deeds, whether mental or physical, are far from being commensurate with Divine favors, he is always anxious lest because of his sins God should withhold from him some of these favors or punish him in the hereafter. He therefore fears Him, surrenders himself to Him, and serves Him with great humility.

"Your God is one God, so to Him surrender. And give thou good tidings unto the humble who, when God is mentioned, their hearts quake."[Anfal, Vll: 2]

One cannot be in such a mental state, without being almost all the time mindful of God. Remembering God is thus the life-force of faith, without which it fades and might even wither away. So,

"The faithful are those who remember God, standing and sitting, and on their sides."[Aal `Imran, Ill: 191]

The Qur'an therefore prescribes and describes, in great detail ways and means of helping man to remember God and keep his faith alive. All Qur'anic and Prophetic injunctions and prohibitions which extend to all aspects of human life acts of worship and personal matters, social relations, political order, etc., etc. - are designed to put man in a state which is conducive to God's remembrance. The details of this Islamic way of life were expounded in the Madina period, and we shall not therefore be concerned with them now. But the main principles of this new order were already laid down in the Makkan period, and will be summarized at the end of this chapter.

We shall now go on to deal with the other pillars of faith. These are belief in life after death, in God's angels, His books, His messengers and His qadar, the arguments for all of which are almost entirely based on the assumption that the audience believes in God.***