The Deen is Easy – Let’s Keep it that Way

From Abu Hurairah ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sakhr, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless with him and grant him peace, saying, “That which I forbid you, avoid it, and that which I command you, do of it that which you are able, for the only thing that destroyed the ones who were before you was their great numbers of questions and their disagreements with their prophets.” Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated it

So, there we have it. It’s simple! We just have to find those things Allah has commanded us to do and get on with them and find out what Allah has prohibited and avoid them. A good starting point in terms of command is obviously the five pillars of Islam,namely: shahada, salat, zakat, sawm and hajj.

In terms of what to avoid the obvious starting point would be those things Allah is most fierce about such as shirk and riba. No need for constitutions or great policy statements. As individuals we declare the shahada, do our prayers in the right time & place, pay our zakat to the right person in the right form, fast on the correct dates and perform the hajj if able. In terms of prohibition we learn enough tawhid to avoid accidental shirk and we are careful about our speech, We are careful to not impose riba on anyone and we try and extract ourselves one step at a time from it.

However, for some that is not enough, we want more. This means teaching the deen and calling people to the shahada. This means actually establishing the place of prayer and appointing imams to lead the prayer. It means establishing the local collection and distribution of zakat in gold and silver currency. It means putting in place the mechanisms that allow the correct announcement for the beginning of Ramadan, and it means hajj in jam’at.

Then in order to get the balance right we have to take on Ihsan. For in the famous Hadith of Gibril we are taught that the true deen consists of Islam, Iman and Ihsan. Through learning and the shahada we have had to take on the knowledge of iman or tawhid. Then with the five pillars and the prohibitions we are taking on the science of islam. So now we need to add ihsan, this worshipping Allah as if you see him. This taking on good behaviour and leaving behind bad behaviour, sometimes called the science of tazkiya or tasssawuf.

So now we can get on with it!

individually or collectively, as a ordinary person or a leader we know enough.

May Allah give us success.