الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا، ومن سيئات أعمالنا 

وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أن سيدنا محمدًا عبده ورسوله.

A question that any serious Muslim must always ask himself is whether he is truly presenting the true message of Islam to others because whether we like it or not, people will judge the religion of Islam based on the practices and behaviors of Muslims. 

Every Muslim is carrying on his shoulders the responsibility of being the image of Islam.  The Prophet (PBUH) warned Muslims of this reality by saying:

قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: (كل رجل من المسلمين على ثغرة من ثغر الإسلام، الله الله لا يؤتى الإسلام من قبلك). [السنة للمروزي رواه بسند صحيح عن الوضيع بن عطاء عن يزيد بن مرثد مرفوعاً]

“Every Muslim guards a gate of the gates of Islam, By Allah don’t let Islam be weakened from your side”.

You are a part in the picture or a section in the quilt of Islam, don’t make your part ruin the picture or the quilt. 

Some Muslims are deceived by thinking that Allah will judge them based solely on their actions and not on the actions of others who are misguided by being directly or indirectly influenced by theirs.  Allah said:

لِيَحۡمِلُوٓاْ أَوۡزَارَهُمۡ كَامِلَةً۬ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ‌ۙ وَمِنۡ أَوۡزَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُضِلُّونَهُم بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٍ‌ۗ أَلَا سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ

” Let them carry all their own burdens on the Day of Judgement as well as the burdens of those whom they have misled without being aware of it.  Surely what they bear is evil” (Al-Nahl 16:25). 

How many people turned away from knowing the true Islam by Muslims who do not project the true image of Islam? 

In fact, even many Muslims may build their understanding of the religion on the behaviors and actions of those whom they consider are scholars and/or righteous.  It is even unfortunate that people often judge people righteousness and religiosity of a person based on how the person looks and how he dresses ignoring the hadeath of the Prophet (PBUH) who said:  

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّه لا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى أَجْسَادِكُمْ و لا إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَشَارَ بِأَصَابِعِهِ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ ]متفق عليه ]

“Allah does not look at your figures, nor at your attire but He looks at your hearts and pointed out to his chest.”

And in a similar hadeath, the Prophet (PBUH) said;

أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : ” إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَإِنَّمَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ ” .] رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ [

“Allah does not look at your looks or your wealth but He looks at your hearts and accomplishments”.

The importance of the heart is emphasized in the Quran, Allah said

﴿ يَوْمَ لَا يَنْفَعُ مَالٌ وَلَا بَنُونَ (88) إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ (89)﴾ [ سورة الشعراء]

The Day when neither wealth nor children will avail, except he who comes to Allah with pure heart.” (Al-Shuara’a 26:88-89)  

Since we cannot judge the hearth of people, we cannot judge their level of Taqwa and we cannot judge the authenticity of their religiosity (تدين).  All we can judge is the person’s deeds and based on it we say “we think he his righteous, but never make the statement with affirmation.  The Prophet (PBUH) said:

خرج البخاري في صحيحه من حديث أبي بكرة رضي الله عنه: قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إن كان أحدكم مادحا لا محالة فليقل أحسب كذا وكذا إن كان يرى أنه كذلك، والله حسيبه ولا يزكي على الله أحدا..”

“If it is necessary for one of you to praise someone knowing that what he is praising that person for to be true, he should say: ‘I believe him to be as such, and Allah is a judge over him, and I do not praise anyone over Allah.”

The same point is emphasized in surat Al-Najm, Allah says:

فَلاَ تُزَكُّوۤاْ أَنفُسَكُمْ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ)  النجم(

“Do not ascribe purity to yourselves. He knows best him has Taqwa.” (Al-Najm 53:32)

It is a command from Allah that while we can acknowledge the good character based on what we observe, we should not ascribe purity of belief or taqwa to ourselves or anyone else because none of us knows what is in the heart; only Allah knows the state of Taqwa of anyone. 

The point of not affirming purity and Taqwa and thus assurance of Allah’s acceptance to anyone can be clearly demonstrated from the account of Umm Al-Ala’aa (أُمُّ الْعَلاءِ الأَنْصَارِيَّةُ) on Uthman bin Maz’oon (عُثْمَانُ بْنُ مَظْعُونٍ).

Uthman bin Maz’oon (عُثْمَانُ بْنُ مَظْعُونٍ) was one of the close companions of the Prophet (PBUH), he was very early in converting to Islam, he led the first migration of Muslim to Ethiopia and he immigrated to Madina.  He was well known among the companions for his devotion by the extent of his night prayers and fasting.  He participated in the battle of Badr and was injured in it.  So, based on this record, he was very righteous man.  When he immigrated to Madina with his wife, he stayed in the house of Umm Al-Ala’aa (أُمُّ الْعَلاءِ الأَنْصَارِيَّةُ). 

It is reported by Imam al-Boukhari and Ahmad that Umm Al-Ala’aa said: when Uthman bin Maz’oon (عُثْمَانُ بْنُ مَظْعُونٍ) died, the Prophet (PBUH) came to my house and I said addressing the dead body:

رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَبَا السَّائِبِ , شَهَادَتِي عَلَيْكَ لَقَدْ أَكْرَمَكَ اللَّهُ ,

“May Allah’s Mercy be on you, O Aba As-Sa’ib (the nickname of Uthman bon Maz’oom), my testimony is that Allah has honored you.”

The Prophet (PBUH) said: ” وَمَا يُدْرِيكِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَكْرَمَهُ ؟ “, ‘How do you know that Allah has honored him?

I said: (لَا أَدْرِي , بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي) ‘I do not know, my beloved and respected.

The Prophet (PBUH) said:

أَمَّا هُوَ , فَقَدْ جَاءَهُ الْيَقِينُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ , وَإِنِّي لَأَرْجُو الْخَيْرَ له , وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي وَأَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَا يُفْعَلُ بِي وَلا بِكُمْ

‘As for him, death has come to him and I wish him all the goodness. But, by Allah, though I am Allah’s messenger, I do not know what will happen to me or to you.’“

Umm Ala’aa (أُمُّ الْعَلاءِ الأَنْصَارِيَّةُ) said: (وَاللَّهِ لَا أُزَكِّي أَحَدًا بَعْدَهُ أَبَدًا) “By Allah, I will never attest the righteousness of anybody after that.”

This statement of the Prophet (PBUH) and the understanding of Umm Ala’aa is consistent with Allah revelation in Surat Al-Ahqaf, Allah says:

قُلۡ مَا كُنتُ بِدۡعً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ وَمَآ أَدۡرِى مَا يُفۡعَلُ بِى وَلَا بِكُمۡ‌ۖ إِنۡ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ وَمَآ أَنَا۟ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬) الأحقاف(.

“Say (O Muhammad): I am not a novelty among the Messengers (of Allah); nor do I claim that I know what shall be done with me or with you.  I only follow what is revealed to me and I am but clear warner.” (Al-Ahqaf 46:9).

Umm Al-Ala’aa (أُمُّ الْعَلاءِ الأَنْصَارِيَّةُ) continued her account of the event by saying:

فَأَحْزَنَنِي ذَلِكَ , فَنِمْتُ فَأُرِيتُ لِعُثْمَانَ عَيْنًا تَجْرِي , فَجِئْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ , فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ ذَلِكَ

 فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ” ذَاكَ عَمَلُهُ ”   )مسند أحمد بن حنبل- أخرجه البخاري(

This saddened me, not knowing that Allah honored Uthman bin Maz’oon (عُثْمَانُ بْنُ مَظْعُونٍ), but when I went to sleep, I saw in my dream, that Uthman has a flowing spring. So, I went to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and mentioned it to him.

He (PBUH) said, ‘That is (the symbol of) his good deeds.’  And this made me so happy”. 

If this is what the Prophet (PBUH) taught Umm Al-Ala’aa regarding one of his greatest companions, how can we really be so definitive of judging anyone that he is a truly man of God and Wali of Allah.

Even when we witness a person doing outstanding deeds, we still cannot be definitive about his status with Allah, we just have to admit that we are not good judges on whom Allah will accept.   Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول:إن أول الناس يُقضى يوم القيامة عليه رجلٌ استشهد فأُتيَ به فعرَّفه نعمَه فعرفها، قال فما عملت فيها؟ قال: قاتلت فيك حتى استشهدت، قال كذبت، ولكنك قاتلت لأن يقال هو جريء، فقد قيل، ثم أمر به فسُحبَ على وجهه حتى ألقي في النار، ورجلٌ تعلَّم العلم وعلَّمه وقرأ القرآن فأتي به فعرَّفه نعمَه فعرفها، قال فما عملت فيها؟ قال: تعلمت العلم وعلمته وقرأت فيك القرآن، قال كذبت، ولكنك تعلمت ليقال عالم وقرأت القرآن ليقال هو قارئ، فقد قيل ثم أمر به فسُحبَ على وجهه حتى ألقي في النار، ورجلٌ وسع الله عليه وأعطاه من أصناف المال فأتي به فعرفه نعمه فعرفها، قال فما عملت فيها؟ قال: ما تركت من سبيل تحب أن ينفق فيها إلا أنفقت فيها لك، قال كذبت، ولكنك فعلت ليقال هو جواد، فقد قيل ثم أمر به فسُحبَ على وجهه ثم ألقي في النار ) رواه مسلم.

The first to be judged on the Day of Judgement will be a man who had died as a martyr. He will be brought forward. Allah will remind him of the favors He had bestowed upon him and the man will acknowledge them. Then Allah will ask him: `What did you do to express gratitude for it?’ The man will reply: `I fought for Your Cause till I was martyred.’

Allah will say: `You have lied. You fought so that people might call you courageous; and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell.  

Next a man who had acquired and imparted knowledge and read the Qur’an will be brought forward, Allah will remind him of the favors He had bestowed upon him and the man will acknowledge them. Then He will ask him: `What did you do to express gratitude for it?’ The man will reply: `I acquired knowledge and taught it, and read the Qur’an for Your sake.’ Allah will say to him: `You have lied. You acquired knowledge so that people might call you a learned (man), and you read the Qur’an so that they might call you a reciter, and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell.  

Next a man whom Allah had made affluent and to whom Allah had given plenty of wealth, will be brought forward, Allah will remind him of the favors He had bestowed upon him and the man will acknowledge them.

Allah will ask him: `What did you do to express gratitude for it?’ The man will reply: `I did not neglect any of the ways You liked wealth to be spend liberally for Your sake’. Allah will say to him: `You have lied. You did it so that people might call you generous, and they have done so.’ Command will then be issued about him and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell. (Saheeh Muslim)

Why this point is important because one of the major causes of the misunderstanding about the religion of Islam, particularly in the west, results from not differentiating between the religion of Islam and the religiosity/practices of the Muslims.   When people judge a Muslim or group of Muslims as being religious, they directly interpret their actions and behaviors as representatives of the teaching of Islam.  This is complete incorrect.

It must be recognized that religion (الدين) of Islam and the religiosity (التدين) of Muslims are two different things. Religion is divine and thus perfect but religiosity is human and thus subjected to human imperfections.

The foundational principles of the Islamic religion are derived from two authentic sources:  The Quran the authentic hadeath (النصوص اليقينية الورود).   But one must not ignore that the texts in these sources have two classifications:

First: Texts that are concise and unambiguous that can only have single interpretation (القطعية الدلالة) and these interpretations are independent of time and place.  These are the texts on which the fundamentals of the religion regarding the belief and rules are based.  These are the texts that represent the religion of Islam for which Allah said:

إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ) آل عمران(

“Indeed, the only religion recognized by Allah is Islam” (Al-Imran 3:19),

Allah also says:

وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ) آل عمران(

And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him” (Al-Imran 3:85)

The second classification is the texts that are ambiguous and thus may have differing interpretation to accommodate the different times and place. (الظنية الدلالة).  However, these differing interpretations should not be source of conflict among Muslims but rather they are intended to accommodate the diversity of the human race. These texts are not part of the fundamentals of the religion but they are there as divine guide for the human race thru the ages.

These two classifications are clearly understood from the following verse from Surat Al-Imran:

It cannot be over emphasized that the religion of Islam is based on the “Muhkamat” the concise and clear verses. Knowing these Muhkamat” the concise and clear verses and becoming so grounded on them is so critical before you even discuss the religion with others who wants to confuse you by focusing on the “mutashabih,” the ambiguous verses. Allah clearly warned us of this point as He said that those whose hearts are deviant will be seeking confusion by trying to interpret them.  You cannot interpret them unless you reference them back to the “Muhkamat” the concise and clear verses.

This point is so critical because many of the Muslim youth get trapped in arguing about the “mutashabih,” the ambiguous verses without being grounded on the “Muhkamat” the concise and clear verses first.  Unfortunately, this leads them to confusion and doubt that may lead some of them to even rejecting the religion all together.

The religiosity of Muslims that is manifested by their practices is influenced by many personal factors such as level of education, cognitive capacity, character, emotion, psychology, personal sense of the divine, culture; and social and economic status.

The variations in religiosity among Muslims also results from the multi-dimensional nature of the religion of Islam that involve beliefs (لاعتقاد), rituals (العبادات), ethics (الأخلاق) and transactions (المعاملات).   People differ with respect to their selective focus on these dimensions and on their level of religious maturity that vary from Islam to Eman to Ihsan (الاسلام والأيمان والإحسان). 

No one should learn the teaching of a religion based on the religiosity of their followers.  What is proper is to assess the religiosity of the followers based on their level of sincerity and application of the teachings of the religion. Religion is intended to provide the constraints around religiosity and not vice versa.  

In Islam, the fundamental in religiosity starts with the innate human attribute (فطره) that Allah created in mankind as Allah says:

(فَأَقِمۡ وَجۡهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفً۬ا‌ۚ فِطۡرَتَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِى فَطَرَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَيۡہَا‌ۚ لَا تَبۡدِيلَ لِخَلۡقِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلۡقَيِّمُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَڪۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ (٣٠)) (الروم : 30)

“So, set your face to the Faith uprightly, this (faith) being the nature designed by Allah on which He has created the mankind. There is no change in Allah’s creation. That is the straight faith, but most of the people do not know.” (Romans: 30:30)

The Prophet (PBUH) said: (ما من مولود إلا يولد على الفطرة، فأبواه يهودانه، أو ينصرانه، أو يمجسانه)

“No one is born except according to intrinsic nature, but their parents make them Jews, or Christians, or Magaians.”

This innate instinct is related to the belief in a creator and the basic moral principles that all normal people will ascribe to.  

The practices of religion, which is religiosity is based on human application of the religion.  Because of the differences in religiosity among people, it can vary between in a scale between the two extremes, on one side is the genuine and proper religiosity and on the other is the negative and deficient religiosity. 

Genuine and proper religiosity results from proper understanding of the religion’s morals and principles that are solely based on the divine revelations. 

Negative and deficient religiosity occurs when the actions of the person do not fall under the quality control of the religion and are not carefully assessed against its revealed values and rules but rather it is greatly influenced by personal conditions and preferences.    

In Islam, genuine/ proper religiosity (التدين الأصيل) of a Muslim is demonstrated by the accurate balance between the spiritual dimension of human existence that is necessary for the purification of man’s soul, and the materialistic dimension of human existence that is necessary for the survival and advancement of man in this life.  In Islam, the spiritual dimension does not eliminate the materialistic dimension but puts constrains around it to nourish it and complete it.  Allah says:

وَكَذَٲلِكَ جَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ أُمَّةً۬ وَسَطً۬ا

“Thus, We have made you, a justly balanced (middle) nation”. (Al-Baqara 2:143)

Allah also says regarding those who achieve balanced state:

وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَنفَقُواْ لَمۡ يُسۡرِفُواْ وَلَمۡ يَقۡتُرُواْ وَڪَانَ بَيۡنَ ذَٲلِكَ قَوَامً۬ا

“And those when they spend, they are neither extravagant nor grudging and are in the middle between the extremes.” (Al-Furqan 25:67) 

Genuine Religiosity (التدين الأصيل) is manifested when the foundations of the religion penetrate the circles of human knowledge, emotion and behavior.  Those who possess genuine religiosity have sufficient religious knowledge and deep religious passion to make their behaviors and cations always consistent with the principles and morals of the religion.  

For those people, religion becomes the central engine that directs all their activities, both the external and the internal.  You will find their outward behavior is congruent with their inward feeling, and their actions are consistent with their words. 

Those people are always devoted to serving others and never seek advantage from their religiosity.  When a person reaches this level of religiosity, he would achieve a high degree of psychological balance that makes him able to meet adversity with patience and satisfaction. If you meet such a person, you will find a person who is in total peace; he is always calm, tolerant, humble, satisfied and at ease.  You will find yourself communicating with him with ease and joy.

On the other hand, Negative religiosity occurs when it does not fall under the quality control of the religion and is not carefully assessed against its revealed values and rules but rather it is influenced by personal conditions and preferences. 

Negative and deficient religiosity occurs when an imbalance occurs between the spiritual and materialistic dimensions.  Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (ابن القيم) said:

(ما أمر الله بأمر إلا وللشيطان فيه نزعتان: إما إلى تفريط وإضاعة، وإما إلى إفراط وغلو، ودين الله وسط بين الجافي عنه والغالي فيه، كالوادي بين الجبلين، والهدى بين الضلالتين، والوسط بين طرفين ذميمين) (مدارج السالكين: 2/496(.

“Whatever there is a command from Allah but Satan influences people regarding it in two ways:  either by negligence and waste, or by excess and hyperbole. But the religion of Allah is balanced between neglect and excess, it is as the valley between two mountains, a guidance between two deviations and as the center between two despicable ends”.

Deficient religiosity can take many forms but there are some common traits of those who practice it, and these traits may include: 

1. Inflating the value of the outward manifestations of religion at the expense on the deep spiritual depth of the religion.
2. Accepting the contradictions between his outward religious appearance and the inward ideas and feelings and the concealed actions.
3. Amplification of oneself and the desire to control the thinking, feelings and behavior of others.
4. Stubborn rejection to the opinion of the others and the inability to engage in substantive discussion.
5. Over emphasis on certain practices of the religion on the expense of others that may even be more important.  As an example, one becomes so dedicated to spending much wealth to perform Umrah while ignoring obligations such as helping the needy.
6. Content with oneself and the tendency to be negative towards others.

When you examine religiosity today among Muslims, you may note several forms that fall short form being truly genuine because they suffer from some form of imbalance.  These forms include:

1. Opportunistic Religiosity (Utilitarian -Benefit based) التدين النفعي (المصلحي)
2. Fanatical Religiosity (Extremism) (التطرف)
3. Intellectual (Knowledge based) Religiosity (التدين المعرفي :الفكري)
4. Emotional Religiosity (enthusiastic) (التدين العاطفي) ( (التدين الحماسي(التدين الوجداني)
5. Ritualistic (Behavioral) Religiosity التدين السلوكي (تدين العبادة)
6. Reactive Religiosity التدين التفاعلي (تدين رد الفعل)
7. Defensive Religiosity (neurotic) التدين الدفاعي
8. Psychotic Religiosity التدين المرضى
9. Mystical Religiosity (التصوف)
10. Opportunistic religiosity (Utilitarian -Benefit based) التدين النفعي (المصلحي) (التدين التظاهري)

This is a deceptive form of religiosity when the person pretends to be serious about his religion but has no commitment to it and his sole purpose is to ensure materialistic gains. The person shows the appearance of commitment to many aspects of religion to reach high political, social and/or financial status.  People who have this type of religiosity exploit the trust they gain and the affection they receive from others to advance their personal objectives.  This type of religiosity is completely prohibited by Allah as He says:

وَلَا تَشۡتَرُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِى ثَمَنً۬ا قَلِيلاً۬. ( المائدة(

“And do not barter My revelations for a little gain”. (Al-Maeda 5:44).

The Prophet (PBUH) also discouraged even taking religious teaching as a full-time profession as He said:

إن الله يحب العبد يتخذ المهنة يستغني بها عن الناس، ويبغض العبد يتعلم العلم يتخذه مهنة

“Allah loves a person to take the profession to make him independent of people and hates the person learns the (religious) knowledge and takes it as profession.

2. Fanatical Religiosity (Extremism) (التطرف)

This religiosity is characterized by the excess in certain aspects of the understanding of the religion beyond the acceptable limits that are sanctioned by religious scholars and in violations to Allah’s and His messengers’ warnings:

﴿ قُلۡ يَـٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغۡلُواْ فِى دِينِڪُمۡ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوٓاْ أَهۡوَآءَ قَوۡمٍ۬ قَدۡ ضَلُّواْ مِن قَبۡلُ وَأَضَلُّواْ ڪَثِيرً۬ا وَضَلُّواْ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ﴾ (المائدة)

“Say: O People of the Book do not exceed the bounds of your religion and do not follow the vain desires of people who went astray before, and who misled many, and strayed from the Right Path.” (Al-Maeda 5:77)

The Prophet (PBUH) said:

(يا أيها الناس إياكم والغلو في الدين، فانه أهلك من قبلكم الغلو في الدين) (رواه أحمد والنسائي وابن ماجه).

“O people, beware of extremism in religion, it is extremism in religion that destroyed those who came before you.”

Allah says:

فَبِمَا رَحۡمَةٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمۡ‌ۖ وَلَوۡ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلۡقَلۡبِ لَٱنفَضُّواْ مِنۡ حَوۡلِكَ‌ۖ فَٱعۡفُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ وَشَاوِرۡهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَمۡرِ‌ۖ

“And it is by the Mercy of Allah that you dealt with them gently, and had you been rude and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from you; so overlook (their faults), and ask (Allah’s) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs.” (Al-Imran 3:159)

The Prophet (PBUH) said:

 ” أكلفوا من الأعمال ما تطيقون ” (البخاري(.

“Demand from yourself only what you can tolerate.”

(إن هذا الدين يسر ولن يشاد الدين أحد إلا غلبه ، فسددوا وقاربوا وابشروا واستعينوا بالغدوة والروحة وشيء من الدلجة ) رواه البخاري

“This religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping during the day and part of the nights.”

Excess in religion can take three forms:

Intellectual extremism (التطرف الفكري):  This makes the person so narrow minded that he cannot accept any idea other than what he already knew.  It is impossible to have an intellectual discussion with such a person to present alternate views.

Emotional extremism (التطرف العاطفي): In this case the person’s passion become totally concentrated on the religious aspects and becomes extremist in the expression of his emotion.

Behavioral Extremism (التطرف السلوكي): Here, the person exaggerates in the performance of the outward religious rites as if the whole purpose of the religion is these outward rituals devoid of spiritual meanings.  The danger of this type of extremism occurs when it extends beyond the person’s own actions and makes him transgress to demand and compel others to follow and behave like him by force, if necessary, which is in contrary to the fundamental teachings of Islam.    Allah warns of the heavy-handed style, and rudeness in dealing with others and prohibits the use of force to achieve the ends.  Rather, Allah demands mercy and gentleness and always thinking good about others.

I’ll finish here and inshallah in future talks we can discuss the other forms of religiosity.

Dua