This week we are going to begin a short series of
articles about one of the traditional sayings of Prophet Muhammad, may the
mercy and blessings of God be upon him. In the second part we will focus on
the great need humankind has for God, while, acknowledging that God has no need
for us, our prayers or our remembrance of Him. He is All Powerful, All
Mighty. However before we can understand this infallible truth we must be
clear about the sources of knowledge in Islam and understand them. This
understanding means we are able to discuss immense and important topics in a
comprehensive way. Knowledge in Islam is derived from the Quran and from the
authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad, known as the Sunnah.
The Quran sometimes called the Holy Quran or the Noble
Quran is the divine scripture or sacred text of the religion of Islam. Muslims
believe it is the literal word of God as revealed to God’s final messenger,
Muhammad. This web site contains several articles about the Quran for those
who would like more in-depth information. The Sunnah refers to three things;
the actions, statements and tacit approvals of Prophet Muhammad.. It is
derived from the oral traditions, known as hadith.
Amongst all the thousands of hadith, are some that
belong in a special category. They are known as Hadith Qudsi. They are
sayings that Prophet Muhammad attributes to God. They are God’s message to
humankind but in the words of Prophet Muhammad. There are more than 100 Hadith
Qudsi and they usually deal with spiritual or ethical subjects. One of the
most beautiful and comprehensive of the hadith Qudsi is the following saying. Transmitted
to us from God to Prophet Muhammad and then down through the generations by an
authentic and reliable chain of narrators.
“‘O My slaves,
I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you,
so do not oppress one another. O My slaves, all of you are astray except for
those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you. O My slaves,
all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I
shall feed you. O My slaves, all of you are naked except for those I have
clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. O My slaves, you sin by
night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall
forgive you. O My slaves, you will not harm Me nor will you benefit Me. O My slaves,
were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you
to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not
increase My kingdom in anything. O My slaves, were the first of you and the
last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most
wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in
anything. O My slaves, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of
you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and
were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have,
any more than a needle decreases the sea if put into it. O My slaves, it is but
your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him who
finds good praise Allah and let him who finds other than that blame no one but
himself.'”[1]
God emphasizes justice, and Islam condemns and prohibits
all forms of injustice and oppression. God, the Almighty, is the Most Just; it
is from Him that all justice emanates. God has made oppression unlawful for
Himself and His promise is true: many verses in Quran testify to this.
“Your Lord is not unjust at all to His slaves.” (Quran 41:46)
“And God wills no injustice to the world.” (Quran 3:108)
“Surely God wrongs not even of the weight of an atom.” (Quran
4:40)
God has also made oppression of any kind unlawful for
humankind. Islam tells us that there are three kinds of oppression or
injustice. The first is injustice towards God that is associating partners
with Him. The second is injustice towards ourselves, that is committing sins
and the third is being unjust towards others (humankind or other creatures). Islam
is more than a religion it is a code of practice. Following Islam means that
the rights bestowed on humankind by God are respected and upheld. Islam seeks
justice for all creatures, great, and small.
“We sent Our Messengers with clear signs and sent down with
them the Book and the Measure in order to establish justice among the people…”
(Quran 57:25)
In this Hadith Qudsi God begins by stressing the
importance of justice. He condemns oppression and makes it quite clear that
oppression is not from the tenants of Islam nor is it tolerated by the
believers. However, He does not stop there, He then goes on to say that all of
humankind are misguided except for those whom He (God) has chosen to guide. He
asks that whenever we seek guidance we seek it from Him, for it can be obtained
from no other place.
Without guidance, we are lost, continually searching for
solace. It is God’s most precious gift. Knowing this and understanding the
concepts of justice and forgiveness inherent in Islam enriches and completes
us. Knowing that our purpose is to worship God liberates us. Guidance enables
a person to accept and be grateful for the blessings that God bestows every
second of every day. Humankind depends on God; God however has no need for
humankind. This comprehensive hadith gives us a clear understanding of our
need for God. Next week we will discuss this topic and learn that nothing
happens except by the permission of God.
Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Muslim, Ibn Majah At Tirmidhi