The impact of grading in spreading Islam and the establishment of Islamic values
The complete legislations were revealed when the land was fertile, hearts were open, and desires were responding to the commands of Allah (Glory be to Him) where inculcating has been completed and bases were laid, so the believers did not wait until the commands and rulings were revealed, so they hastened to ask:
What is the ruling on such and such?
What should we do in such and such?
What are the commands of our lord (Glory be to Him)?
Allah says: “They ask you (O Muhammad peace be upon him) about the new moons.”
[Surat Al Baqarah: 189]. And Allah says: “They ask you (O Muhammad peace be upon him) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling.” [Surat Al Baqarah: 219] among other Ayahs.
When heavy ordinances and commands were revealed, the Companions did not say: “We have listened and disobeyed” but they said: “We have listened and obeyed” as was said in Allah’s Saying: “The Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers.” [Surat Al Baqarah: 285].
Al Qurtuby (may Allah be merciful with him) mentioned that the reason of revealing the previous Ayah: “To Allâh belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and whether you disclose what is in your ownselves or conceal it, Allâh will call you to account for it.” [Surat Al Baqarah: 284] is: When Allah revealed that Ayah to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), it became hard to the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), so they came to him and knelt down before him and said: O Messenger of Allah, we have been burdened by actions which we could endure such as : Salah, fasting, Jihad, and charity, but Allah revealed to you this Ayah which we cannot endure. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Do you want to say as the People of the Two Scriptures (the Jews and the Christians) said? They said: We have listened and disobeyed. Say: We have listened and obeyed, we seek Your Forgiveness, O our lord, and to You we shall return. Thereupon, they said: We have listened and obeyed, we seek Your Forgiveness, O our Lord, and to You we shall return. When the people recited it, the people submitted to the command of their Lord, so Allah revealed: “The Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers.” [Surat Al Baqarah: 285].[1]
Al Qurtuby (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: When the command was established and they said: We have listened and obeyed, Allah praised them by this Ayah and removed the hardship from them, and that was the fruit of obedience.[2]
The impact of grading in imposing the acts of worship:
1- Salah is the first act of worship that was ordained because of the importance of controlling life and imprinting the spirit of the group, union, and harmony among Muslims. Furthermore, it is the bodily act of worship which does not burden a Muslim with effort or money, and it is one of the apparent rites of Islam. When Salah was ordained, Muslims offered Salah in congregation without discussion and did not object, but responded and used to perform it keenly. So, Salah was a joy of the eye to every Muslim, a comfort, and peace to the mind and soul, as it is expiation to sins, and renewal to faith. Moreover, ordaining it gradually had a great effect in obtaining these fruits and only hypocrites delay Salah.
2: Zakah (poor-due) and Hajj:
The one who believes in Allah (Glory be to Him) and his heart is filled by the love of Allah, his love to Allah and his Messenger have become more than his love to his money and children, and the proof to this love is giving because money belongs to Allah and servants are entrusted with this money which should be spent for the sake of Allah (may He be Exalted) and the service of Islam and Muslims. Zakah is a financial act of worship and Hajj was a financial and bodily act of worship.
Hajj was ordained in two phases:
A- Performing it properly when having the intention as Allah (Glory be to Him) said: “And perform properly (i.e. all the ceremonies according to the ways of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him).” [Surat Al Baqarah: 196].
B- Obligatory imposition as Allah (may He be Exalted) said: “And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka`bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allâh, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence).” [Surat Al `Imran: 97]. So, grading had a great impact in response and application.
3- Imposition of Jihad:
There were wars and fights among Arabs not for the sake of religion but for fanaticism, so Islam came to free oneself from the fanaticism of ignorance then tame, control, and direct it to the proper channels as Allah ordained. Therefore, when Muslims were tried in their religion and wanted to rebel aggression and defend themselves, they were commanded to forgive, remit, forebear, and observe patience. That happened in Makkah where they were weak then the Qur’an was revealed to prepare souls for the next stage as Allah says: “Permission to fight (against disbelievers) is given to those (believers) who are fought against, because they have been wronged; and surely, Allâh is Able to give them (believers) victory * Those who have been expelled from their homes unjustly only because they said: “Our Lord is Allâh.” For had it not been that Allâh checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the Name of Allâh is mentioned much would surely have been pulled down. Verily, Allâh will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allâh is All-Strong, All-Mighty.” [Surat Al Hajj: 39 – 40], so that stage was a psychological preparation to accept the command of fighting.
Then came the second stage which is warding off aggression as said in Allah’s Saying: “And fight in the Way of Allah those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors. [This Verse is the first one that was revealed in connection with Jihad, but it was supplemented by another (V. 9:36)].” [Surat Al Baqarah: 190].
Then the last stage came to impose Jihad and start the stage of invasion, opening countries for Islam, and spreading it all over the Arabian Peninsula and outside. Muslims put Islam before their eyes as it was the most important case in their lives because the matter was not just responding to commands and charges, but their love to Allah and His Messenger was greater in their hearts. Therefore, they bore the cause of religion as a way of life, for which they lived and for its sake they raised the words of Allah high.
As for the impact of grading in prohibiting matters:
I mentioned in the prohibition of Alcohol that it passed by stages of forbiddance according to the conditions of people. Islam came while people were drinking alcohol, and the Qur’an was being sent down to them without prohibiting them to stop because hearts must be prepared. Alcohol has power over minds, therefore the power of religion must be more powerful than the power of religion then the final stage was the psychological preparation and the stage of narrowing the way before Muslims concerning alcohol until prohibition has become obligatory and final. So, when Allah (Glory be to Him) said to them: “So, will you not then abstain?” [Surat Al Ma’idah: 91], Muslims said: We have ceased, O our Lord.[3]
As for the impact of grading in accepting legislations, `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us: “(Be informed) that the first thing that was revealed thereof was a Surah from Al Mufassal, and in it was mentioned Paradise and the Fire. When the people embraced Islam, the Verses regarding legal and illegal things were revealed. If the first thing to be revealed was: ‘Do not drink alcoholic drinks.’ people would have said: ‘We will never leave alcoholic drinks,’ and if there had been revealed, ‘Do not commit illegal sexual intercourse, ‘they would have said: ‘We will never give up illegal sexual intercourse.'”[4]
Mr. Muhammad Abu Al Futuh Al Bayanuny said: “The methodology of the Qur’an was starting in detailing the matters of creed then explaining the Shari`ah rulings thereafter until Allah’s Saying was revealed: “This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion, so fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [Surat Al Ma’idah: 3]. The religion has been completed and the blessing was perfected by revealing down the rulings of the Qur’an and grading methodology which was revealed with it. If the Qur’an has been revealed in one push, the matter of religion would have become difficult for people. This is a very eloquent lesson to callers to Allah to grade their methodology and help people apply them.”[5]
I conclude my words by the wisdom behind grading:
Building a high construction from bricks or stones may take one or more years, but rearing men who are capable of carrying the trust of religion, changing ideas, and correcting beliefs need long years, continuous work, and sincere efforts to the Lord of the Worlds, therefore we need grading, for it is the natural law of the universe.
This precise universe from above and from around us was not found suddenly; and man did not reach power and peek in days or moments, but the matter came according to the grading methodology.
Of the wisdoms of grading in the field of calling to Allah are the following:
1- Grading facilitates the acceptance of calling to Allah:
Al Bukhari (may Allah be merciful with him) reported on the authority of Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to take care of us in preaching by selecting a suitable time, so that we might not get bored. (He abstained from pestering us with sermons and knowledge all the time).”
Ibn Hajar (may Allah be merciful with him) said: The Hadith shows the kindness of the Prophet (peace be upon him) with his Companions and his good communication with them in education and understanding so as to accept his instructions actively without getting bored and as to be followed because teaching by the method of grading is lighter and more steady.[6]
Grading is a method of facilitation which Allah used with His Servants, for He knows their natural dispositions and weakness. Allah (Glory be to Him) said: “Allâh wishes to lighten (the burden) for you; and man was created weak (cannot be patient to leave sexual intercourse with woman).” [Surat An-Nisa’: 28]. Allah (Glory be to Him) said: “Allâh intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you.” [Surat Al Baqarah: 185].
Islamic Shari`ah is based on facilitation and removal of hardship and difficulty, as it is a mercy to humans. Allah (Glory be to Him) said: “He has chosen you (to convey His Message of Islâmic Monotheism to mankind by inviting them to His religion of Islâm), and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship.” [Surat Al Hajj: 78].
2- Grading helps preparation and precision:
There is no call or a group on earth intends to spread an idea, a doctrine, or a creed among people or intends to establish a political or social system but it needs a large number of people and needs to pave the environment in which it will instill its ideas. Likewise, they have to rear men who are able to bear the burdens of this call until it grows and becomes firm.
All these fruits do not take place but after grading for several years. That was the status of the Islamic State which the Prophet (peace be upon him) established and that was the status of the call which was implanted and benefitted the people worldwide. So, grading is a method of precision and perfection, and without which men would not have been prepared.
3- Grading is the cure of reluctance:
It is not hidden that burdening people of many ordinances cannot be endured, and the one who calls to Allah cannot ask the people to follow all ordinances at one time because only few people shall respond to this call because the nature of people do not accept all ordinances at once.[7]
So, grading is the cure for fixing wild souls, as it is the method for accepting the call, and enduring the ordinances without boring, so the wisdom requires grading.
[1] Tafsir Al Qurtuby (Al Jami` Li Ahkam Al Qur’an), vol. 2, p. 1235.
[2]Ibid.
[3] Mafatih Al Ghayb, vol. 6, P. 130.
[4] Fathul-Bary, book of the virtues of the Qur’an, chapter on the composition of the Qur’an, vol. 9, p. 31.
[5] Entry to the knowledge of the call, P. 237.
[6] Fathul-Bary, the book of knowledge, vol. 1, P. 132.
[7] From the book of the nation: Bases of the Da`wah address in deliverance and application of Mr. `Abdullah Az-Zubayr `Abdur-Rahman, edition 56, 1417 AH, P. 120.