Faith and power

IN the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds.

Almighty Allah declares in Qur’an 3:2-6: “Allah! There is no god but He the Living the Self-Subsisting Eternal. It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step) in truth the Book confirming what went before it; and He sent down Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this as a guide to mankind and He sent down the Criterion (of judgment between right and wrong). Then those who reject faith in the signs of God will suffer the severest penalty and God is exalted in Might, Lord of Retribution. From God verily nothing is hidden on earth or in the heavens. He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases. There is no god but He the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

One of the ironies in the contemporary world is the expansion of the houses of worship and the resultant progressive expansion of sins, at an increasing rate in the last one to three decades. Perhaps due to economic depression, the places of worship have increased and at the same time the number of worshippers has increased as well. But the sins of hatred, kidnapping, murder, armed robbery, fornication, adultery, stealing and oppression continue to be on the increase.

In fact, profiteering through hoarding, and indeed the decrease in weighing, measure, and scale, for which God Almighty perished the people of Shuaib, are the order of the day (Qur’an 7:85-93; 11:84-95; 26:177-189; 29:36). God says in Qur’an 7:85-91 “To the Madyan people, We sent Shu`aib one of their own brethren: he said: ‘O my people! Worship God; Ye have no other god but Him. Now hath come unto you a clear (sign) from your Lord! Give just measure and weight nor withhold from the people the things that are their due; and do no mischief on the earth after it has been set in order: that will be best for you if ye have faith’.  And squat not on every road breathing threat hindering from the path of God those who believe in Him and seeking in it something crooked; but remember how ye were little and He gave you increase. And hold in your mind’s eye what was the end of those who did mischief. ‘And if there is a party among you who believes in the message with which I have been sent and a party which does not believe hold yourselves in patience until God doth decide between us: for He is the best to decide.” The leaders the arrogant party among his people said: “O Shu`aib! we shall certainly drive thee out of our city (thee) and those who believe with thee: or else ye (thou and they) shall have to return to our ways and religion.” He said: “what! even though we do detest (them)? “We should indeed invent a lie against God if we returned to your ways after God hath rescued us therefrom: nor could we by any manner of means return thereto unless it be as in the Will and plan of God Our Lord. Our Lord can reach out to the utmost recesses of things by His knowledge. In God is our trust. Our Lord! decide thou between us and our people in truth for thou art the best to decide.” The leaders the unbelievers among his people said “if ye follow Shu`aib be sure then ye are ruined!” But the earthquake took them unawares and they lay prostrate in their homes before the morning.”

Worse still, the malady of homosexuality and lesbianism pervade the globe, for which God Almighty perished the people of Lot with the pellets of stones (Qur’an 6:86; 7:80-84; 11:70, 74, 77-83, 89; 15:59-72; 21:74; 22:43; 26:165-166; 27:55; 29:28-29, 32-33; 37:153; 38:13; 50:13; 54:33-39; 66:10).

The Qur’an 7:80-84 says, “We also (sent) Lut: he said to his people: “Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? “For ye practise your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.” And his people gave no answer but this: they said “drive them out of your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!” But We saved him and his family except his wife: she was of those who lagged behind. And We rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): then see what was the end of those who indulged in sin and crime!”

Yet, God Almighty shut down the entire world in 2020, keeping over seven billion people in over 193 countries at home with the unseen disease of coronavirus (COVID19), with 171 million cases, and 3.55 million deaths, the highest deaths recorded in America at over 600,000 deaths; India, 332,000 deaths; Brazil, 463,860 deaths; France, 110,126 deaths and Turkey, 48,000 death (WHO, 2021).

Whereas religion is expected to achieve ultimate peace for us as individuals, group of people and the society at large. Whereas religion is expected to achieve for us true peace with ourselves, fellow human beings, and with our Creator (Qur’an 114:1 – 6). Whereas religion is expected to achieve for us the eradication of sins in the society so that one may have true peace and concord. Whereas religion is expected to ward off evil, fear, vices, hunger, disease, and hatred. Whereas, religion is self-surrender to the dictates of Almighty Allah, and to obey His Commandments in faith, deed, and actions (Qur’an 3:85).

In fact, the Holy prophet Muhammad (SAW) asserts in an authentic Hadith that, “The True flight or Hijrah is the flight from evil; and the real Holy war or Jihad is the warfare against one’s passion.”

In his explanation on the avoidance of sins, the great philosopher and thinker in Islam, Al-Ghazali, states that religion consists of two parts: one, the leaving undone of what is forbidden; and two, the performance of duties, i.e., what is commanded by the Almighty God. Of those the setting aside of what is forbidden is the weightier for the duties or acts of everyone but only the upright is able to set aside the appetites to avoid sins.

Therefore, there is misconception on what religion actually is. There is a misperception about our duties to the Creator. There is total misrepresentation on the value of the religion in the society.

Perhaps the major missing link is the absence of true faith, upon which all human actions are based. Perhaps people’s religious actions are based on some other objectives than true faith in the Almighty. Perhaps people get involved in the work of God for superficial and material things rather than carrying out duties for God’s abundant blessings on the Day of Judgment. Perhaps people get involved in the work of God for self-aggrandisement, public recognition and show-off rather than base such actions on true faith in Almighty God. Perhaps people get involved in the work of God to get monetary power, oratorical power, material power, political power, religious power, leadership power, material power, and knowledge power.

Hence, what is faith? What does it entail? Of what relevance is faith to religion? Of what importance is faith to us to achieve true peace from religious actions and duties? What is the inter-relationship between faith and power? How does faith influence all forms of power? How does power complement faith? Should we single out faith from power?

Faith truly is having a strong belief in that you cannot prove. It is having strong conviction about someone or something which is not based on reason. Faith is about having trust in what you cannot see, hold or feel. It is about having total loyalty to a supernatural being that is invisible. Faith is about sincerity to the dictates of super human being who must have created the heavens, the earth, the moon, the stars, and the intertwine movement of day and night (Q. 36:45).

It is, however, the supposed assumption that all religions believe in the existence of a deity called God. And that all religionists believe that the Almighty should be worshipped and that we should have faith in Him.

May Almighty Allah guide us aright in our unshakeable faith in His oneness and indivisibility as the Director of all Affairs. Ameen.

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