Documents of the Right Word

8- “If the performance of the duty enjoined by Allah was
predestined in the eternal past, such an injunction would be
unbecoming, nonsensical and unreasonable. It would be a useless
injunction to propose a duty which is absolutely inevitable. On the
other hand, it would be torture to enjoin the performance of a duty
which has not been predestined in the eternal past. It would mean
to imply, ‘Do the impossible!’ ”
Answer: Since man has the power to carry out the duty, it
would not be torture to command it. All Allâhu ta’âlâ’s
commandments are within man’s ability. Our answer to this
question concerning the commandments will be the same as the
answer given to the question asked about Allâhu ta’âlâ’s creating.
That is, it cannot be said that Allâhu ta’âlâ has to create something
which has been predestined in the eternal past. Nor can it be said
that He is incapable of creating something which has not been
predestined.
9- “Injunctions that are difficult for the body will deter man
from considering and realizing Allah’s existence. And it will not
leave time for doing many other things.”
Answer: The benefits in the injunctions induce meditation and
an understanding of Allâhu ta’âlâ’s existence and regulation of
life. We have explained this in detail in the answer to the seventh
quotation above. [1] – 354 –
[1] It is essential in îmân to accept the commandments, that is, to believe
that it is necessary to do the commands and to abstain from the
prohibitions. One who believes most of the commandments but
disbelieves only one of them and does not want to obey it will have
disbelieved Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm). He will become an
unbeliever. Being a Muslim requires believing in all the
commandments. If a Muslim, though he believes the commandments,
disobeys them, e.g. does not perform salât out of laziness, or, following
his bad friend or nafs, has alcoholic drinks, or, in case of a woman or
girl, goes out with her arms and /or head uncovered, he or she does not
lose their îmân or become an unbeliever. A person of this sort is a
sinful, disobedient Muslim. If he does not want to obey even one of the
commandments, that is, if he disapproves it, does not esteem it as a duty
or slights it, he loses his îmân and becomes a murtadd (renegade). Such
statements as, “What if I do not perform salât and go out with a bare
head? Living and doing favours to people have precedence over salât”
mean to approve some of the commandments and disapprove others.
Every Muslim must pay attention to this subtle point, and those who
disobey the commandments must be vigilant lest they should lose their
îmân. Neglecting the commandments is different from wishing not to
obey them. These two should not be confused!