Verse:163 Commentary 1. These are the names of the prophets Biblically spelt respectively as follows:

Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, Israel, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, Solomon and David.

Zabur is the name of the Book revealed to David, Biblically known as the Psalms.

If we refer back to Verse يَسْأَلُكَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ (The People of the Book ask you...), it will be noticed that a silly question asked by the Jews was responded to in the mode of reproach. Here, in the present verse, the same question is being proved false in a different manner. It takes up their condition which they place before the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، that is, they would believe in him if he brings before them a Book, all written up, from the heavens. They are being asked to realize that they do not make such demands before believing in the great prophets mentioned in the verse, prophets they too accept. Keeping this in view, it is necessary that they keep to the line of argument they use in favour of these great prophets, that is, they accept them on the basis of their miracles. As for miracles, Sayyidna Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم has his miracles as well, therefore, there is no reason why they cannot step forward and believe in him too. But, the truth of the matter is that the demand they are making is no quest for truth. On the contrary, it is rooted in prejudice and hostility.

Then comes a delineation of the wisdom behind the sending of prophets and an address to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم assuring him that Allah and His angels are witnesses to his prophethood and those who do not believe in him do nothing but ruin their own end. (Bayn a1-Qur'an)

Commentary

Verse 163 begins with the words: إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِن بَعْدِهِ 'Surely, We have revealed to you as We have revealed to Nuh (علیہ السلام) (Noah) and to the prophets after him ...'It tells us clearly that Wahy (revelation) is a command of Allah, unique and inimitable, and His message sent to prophets; and that Almighty Allah sent His Wahy to Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa صلى الله عليه وسلم just as it was sent to the past prophets; and that whoever believed in the Wahy sent to past prophets must believe in this too; and that whoever rejects this becomes so to say, a rejecter of all those revelations.

The reason for striking a similarity between Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) and those who came after him is probably that the Wahy at the time of S:ayyidna Adam (علیہ السلام) was at an initial stage which reached its perfection with the prophethood of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) . It can be said that the first state was an state of educational initiation while by the time of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) that state reached a stage of development under which people could be tested with the incentive of reward for the obedient and the warning of punishment for the disobe-dient. Thus, it was from Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) himself that the chain of great prophets began and it was from his time too that the first punishment descended on those who transgressed against Divine revelation.

In short, punishment would not descend upon people for their hostility against Divine commandments and prophetic teachings. They were considered rather excusable and allowed to learn in due time through good counsel. Once religious education became fully widespread and people were left with no hidden reason to avoid following the dictates of Divine will, punishment did descend upon the disobedient ones. The Great Flood came during the time of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) followed by different kinds of punishment visiting disbelievers during the times of prophets Sayyidna Salih, Sayyidna Shu'ayb and many others, may peace be on them all. Thus, by likening the Wahy which came to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم with the Wahy of Sayyidna Nuh and of those who came after him, full warning has been served on the People of the Book and on the. disbelievers of Makkah that anyone who will not believe in the Wahy (that is, The Qur'an) of the Last of the Prophets صلى الله عليه وسلم will deserve the greatest punishment.

(Exegetical notes of Maulana Shabbir Ahmad ` Usmani)

Before we move to the next verse, it would be useful to keep in mind that the personal presence of Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) whose name appears first in this verse, was a miracle by itself. He was blessed with an age of nine hundred and fifty years. He had lost none of his teeth and had no streaks of white hair on his head and had faced no deficiency in his physical strength - yet, he spent his whole life time braving the pain inflicted by his people on him with matching patience and fortitude. (Mazhari) Verse:164 Commentary In verse 164 which opens with the words: وَرُ‌سُلًا قَدْ قَصَصْنَاهُمْ عَلَيْكَ And, (We have sent down) some Messengers We have already told you about ...', after a brief mention of prophets who appeared after Sayyidna Nuh (علیہ السلام) ، a special citation has been made of the greatest prophets from among them. The purpose is to tell us that they are all prophets and Wahy comes to prophets via different modes. It could be an angel with a message. It could also be a written Book. Sometimes Almighty Allah talks directly to His Messenger. In short, when Wahy comes, no matter in what mode or manner it does, acting in accordance with it becomes obligatory. Therefore, the saying of Jews that they would believe only if there comes to them a written Book like the Torah, otherwise they would not, is to say the least, being short on sense and tall on disbelief.

As reported by Sayyidna Abu Dharr al-Ghifari ؓ ، the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Almighty Allah has sent one hundred and twenty four thousand prophets out of which three hundred and thirteen were Shari` ah-bearing Messengers of Allah. (Qurtubi) Verse:165 Commentary Then comes verse رُّ‌سُلًا مُّبَشِّرِ‌ينَ وَمُنذِرِ‌ينَ (-- Messengers giving good tidings and warning...) which succinctly tells that Almighty Allah consistently sent messengers to convey good tidings to all believers and to warn all disbelievers so that there remains no room for the excuse that they did not know the will of God and His Messengers --had they known about it, they would have certainly followed it! Now, that Almighty Allah has sent messengers with miracles and His messengers have shown the straight path of truth, the option of not accepting the true faith cannot be accepted from anyone, under any pretext or excuse. Such is the nature of Divine Revelation. Wahy is an absolute argument, final, conclusive and disarming. No argument stands operative against it. In fact, all arguments lie surrendered under its weight. And this is the wisdom of Allah and His modus operandi.

It has been narrated by Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ عنہما that a group of Jews came to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم . He said to them: Surely, you do know that I am a true messenger of Ajllah? They refused to accept that whereupon came the following verse (166): لَّـٰكِنِ اللَّـهُ يَشْهَدُ بِمَا أَنزَلَ إِلَيْكَ. 'But Allah bears witness (to your prophethood) through what He has revealed to you ...' The verse addressed to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم declares that Allah is a witness to his prophet-hood through the miraculous Qur'an, a perfect message from out of His Knowledge. The Book has been revealed to him with full realization that he is deserving of it, and the angels too join in the testimony. After the very witnessing of the All-Knowing, All-Aware Allah, there is nothing left to argue about.

The text, after having confirmed the veracity of the glorious Qur'an and the noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم ، turns to those who still deny them, conceal his character traits and circumstantial indicators of his appearance present in the Torah .and, sordidly enough, try to keep others away from the true faith by bringing out before them things which are not there or things .which have .been jumbled together to distort the truth. For such people, there shall be no forgiveness and no guidance either. Thus, it becomes very clear that guidance or the ability to find the straight path depends on following the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and straying away, whatever be its nature, is nothing but hostility towards him. This, then, comprehensively refutes all erroneous ideas of the Jews. Verse:166 Commentary - - - Verse:167 Commentary - - - Verse:168 Commentary - - - Verse:169 Commentary - - - Verse:170 Commentary After answering the objections raised by the Jews and confirming the prophethood of Sayyidna Muhammad al-Mustafa, صلى الله عليه وسلم the Qur'an carries the message of Allah to all human beings wherever they may be as they are its direct addressees this verse. The essence of the message is: Your salvation lies nowhere but in your belief in the prophethood of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم so, believe and prosper.

As for those who choose to disbelieve, they lose everything while Allah loses nothing. With His limitless domain and power, who can conceive of bringing any loss or harm to Him? This is something the disbelievers should worry about. Let them be certain that Allah knows everything about their believing and disbelieving and let not the delay or decrease in punishment in this world put them on the wrong foot for He is All-Wise too and does what His wisdom allows to prevail. Verse:171 Commentary Jews' were the addressees in previous verses which provided details of how astray they had gone. The present verses address the Christians and refute their doctrinal position as related to God and Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) .

Commentary_

The word: كَلِمَتُهُ : Kalimatuh used in this verse tells us that Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is the 'word' of Allah. Commentators have given different meanings of this expression:

1. Imam al-Ghazzali has said that two factors operate in the birth of a child: One is the sperm, the other is the saying of the word کُن or 'be' by Almighty Allah after which the child comes to exist_ Since the first factor is out of question in the case of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) ، therefore, it was by attribution to the second factor that he was called كَلِمَتُهُ اللہ (the word of Allah). It means that he came into existence solely through the word: کُن (be) without the mediacy of material means. In this case, the statement which follows immediately, that is, أَلْقَاهَا إِلَىٰ مَرْ‌يَمَ would mean that Almighty Allah delivered this word to Maryam (علیہا السلام) as a result of which the birth of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) came to be.

2. Some have said that the expression: كَلِمَتُهُ اللہ (the word of Allah) has been used in the sense of: بشارۃ اللہِ (the glad tiding of Allah) and it refers to Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہا السلام) . It will be recalled that the glad tiding of the coming of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) given to Maryam (علیہا السلام) by Almighty Allah through the angels carries the expression: Kalimah or word: إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْ‌يَمُ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُبَشِّرُ‌كِ بِكَلِمَةٍ (When the angels said, "O Maryam, Allah gives you the good news of a word ... 3:45).

3. Some have said that kalimah (word) has been used here in the sense of 'ayah or sign, as it has appeared elsewhere in the same sense: وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَاتِ رَ‌بِّهَا 'She (Maryam) testified to the word of her Lord as true.' (66:12)

Let us now consider the statement: وَرُ‌وحٌ مِّنْهُ (... and a spirit from Him.) in this verse. Worth attention here are two aspects of our probe. Firstly, why has Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) .1s been referred to as ruh or spirit? Secondly, since by saying 'from Him' the spirit has been attributed to Almighty Allah, what, then, would be the sense of such an attribution?

In this connection, several exegetical stances of commentators have.. been reported. Their gist is being given below:

1. Some of them explain it on the basis of lexical usage. They say that, according to the rule of ` urf or recognized customary practice, the word 'ruh'' or 'spirit' is used in the sense of 'essence' to enhance the effect of pristine purity in something. Since the birth of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was totally unrelated to the mediation of any father and he was the outcome of nothing but the will of Allah, in His supreme majesty, and a result of the word: کُن )kun : be), therefore, he was blessed with the most perfect degree of purity. This is the reason why he was called 'a spirit' or 'essence' as admitted by recognized practice. As for the attribution to Allah, it is there to hold him in esteem. This is like attributing Masajid (mosques) to Allah in order to enhance the respect in which they are held. Hence, the expression: Masajidullah or the Mosques of Allah. Or,' the Holy Ka'bah, by attributing it to Allah, is called: Baytullah or the House of Allah. Or, by attributing someone religiously observing and worshipfully obedient to Allah, he is called: ` Abd Allah' or the servant or slave of Allah. Thus, it is in accord with this formulation that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has been referred to in Surah Bani Isra'i1 in the wordings: أَسْرَ‌ىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ (carried His servant) (17:1)

where the attribution to Allah reflects honour given to him.

2. Some commentators have said that the purpose behind the coming of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was that he should infuse spiritual life into the dead hearts of people and make them alive once again (familiar as born-again Christians in the West). Since he was the cause of spiritual life very much like the spirit is the cause of physical life, therefore, it was in this light that he was called a spirit. In fact, this word has been used for the Holy Qur'an as well: وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ رُ‌وحًا مِّنْ أَمْرِ‌نَا (and thus We have revealed to you a spirit of Our Command - 42:52) because the Holy Qur'an too blesses people with spiritual life.

3. Some others have said that ruh (spirit) is also used in the sense of secret. Since Sayyidna ` Isa r - was, because of his unusual birth, a sign and secret of Allah, _therefore, he was called: Ruhullah (the spirit of Allah).

4. Some say that the adjunct is understood here' since the statement was to be read as: ذُو رُوحِ مِنہُ (the possessor of a spirit from Him). However, since all rational beings are equal as the possessors of a spirit, the distinction of Sayyidna 'Isa (علیہ السلام) was made manifest when Almighty Allah turned his attribution towards Himself.

5. According to yet another exegetical view, the word: Ruh has been used in the sense of nafkh or the blowing of breath. Sayyidna Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) . had, as commanded by Allah, blown his breath on the collar of Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) and that became the conception. Since only a blow of breath had caused the birth of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) as a miracle, therefore, he was called: Ruhullah or the spirit of Allah. Another verse of the Holy Qur'an: فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهَا مِن رُّ‌وحِنَا (then, We blew Our spirit in her - 21:91) points out in this direction.

In addition to these, several other probabilities have also been suggested. However, none of these come to mean that Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is a part of Allah or a divine person on the basis of which it could be suggested that this very spirit we are talking about has mani-fested itself in the human form, of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) .

A telling repartee

` A1lamah A1-Alusi, the author of the famous Tafsir Ruh al-Ma'ani has reported an episode from the court of Caliph Harun al-Rashid where a Christian physician entered into a debate against the scholar ` Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Waqidi challenging him that his Book_ (the Qur'an) has a particular word which indicates that Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is a part of Allah. And as a proof, he read out the verse (171) which carries the words: رُ‌وحٌ مِّنْهُ (a spirit from Him). ` Allamah al-Waqidi came up with a rejoinder and recited another verse (45:13) of the Qur'an: وَسَخَّرَ‌ لَكُم مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ جَمِيعًا مِّنْهُ (The meaning of the verse is that everything that there is in the heavens and the earth is from the same Allah where the word - minhu: from Him - serves to attribute everything to Allah) and said: 'If رُ‌وحٌ مِّنْهُ (rulhim-minhu: a spirit from Him) means, as you think, that Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) is a part of Allah, then, the verse I have just recited would mean that everything in the heavens and the earth is also a part of Allah?' Thus, silenced, the Christian physician chose to become a Muslim.

The Qur'an and the doctrine of Trinity

Reflected in the statement of the Qur'an: وَلَا تَقُولُوا ثَلَاثَةٌ (And do not say "Three" ) is the state of the major sects among Christians in which they were divided at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an. The doctrine of Trinity they adhered to was based on three separate principles. One sect maintained that Masih is God and it is God Himself who has appeared in the world in the form of Masih. The second sect believed that Masih is the son of God while the third sect claimed unity in trinity - the father, the son and Mary. Even this group was split in two. The second group said that the Holy Spirit (ruhul-Quds) and not Sayyidah Maryam (Mary) was the third person (hypostasis). So, these people acknowledged Sayyidna Masih (علیہ السلام) as the third of the three. Therefore, all the three sects have been addressed, separately and jointly in the Holy Qur'an whereby the Christians have been clearly told that there is just one truth and that truth is that Masih (علیہ السلام) is a human being born to Maryam (علیہا السلام) and a true Messenger of God. Whatever is said beyond that is all false and ineffectual - whether it be loaded with the excess of under-estimation, as believed by the Jews, viz., God forbid, he was an imposter and fabricator: or, be a case of the excess of over-estimation as believed by the Christians, viz., God forbid, he is God or the son of God or the third of the three.

In many of its verses, the Holy Qur'an has, on the one hand, pointed out to the strayings of the Christians and Jews while, on the other, it has focused brightly on the exalted station of Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) in the sight of Almighty Allah so that the true path of moderation could emerge clearly from out of the mazes of excess and deficiency.

Those interested in detailed information about various aspects of Christian beliefs vis-a-vis the veracity of Islam may wish to study the world-famous book, Izharul-Haqq by Maulana Rahmatullah Kiranawi. This original work in Arabic has been translated and published by Darul-Uloom, Karachi, Pakistan in three volumes with detailed annotations.1

1. An English translation of this work has been recently completed by Maulana Muhammad Wall Raazi, son of Hadrat Mufti Muhammad Shaf ی i (رح) and is presently under the process of publication under the auspices of translator himself.

Towards the end of the verse, it was declared: لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّـهِ وَكِيلًا (To him belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. And Allah is enough to trust in). The drive of the meaning is: When everything has been created by Him, when everything falls under the domain of His mastery and when everyone is a servant of Allah, who and how could anyone become His partner or associate or son? The fact is that Almighty Allah is the dispenser of all our needs and the sole caretaker of everyone's wants - He is universally and perennially sufficient, all by Himself. He needs nobody. How, then, could He need to have a partner or son?

To sum up, we can say that no created being has'. the ability or qualification to become His partner, nor does His most sacred Being have the room or need for it, This much is enough to tell us that suggesting a partner to God or ascribing a son to Him can be accom-plished by none but the one who is deprived of faith and reason both.

Excess in Faith

Let us now go back to the opening statement of the verse: لَا تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ. In this verse, the People of the Book have been asked not to indulge in excess in matters relating to their Faith. Lexically, the Qur'anic word: اَلغُلُو : al-Ghuluww means to cross the limits or trans-gress.. In Ahkam a1-Qur'an, Imam al-Jassas says:

الغلوفی الدین ھو مجاوزۃ حدالحق فیہ

Excess in Faith is crossing the limit set therein.

The People of the Book, that is, the Jews and the Christians were both made addressees of this injunction because excess in Faith is the common factor between them. Both groups have fallen victims to nothing but excess in matters of Faith. The Christians committed excess in believing and honouring Sayyidna 'Isa (علیہ السلام) when they went on to the extreme of taking him to be God or son of God or the third God. As for Jews, they committed excess in disbelieving and rejecting him - not simply that they did not accept him even as a prophet, they were audacious enough to, God forbid, impute a false accusation to his revered mother, Sayyidah Maryam (علیہا السلام) and to cast a slur against her parentage.

Since the disastrous deviation of Jews and Christians in matters of Faith was a common scene of the time, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم specially instructed his community to be very careful about it. According to a report from Sayyidna ` Umar ؓ appearing in the Musnad of Ahmad, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

لا تطرونی کما اطرت النصاری عیسیٰ بن مریم ، فانما انا عبد، فقولوا : عبد اللہ ورسولہ

Do not exaggerate in my praise as was done by Christians in the case of ` Isa son of Maryam . Beware, I am only a servant. So, call me a servant of Allah and fiis messenger. (This narration has also been reported by al-Bukhari and Ibn al-Madini rating it as sound and authentically reported)

In brief, the sense of what he said is: I am one with everyone in being a servant of Allah and a human being. The highest rank I have is that I am a Messenger of Allah. Raising it higher to the limit that you go about taking me as partner in the attributes of Almighty Allah is excess and I do not want you to fall into this excess like the Christians. This excess in Faith practiced by the Jews and Christians did not remain limited to prophets only. Once used to it, they extended this attitude of theirs to the apostles, followers and deputies of the prophets. They had already assigned Godhood to their prophet, now they invested the followers of the prophet with immunity from sin. While doing so, they did not even take the trouble of investigating and making sure if such followers were genuine followers of the prophet and who correctly and firmly adhered to his teachings, or they were no more than hereditary religious scholars and guides. This resulted in the emergence of a leadership which was astray in itself and could do nothing but keep adding to the strayings of others. So, they ruined their Faith by practicing it erroneously from within. The Holy Qur'an has described this very condition of these people in the verse اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَ‌هُمْ وَرُ‌هْبَانَهُمْ أَرْ‌بَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللَّـهِ (that is, these people took their religious leaders as objects of worship, other than Allah). It means that they had already been excessive in making their prophet a God, then they started worshipping later-day religious leaders in the name of following the prophet!

The lesson to be learnt is that excess in Faith is a dangerous attitude which has destroyed the Faiths of earlier religious communities all in the fair name of Faith. So serious were the implications that our noble master devised perfect defences to keep his community safe against this terrible epidemic.

It appears in hadith that the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked Sayyidna 'Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ on the occasion of Hajj that he should go and collect pebbles which he could use to throw at the Jamarat. He returned with average-sized pebbles and presented them to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم who liked them very much and said twice: بِمِثلِھِنِّ بِمِثلِھِنِّ (like these, like these) which means that one should do his or her ramy at Jamarat using average-sized pebbles like these. Then, he said:

اِیَّاکُم وَ الغُلُوَّ فی الدِیّنِ ، فَاِنَّمَا ھَلَکَ مِن قَبلِکُم بالغُلُوِّ فی دِینِھِم

It is your duty to avoid excess in Faith for communities before you were destroyed because of being excessive in their Faith.

Important Rules of Guidance

Some important rules come out from this hadith:

1. The masnun limit placed on pebbles thrown at the Jamarat during the Hajj is that they should be average in size, neither too small nor too big. Throwing big rocks is included under excess in Faith.

2. The legal limit of everything is what the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has left determined by his word and deed. Going beyond this limit is ghuluww, excess in Faith.

3. Precisely defined, excess in Faith is the crossing of the masnun limit set for doing something.

The Limits of Materialism

The greed for worldly wealth and luxury beyond the level of need is considered blameworthy in Islam. Instructions to observe restraint against such urges are profusely spread out in the Qur'an. But, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم while prohibiting attachment to wordly life greedily, has set its proper limits by his word and deed. He declared marriage to be his way and persuaded others to follow his example. He explained the many-faceted blessings of having children. To live nicely and wisely with the family and to fulfill the rights of everyone properly were things he prescribed as obligatory. To work for one's family and earn a good living was what he called an obligation after the obligation (فَرِیضۃ بعد الفریضۃ). He laid stress on people to engage in business, agriculture, industry and labour. The establishment of an Islamic state and government and the promotion of a system governed by Islam was something he declared to be part of the mandate of prophethood. Thus, by acting in accordance with it, he went on to establish a state system throughout the Arabian Peninsula which was later extended to other parts of the world in the East and the West. All this shows that being engaged in these pursuit within the limits of need is not counted as gross love of the material nor as greed and avarice.

The Jews and Christians did not realize the truth of the matter and got themselves involved in monasticism. The Holy Qur'an has refuted this uncalled for involvement of theirs by saying:

وَرَ‌هْبَانِيَّةً ابْتَدَعُوهَا مَا كَتَبْنَاهَا عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ رِ‌ضْوَانِ اللَّـهِ فَمَا رَ‌عَوْهَا حَقَّ رِ‌عَايَتِهَا

It means that they took to ways of monasticism which were not prescribed for them by Allah except that they were to seek the pleasure of Allah Then, they failed to fulfill the conditions of what they had themselves imposed. (57:27)

The Limits of Sunnah and Bid'ah

By his word and deed, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has, in every-thing such as religious acts of worship and social transactions and dealings, demarcated the limits of moderation. Any deviation from these limits, whether it be in falling behind or in pushing ahead of them, is forbidden for it leads a believer astray from the right path. It was for this reason that he has very emphatically blocked the incursion of bid` at: بِدعَات (self-promoted innovations in established religion) and muhdathat: مُحَدِّثات (the embracing of everything appearing recent and novel in a given time as if a part of established religion which, in our time, are introduced under the fancy garbs of recension and modernity). Let us, therefore, remember what he said:

کُلُّ بِدعَۃِ ضَلَالَۃُ ، وَکُلُّ ضَلَالَۃِ فی النَّارِ

"Every Bid'ah is straying and every straying ends in Jahannam."

The word Bid'ah used in the hadith refers to everything (assumed to be a part of religion) which is not there in the word and deed of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clearly or through hint. Hadrat Shah Waliyyullah has said that Islam condemns Bid'ah as a serious offence because it opens the doors to alteration in religion. This is what happened with earlier religious communities. They added up things on their own to what their Book said and their prophet taught. Then came another generation, and the generations that followed, each adding its share to the original. Finally, everything got to mixed up that it became impossible to identify the true religion as distinct from the additions introduced by its adherents.

In his famous book, Hujjatullah al-Balighah, he has also given details of circumstances under which efforts have been made all over the world to inject alterations in the religion of Islam. He has also pointed out to the concern shown by the Shari' ah of Islam which has installed defensive mechanisms on all such doors of incursion so that there remains no single outlet through which this disease could hit the Muslim community in epidemic proportions.

The Moderate Course in honouring and following religious leaders

One such cause referred to above is the practice of excess in Faith (غُلُو فی الدین ). Two factors distinctly contribute to the emergence of this attitude: Firstly, the desire to undertake deep investigations unnecessarily or to be involved in far-fetched interpretations; and secondly, the choice of a hardened stance. It is a matter of great regret that, despite so much elaborations made by the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and active restrictions placed by the Shari'ah of Islam, the Muslim community is suffering fatally from this very disease of excess. Its fallout can be distinctly noticed in all departments of our Faith. Out of these, the field most affected is that of religious leaders where the question is: Whom to follow?

Stretching between two extremes, a group of Muslims has gone far out by holding that there is no such thing as a religious leader or teacher or ` A1im or Shaykh. They would say: 'The Book of Allah is sufficient for us. If they understand the Book of Allah so do we ھُم رجالُ و نَحنُ رِجالُ - They are men, so are we.' The result was that every ambitious pseudo-intellectual - unlettered in Arabic and uninitiated into the facts of and insights into the Qur'an and unfamiliar with the exegetical clarifications given by the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم - considered it sufficient to look at translations of the - Qur'an and be hoisted as a scholar of the Qur'an! How can a tafsir or explanation of the Qur'an which has been authentically reported from the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم or from his direct disciples, the noble Companions ؓ ، be ever ignored or bypassed? But, such is the breed of these dabblers in the discipline that they would dismiss anything in favour of their brain wave and still have the temerity to tie it with the Qur'an. Although, had a book without a teacher been enough, Almighty Allah had the power to snake written copies of the book become available for people at their homes - there was, then, no need to send a prophet to teach. A little reflection would reveal that this is not something peculiar to the Book of Allah. No one can, by simply looking at the translation of any book in the arts and sciences, become an expert in those fields. We have yet to find a physician who became a physician through a familiarity with translations of medical books. No engineer became an engineer by browsing through engineering texts. Even the study of common books on sewing and cooking has not made anyone succeed as a master tailor or chef. So, the truth lies elsewhere - the system needs the elements of teaching and learning under a teacher. This is all too established for everyone. But, it is indeed sad to see that the Qur'an and Sunnah alone, of all things around us, have been taken so casually as not to need any teacher. Thus, a fairly large group of educated people drifted down in the direction of serious deficiency when they took the lone study of the Qur'an as all sufficient and totally dispensed of with the need to consult the exegesis and interpretation of early scholars, and to be guided by them.

On the other side of the extreme, a large group of Muslims got involved in a kind of excess which goaded them to take just about anyone as their religious guide almost blindly, and blindly it was that they started following them. They never took the trouble of finding out whether or not the person they were taking as guide came up to the standard of high intellectual achievement, corresponding personal behaviour, concern for the good of people and the genuine sense of responsibility before Allah. They did not even care to apply a much simpler test by looking at the kind of teaching such a person was imparting and making sure that it was not against the Qur'an and Sunnah.

The Ideal Solution

The Shari'ah of Islam has wisely shielded Muslims from falling into the trap of excess. The middle course in between the two extremes it has suggested is: Learn the Book of Allah (Kitabullah) from the Men of Allah (Rijalullah) and recognize the Men of Allah from the Book of Allah. In other words, one should first recognize those who are engaged in learning and communicating the true knowledge of the Qur'an and Sunnah through the all too well-known teachings of these twin sources of Islamic Faith. Once this is settled, no intricate problem relating to Qur'an and Sunnah will ever bother you - if you give precedence to their explanation above your own opinion, and follow them.