The Measure Of Religious Obligations And Their Benefits

This responsibility for observing religion is of two types: intellectual obligations and legal obligations. We would now discuss these obligations in some detail. The significance of legal (shariah) requisites is not hidden from the people of knowledge. We could simply say that this is an obligation imposed by God. As described earlier, His commands are neither groundless nor ill-intended. Therefore, we have to accept that this decree is for a purpose. Otherwise, it would be a wasteful exercise, which is not possible (for commands) from God. However, its benefits are for His servants, since God was free of any need.

We will now describe a detailed reason in support of shariah impositions, with a view to admonish the forgetful and awaken the wise, so that they would visibly feel their benefits. Religiously decreed obligations (prohibitions and orders) are a gift from God, for they make a distinction between humans and the animals. If the capability of judging between right and wrong were withdrawn from human beings, then there would not be much left to discriminate between the two genera.

If we examine this attitude closely, and find a person engaging in habits that are uninhibited and devoid of principles and rules, then he would be lowering himself below the category of animals. God had declared:

لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا أُولَٰئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ

“... They have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle- nay more misguided: for they are heedless [of warning]” (7:179).

This is because an animal could consume anything to satiate its hunger, irrespective of right or wrong. This would be pardonable due to its lack of thinking capacity. However, if such acts were to be performed by man, then the power of intellect would demand him to be demoted below the rank of animal genus. Man must thank his Lord, for this distinction.

Imam Zayn Al-’Abidin said in the first supplication of Sahifa Kamila: “All praise is for the Lord. If He had decided to keep humans ignorant of the perception of praise and gratitude for Him - despite His gifts and blessings - then they would have used those bounties without admiring (Him), and benefited from the provisions without thanking Him, and if they had done so, then they would have devalued themselves to the ranks of quadrupeds, in accordance with His declaration in the Qur’anic Verse above:

…أُولَٰئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ…

“... They are like cattle- nay more misguided …” (7:179).

Conditions For Religious Obligations

The All-Wise God does not impose His regulations on anyone without consideration. Therefore, when we cast a glance on the rules and regulations He imposed, we would realize the extent of kindness and generosity that He had exercised in our favour:

يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ

“God has desired leniency and not severity for you [in the religion]” (2:185).

This attitude reveals the flexibility and proximity of Islam to nature in a lucid manner. For clarity, there are four types of religious obligations. Some are related to the imposer (mukallif), some for the entrusted (mukallaf), some for the person who are affected by the imposition and some for those who were linked to the imposition itself and the act (taklif).

The conditions for type one are examined below and a summary for the other types of conditions are also presented.

Clearly, imposing regulations on someone who does not exist is a wasteful exercise. So, a mukallaf has to be in existence. He must be an adult and erudite, as ordinary regulations are not applicable for immature and mentally challenged people. He has to be able to understand the nature of the imposition (taklif), which should be explained to him.

The imposition must be practicable and not beyond the strength and capability of the entrusted. Burdening a person beyond his capacity would be injustice, and such an act is against God’s grace and justice. For example, asking a person to create, and in case of failure (which was certain) to punish him for disobedience is irrational. This could not be expected from God. Muslims who believe that God burdens people as He wished, without considering their capacity, represent a distorted view.

Abu Hazeel Motazali, ridiculed such people by saying, “An Asha’iri’s donkey is much more intelligent than Asha’iri, because if you take that donkey on a narrow parting he would jump that gap with minimum persuasion, but if you take him to the bank of a broad river, he will refuse to jump, whatever punishment you can unleash at him, because he understands where a jump is feasible and where it is not”

However, when someone does not understand the difference between ‘capable’ and ‘incapable’, and allows the stacking of burden on someone regardless of his potential ability to endure, they are committed to supporting grave injustice. God said about such individuals:

مَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ

“They have not estimated Allah with the estimation that is due to Him…” (22:74).

لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَاَ

“... They have hearts wherewith they understand not…” (7:179).

The obligation should be for a task, whose performance would yield a reward and abstention would result in punishment. Otherwise, right or wrong could not be distinguished when an obligation is imposed.

The imposition (taklif) should not be for an illegal act. If abandoning of an act is required then that task must not be essential or wajib. Or else, the imposition would not be correct with application of two opposing principles.

This clears the grounds as to when and where an obligation would be applicable. Otherwise, the whole science of creation would appear to be a wasteful exercise. That is why, God said:

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ

“What! did you then think that We had created you in vain and that you shall not be returned to Us?” (23:115).

Or:

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا ذَٰلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا

“And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them in vain. That is the opinion of those who disbelieve” (38:27).

If God had not controlled human forces of anger, hate, jealousy and sexual desire by imposing certain controls on his behaviour; then He would have been accused of neglect and abandonment of responsibilities. However, He is well above such allegations.