The Three Levels of Our Religious Duties: An Analogy of a Building

The Three Levels of Our Religious Duties: An Analogy of a Building.

In order to understand the true nature of our religious obligations, it will be helpful to use the analogy of a building with three floors. With the help of this analogy, the duties that are particular to men will be explained first. Then, the duties that are equally applicable to women and men and duties with disparities between the two genders will be pointed out.

As mentioned, the building comprises of three floors, standing on four pillars. On the ground floor all you can see are the pillars, as there are no walls, but of course there is the foundation beneath the pillars that supports them. Higher floors are dependent on the floors below them. In that respect, top floor is the highest but not the most important part of the building. Most important part is the foundation, while the pillars become the second most important, for they carry the weight of whole the structure. If the foundation or the pillars are weak, the whole structure would collapse. It is important to note that on the second and third floors, the pillars, hidden behind walls, though still present, become invisible.

The building accurately represents our religious obligations. The foundation of this building is Faith (Iman), on which depends the strength of the structure. If the foundation is deep and firmly entrenched in the ground, the above lying structure will be unshakable. On the other hand, if the foundation itself is weak and unstable, the building can come crashing down any moment.

The pillars are the four obligatory forms of worship: Salah, Saum, Zakah, and Hajj (The obligatory daily prayers, Fasting during the month of Ramadan, Annual obligatory charity, Pilgrimage to Makkah). In the Holy Qur'an, Salah is always preceded by Zakah, however, in the building, Salah is placed adjacent to Saum as both forms of worship are obligatory for all Muslims. Whereas Zakah and Hajj are binding upon only those Muslims who possess physical and financial capacity to perform them.

The roof of the first level can be referred to as Islam, Ita’a, Taqwa, and 'Ibadah (‘Submission', 'resignation' and 'surrender' , 'Obedience' , Being conscious of Allah (SWT) , 'Slavery' to Allah (SWT)). The basic demand conveyed through these four terms is for the individual to submit and surrender wholeheartedly to the commands of Allah (SWT) and His messenger (SAW), becoming in the truest sense of the word, an 'Abd' - 'slave', thereby fulfilling the very purpose of her creation. As Allah (SWT) says:

"I created the 'jinn' and humankind only that they might worship Me." [Al-Qur’an 51:56]

When this submission, obedience, and piety reaches its climax, Islam becomes lhsan -- the level of consciousness characterized by the feeling that one is in constant presence of Allah (SWT). This is the ground floor of the edifice we are describing.

At the second level, the person invites others towards the message of Islam, striving to the best of his ability to spread and propagate (Tableegh & Da’wah) it. He enjoins good and forbids evil (Amr bil Maroof wa Nahi ‘Anil Munkar) and performs the sublime duty of being witness-bearer against mankind (Shahadah ‘Al an-Naas) so that on the Day of Judgment mankind would not be able to proclaim their ignorance regarding the message of Islam.

The third floor of the building is representative of the establishment of the just social, economic and political system of lslam (Iqamah Al Deen). Terms such as Islamic Revolution and Takbeer ar-Rabb (To glorify and proclaim the greatness of Allah (SWT)) are employed at this level. The goal is to implement Islam in its totality so that the Word of Allah (SWT) reigns supreme as stated in a Hadith:

"So that the word of AlIah becomes supreme.” [Bukhari, Muslim]

The intended objective is that the "Word of Allah" becomes the law of the land taking precedence over everything else until the whole social structure including the parliament and judiciary are subordinate to it. To work towards this end by utilizing all of one's material and mental resources, to live for this cause and be ready to die for it, is what constitutes the third and the highest level of our religious responsibilities.

Source: Religious Obligations of Muslim Women (A Book by Dr Israr Ahmad)

To be Continued...