Second imperative - Security
The second
imperative that is laid down by ayah 103 is, therefore, that all Muslims are
commanded by Allah (SWT) to hold fast to the Divine cord, the Qur’an. The
Arabic verb i’tesam used in this ayah is also very significant. The root of the
verb — ismat means security and protection; and the meaning of the verb i’tesam
is to hold fast to something or somebody for security and safety in the face of
danger or threat. Its real sense comes out clearly when we see a child who, in
all his innocence, clings to his mother, thinking that she can protect him from
all sorts of dangers and odds. Clinging or holding fast to somebody for
security is i’tesam. So Almighty Allah (SWT) enjoins upon the Muslims to hold
fast to the Divine cord — the Holy Qur’an.
The Arabic expression Jamee’an used in the ayah can be interpreted in two ways, and I think both meanings are to be taken here. First, it may mean that all Muslims should jointly hold fast and cling to the Qur’an. Secondly, it may also signify that the whole, and not a few parts, of the Qur’an is to be taken as guide for life. If only some fragmentary injunctions of the Divine writ are put into practice and others are simply ignored, this will be like the attitude of the Israelites who were reproached very strongly by Allah (SWT) in these words:
Do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the other? What else, then, could be the retribution of those among you who do this than they should live in degradation in the present life, and that on the Day of Resurrection they should be sent to the severest chastisement? (Al-Baqarah 2 : 85)
Belief in the Qur’an remains imperfect until the code of life it lays down is accepted in its entirety. It is ironic to see that the majority of Westernized and secularized Muslims take a partial view of Islamic life and do not at all see the need to extend, strengthen, and complete its Qur’anic foundations, with the result that the door to the highest stages of Taqwa and Ihsan are supposed to be open for a judge of court who may give judgments in violation of the Qur’an, for a lawyer who may argue on the basis of laws contrary to the Shari’ah, for the administrator who may manage the affairs of life in accordance with a system based on kufr, for the political leader and his followers who may work for founding and building of life on the social and political principles of the disbelievers in short, for everyone, provided he fashions his outward style of life after a certain pattern and observes a few rituals and ceremonies of worship.
The reason for
the use of the word habl (cord) is that the Qur’an both establishes a bond
between man and God and joins all believers together in the religious
fraternity. To take a firm hold on this cord means that the believers should
attach utmost importance to their religion: this should always be the center of
their concerns; they should continually strive to establish it; and the common
desire to serve it should make them cooperate with each other. As soon as
Muslims turn their attention away from the fundamental teachings of their faith
and lose sight of establishing its ascendancy in life they begin to concern
themselves with matters of secondary importance. And, just as they rent the
communities of the former prophets, enticing people away from their true
objective in life, so schism and dissension are bound to plague their lives. If
Muslims do this they are bound to suffer indignity and disgrace both in this
world and the Next as happened with the followers of the previous prophets. So a true Muslim is only
one whose whole being is permeated with Islam; it is not a mere veneer or
outward show.
to be continued....
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