5: 3)
Dīn before Allah is Islam (complete submission to His Will).
(Āl ʿImrān 3: 19)
If anyone desires Dīn other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual goods).
(Āl ʿImrān 3: 85)
However, no one is forced to accept Islam against his wishes. Human beings have the freedom to choose their own way of life:
There is no compulsion in Dīn.
(al-Baqarah 2: 256)
To you be your Dīn and to me mine.
(al-Kāfirūn 109: 6)
The implication of this verse is that there cannot be any compromise between my and your religion.
Analysis
DĪN AS A WAY OF LIFE
In Islamic terminology, al-Dīn is that way of life in which Allah is recognised as the Sovereign, the Master and the Lord to whom human beings should surrender, submit, abase and humble themselves. He should be accepted as the Lord of Reward and Punishment in the Ākhirah.
Islam is the name of this Dīn. This is the only Dīn that is acceptable to Allah as the verses quoted above from Sūrah Āl ʿImrān clearly proclaim. Thus, three obligations stand out from the various meanings of al-Dīn:
a.to acknowledge Allah as the Lord, the Master and the Ruler;
b.to obey and serve only Him;
c.to be accountable to Him, to fear only His Punishment and to seek only His Pleasure.
Within the meaning of Dīn, the obedience to Allah’s Messengers is implied. For Allah’s commandments are conveyed to human beings through His Books revealed to His Messengers. Thus, when the repentance of Ādam and Ḥawwā’ (peace be upon them) was accepted and they were sent down on Earth as a Khalīfah (vicegerent), Allah commanded them:
Get you down all from here and, if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from Me, whosoever follows My guidance, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
(al-Baqarah 2: 38)
The same message is reiterated to human beings in Sūrah al-Aʿrāf:
O you Children of Ādam! Whenever there come to you Messengers from amongst you, rehearsing My Signs unto you – those who are righteous and mend (their lives) – on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve.
(al-Aʿrāf 7: 35)
Allah has given human beings the freedom of choice either to accept His Guidance or to reject it. This is unlike Allah’s other creations, who instinctively obey Him:
Do they seek other than the Dīn of Allah? – while all creatures in the heavens and on earth have willingly or unwillingly bowed to His Will (accepted Islam), and to Him shall they all be brought back.
(Āl ʿImrān 3: 83)
DĪN: THE UNIVERSAL WAY OF LIFE FROM THE BEGINNING UNTIL ETERNITY
Dīn has remained the same for human beings throughout history. All Messengers of Allah from Ādam (peace be upon him) to Muḥammad (peace be upon him) conveyed the same Message: “So fear Allah and obey me.” This verse is repeated several times in Sūrah al-Shuʿarā’ (26: 108). This was the message of all Messengers. However, detailed laws and regulations (Sharīʿah) changed as the human race went through the different stages of its history.
THE MEANING OF SHARĪʿAH
Sharīʿah literally means a way or a path and more specifically the way to a watering place. In Islamic terminology, it means that after accepting Allah’s Dīn, the way to be followed, as shown by the Guidance from Him and His Messenger, is the Sharīʿah. This is the Path and the Guidance for humankind for its success and salvation in this world and in the Hereafter.
To each among you have We prescribed a Way (Sharīʿah) and an Open Way.
(al-Mā’idah 5: 48)
Then, We put you on the (right) Way (Sharīʿah): so follow you that (Way) and follow not the desires of those who know not.
(al-Jāthiyah 45: 18)
Thus, Sharīʿah is the Divinely ordained system or code of conduct to guide mankind straight to the Path of Peace in this world and to bliss in the Hereafter. The affairs of this world are viewed by the Lawgiver in the light of the interest of the other world – a better one and everlasting. This is the difference between divine law and human laws that are concerned with the interests of this world alone.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DĪN AND SHARĪʿAH
The key difference is that while Dīn always was, has been and still is one and the same, many Sharīʿahs were revealed. Some were subsequently replaced or altered but there was no change in the Dīn. All Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them all) presented the same Dīn but their Sharīʿah varied to some extent. For example, the prescribed ways of performing prayers and observing fasts were different under the Sharīʿah of earlier Prophets. The rules of cleanliness and codes of marriage, divorce and inheritance were also different. Thus, Dīn remained the same throughout whilst the precise details of following it have differed.
References
Dīn: 1: 3; 2: 132; 3: 19; 12: 76; 61: 9. Sharīʿah: 5: 48; 42: 13 and 21; 45: 18.
Duʿā’ [
Meaning
The word Duʿā’ is derived from Daʿā which means to call or to summon. In many verses of the Qur’ān the word Daʿā is used in its dictionary meaning (Fuṣṣilat 41: 33; al-Anfāl 8: 24). However, Duʿā’ (pl. Adʿiyah) means invocation of Allah, supplication, request and plea to Him.
Analysis
The Qur’ān has explained the attributes and character as well as adab (manners) of making duʿā’ in a number of places: “Call on your Lord with humility and in private for Allah loves not who trespass beyond bounds. Do no mischief on the earth after it has been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing (in your hearts). For the mercy of Allah is (always) near to those who do good” (al-Aʿrāf 7: 55–56). In Sūrah al-Isrā’ it is said: “Neither speak your prayer aloud nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between” (17: 110).
Duʿā’ is the embodiment of one’s humility before his Lord. One reposes one’s trust and hopes in divine help and mercy, and in this situation of complete submission and surrender, whatever words come from one’s heart is duʿā’. When this duʿā’ is accompanied by ʿamal ṣāliḥ (testifying good deeds according to duʿā’) and is expressed with utter helplessness and humility it is expected to be responded to by Allah’s mercy and forgiveness. On the contrary, making duʿā’ casually and as a ritual without real commitment is of no avail.
The Duʿā’ occupies a pivotal position in Islam, as duʿā’ in fact is a form of ʿibādah (worship). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “al-Duʿā’ is really al-ʿibādah” and in another ḥadīth he said: “al-Duʿā’ is the essence of al-ʿibādah” (Tirmidhī). Muslims are required to make duʿā’ only to Allah and to seek His help and call upon Him. Most of the rites performed in all our ʿibādah consists of duʿā’. Believers should always