Sharia Legislations and Rituals
Published in June 16, 2018
Translated by: Ahmed Fathy
Firstly: sharia legislations:
1- The Divine, Celestial Religion is One; it is summarized in piety attained by acts of worship and obeying God's commands: "He prescribed for you the same religion He enjoined upon Noah, and what We inspired to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham, and Moses, and Jesus: "You shall uphold the religion, and be not divided therein." As for the polytheists, what you call them to is outrageous to them. God chooses to Himself whom He wills, and He guides to Himself whoever repents." (42:13). This verse addresses all Quran-believing people in all eras; God has given us the essentials of His Religion given to previous prophets (Noah and those who came after him), and the main legislations include to apply God's Religion in practices and deeds without religious divisions; of course, polytheists are too arrogant to adhere to 42:13 and they reject the Divine Scriptures as their imams/clergymen prohibit the legal items and allow the prohibited items; polytheists deify such imams/clergymen/authors; this case applies to the Muhammadans, past and present, and the misguided ones among the People of the Book: "Or is it that they have partners who legislate for them religious laws never authorized by God? Were it not for the conclusive decision, it would have been settled between them. The unjust ones will have a painful torment." (42:21).
2- We red these verses about the difference between the Quranic sharia legislations and previous legislations in the Scriptures given to the People of the Book: "We gave the Israelites the Book, and wisdom, and prophecy; and We provided them with the good things; and We gave them advantage over all other people. And We gave them precise laws. They fell into dispute only after knowledge came to them, out of mutual rivalry. Your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection regarding the things they differed about." (45:16-17); directly after this Quranic context, God has said the following to Muhammad: "Then We set you upon a sharia of faith, so follow it, and do not follow the inclinations of those who do not know." (45:18).
3- God says the following about the Torah: "We have revealed the Torah, wherein is guidance and light. The prophets who submitted to God ruled the Jews according to it, so did the rabbis and the scholars, as they were required to preserve God's Book, and were witnesses to it..." (5:44). Jesus received the Gospel from the Lord God and it endorses the Torah: " In their footsteps, We sent Jesus son of Mary, fulfilling the Torah that preceded him; and We gave him the Gospel, wherein is guidance and light, and confirming the Torah that preceded him, and guidance and counsel for the righteous ones. So let the people of the Gospel rule according to what God revealed in it. Those who do not rule according to what God revealed are the sinners." (5:46-47). Yet, the Gospel contains sharia laws that differ slightly from those of the Torah; some prohibitions are made as permissible: ""And verifying what exists before me inside the Torah, and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. I have come to you with a sign from your Lord; so fear God, and obey me."" (3:50).
4- The sins of the Jews were (1) violating sharia legislations of the Lord God regarding legal and illegal food items, and (2) violating His Right to be the Only Legislator in His Religion (the same sins have been perpetrated by the Muhammadans and their imams later on). Hence, God has punished those Jews by imposing such prohibitions within food items: "For the Jews We forbade everything with claws. As of cattle and sheep: We forbade them their fat, except what adheres to their backs, or the entrails, or what is mixed with bone. This is how We penalized them for their inequity. We are indeed Truthful." (6:146). This has changed in the Gospel as per this verse: ""And verifying what exists before me inside the Torah, and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. I have come to you with a sign from your Lord; so fear God, and obey me."" (3:50). Monasticism was not part of the sharia legislations of the Gospel; it is an invention, and when God imposed it on Christians, they never observed it within piety in the right manner: "Then We sent in their wake Our messengers, and followed up with Jesus son of Mary, and We gave him the Gospel, and instilled in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy. But as for the monasticism which they invented - We did not ordain it for them - only to seek God’s approval. But they did not observe it with its due observance. So We gave those of them who believed their reward, but many of them are sinful." (56:27).
5- God has prohibited the Jews from working in the Sabbath (i.e., on Saturdays) and He tested them; some of the pious ones among them preached and warned the sinful violators of the Sabbath; God saved the pious ones and punished the violators: "Ask them about the town by the sea, when they violated the Sabbath. When they observed the Sabbath, their fish would come to them abundantly. But when they violated the Sabbath, their fish would not come to them. Thus We tried them because they disobeyed. And when a group of them said, "Why do you counsel a people whom God will annihilate, or punish with a severe punishment?" They said, "As an excuse to your Lord, and so that they may become righteous." Then, when they neglected what they were reminded of, We saved those who prohibited evil, and We seized those who did wrong with a terrible punishment, because of their sinfulness." (7:163-165).
6- God has said the following to Muhammad about the differences between the Quranic sharia legislations and those sharia legislations of the Torah; all nations must race and vie for performing as many good deeds as possible within piety: "And We revealed to you the Book, with Truth, confirming the Scripture that preceded it, and superseding it. So judge between them according to what God revealed, and do not follow their desires if they differ from the Truth that has come to you. For each of you We have assigned a law and a method. Had God willed, He could have made you a single nation, but He tests you through what He has given you. So compete in righteousness. To God is your return, all of you; then He will inform you of what you had disputed." (5:48).
7- Chief among these differences is to allow killers to pay Diyya money for the folks/family of the killed victim instead of retribution (i.e., being put to death for murder), while retribution in cases of wounds is the same: "And We wrote for them in it: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and an equal wound for a wound; but whoever forgoes it in charity, it will serve as atonement for him. Those who do not rule according to what God revealed are the unjust ones." (5:45); this verse is about Torah and the Jews; whereas this verse is about the Quranic sharia legislations within the same topic: "O you who believe! Retaliation for the murdered is ordained upon you: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the female for the female. But if he is forgiven by his kin, then grant any reasonable demand, and pay with good will. This is a concession from your Lord, and a mercy. But whoever commits aggression after that, a painful torment awaits him. There is life for you in retaliation, O people of understanding, so that you may observe piety." (2:178-179).
Secondly: rituals:
The Quranic term (rituals) refers to (1) the differences within how pilgrimage is performed inside Mecca at the Sacred Kaaba Mosque throughout the eras, and (2) the differences in some sharia laws/legislations given by God to different nations via His prophets/messengers within His Scriptures; we provide some details in the points below.
1- Pilgrimage to the Kaaba is part of the religion of Abraham; it is ordained by God even before the era of Abraham; the Kaaba existed before since the existence of humanity on earth, since the era of Noah, and people are commanded in all eras to perform pilgrimage there at the Ancient House: "The first house established for the humankind is the one at Bacca; blessed, and guidance for all people." (3:96); "....Then let them...circle around the Ancient House." (22:29). God has made this house for all human beings to visit and worship at within safety and security: "And We made the House a focal point for the people, and a sanctuary. Use the shrine of Abraham as a place of prayer. And We commissioned Abraham and Ishmael, "Sanctify My House for those who circle around it, and those who seclude themselves in it, and those who kneel and prostrate."" (2:125); "In it are evident signs; the Station of Abraham. Whoever enters it attains security. Pilgrimage to the House is a duty to God for all who can make the journey. But as for those who refuse-God is Independent of the worlds." (3:97). This Ancient House pertains to our Lord God; no mortals has the right to assume ownership of the Kaaba; it is to be visited by peaceful worshipers equally; those who harbor a wish to sin and disobey the Lord there at the Kaaba Sacred Mosque (especially by repelling people away from it) will be punished severely by God: "As for those who disbelieve and repel from God's path and from the Sacred Mosque - which We have designated for all mankind equally, whether residing therein or passing through - and seek to commit sacrilege therein - We will make him taste of a painful torment." (22:25).
2- God has showed Abraham the position of the Ancient House and to rebuild it and to remove pagan idols/statues from around it to purify its location and then to proclaim to all people the religious duty of performing pilgrimage to it: "We showed Abraham the location of the House: "Do not associate anything with Me; and purify My House for those who circle around, and those who stand to pray, and those who kneel and prostrate." And announce the pilgrimage to humanity. They will come to you on foot, and on every transport. They will come from every distant point." (22:26-27); "As Abraham raises the foundations of the House, together with Ishmael, "Our Lord, accept it from us, You are the Hearer, the Knower. Our Lord, and make us submitters to You, and from our descendants a community of submitters to You. And show us our rites, and accept our repentance. You are the Acceptor of Repentance, the Merciful." (2:127-128).
3- Because pilgrimage rituals and legislations are as old as the existence of humanity, since Noah's era, there are differences in them from one era to the other; God says the following about sharia given to Abraham: "That they may witness the benefits for themselves, and celebrate the name of God during the appointed days, for providing them with the animal livestock. So eat from it, and feed the unfortunate poor. Then let them perform their acts of cleansing, and fulfill their vows, and circle around the Ancient House. All that. Whoever venerates the sanctities of God-it is good for him with his Lord. All livestock are permitted to you, except what is recited to you. So stay away from the abomination of idols, and stay away from perjury. Being true to God, without associating anything with Him. Whoever associates anything with God - it is as though he has fallen from the sky, and is snatched by the birds, or is swept away by the wind to a distant abyss. So it is. Whoever venerates the rituals of God - it is from the piety of the hearts. In them are benefits for you until a certain time. Then their place is by the Ancient House." (22:28-33).
4- Rituals here are linked to offering sacrificial animals as part of pilgrimage: "We have appointed a rite for every nation, that they may commemorate God's name over the livestock He has provided for them. Your God is One God, so to Him submit, and announce good news to the humble." (22:34).
5- This is about the rituals of pilgrimage: "When you have completed your rites, remember God as you remember your parents, or even more..." (2:200).
6- This is about the differences in some rituals: "For every congregation We have appointed acts of devotion, which they observe. So do not let them dispute with you in this matter. And invite to your Lord; you are upon a straight guidance." (22:67).