Al-Fatiha-is-my-mission-statement

By Syed Ubaidullah Hussainy

In the name of Allah (swt), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Allah (swt), Al-Rahman and Al-Raheem, has revealed the rewards and retributions to mankind in this world and in the hereafter. The rewards include the creation of the earth with its sustainable support system, Islam, Al-Quran, and a prophet [saws] who implemented the spirit of the Quran as his way of life and a guide for us to follow.

He reminds us that He, Allah (swt), is closer to us [mankind], than the jugular vein [Quran, 87:16]. He’s aware of all our actions and intentions even before they happen, and every deed is recorded and rewarded on the day of Judgement.

Description of Mankind in the Holy Quran: Purpose and Nature

We have not created jinns and mankind except to worship me [Quran, 51:56]. In Quran, 21:92-93, He reiterates, Verily this brotherhood of yours is a single brotherhood and I am your Rabb, hence, worship Me Alone.   And He emphatically declares: Today I have perfected your religion for you and I have completed My Favour upon you, and approved Al-Islam as a Deen [way of life for you]. [Quran, 5:3]

But mankind, due to Shaitan’s [Iblis’s] influence and persuasion adopts a different way of life and indulges in wasteful activities, developing an eternal greed for the material world. How often do we take Allah’s advice seriously, even when He reminds us, O mankind, you have been distracted by the rivalry of piling up worldly gains against one another. You will never be satisfied until you get to the grave, [Quran, 102:1-2].

For those misguided people, Allah (swt)warns: Certainly, we have destined many jinns and human beings for hell; those are the ones, who have hearts with which they do not understand; they have eyes with which they do not see; they have ears with which they do not hear. They are like animals – even worse than them, because they are those who are heedless [Quran, 7:179].

The Repentant Spirit of Adam and the Arrogance of Shaitaan

How many of us realise that Adam [as], father of mankind, made only one mistake at the treacherous persuasion of Iblis (Shaitaan) and as soon as he realised his mistake, he repented and requested Allah[swt]’s forgiveness. But Iblis neither repented nor asked for forgiveness; instead, he argued with Allah (swt), enforcing his assumed superiority over Adam (as).

Allah (swt) forewarns us to be aware of Iblis, as Iblis threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty [Quran, 2:268], and He advises, O you, who believe, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient ones. [Quran, 2:153]

Guidance to Mankind Through the Revelations of the Prophets

All the prophets, from Adam [as] to Prophet Muhammad [saws], conveyed only one message— the message of Islam. Indeed, We have revealed to you, O Muhammad, as We revealed to Nuh and the Prophets after him, and We revealed to Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq,Yaqub, the tribes, Isa, Ayyub, Yunus, Harun and Sulaiman, and to Dawood We gave the Zaboor. [Quran, 4:163]

It is our duty to obey Allah, and obey His rasool, and beware [of evil]: if you do turn back, know that our messenger’s duty is to convey His message in the clearest manner. [Quran: 5,92]  And as for our duty, Allah (swt)says: Say [O Muhammad]: ‘Verily I am commanded to worship Allah [Alone] by obeying Him and doing religious deeds sincerely for His sake only.’  [Quran, 39:11] Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam. [Quran, 3:19]

All praises and thanks are to Allah the Rabb of the worlds. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, Master [of] the day [of] judgment. You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.  Guide us to the right path, the path of those You have favoured, not of those who have earned Your wrath, nor of those who have lost the way Ameen. [Quran,1:1-7].

These verses from Surah Al-Fatiha are a kind of mission statement, and the Quran is like a business plan. When we observe closely, the life of our prophet [saws] is the implementation of the plan— in other words, the business plan in action.

In Surah Al-Asr [Quran, 103], Allah (swt) reiterates, Surely, mankind is in loss, except those who believe and good deeds; exhort one another to the truth and exhort one another to patience. Allah (swt) advises us: recite from this Book [the Quran] which has been revealed to you and establishes Salah.  Surely, Salah keeps one, away from shameful and evil deeds; and surely, the remembrance of Allah is the greatest; Indeed Allah knows what you do, [Quran: 29, 45].

(To be continued)

References:

  1. The translation of the Quranic verses in this article is according to the English Translation of the meaning of Al-Qur’an by Mohammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik [1997].
  2.  The indexing system was accessed from the electronic version [Version 4] of the Holy Quran by Shatiry, which provides a comprehensive indexing programme.

 Syed Ubaidullah Hussainy teaches at Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.

 

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