God's total control over all matters and human responsibility for our own deeds, set against chance, luck, and superstition, leading into idolatry, especially idolizing Prophet Muhammad as an intercessor who brings people closer to God. A second article, part 2 of a series on food, urges believers not to waste food or water and to encourage others, with examples from restaurant meals.
Our lives at times can be chaotic and seem
unreasonable. For example a sure plan can easily turn into a disaster.
At other times a simple get-together with family or friends becomes a
feud. Different people can view their lives in their own separate ways.
The majority of people may view their lives as a sequence of coincidences.
These people use words like chance or luck to describe the good or bad
that happens to them. Other people may view their lives as superstitions,
and they go about lengthy procedures to avoid bad happenings.
However, the reader of the Quran has a more apt answer to the way our
lives behave. The Quran strongly states that nothing is coincidental or
superstitious about our lives. The understanding is directly
based on many verses in the Quran which describe
that God is in total control of all creatures in this Universe. Anything
that happens to any of us is ultimately controlled by God Almighty. The
following verse from Sura ‘Amramites’ is one such verse which
depicts God’s control over all things:
To God belongs everything in the heavens and everything
on earth, and all matters are controlled by God. (3:109)
Since God is in total control, it could only mean, firstly, our lives
are not coincidental. Words like chance and luck are void and meaningless.
Secondly, nobody other than God can give us joy or unhappiness, therefore
there is no reason to be superstitious. The following verse from Sura
‘Consultation’
further gives meaning to our lives.
Anything bad that happens to you is a consequence of your
own deeds, and He overlooks many (of your sins). (42:30)
Some people may object to this verse. They might say if God is Most Gracious
and Merciful, and He is also in control, why then does He give unhappiness
to some. Obviously these people are not aware of God’s system.
God indeed is Most Gracious and Merciful, because He created for us all
the nice things which surround us, and provided us with shelter and provisions.
However, we are indeed responsible for our own day to day lives.
Continued on page 2
Idolatry or Submission
Page 2
Cont’d from page 1
For example, if we choose to put our fingers in the fire, then
we are responsible for this deed. The Quran further explains this
concept in Sura ‘Parties.’
We have offered the responsibility (freedom of choice)
to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused
to bear it, and were afraid of it. But the human being accepted
it; he was transgressing, ignorant. (33:72)
This happened before the creation of human on earth when we were
just souls in the heaven. As it suggests, our Most Gracious God
offered us not to be responsible for our own deeds, but we did not
take His advice. Other creatures accepted their submissive role
without being responsible for their actions. Therefore it was the
humans who made a choice to have the freedom of choice and be responsible
for what they did. As we can see, all other creatures are happy
and provided for:
There is not a creature on earth whose provision
is not guaranteed by God. And He knows its course and its final
destiny. All are recorded in a profound record. (11:6)
After establishing the fact that God is in control and we are responsible
for our own deeds, if any of us still thinks that any other entity
beside God can help us, then we are in fact refusing the fact that
God alone is in control. Any person thinking this way practices
idolatry, and he is responsible for this act according to the verse
42:30. At this point it makes sense to understand
the idols and idolatry so that sincere
believers can benefit from this information.
The concept of idol worship by the majority is someone who is praying
to a statue. While this is true, it is just the tip of an iceberg.
Idolatry covers a very wide area. The Quran informs us of different
idols. One of the most subtle and common idols today is the saints
and prophets. You have heard about Jesus being idol worshipped by
Christians, but have you considered the fact that today’s
Muslims can be idolizing Prophet Muhammad? First let us refer to
the verse where God explains that His servants cannot be set up
as idols:
Do those who disbelieve think that they can get away
with setting up My servants as gods beside Me? We have prepared
for the disbelievers Hell as an eternal abode. (18:102)
Before we can prove the fact that idolizing of Muhammad is common
today, let us find out what the prophet would think of us idolizing
him:
Never would a human being whom God blessed with the
scripture and prophethood say to the people, “Idolize me beside
God.” Instead, (he would say), “Devote yourselves absolutely
to your Lord alone,” according to the scripture you preach
and the teachings you learn. Nor would he command you to idolize
the angels and the prophets as lords. Would he exhort you to disbelieve
after becoming submitters? (3:79-80)
It is quite clear from the above verses that Prophet Muhammad would
never ask us to idolize him, and the people who do this are disbelievers
according to these verses. We have to
be honest and ask ourselves: If we think that the prophet can bring
us closer to God, or he can benefit or harm us, then according to
the following verse we will be idolizing him:
Absolutely, the religion shall be devoted to God
alone. Those who set up idols beside Him say, “We idolize
them only to bring us closer to God; for they are in a better position!”
God will judge them regarding their disputes. God does not guide
such liars, disbelievers. (39:3)
If we think that the prophet brings us closer to God when God condemns
this action, and calls the people who do this disbelievers, then
we’d better stop doing this and devote our worship to God.
Indeed, God Almighty does not need the help of Jesus, Muhammad or
anybody to approach Him. He clearly says in the Quran that He is
always near believers.
When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near.
I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond
to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided. (2:186)
Those who believe, and do not pollute their belief
with idol worship, have deserved the perfect security, and they
are truly guided. 6:82
Ijaz Chaudry
Food
Part 2: Don't waste food and discourage others
from wasting
Praise be to God who has filled the
world with abundant provisions. The Earth is designed to feed and
sustain every single creature, and if God wants He can have every
creature eat and enjoy whatever it wishes.
We have studied in the first part how we must advocate feeding
to allow God’s provisions to reach more fellow human beings.
However, though we are free to enjoy God’s provisions, we
have no business wasting any of them.
As much as God loves us, He also tells us that he does not like
the wasters.
He is the One who established gardens, trellised
and untrellised, and palm trees, and crops with different tastes,
and olives, and pomegranate—fruits that are similar, yet dissimilar.
Eat from their fruits, and give the due alms on the day of harvest,
and do not waste anything. He does not love the wasters (6:141).
Wasting anything is a sign of arrogance and being unappreciative.
If there is something you possess or worked for and passed it on
to someone else, you will not tolerate its misuse in any way. If
the person thanks you, you will acknowledge it. But if the person
also makes good use of and does not waste what you have given, you
will see true appreciation. This is the best kind of thanks. It
is the same with God and all His provisions, not just food provisions.
Our Lord has decreed:
“The more you thank Me, the more give you.” But if you
turn unappreciative, then My retribution is severe (14:7).
Maybe it is also a test upon us to see how we will deal with God’s
blessings. Remember, God says that He sends down the provisions
in exact measure. This means there is an adequate amount for everyone
on earth even though it may appear unequally distributed. If we
are guilty of denying someone else his provision by taking more
parts instead of one, then God will surely make us account for it
on the Day of Resurrection. The food a person wastes can be the
relief of hunger for another.
We send down from the sky water, in exact measure,
then we store it in the ground. Certainly, we can let it escape.
With it, we produce for you orchards of date palms, grapes, all
kinds of fruits, and various foods (23:18-19).
We have distributed it among them in exact measure, that they may
take heed. But most people insist upon disbelieving (25:50).
Most believers will not be among those who waste food though they
may slip up once in a while, especially in their use of water which
is very easy to forget about. But this article is not just to remind
believers about their occasional wasting of food. It is also to
remind that we must encourage others not to waste food. I have traveled
a lot by God’s grace. I see people waste food
everywhere including poor countries
where those who can afford to eat well just don’t seem to
realize or care about the provisions they waste. Whereas in prospering
countries, where poverty is less, food is abundant and comparatively
inexpensive, food is wasted flagrantly. For example, in many restaurants
the portions are quite large and salads and breads are either supplemented
free or served as large portions. On top of that, people place multiple
orders “for taste” but waste perhaps 50% of the total
amount of food on the table (two provisions for the requirement
of one).
Sometimes people eat just a mouthful of the salad, mess it up,
and the rest goes straight into a garbage can. I have asked several
of these people why they waste so much food.
Typical reasons are: ‘The portions are so large,” “they
give the salads free” or “I’m paying for it so
how does it matter.” I have never accepted any of these reasons,
though I don’t blame these people entirely. They have never
experienced “want” so they can’t value it. (I
have grown up in a country where poor children lick discarded food
containers out of sheer hunger, not taste!). All the same, that
is no excuse to abuse God’s provisions. If someone doesn’t
have the guidance regarding the bad practice of wasting food, then
we should let them know. God willing, each of us
Continued on page 4
Food
Page 4
Continued from page 3
should strive to do this among the people the best we can. God will keep
showing us how in different ways.
And eat and drink moderately; Surely, He does not love
the gluttons (7:31).
Let me share with you a small way. A while ago I was with business associates
at a restaurant in the US. We discussed food waste issues and the usual
answers featured. The first thing I had to do was actually show them that
I try not to waste food (or water). God commands us to set the best example,
and not to say what we do not do. Next was to point out that this would
be advocated in all scriptures. That goes well with most people who see
you as a supporter of righteousness. Then we talked about how we shouldn’t
be wasting God’s provisions as the same amount of money could be
donated to a poor person instead. After that we discussed if we could
plan our orders to get only what we really needed to eat, yet enjoy the
meal thoroughly. It is possible to order less, “smaller
steak” sizes for example, and everyone
could share one serving of salad. If the salads were free per person,
simply accept only one. What doesn’t need to come to the table doesn’t
get wasted! The same with water. Is it necessary to have your glass refilled
when you don’t intend to drink more than a sip, if at all? MashaAllah,
one of the people told me a few days later that he understood the point
and had stopped wasting food completely. He now orders and eats accordingly.
Imagine everyone doing that! Similar discussions have brought similar
results. I have actually had many people confess to their food waste habits
and God willing they are enjoining others among their friends and families.
Waste is in many ways. Water too. Just look around and you will see how
much. People open taps and don’t use all the water that flows (except
what can’t be helped). So often they leave them half-open. They
don’t care. But as a believer, you have an obligation to honor God’s
provisions to you. Remember, God can reverse the situation on you anytime.
Then you will wish you never wasted food or water!
God doesn’t make us do anything without good reason even if we
don’t understand the benefits. Some are obvious like economic and
social benefits. God has given us the brains to figure such things out.
Brothers and sisters, directly or indirectly if you please God, He will
make it up to you manifold in this life and the Hereafter. And God never
breaks His promise. Let us endeavor to do the best we can to fulfill all
of our Lord’s commandments. God is Bounteous, Most Wise.
Kais Rahimtulla, Mumbai, India
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