The Qur’anic Law of Guidance

Epigraph

“Allah increases in guidance those who seek guidance.” Qur’an, 19:76

“Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not use reason.” Qur’an, 8:22

“As for those who strive in Our cause, We shall surely guide them to Our ways.” Qur’an, 29:69

What Is Guidance?

Guidance means feeling comfortable with God’s scheme for this life, as revealed in His message, and being inclined to live accordingly.

Why Is It Important?

True guidance is the most valuable blessing a human being can possibly have. While all other worldly blessings are temporary, guidance is the only blessing whose benefits will last forever.

Moreover, the worldly blessings we possess are not necessarily given to us because we deserve them. They are different manifestations of God’s trial for us in this life. Whether it is wealth, intelligence, fame, contacts, health, or beauty, each of these blessings is only partly, if at all, the result of our own efforts.

However, guidance is the one blessing that God has decided to grant on the basis of merit, because its effects will be experienced for eternity.

How Is It Decided?

The important question is: How does God decide whether a person is to be guided or not? Before answering this question, let us examine a common misconception regarding guidance.

Many Muslims believe that guidance is not necessarily based on merit. Instead, they regard it as a special privilege that God exercises as He chooses, seemingly at random. The Qur’an, for instance, says:

“We have not sent any messenger except that he speaks the language of his own people, so that he could explain to them clearly. Then God misguides whom He wills and guides whom He pleases.” (14:4)

However, a more careful reading of the Qur’an suggests that there is a definite law governing God’s decision to guide some people and misguide others. To understand this law, we need to appreciate certain features of the trial we are undergoing in this life.

Features of Worldly Life and the Law of Guidance

i. Freedom

For this life to serve as a trial, God has given human beings the freedom to choose. It is this freedom that makes us accountable to Him. The greater our freedom, the greater our accountability. Had we been operating mechanically, like robots, without any freedom of choice, we would not have been accountable to God at all.

Human freedom enables us to choose, from among the possibilities available to us, the course of action we prefer.

It was the angels’ understanding of the freedom human beings would possess that caused them concern about God’s plan to create humankind. The Qur’an mentions:

“(Remind them of the occasion) when your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am planning to create an independent agent on earth (khalifah).’ They said: ‘Will You place there one who will make mischief and shed blood while we sing Your praises and glorify Your name?’ He said: ‘I know what you know not.’” (2:30)

When the angels realised that the khalifah God intended to create would be free to act as he wished, they expressed concern that the choices human beings might make could lead to serious problems.

ii. Appreciation of Right and Wrong

The Qur’an tells us that, alongside freedom of choice, God has also made the distinction between the right path and the wrong one clear to us.

“Then We guided him to the (right) way: it is his choice either to be grateful or be ungrateful.” (76:3)

In other words, although human beings are free to choose between the right and wrong paths, they are not entirely unaware of the distinction between them.

The same point is reiterated in another passage:

“By the soul and the proportion and order given to it; then He inspired it to understand what is right from what is wrong.” (91:7–8)

These verses clarify that the ability to distinguish right from wrong is part of God’s design. The freedom given to human beings is primarily intended to test which path they choose to follow.

In yet another passage, the Qur’an refers to human conscience as the reproaching, or self-critical, soul. This is presented as evidence of the accountability that awaits human beings in the next life:

“I bear witness to the reproaching soul (to the certainty of resurrection).” (75:2)

iii. The Wrong Path Made Attractive

Alongside freedom of choice and the ability to distinguish good from evil, there is another aspect of the trial of life: evil can also be attractive.

The Qur’an says:

“We have made that which is on earth a glittering show for it in order that we may test them as to which of them are best in conduct.” (18:7)

In other words, the attraction of worldly things can make the trial of life difficult.

In another passage, the Qur’an explains that this temptation becomes more difficult because the benefits of wrongdoing are often immediate, whereas the rewards of doing good are deferred until the Hereafter:

“No! But you love the immediate (al-‘Ajilah) and neglect the Hereafter (al-Akhirah).” (75:20)

Nevertheless, when a person does wrong, he knows what he is doing, even if he offers excuses to justify his actions:

“Nay, man is evidence against himself, though he puts forth excuses.” (75:14–15)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:

“The (Hell) Fire is covered with temptations and passions, and Paradise is covered with difficulties.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) is quoted in the Bible as saying:

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Gospel of Matthew 7:13–14)

iv. Taysir and Imhal

The Qur’an tells us that, for the trial of this life to be possible, God has decided to allow both good and evil to be practised without unnecessary hindrance. He facilitates the way of righteousness (taysir) while allowing evil to be practised without immediate restraint (imhal).

The Qur’an says:

“So for him who gives in charity, is careful, and testifies to goodness, We shall facilitate the easy way for him (taysir). As for him who does not give, is carefree, and rejects goodness, We shall facilitate the hard way for him (imhal).” (92:5–10)

v. Degeneration

Another aspect of the trial of life is that, although the human conscience protests when a person does something wrong, its ability to do so gradually weakens when its warnings are repeatedly ignored.

When a person tells a lie for the first time, for instance, his conscience may condemn him strongly. However, if he ignores that warning and continues to lie, his conscience may continue to protest, but with diminishing intensity.

This process continues until the person reaches a point where his conscience no longer protests meaningfully against his wrongdoing. In this way, the human conscience can cease to function effectively when its warnings are constantly ignored.

It is those whose consciences have become deadened who, according to the Qur’an, find it difficult to accept God’s revelation, because that revelation appeals to the purity of human nature.

The Book of God speaks of corrupt traders who used to cheat people in their dealings:

“Woe to the defrauders, who, when they take measure from people, take it in full, but when they give by measure or weight to them, cause loss. Do they not think they will be resurrected?” (83:1–4)

A few verses later, the Qur’an explains that when God’s revelations are recited to such people, they fail to recognise them as coming from God—not because the revelations lack convincing arguments, but because their hearts have become incapable of being influenced by them.

“When Our revelations are recited to them, they say: ‘These are the tales of the ancient peoples.’ Of course not! In fact, what they have been doing has rusted their hearts.” (83:13–14)

It is concerning such people that the Qur’an says God does not guide them because they have become deaf, dumb, and blind:

“God has sealed their hearts and their hearing, their eyes are covered, and there is a grievous punishment for them.” (2:7)

“(They are) deaf, dumb, and blind; they will never return to the right way.” (2:18)

There is a converse aspect to this process as well. If a person remains sincerely committed to righteousness, God enables him to avoid the disgrace of becoming entangled in evil.

The Qur’an tells us that Joseph (Yusuf, peace be upon him) was rescued by God from a difficult situation because of his moral integrity:

“And (with passion) did she desire him and he would have desired her, had he not seen the evidence of his Lord. Thus (did We order) that We turn away from him (all) evil and shameful deeds. For he was one of Our servants, sincere and purified.” (12:24)

The principle that emerges is that if a person strives to preserve the goodness of his God-given nature, God grants him further guidance through His divine revelation (wahy). Conversely, if a person neglects his good nature and persistently contaminates it through wrongdoing, his inner nature becomes corrupted, making him less capable of appreciating the light of God’s message.

The Qur’an explains this principle as follows:

“Whomever God wills to guide, He opens his chest to Islam; and whomever He intends to misguide, He makes his chest narrow and squeezes it so tight that he feels, at the very idea of Islam, as if his soul is going to climb up towards the sky. That is how God places uncleanness on those who do not want to believe.” (6:125)

vi. The Use of Intellect Is the Prime Condition for Receiving Allah’s Guidance

The Qur’an says:

“Had your Lord willed, all the people of the earth would have professed faith. Then, will you force people to become believers? [Fully understand that] without God’s permission it is not possible for anyone to profess faith [in a prophet]. [This permission is granted to those only who use their intellect.] And God casts the filth of misguidance on those who do not use their intellect.” (10:100)

It further says:

“Surely before God the worst of animals are those that are deaf and dumb, who do not use [their] intellect.” (8:22)

The Qur’an also asks:

“So, do they not reflect on the Qur’an, or are their hearts bolted?” (47:27)

Another passage describes the regret of those who will be cast into Hell:

“When they are cast into it, they shall hear it roaring and it shall be seething. It will seem as if it is bursting with rage. Every time a multitude is cast into it, its keepers will ask: ‘Did no warner come to you?’ ‘Yes, a warner did certainly come to us,’ they will reply, ‘but we rejected him and said: “God has not sent down anything. You people are only in grave error.”’ And they will say: ‘If only we had listened or used our intellect, we would not have been among these dwellers of Hell today.’ In this way, they will confess their sin; so, now cursed be these companions of Hell.’” (67:7–11)

vii. Only God Guides

The Qur’an clearly states that only God grants guidance:

“O Prophet, you cannot give guidance to whom you wish; it is God who gives guidance to whom He pleases, and He is quite aware of those who deserve guidance.” (28:56)

viii. Bad Deeds (Munkaraat)

An important point emerges from the preceding discussion: morally bad deeds (munkaraat) should not be avoided merely because they may have serious consequences for a person’s accountability in the Hereafter. They should also be avoided because indulging in them can corrupt one’s good nature and thereby diminish one’s capacity to receive guidance.

The Qur’an therefore uses the expression “he wronged his soul” when referring to people who knowingly commit sins.

Any evil act committed knowingly and not repented for after its wrongfulness has been recognised is a munkar. Such an act is liable to leave a stain on the heart.

Some of the prominent evils to avoid are polytheism (shirk), murder, extramarital sex, obscenity, injustice, arrogance, lying, backbiting, deceiving others, making fun of others, causing harm to others, entertaining negative suspicions or thoughts about others, and resorting to black magic, among others.

ix. A Relevant Qur’anic Passage

In light of the foregoing explanation of the law of guidance, the following passage—and many others like it—should now be easier to understand:

“This is a reminder: whosoever wills, let him take a (straight) path to his Lord. But you cannot will except as God wills; for God is full of knowledge and wisdom. He will admit to His mercy whom He wills; as for the wrongdoers, for them He has prepared a grievous penalty.” (76:29–31)

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Aamir Yazdani
MPhil (Islamic Thought & Civilization), Pakistan
MSc (Irrigation Engineering), UK

 

God’s Algorithm: Which Direction Is Your Life Taking?

 Reading time: 5–6 minutes 

 “And he who turns away from the remembrance of the Most Merciful, We appoint for him a devil, and he becomes his companion.” The Qur’an, 43:36

 What is an algorithm?

 In the modern digital world, an algorithm can be understood, in a sense, as a reflection of our behaviour. When I watch Instagram Reels, YouTube videos, or TikTok content, the platform observes what I watch, what I engage with, and what holds my attention. Based on this behaviour, it begins presenting me with more of the same.

 If I repeatedly watch a particular kind of material, similar material starts appearing before me. My behaviour influences what the algorithm brings into my field of vision.

 That is the familiar algorithm of the digital world. But I would like to place before you another algorithm—the algorithm of God. The Divine Algorithm. The Qur’an says:

 “And he who turns away from the remembrance of the Most Merciful, We appoint for him a devil, and he becomes his companion.” The Qur’an, 43:36

 The verse presents a profound principle. A person’s direction begins with his relationship with the remembrance of Allah. When a person turns away from Allah, a consequence follows: a devil becomes his companion.

 But what does this companion do? The very next verse explains:

 “And they prevent them from the way of Allah, while they think that they are rightly guided.”  The Qur’an, 43:37

 There can hardly be a greater form of confusion than this: a person is moving in a particular direction while sincerely believing that he is moving in the right direction—when, in reality, he is moving away from guidance. He may think: “This is wonderful. I am doing the right thing.”

 Yet the Qur’an tells us that Satan can become his companion and prevent him from the way of Allah while he remains convinced that he is rightly guided.

 That is the real danger. The greatest danger is not necessarily knowing that one is on the wrong path. The greater danger is being on the wrong path and believing that it is the right one.

 The Tragedy of Realisation

 The Qur’an then takes us to the Day of Judgment. When such a person finally confronts the reality of his companion, he will say:

 “Would that the distance of both borders of the East was between you and me! So, what an evil companion would he be!” The Qur’an, 43:38

 What a tragic realisation. Throughout his life, the person believed that he was moving in the right direction. He trusted the influences surrounding him. He followed what appeared attractive, convincing, or even religiously meaningful. But ultimately, he discovers that the very companion who appeared to be guiding him had actually been preventing him from the path of Allah.

 There Is Another Side to the Algorithm

 But there is a converse to this. What happens if I turn towards Allah? What happens if I genuinely want to know the truth? What happens if I make the Qur’an the central object of my search?

 Then the direction of my life can change.

 If I genuinely seek Allah and truth, I begin to encounter different influences. I seek different people. I listen to different voices. I ask different questions. I become receptive to different kinds of knowledge.

 In today’s world, there are no prophets among us. Where does a person seeking truth turn? There are righteous and sincere people among whom one can sit, listen, learn and reflect. But there is one essential point: The foundation has to be the Qur’an. If you want to reach Allah, the Qur’an must remain central to that journey.

 Other sources may be studied, but they should not be allowed to replace the Qur’an as the ultimate criterion by which truth is examined.

 The Qur’an as the Criterion

 We have inherited a vast body of religious literature. We have the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel, and—after the Qur’an—the books of Hadith. We can read and study all of them. Indeed, there is value in understanding the religious history and literature that surrounds the Qur’anic message.

 But the Qur’an must remain the criterion. It provides the standard by which claims are examined and understood. It helps us distinguish what accords with divine guidance from what does not.

 Therefore, become a student of the Qur’an. Do not merely read it occasionally. Engage with it. Reflect upon it. Ask what it is saying, why it is saying it, and how its message applies to the direction of your own life.

 What Happens When We Close the Qur’an?

 Consider the opposite situation. I close the Qur’an and begin searching everywhere else for Allah. I look here. I look there. I search through personalities, traditions, cultural practices, inherited ideas and countless other sources, hoping to discover the path to God.

 Even if I encounter something valuable, I have to ask: What is the criterion by which I determine that it is true? If I have abandoned the Qur’an as my criterion, I have already placed myself in a vulnerable position.

 The danger is that, while believing I am searching for Allah, I may actually be moving away from Him. That is precisely the warning contained in these verses: a person can be prevented from the way of Allah while believing that he is rightly guided.

 Which Algorithm Are You Feeding?

 Every day, our choices are shaping the direction of our lives. What do we watch?

What do we listen to? Whose voices do we repeatedly hear? What ideas do we allow to occupy our minds? What do we regard as truth? What do we seek when we are looking for guidance?

 The digital algorithms respond to our behaviour by giving us more of what we have chosen to consume. The Qur’an presents a far more consequential reality: our orientation towards or away from Allah has consequences for the influences that shape our journey.

 So let us consciously seek God’s positive algorithm. Let the Qur’an influence what we seek. Let it influence what we listen to. Let it influence what we believe. Let it become the criterion through which we examine the world around us. And, ultimately, let it help determine the direction in which our lives are going.

 The question, therefore, is not merely: “What am I watching?” It is: “Which direction is my life taking?”

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Aamir Yazdani
MPhil (Islamic Thought & Civilization), Pakistan
MSc (Irrigation Engineering), UK

 

The Case of Dogs

Epigraph:

Qur’an (5:3): “They ask you what is lawful for them. Say: All pure things are lawful to you as well as the hunting animals* you have taught to hunt, training them from the knowledge God has taught you, [the animal hunted by them is also allowed.] So, eat of what they catch for you and [before you let loose the animal to catch the prey,] pronounce upon it the name of God. And remain fearful of God. Indeed, swift is God in taking account.”

*[It refers to animals trained for hunting regardless of whether they are beasts or birds.]

Qur’an (18:18): “[Had you seen them,] you would have thought that they are awake even though they were asleep. We had continued to turn them on their right and left, and their dog sat at the cave entrance with hands outstretched. Had you caught their glimpse, you would have turned and fled and you would have been awe-struck by them.”

Comments: Here, we are talking about the concept of impurity. There is, on the one hand, a notion of impurity in which we naturally regard something as unpleasant or undesirable. If some filth gets onto my body, for example, what does my natural instinct tell me about it? I instinctively regard it as something unpleasant. In that sense, it is quite natural. 

Something similar may apply in the case of dogs. Dogs can carry diseases, and there is generally a concern about the possibility of infection. On one occasion, the Prophet ﷺ instructed people to wash a vessel if a dog had licked it. From this, the idea of impurity associated with dogs also seems to have developed.

But impurity is not necessarily an intrinsic quality of the animal itself. Such concerns can arise with other animals as well. In the particular case of dogs, however, people seem to have extended this analogy and applied it specifically to dogs.

Now, look at the position of dogs in the West and the way they have become part of people's lives as domestic pets. People keep them and care for them. The fact is that human beings have always kept animals as pets. If people choose to keep dogs, just as many people in our own society keep different kinds of animals, I do not think this should become a matter of condemnation or religious controversy. It is largely a matter of personal preference and individual taste.

As for the religious point, if a person keeps a dog today, would the angels of mercy will no longer enter his house? No. The point is that the statement actually found in the hadith is simply what it says. As for the nature of the angels of mercy, how they come, and in what manner Allah's mercy reaches people through them—if there were some definitive principle concerning this, the Qur'an would have told us, or the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would have explained it to us.

What we have here is an incident from which people have drawn a broader inference. After all, hunting dogs were also kept by people (mentioned in the Qur’an verse above). They were presumably kept in their homes or around their property. Surely this does not mean that such people or places were thereby deprived of Allah's mercy.

That is why the matter has not been stated in the absolute and general way in which it is commonly presented. The point is simply that, according to a narration, Archangel Gabriele expressed a reason for not entering the Prophet's ﷺ house: there was a dog there. From this particular incident, people have drawn certain conclusions.

But it is not the case that the Qur'an says, or that the hadith explicitly says, in the broad sense in which it is sometimes presented: “Do not keep a dog, otherwise the angels of mercy will not enter your home.”

That particular formulation is not what the Qur'an says, nor is it the wording of the hadith. The hadith reports that Archangel Gabriele said that he—and, in the wording of the narration, the angels—would not enter a house in which there was a dog or an image. The broader conclusions that people draw from this report are an interpretation of that incident.

Another Hadith states that if a dog drinks from the utensil of any one of you, then it is essential to wash it seven times. This has a particular context since dogs carry some contagious diseases with them at times so the Prophet remarked about this.

 

Aamir Yazdani
MPhil (Islamic Thought & Civilization), Pakistan
MSc (Irrigation Engineering), UK

The Singular Criterion of Success in the Eyes of God (The Case of Edibles)

 Epigraph: 

Qur’an (62:2): “It is He who brought forth among the unlettered a Messenger from among them, who recites to them His revelations and purifies them and for this instructs them in the Law and in Wisdom. In reality, these people were in manifest error before this”.

Qur’an (5:4): “They ask you what is lawful for them. Say: All pure things are lawful to you”

The singular criterion of success in the eyes of God (the case of edibles) is our level of purification that qualifies us for salvation. I’d like to share some verses from the Bible and the Qur’an on the prohibition of edibles (pork and alcohol). These prohibitions are based on the aspect of purity or purification.

The prohibition of pork and alcohol is expressed differently in the Bible and the Qur’an. The Qur’an, which I often describe as a “Reminder,” frequently calls attention to established truths and guides people towards their recognition in referring to the Bible for details at times. Consequently, it sometimes conveys its directives in concise yet profound terms, without elaborating on every detail. Its treatment of certain prohibitions, including pork and intoxicants, can therefore be understood within this broader character of the Qur’an as a Reminder.

[There are two notes below, I have shared with the Qur’an verses. Do note that in both the main focus remains the topic of purity in the eyes of God].

PORK CONSUMPTION PROHIBITION: Pigs are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They can consume meat when it is available and may also scavenge for animal remains.

Bible Deuteronomy (14:8): The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses.

Leviticus 11:7-8 New International Version (NIV):

⁷ And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. ⁸ You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.

Isaiah (pronounced I-zay-ah) 65:4 New International Version (NIV):

⁴ who sit among the graves
    and spend their nights keeping secret vigil;
who eat the flesh of pigs,
    and whose pots hold broth of impure meat;

Qur’an (2:173): “He has for bidden you only carrion, blood, the flesh of the swine, and that which has been offered to other than Allah. But should someone be compelled, without being rebellious or aggressive, there shall be no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.”

Qur’an (5:3): “You are prohibited carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and what has been offered to other than Allah….”.

ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION PROHIBITION:

Galatians 5:19–21: "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: ... drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." Ephesians 5:18: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.”

Numbers (6:3): he shall abstain from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, nor shall he drink any grape juice nor eat fresh or dried grapes.

Isaiah (pronounced I-zay-ah) (5:22): Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink,

Isaiah (pronounced I-zay-ah) (5:11): Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink, Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!

Deuteronomy (14:26): "You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.”

Galatians (5:21): envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Judges (13:4): "Now therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing.

Proverbs (23:29-30): Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine.

Proverbs (21:17): He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

Quran (2:219): “They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: In both of them there is a great sin and means of profit for men, and their sin is greater than their profit. And they ask you as to what they should spend. Say: What you can spare. Thus does Allah make clear to you the communications that you may ponder.”

یَسۡـَٔلُوۡنَکَ عَنِ الۡخَمۡرِ وَ الۡمَیۡسِرِؕ قُلۡ فِیۡہِمَاۤ اِثۡمٌ کَبِیۡرٌ وَّ مَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ ۫ وَ اِثۡمُہُمَاۤ اَکۡبَرُ مِنۡ نَّفۡعِہِمَا ؕ وَ یَسۡـَٔلُوۡنَکَ مَا ذَا یُنۡفِقُوۡنَ ۬ؕ قُلِ الۡعَفۡوَؕ کَذٰلِکَ یُبَیِّنُ اللّٰہُ لَکُمُ الۡاٰیٰتِ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تَتَفَکَّرُوۡنَ ﴿۲۱۹﴾ۙ

(Note: Please note: The actual words are: وَ اِثۡمُهُمَآ اَكْبَرُ مِنۡ نَّفۡعِهِمَا. It is evident from the answer given by the Qur’ān that the real reason for prohibiting something is the moral harm it causes. The Qur’ān generally does not discuss the ills and harms which are not moral in nature. That the moral harm of drinking and gambling is what is implied here is evident from the fact that the word نَفْع (benefit) is used in contrast with the word اِثۡم (sin). Had a comparison between their worldly benefits and harms been intended, the word ضَرَر (damage) would have been used instead اِثۡم.

Context: Gambling and drinking in pre-Islamic times were a means through which the rich showed their generosity and helped the poor and needy. In winters, when cold winds blew in and caused conditions akin to drought, the courageous would gather at various places, drink liquor and, in their state of inebriation, slaughter any camels they could get hold of. They would pay the owner of the camels whatever price he demanded. They would then gamble on the meat of the slaughtered camels. Whatever parts of meat a person won in this gambling, would be generously distributed by him among the poor who would gather around on such occasions. In pre-Islamic Arabia, this was a matter of great honour and people who took part in this activity were considered very philanthropic and generous. The poets would narrate the accounts of their benevolence in their odes. On the other hand, people who stayed away from this activity would be called barm (stingy). It was this very benefit of drinking and gambling which prompted people to make an inquiry when they were regarded as prohibited items.)

Surah Maida (5:90-91): “O you who believe! intoxicants and games of chance and (sacrificing to) stones set up and (dividing by) arrows are only an uncleanness, the Shaitan's work; shun it therefore that you may be successful. The Shaitan only desires to cause enmity and hatred to spring in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and to keep you off from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you then desist?”

Surah Nisa (4:43): “Believers! [Prayer is the greatest manifestation of the directive of worshipping God given earlier; so,] do not approach the place of the prayer when you are drunk until you are able to know what you are saying and similarly also when you are ceremonially unclean until you have bathed yourselves except if the intention is just to pass through. And if you are sick or on a journey or when anyone of you has relieved yourself or you have had intercourse with women, then you find no water, find some clean surface and wipe your faces and your hands with it. [God has given you this concession] because God is Gracious and Forgiving.”

(Note: Impurity in Its Physical, Intellectual and Spiritual Dimensions: In Surah al-Nisāʾ (4:43), the Qur’an mentions drunkenness alongside states of physical and ritual impurity. While these conditions are not necessarily identical in their legal or technical meaning, they share a significant underlying characteristic: impurity that prevents a person from approaching prayer in the proper state.

Drunkenness impairs the clarity of the mind. A person under its influence may lose the ability to understand what he is saying, exercise sound judgment or maintain the consciousness required for meaningful prayer. In this sense, intoxication represents a form of intellectual and mental impurity—a condition that clouds the faculty through which human beings understand, reflect and connect with God.

Physical uncleanliness, by contrast, concerns the condition of the body and the requirements of physical and ritual cleanliness. The Qur’an therefore directs believers to purify themselves before prayer in circumstances that require purification. The common thread is that both a clouded mind and an unclean physical state can compromise the condition considered appropriate for approaching prayer.

This broader understanding of impurity can also be extended to the Qur’an’s description of shirk (associating partners with God). In Surah al-Ḥajj (22:30), the Qur’an commands believers to avoid the impurity of idols (rijs min al-awthān). Similarly, in Surah al-Tawbah (9:28), polytheists are described as najas in a particular religious context. These references introduce another dimension of impurity: the impurity of faith and belief. Whereas monotheism (tawḥīd) represents the purity of recognising God’s absolute oneness, shirk compromises that recognition by attributing divine status or authority to others.

Thus, impurity may be understood at several interconnected levels:

• Physical impurity: A condition affecting the cleanliness of the body.
• Mental impurity: The impairment of clear thinking and conscious awareness, as in drunkenness.
• Spiritual impurity: The corruption of faith through shirk and the rejection of God’s oneness.

The point is not that the Qur’an declares drunkenness, physical uncleanliness and shirk to be identical in their legal status. Rather, it invites us to recognise a wider conceptual relationship: purity is not limited to the body; it also encompasses the clarity of the mind and the soundness of faith. Just as physical cleanliness prepares the body for prayer and sobriety enables conscious communication with God, tawḥīd purifies the human being’s relationship with the Divine by directing worship exclusively towards Allah.)

Qur’an (20:75-76):

وَ مَنۡ یَّاۡتِہٖ مُؤۡمِنًا قَدۡ عَمِلَ الصّٰلِحٰتِ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ لَہُمُ الدَّرَجٰتُ الۡعُلٰی ﴿ۙ۷۵﴾ جَنّٰتُ عَدۡنٍ تَجۡرِیۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِہَا الۡاَنۡہٰرُ خٰلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡہَا ؕ وَ ذٰلِکَ جَزٰٓؤُا مَنۡ تَزَکّٰی ﴿۷۶﴾

“Contrary to this, those who come before Him as believers, who have done righteous deeds, then it is such people for whom there are high ranks, orchards of eternal residence beneath which streams flow. They shall live in them forever. And this is the reward of those who adopt purity.”

 

Aamir Yazdani
MPhil (Islamic Thought & Civilization), Pakistan
MSc (Irrigation Engineering), UK

 

REVERT”: A Word Every Muslim Should Reflect Upon

 REVERT”: A Word Every Muslim Should Reflect Upon 

 "And if Allah had not repelled some people by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques—in which Allah’s name is mentioned abundantly—would surely have been demolished.” Qur’an 22:40

 Reading time: 8–10 minutes

 A Word That Deserves Reflection 

I want to place before you a word that we Muslims often use—a word that, in my view, can reflect an attitude of deep arrogance. It is a word from which we should seek Allah’s protection and about which we should reflect carefully.

 That word is “revert.” There is a difference between convert and revert.

 To convert means to adopt a different position, belief, or religion from the one we previously held. For example, if a person changes from Christianity to Judaism, we would ordinarily say that the person has converted.

 To revert, on the other hand, means to return to an original state or position. So, when a non-Muslim becomes a Muslim, why do we describe that person as having “reverted”?

 What are we implying?

 Are we suggesting that the person was originally a Muslim, that Islam is everyone’s original religious identity, and that those who do not follow Islam are somehow in a state from which they must return?

 This is the attitude I want us to examine.

 I am not suggesting that Muslims should abandon their belief in Islam. Rather, I am asking us to consider whether the language we use reflects humility before Allah—or an assumption that we possess a position of absolute superiority over the rest of humanity.

 The Danger of Religious Arrogance

Let me say something about arrogance.

 There is a frightening attitude in which a person begins to think: “I am right. The whole world must become like me. I am not going to change; everyone else must change. I possess the truth, and I am entitled to look down upon those who do not share my beliefs.”

 What could be more arrogant than this? The problem is not that we believe in our religion. The problem arises when our religious identity becomes a source of superiority, contempt, and judgement over others.

 The Qur’an gives us a powerful warning:

 “Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.” Qur’an 31:18

 Notice the verse: pride and arrogance. This is precisely why we should examine not only what we believe, but also how our beliefs affect the way we speak about other human beings.

 Our faith should make us humble before Allah—not contemptuous towards His creation.

 What the Qur’an Says About Places of Worship

The Qur’an contains another remarkable passage that deserves our attention.

 In Surah al-Hajj, Allah speaks about those who were unjustly expelled from their homes simply because they said, “Our Lord is Allah.” He then says:

 “And if Allah had not repelled some people by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques—in which Allah’s name is mentioned abundantly—would surely have been demolished.”  Qur’an 22:40

 The Qur’an mentions different places of worship: monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques. It acknowledges that Allah’s name is mentioned abundantly in these places. The mosque is mentioned at the end of the list.

 The point is not the order in which these places of worship are mentioned. The important point is that the Qur’an presents the protection of places where Allah’s name is remembered, including places of worship associated with other religious communities.

 The verse describes Allah preventing destruction by repelling some people through others. This should make us reflect on the manner in which we think about people of other faiths.

 When a person becomes Muslim, we can simply say: “He or she has converted to Islam.” There is no need to insist that the person has “reverted.”

Conversion in Both Directions

Let me make another point.

 In today’s world, a Muslim can convert from Islam to Christianity, just as a Christian can convert from Christianity to Islam. From the perspective of human choice, both are changes in religious affiliation. Why do we speak of one as a conversion, but describe the other as a return to an assumed original state?

 We need to ask ourselves whether this language reflects humility—or whether it assumes that our own religious identity gives us an unquestionable position of superiority. Allah has made a fundamental principle clear in the Qur’an:

 “There is no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from error.” Qur’an 2:256

 Whether someone changes from another religion to Islam or from Islam to another religion, the principle of religious non-compulsion requires us to take human choice seriously.

 Final judgement, however, belongs to Allah.

 Who Is Entitled to Paradise?

We sometimes speak as though we possess a guaranteed formula for deciding who will enter Paradise. We may present ourselves to the world as if we are saying: “Come to us. We have the only way for you to enter Paradise.” But the Qur’an challenges religious communities that make exclusive claims of this kind. Allah says in Surah al-Baqarah:

 “And they say, ‘None will enter Paradise unless he is a Jew or a Christian.’ Those are their wishes. Say, ‘Produce your evidence, if you are truthful.’” Qur’an 2:111

 The verse continues:

 “Rather, whoever submits himself to Allah while doing good will have his reward with his Lord. There will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.” Qur’an 2:112

 The Qur’an then records a similar exchange between the Jews and Christians:

 “The Jews say, ‘The Christians have no basis,’ and the Christians say, ‘The Jews have no basis,’ although both recite the Scripture. Likewise, those who have no knowledge speak in a similar manner. Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they differ.” Qur’an 2:113

 These verses challenge the assumption that membership of a religious community, by itself, guarantees salvation. They direct our attention towards submission to Allah, righteous conduct, and the fact that ultimate judgement belongs to Him. The Qur’an uses the word amānī, meaning wishes or unfounded claims, when describing the assertions in verse 2:111.

 The passage therefore calls us to move beyond religious slogans and examine the basis of our beliefs and claims.

 What Does Islam Mean?

There is an important point here concerning the word Islam.

 In its basic linguistic sense, Islam is connected with submission—submission to Allah. The Qur’an says:

 “Rather, whoever submits himself to Allah while doing good will have his reward with his Lord.” Qur’an 2:112

 This does not mean that religious distinctions are meaningless or that we should abandon our convictions. It means that we should not reduce our relationship with Allah to a mere inherited label, nor assume that we can determine the final fate of other human beings. We must examine our own submission, our own conduct and our own sincerity.

 And we must remember that Allah is the ultimate Judge.

 The Contradiction Between Religious Pride and Our Reality

There is another issue that troubles me.

 We sometimes present ourselves as the best community, as though the entire world should look towards Muslims for the definitive model of guidance and salvation.

 But when we look honestly at the conditions of many Muslim-majority countries, we find a wide range of political systems, including monarchies, authoritarian governments and countries with varying degrees of democratic governance. We also encounter corruption, injustice, inequality and the misuse of power.

 This should lead us towards self-examination rather than self-congratulation. How can we confidently present ourselves as morally superior to everyone else while failing to address the injustices within our own societies?

 The Qur’an itself warns us against arrogance and contempt. It calls us to live by truth, justice and righteous action—not merely to inherit a religious identity and assume that this guarantees our standing before Allah.

 Read the Qur’an for Yourself

This brings me to a final and very important point.

 I believe that we will only develop a more accurate understanding of Islam—and of what Allah wants from us—when we engage with the Qur’an ourselves. Some of my friends say: “How can we understand the Qur’an ourselves? We need scholars.” Of course, we need scholars.

 You do not become a doctor simply by sitting at home. You study medicine, learn from experienced teachers, and undergo proper training. Similarly, you do not become a mathematician without study, instruction and sustained effort. Expertise matters.

 The same principle applies to religious learning. We should benefit from scholars who possess knowledge of Arabic, Qur’anic interpretation, Islamic history, hadith, and the various disciplines required for serious study.

 But there is an important distinction.

 We should not leave the Qur’an unread while assuming that only someone else can engage with its message. We should read it ourselves, reflect upon it, try to understand it, and then consult scholars to deepen and correct our understanding.

 Reading the Qur’an personally does not mean rejecting scholarship. It means becoming an active participant in our own religious learning, rather than relying entirely on inherited statements.

 Let Us Reconsider Our Language

 So, when a person changes their religion, let us use language that does not automatically place us above them. We can say:

• “He converted to Islam.”
• “She converted to Christianity.”
•  “He changed his religious affiliation.”

 We do not need to insist that someone has “reverted” simply because we assume that Islam is their original religious state. Our faith should make us humble, not arrogant. Our knowledge should make us conscious of how much we still have to learn. And our belief in Allah should remind us that we are not the final judges of human beings.

 The question is not merely whether we call ourselves Muslims. The question is whether our words, conduct, and attitudes reflect submission to Allah.

 May Allah protect us from arrogance, guide us towards truth, and help us read and understand the Qur’an with sincerity.

 

Aamir Yazdani
MPhil (Islamic Thought & Civilization), Pakistan
MSc (Irrigation Engineering), UK