Let's Build Deen

Let's Build Deen

Shamsul Huda Qasmi

hudaqasmi@gmail.com

We are bound to observe certain rules all over the places. We have to rush through our way to school and run off with our bags at a given times. We must attend classes on a regular basis to secure good marks and finally to attain success. Even in our games, we honestly practise set of laws and enjoy the sportsmanship. Winner and loser of game are declared in the light of some prescribed rules. Without accepting the supremacy of the laws, the game would not entertain us but make a fuss and row. It means rules and regulations play a significant role in keeping the system in control smoothly. Similarly, human-life itself requires set of laws in the shape of deen as it occupies greater amount of significance than games and other temporal activities in the world. Allah, therefore, laid down the rules of life and explained them in details through his beloved messenger.

We as humans do require definite guiding principles to lead a purposeful life in the world and to specify and focus on the ultimate goal. We are not like cattle to live a wild life. We are obliged to follow a particular system to attain success here and the hereafter. To live meaningful life, the prophet of Islam defined the basic fundamentals of deen and exemplified it as a constructed house with five pillars, equally important in shaping a building and keeping it upright. If a pillar falls, the entire building would collapse in a heap. In our life, these five pillars require to be built and kept guard over them. They are- Testimony, Prayer, Poor-due, Fasting, Pilgrim to Holy house.

We chat about here the first pillar or the first rule of life, testimony. Testimony (Shahadah) is the first principle of deen. It is an absolute declaration that there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (saw) is the messenger of Allah. This declaration consists of two parts, Oneness of God and Prophethood.

The first part attests the Oneness of Allah and proclaims that He is alone to be adorned, has no associate or partner. Associating partner with Allah in any form is termed shirk. It is a major sin, awfully unpardonable. Allah may forgive any deadly sin but shirk is unforgivable in the sight of the Powerful Lord.

The second part of the testimony is Prophethood. To erect the complete first pillar, we are to believe in all the messengers sent down through the ages and finally the last prophet Muhammad (saw).The chain of the Prophethood came to an end with the advent of the prophet Muhammad (saw) as no prophet shall come after him. All prophets before him were sent to their own people but he was sent for whole humanity. Pledging allegiance to the prophet is total obedience to Allah since the prophet advocated nothing but what the Supreme Being wished. (See next issue for second pillar of Islam)