DISTORTION OF ISLAM IN THE NAME OF REFORMATION AND "IJTIHAAD"

DISTORTION OF ISLAM IN THE NAME OF REFORMATION AND "IJTIHAAD"

-Mufti Muhammad Aashiq llaahi Bulandshahri R.A.

The religion of Islam is the only way of life, which Allah has ordained for the whole of mankind in this world, and upon which rests our salvation in the hereafter. In the Holy Quran, in Surah Aali Imraan, Allah Ta'ala declares, 'Verily the only religion with Allah is Islam' [Aali Imraan 19 ]. In another verse Allah says, 'And whosoever searches for a religion besides Islam, it will never be accepted from him. And he will be among the losers in the hereafter' [Aali Imraan 85] The religion of Islam is complete and perfect, and the Qur'an, which is the fountainhead of Islam, is protected till the last day. Allah Ta'ala has promised to protect it. This in itself is a living miracle.

The laws of Islam are the same eternally, and will not allow for any type of amendment. Since it is the religion Allah Ta'ala has ordained, and not the product of the human mind, no individual or group has the right to amend or declare in it anything which is halaal as haraam or vice versa. Subsequently, if any individual or group introduces any change into the religion of Islam, this will in no way be able to alter the law of Islam. Furthermore, if anyone does venture to do so, it will render him Kaafir (out of the fold of Islam).

Since a few years ago, the enemies of Islam have embarked on a mission to change it, and in order to achieve this, they have employed such people who, though claiming to be Muslim, are such by name only. These people have never studied the Quraan or the Ahadeeth of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) nor learnt Islam from sincere Muttaqi [Allah-fearing] Muslims, nor ever stayed in the company of the true flag-bearers of Islam. These very people have become enmeshed in the snares of the Jews and Christians, and are now shouting slogans calling for a re-interpretation of the laws of Shariah. Sadly, these people have failed to differentiate between the pre-ordained religion of Allah, and something which is a product of the human mind. People who have created their own religions may alter, add to or delete from it as they please. They are free to write something in place of another, since this is consistent with their condition. If man decides to alter whatever he has created himself, this is understandable. But the Book which Allah has revealed, and the religion which He has ordained for mankind, and which was expounded by the Seal of all Prophets (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), cannot allow for any type of alteration or disfiguration whatsoever.

Whoever wishes to introduce any amendment into the Deen of Allah Ta'ala, what need is there for him to associate himself with the name of Islam? In the first place, he is not even a Muslim and should subsequently identify himself with any religion other than Islam. If anyone alters anything within Islam, then even by such interpolation, the Deen of Allah Ta'ala will still remain unchanged. The laws of Islam, which have reached us from the first era of Islam through tawaatur (transmission via an indisputably authentic chain of authority) have to be practised. Allah Ta'ala has not granted any person the power and authority to alter or revoke anything within the religion of Islam.