‘O BROTHER, fear Allah, don't do this.' ‘O sister, this is good for you, do it.' So is the nature of advice we give each other when we see someone at fault or falling short of some obligation. Most of the time such advice is received well, the brother or sister either changes immediately or hopes to change in the future. At rare occasions, there are some very different, if not disturbing, replies that sound something like: ‘Don't be an extremist.' ‘That's your interpretation, I follow a different interpretation.' The lesson some of us haven't learnt about Islam is that this is Allah's religion - Who is One - and so is His religion's understanding - only One. Allah has promised to protect our religion in the Qur'an. “Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur'ân) and surely We will guard it (from corruption).” (Qur'an, 15:9) Most Muslims think that only the Qur'an is protected. Wrong. The whole religion is protected. How? Allah not only protected the Qur'an from corruption - not a letter can be changed in it till the Last Day, but He also protected the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the form of Hadith which explains the Qur'an. The Prophet was a living Qur'an, means he implemented the Qur'an in the most perfect manner, the way Allah wanted us to implement. Allah also protected the language of the Qur'an. Yes, Arabic. And to further remove any doubt, He protected the understanding of the Sahabah, the Companions of the Prophet. The Companions were the direct audience who were addressed and taught by the Prophet (peace be upon him), so they as a generation understood Islam in the best and the correct manner. It could not have been possible to protect the Qur'an completely in its words and meaning without protecting all the above-said things. To give you an example of the superiority of how well our religion is protected, consider Tajweed, the science of recitation and pronunciation of the Qur'an. Tajweed is nothing more than trying to pronounce each and every syllable in the exact way the Prophet (peace be upon him) pronounced in his recitation of the Qur'an. So if the religion is so well-protected that even the pronunciation of words still remains the same, do you think its interpretation is not guarded? This is Allah's religion, so whose interpretation should we follow? Not of every Tom, Dick and Harry. We have to follow what Allah told us and what He wants us to do. This should be our effort in trying to practice Islam. We mold ourselves to Islam. Islam does not mold according to us. Allah said in the Qur'an: “O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad, peace be upon him), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allâh and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.” (Qur'an, 4:59) So many people today are confused not knowing who to follow and what to follow. Our starting point is that we return back to the Book of our Creator and to the traditions of His Messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him). No, not our forefathers' traditions or what my friend told me or the email I received, nothing but the Qur'an and Sunnah. Whoever tells us anything about Islam, ask him first: Show the proof from the Qur'an and Sunnah. If he doesn't have it, then say: Islam is not your preserve to say anything you want to about it. If what he said was true, based on clear evidence, then we hear and we obey, even if we don't like it. Allah said: Once we have realized this, the question arises just how do we understand Islam in today's times? It's actually very simple. Islam has and will always be the same throughout the years. It doesn't change. The new and modern things of life do not contradict Islam, as long as they don't have anything to do with religion or its precepts or they don't go against any teachings of Islam. The broad principles of Islam make it possible for scholars to derive rulings on contemporary issues from the Qur'an and Sunnah. As for those who don't listen and insist on following their own understanding despite evidence, then just tell them: this was well prophesied by the Prophet (peace be upon him). He said Muslims would divide into 73 groups, and everyone of them would be going to Hell except one. Which one, he was asked. The group on the path of the Prophet and his companions, was the reply (ref: Al-Tirmidhi). So advise all Muslims that if they seek the truth, the path is one. And make Du'a that Allah guides Muslims to learning and practicing His religion, in which lies success of this life and of tthe hereafter.
