The khutbah on 5th April was opened up my mind a little. My perception of the syariah previously was that it was just a set of laws for us to follow. While not wrong, it actually goes deeper than that. There is wisdom and purpose behind it which can be separated into 3 categories:
Relationship with Allah
The syariah serves as a guide to help us in our worship of Allah. It tells us what the obligatory forms of worship are so that we can please Him. Without it, we wouldn’t know how He wants us to worship and glorify Him. It gives us affirmation that He is the only God and instils unity amongst the ummah.
Relationship with Man
Business practises in accordance to the syariah ensures that a fair transaction is carried out between all parties involved. The interaction with other people especially with those not lawful to us are restricted so as to prevent us from committing zina which in turn would damage the family unit. Consumption of intoxicating substances and other vices are prohibited not only because they are damaging to the self but they also affect those around us. On the other end of the spectrum, the syariah encourages us to treat our fellow men well and help those in need in order to build a cohesive and caring society.
Relationship with Other Creations of Allah
The syariah also takes into account the treatment of animals; especially to those that are meant for our consumption. Such care is required to ensure that the animal does not suffer in addition to it being fit for us to eat. For other animals, we are still required to treat them with care, dignity and respect. Not limited to just animals, even the environment has to be given the same approach as ultimately it will become either more of a sustenance or a suffering depending on how we treat it.
Conclusion
The syariah shouldn’t be seen as something that is restrictive in itself to destroy us but instead what it enforces and restricts is for the betterment of humankind. Similar to the creation of rules and laws being meant to build a disciplined, civilized and just society, the syariah exists to help achieve a similar outcome but to inculcate humankind with the abovementioned attributes for dunya and akhirah. While the enforcement of rules and laws applies to people in general, the syariah is applicable to all Muslims even on the individual level.
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Fadhuli Taufek
Fadhuli is an aspiring writer and believes in putting in the time and effort into meaningful causes. He strives to improve himself as a person and as a Muslim.
