The Demands of Worship

The Essence of Religion The command to pray regularly is an absolute command which is obligatory on each and every believer, while the command regarding Zakat is conditional, that is, it is obligatory only when one possesses enough wealth to come under the law of Zakat. That is, if a person possesses items taxable under Zakat law, this obligation to pay Zakat will be applicable to him in the absolute sense, just as the order to pray is obligatory for all. But a person who is not in possession of items taxable under Zakat is neither required to pay Zakat nor is he ordered to acquire taxable items so that he may be able to obey the law on Zakat. What is desirable is that the believer should be active in carrying out duties which are applicable in the present rather than engaging in such activities which may be applicable to him in the future, in different sets of circumstances. We learn, therefore, that there are a number of religious duties that are not to be enforced in the absolute sense, being applicable only in relation to circumstances. As the circle of believers goes on expanding, so also do the demands of religion. If there were only one single believer, only that part of religion would be obligatory upon him which related to his person. In this instance, the sole object of divine commandments would be his own person. When the believers increase in numbers to one or several families, then this whole group will be the addressee of the divine commandments. And when a group of believers attain the status of an independent, autonomous society, then it becomes the duty of the whole society to fully carry out the commandments of God regarding social matters. Since such commands cannot be carried out without authority at the social level, whenever these social commands become applicable to a society of believers, it becomes the duty of the believers to select a political leader in order to carry out the divine laws governing social life under his leadership. All Islamic commandments are the expression of some inner reality. When faith is rooted in the heart, it reflects on the human personality. Yet its external expression is in proportion to the scope offered by external circumstances. Interrelationships between