ESTABLISHING OR UPHOLDING DEEN?

with the conditions and interests of [different] followers or ummahs, because these have always remained different. God has proclaimed a different Shariah and method for each one. Thus, this verse says, O Muhammad, We have given you and Noah the same religion. Those principles of the religion in which there is no difference of Shariah laws. And those are, the oneness of God, and salaath (prayer), Zakath, fasting, seeking the nearness of God through good deeds; honesty the honouring of promises, fulfilling your commitments, kindness, compassion; to know that associating others with God and killing of human beings, adultery are prohibited; hurting or harming others, ill treating animals, indulging in evil and corruption are forbidden. All of these principles are what is meant by the common deen. There is no disparity amongst these principles between the prophets, how many ever they may be. It is thus understood by the context of the Quranic verse and from the interpretation of all the commentators and interpreters, that aqim ud deen does not mean the ‘establishment on earth of the complete religion together with its Shariah and laws’, but it means that it is desired of every Muslim to steadfastly remain on those principles of deen that can be held onto in an individual capacity. In reality, this verse of the Quran is addressed to the individual and not to the system or society. The establishment of a society is an organisational matter and the commands and injunctions relating to this have been mentioned in other verses of the Quran and in the Hadith, and it is from these sources that we should seek guidance. As regards the verse in question quoted in the beginning of this article, it seeks the devotion of the individual and only this is the understanding to be gleaned from it. This issue is also related to the matter of identifying which commandment is to be inferred from which verse. For instance, from the verses of salath, the commandments of salath is to be inferred and not those regarding Haj or Jihad. Similarly, from the verses related to the personal responsibilities of the individual, it would not be proper to construe the commandments related to the societal responsibilities of the ummah. If a commandment is derived from a verse that does not clearly and completely present it, there will only be delusion and degeneration.