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The
Socio-economic Implications of As-Salat |
Dr. Tanveer
Hussain, PhD
It cannot be just a
co-incidence that the Quran mentions As-salat, at
least 27 times along with Az-zakat
(an economic system established by the Islamic state that
ensures physical, mental, moral, spiritual and intellectual
development of its human resources) and at least 8 times
along with infaq
(an Islamic-society norm wherein the rich and the plenteous
willingly contribute their physical and financial resources
for the development and betterment of the deprived and the
disadvantaged). This fact alone is enough to underscore the
socio-economic implications of As-Salat. It will also
be edifying, in this regard, to recall the story of the
exalted Prophet, Sho’aib (a.s.) mentioned in Sura Hud verses
84-87. Sho’aib (a.s.) said to the people of Madyan:
“O My people! Obey Allah
with humility and submissiveness. There is no deity other
than Him. Do not give short measure and weight.
Behold, I see you in a happy state; but, verily, I dread
lest suffering befall you on a Day that will encompass [you
with doom]! Hence, O my people, [always] give full
measure and weight, with equity, and do not deprive people
of what is rightfully theirs, and do not act wickedly on
earth by spreading corruption. That which rests with
Allah is best for you, if you but believe [in Him]! However,
I am not your keeper.” [11:84-86]
According to the above
quoted verses, Sho’aib (a.s.) told the people of Madyan,
inter alia, the following two things: (1) to obey Allah
alone with humility and submissiveness, and (2) to reform
their commerce.
This is what the people of
Madyan said in response:
“O Sho'aib! Does your
SALAT commands you that we leave off the worship which
our forefathers practised, or that we leave off doing
what we like (to do) with our property?...”[11:87].
The response of the people
of Madyan indicates that they were expecting As-Salat
to be merely a way of worship but it rather came to their
surprise that As-Salat also had its socio-economic
implications and that with its establishment they were also
supposed to leave off doing with their property what they
would like to do with it otherwise.
The Quran says that a key
characteristic of the true Musalleen
(who establish As-Salat) is that in their wealth
and possessions, there is an established RIGHT for the needy
and the destitute.
The Quran further says that a typical cause of people going
into the hell-fire would be that they did not provide means
of sustenance to those who were unable to move on in life
because of lack of resources.
The Quran has also delineated the traits of those
so-called Musalleen who consider As-Salat
mere performance of a visible rite in order that they be
considered virtuous by those who see them praying, and who
are utterly oblivious of the socio-economic implications of
As-Salat and the consequential responsibilities that
accrue therefore. The Quran warns such so-called
musalleen of woeful consequences, who consider the
performance of just the visible rites as the ultimate aim
and withhold the sources of sustenance just to themselves,
which should remain open like ever-flowing springs for all
the poor and the needy.
Allah says in Sura Al-Ankaboot
29 verse 45, “Verily As-Salat prohibits from alfahsha-i
waalmunkari. Alfahsha-i not only means
‘lewdness’ or ‘unseemly conduct’ but it particularly means
stinginess or avarice
i.e. ‘ an insatiable desire for collecting everything for
oneself and not caring about the welfare of others’. So the
true Musalleen would be those who not only refrain
from any lewdness or unseemly behaviour and from indulging
in anything forbidden by Allah but who would also never
withhold wealth just to themselves rather they would
devoutly expend they physical and financial resources for
the welfare of others.
28/05/2006 |