Friday Focus: Islam entails submission to God

Islam entails submission to God’s will and the one who submits is guided, as enshrined: 

`If they argue with you, say I have submitted myself to God, and those who follow me. And say to those who were given the Scripture, and to the unlearned, have you submitted? If they have submitted, then they are guided; but if they turn away, then your duty is to convey. God is Seeing of the servants.’ (3:20)

   

In the related Ayah, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) is asked to tell those who argue with him concerning Islam that, ”I have submitted and all those who follow me have also submitted.” And the Holy Prophet (pbuh) is also advised to ask those who have received the Scripture (Ahl-ul- Kit’ab) as well as those who have not received any Book before, ”Do you also submit to it?”. If they do they will be regarded as rightly-guided. If they reject it, then Prophet (pbuh) holds no responsibility for them, as the message has been delivered to them. The rest lies with Allah (SwT) who is cognizant of what people do.  

In the Ayah following the one quoted above, a retributory mark is set for defiance to revelations, unjust killing of Prophets and of those advocating justice. 

`As for those who defy God’s revelations, and kill the Prophets unjustly, and kill those who advocate justice among the people, promise them a painful retribution’ (3: 21)

There is a price to be paid for defiance, for unjust killing of Prophets and of those who advocate justice among people. The price to be paid by those who defy is painful retribution; theirs is an exercise in futility, as noted:

`They are those whose deeds come to nothing, in this world and the Hereafter; and they will have no saviours’ (3:22)

Futile deeds come to nothing, be it this world or Hereafter, there cannot be a saviour for those who are slated for God’s retribution because of their unjust deeds.  

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