The Scholar Shaykh Abu Abd al-Rahman Ibn Aqil al-Zahiri, May God Preserve Him

The Scholar Shaykh Abu Abd al-Rahman Ibn Aqil al-Zahiri, May God Preserve Him

Date of the meeting: the night preceding Wednesday, 26 Dhu al-Hijjah 1439 AH, corresponding to the night preceding 5 September 2018.

Shaykh Abd al-Haqq al-Turkmani: Esteemed Shaykh, may God preserve you, there is a general conception in the writings of contemporary Islamic thinkers that is widespread in books, sermons and lessons. There are clear statements, explicit texts, that acts of worship are not intended for their own sake but are means of developing the earth and establishing worldly justice. For example, Hasan al-Banna says that the original acts of worship in Islam are means of establishing the social system. Sayyid Qutb says that the original acts of worship, such as prayer and fasting, are intended subordinately, not primarily. He then explains that what is primarily intended is developing the earth. In Islamic Education, Muhammad Qutb explicitly states that worship, which is the purpose of creation, is not intended for its own sake but is a means of reforming society. How do you answer this theory in the interpretation of Islam? Does it have philosophical roots connecting it to the proposals of al-Farabi and Ibn Sina concerning the virtuous city and the idea that the prophets came to reform the masses?

Shaykh Ibn Aqil al-Zahiri’s answer:

First, I ask a question: “I did not create jinn and humankind except to worship Me” [al-Dhariyat: 56]. Is worship intended for its own sake or not? My Lord created them only to worship Him, though He is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy, exalted in majesty. Despite being self-sufficient and praiseworthy, needing nothing, in His mercy He does not approve unbelief for His servants: “What would God do with your punishment if you are grateful and believe?” [al-Nisa’: 147]. We now say to them: when my Lord says, “I did not create jinn and humankind except to worship Me”, for what purpose did He create this entire universe, its heaven, earth and air? To worship Him. How can they say that worship is not intended for its own sake? To know whether they are right or wrong, I would like to hear how they answer this verse and many other verses too.

Shaykh Abd al-Haqq al-Turkmani: It is as though they make the benefits and fruits resulting from worship an entry point for distorting its original purpose.

Shaykh Ibn Aqil al-Zahiri: That is a different matter!

Shaykh Abd al-Haqq al-Turkmani: They say: look, acts of worship have health and social benefits.

Shaykh Ibn Aqil al-Zahiri: There is no disagreement about that. But this does not negate the fact that God, the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy, the Great, the Most High, has no need of people, jinn, humans or angels. He said: “I did not create jinn and humankind except to worship Me.” Worship is intended for its own sake. That benefits follow from worship is a blessing from God accompanying what was intended. I can give many examples:

One is that it has been established scientifically and medically that when a person prolongs prostration, electrical charges are discharged. That is one.

Second, they have said that frequent and prolonged bowing and prostration give the body strength and vigour and have many health benefits.

They also say that fasting itself brings benefits, that getting rid of food residues and so forth gives vitality. We say: praise be to God. God, who commanded, “I did not create jinn and humankind except to worship Me”, caused useful worldly things to follow worship of Him. When Ramadan comes and we fast, or when we fast voluntarily, do we say: we fasted to seek health? Rather, we fasted for the sake of the Lord of the worlds, glorified is He, who made this obligatory, recommended it or prescribed it as a confirmed practice. In faith, we seek to please our Lord, glorified and exalted is He. But the benefits that follow are a blessing from my Lord. My Lord did not create the universe in vain! We thank God, but we worship Him only as He wants from us. He did not ask us and say: fast so that you may become healthy. They have the expression “Fast and you will be healthy” in writings on manners, in a fabricated hadith; I know that it is not authentic. But if my Lord commanded me to fast even if it would destroy me, I would fast for God’s sake. I am not excused.

Second, the other verse: “We did not create the heavens and the earth and what lies between them in play. We created them only in truth, but most of them do not know” [al-Dukhan: 38-39]. They contain innumerable worldly benefits. But God created them so that people would reflect and contemplate His greatness. As I told you: subtle care in the creation of the ant and greatness in the creation of the Throne. These are apparent to everyone. Yet what was intended from us is that we worship God, understand His words according to His intention and comply with what our Lord desires, without overburdening or falling short: “When I command you to do something, do as much of it as you can.” God does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. Moreover, there is multiplication of reward, showing that worship is intended for its own sake. I have given this example many times: a person reaches ninety, having spent his life from puberty until that age in obedience to his Lord. He goes early to the mosque. No ten days pass without his completing the Qur’an; if he wanted to finish it in three days he could, but he wants to reflect. He completes it every ten or fifteen days, obeying his Lord, prolonging prostration and bowing, and so forth. When he reaches ninety, he becomes incapacitated. He can pray only sitting, or only lying down. From my Lord’s words, the reward for what he used to do in strength and vigour is recorded for him after he becomes incapacitated. This follows from that worship devoted to the Lord, glorified and exalted is He. By contrast, another person, when Friday comes, goes to the bar, drinks a glass of aged wine and commits sexual immorality, then returns as senseless as a donkey from drunkenness and goes to sleep at home. This is his whole life, whether Monday, Sunday, Friday or any time, even in the last part of the night when mercy descends. This is his habit, and those sins are recorded against him. Then, after ninety years, he becomes incapacitated, unable to drink wine, have intercourse or do anything. Does God record against him the burden of what he has not done? Look at my Lord’s generosity: God recorded the burden of what he did when active, but when he became incapacitated, He did not record this burden. The believer, in contrast, has the reward of what he did while healthy recorded for him, and when he becomes unable, having spent his time only in obedience to his Lord, God records a multiplied reward for him. This is not the purpose resulting from worship. Worship is intended for its own sake, while these worldly benefits follow from what God has made obligatory. It is like the verse I mentioned to you a moment ago: “I did not create jinn and humankind except to worship Me.” They are commanded to obey and worship God and to contemplate themselves and the horizons. In Surah al-Baqarah, verse 29: “It is He who created for you all that is on the earth, then turned to heaven and fashioned it into seven heavens, and He knows all things.” “He created for you all that is on the earth”: He created it for your sake, for you. “I did not create jinn and humankind except to worship Me”: you were created to worship God. Nevertheless, these benefits followed: “He created for you all that is on the earth”, for you to enjoy its shade, air and everything. “He created for you all that is on the earth”, while you were created to worship God: “I did not create jinn and humankind except to worship Me.” I desire from you neither reward nor thanks. You worship God, who is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy. Following this obedience to God, He created for them everything on earth. There are good things to say about this, and I wrote an article on it that has been published.

Shaykh Abd al-Haqq: You mean, our Shaykh, that the verse says, “He created for you all that is on the earth”, and that He subjected it to you, as in the other verse: “He subjected to you everything in the heavens and everything on the earth, all from Him.” These things were created for you, while you were created for another task.

Shaykh Ibn Aqil: Created to worship God. Through His favour and generosity, God caused benefits for you to follow worship of Him: “He created for you all that is on the earth.” He created it all for you, but He created you to worship Him, and this blessing followed worship of Him.

Shaykh Abd al-Haqq: May God reward you with good.

Shaykh Ibn Aqil: Truth is clear, while falsehood falters.