Verse 42:21 of the Holy Quran struck me today:
Those who are implementing these distorted forms of Shariah can rightly be called as "associates" with God, because that is what the masses are taking them to be. The religious leaders among them are taken as associates with God, because whatever they proclaim is considered as the teaching of Islam, regardless of whether it is justified by the Quran, Sunna and Hadith. The political leaders among them are also, in practice, taken as associates with God because people believe that these leaders have it in their power to bestow any material favour on them (i.e. wealth, position, honour).
An early, possibly first modern example of giving people a Shariah as a religion which Allah does not sanction was when religious and political leaders in Pakistan combined (as unlikely bedfellows) to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims. Done in the name of Islam, it was a travesty of Islam. And as to "associates", I can tell you that I happened to be in Pakistan in 1975, a year after that declaration, and I observed that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was spoken of by people as if he were God! His supporters regarded him as such out of adoration, and his opponents out of fear.
Quote:I noticed that the Arabic word for prescribe here is shara`u, a form of the word Shariah. So this verse can be taken in this sense:
"Or have they associates who have prescribed for them any religion that Allah does not sanction"
Quote:This is what is happening in Islamic countries under the cover of implementing the Shariah. The people are being given a Shariah as a religion which Allah does not sanction, that is, it is against the teachings revealed by Allah.
Or have they associates who have given them a Shariah as a religion that Allah does not sanction?
Those who are implementing these distorted forms of Shariah can rightly be called as "associates" with God, because that is what the masses are taking them to be. The religious leaders among them are taken as associates with God, because whatever they proclaim is considered as the teaching of Islam, regardless of whether it is justified by the Quran, Sunna and Hadith. The political leaders among them are also, in practice, taken as associates with God because people believe that these leaders have it in their power to bestow any material favour on them (i.e. wealth, position, honour).
An early, possibly first modern example of giving people a Shariah as a religion which Allah does not sanction was when religious and political leaders in Pakistan combined (as unlikely bedfellows) to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims. Done in the name of Islam, it was a travesty of Islam. And as to "associates", I can tell you that I happened to be in Pakistan in 1975, a year after that declaration, and I observed that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was spoken of by people as if he were God! His supporters regarded him as such out of adoration, and his opponents out of fear.
