"An Evil Word like an Evil Tree!"

وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ۬ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ ٱجۡتُثَّتۡ مِن فَوۡقِ

ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ۬ يُثَبِّتُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ

بِٱلۡقَوۡلِ ٱلثَّابِتِ فِى ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَفِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ‌ۖ

وَيُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ‌ۚ وَيَفۡعَلُ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ

"And the parable (similitude) of an evil Word is that of an evil tree. It is torn up by the root from the surface of the earth: it has no stability. Allah will establish in strength those who believe, with the Word that stands firm, in this world and in the Hereafter; but Allah will leave to stray those who do wrong: Allah doeth what He willeth."

(Qur'an: Ibrahim: 14: 26-27)

REFLECTION

This verse now turns to the similitude of an "evil Word" - which should therefore be understood as the opposite of a "good Word" previously explained (mafhum mukhaa-lafah). If kalimah Tawheed is a good Word, as the foundational basis of al-Deen al-Islam, therefore any other kalimah - statement (assertion) contrary to Tawheed, if used to replace that foundational ideology - then this would be regarded as taking an "evil Word".

What could these be? During the Prophet's s.a.w.time it was the ways of the mushrikeen (those who associate or set up partners to Allah viz. idolatory; pantheism; trinitarianism; worldly-materialistic ways; denying the afterlife; atheistic in the sense of worshipping only their desire; hedonistic; paganism etc.).

Another group condemned in the Qur'an were Muslims who inwardly hated Islam, although outwardly showed affiliation to Islam. These were the munaafiqeen (the hypocrites), mostly out of personal jealousy to the Prophet s.a.w and because they harbour worldly ambitions to lead or weild influence. Acceptance of "a good Word" from Allah s.w.t. must include acceptance of His Messenger, whose task also is to complete the nurturing of people with that "Word". He was the appointed Teacher, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. - the educator par excellence. After 23 years, he succeeded and Allah s.w.t. approved the Way of Life (al-Deen) which he established as the perfected "al-Deen al-Islam". There is only one Islam, and this is the Islam:

ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَـٰمَ دِينً۬ا‌ۚ

"This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you al-Islam as your religion"

(Qur'an: Maa-idah: 5: 4)

Rejection of our Prophet s.a.w. is arrogance, and they would never benefit from that "good Word" - or even the whole Qur'an for that matter, because they lack the know-how to nurture, to imbibe and infuse a Way of Life (al-Deen) which only Muhammad was sent to do, not them. Thus Allah s.w.t/ says:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمۡ لِمَا يُحۡيِيڪُمۡ‌ۖ

"O ye who believe! Give your response to Allah and His Messenger, when He calleth you to that which will give you life."

(Qur'an: Anfaal: 8: 24)

Allah s.w.t. warns us that, whatever is being established on the basis of an evil Word will be like an evil tree with: "It is torn up by the roots from the surface of the earth; it has no stability." How very true! The world in general, having rejected traditional religion, is going through tremendous changes, with one system replaced by another, always in constant state of flux. Man's experimentation with all kinds of system, its various "ism" has now even come to what they termed "post modernism" where all past ideas are to be questioned and challenged. They have realized themselves, that their past, nay recent, ideas are not very dependable. They have carried their idea of evolution to the extreme, rejecting absolutism and are in fact 'worshipping' change itself. Thus, today there is no real or true human development offered by any of their ideology, except sceptism and confusion, chaos and destruction.

It is interesting that Allah did not accord the "evil tree" any credit of having any stage of growth - only of its roots being uprooted. That is because an "evil Word" is based on falsehood, and even when it sounds resonable, this would be based on fraudulent borrowing of certain ideas or truth from traditional religion, from which they manufacture newer ideologies. But the nature of fraud is falsehood, described by Allah s.w.t. as that which is incapable of contributing towards anything:

قُلۡ جَآءَ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَمَا يُبۡدِئُ ٱلۡبَـٰطِلُ وَمَا يُعِيدُ

“Say: ‘Truth has arrived, and falsehood neither creates anything new, nor restores anything”

(Qur’an: Saba’: 32: 49)

Allah's reassurance to every believer, that He will strengthen our position with the Word that stands firm, in this world and the Hereafter, with a condition - that we do not do any wrong, or any injustice. He "will leave astray those who do wrong (are unjust)". This is a very important reminder to all Muslims, who yearns Allah's divine intervention. Thus we cannot merely rely on mere slogans or labels of being Muslims, but must apply the criterion of the Qur'an and As-Sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w. to ourselves in all our life. Indeed Allah does whatever He wills. We pray:

رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَا‌ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرً۬ا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُ ۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَا‌ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ‌ۖ وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآ‌ۚ أَنتَ مَوۡلَٮٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡڪَـٰفِرِينَ

"Our Lord! condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; help us against those who stand against faith."

O Allah! May every Salutations and Peace be upon our Leader, Your Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, Muhammad ibnu 'Abdillaah, his family and Companions, and those who continually follow and assist them in benevolence till the Hereafter.

Aa-min

WaAllu a'lam

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