Library Islam Philosophy of Islam chapter 06 - Monotheism of the Qur’an Unity in regard to submission and obedience
Unity in regard to submission and obedience
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Unity in regard to submission and obedience
From the Qur'anic view‑point obedience is of two kinds:
(1) Obedience accompanied by total submission and unconditional surrender to what a man is told to do,
According to the Qur'anic conception of the Unity, this kind of submission which is in fact `servitude' is due to Allah alone, and none else deserves it.
(2) Obedience to those who exercise rightful control on us, because either our own interests or public interests or human instinct make it obligatory for us to obey them. Such is the case of the obedience to the Prophet, the Imam and those who genuinely represent him during the period of his occultation. [2] The same applies to the obedience of the parents etc.
This kind of obedience is conditional. It is obligatory provided those who hold the position of issuing injunctions do not transgress the limits of law and equity. One is required to evaluate from this angle every instruction he receives from them and should refrain from acting upon them if they are opposed to law and justice. He must not obey an instruction which is contrary to the Divine law, for no creation is to be obeyed in contravention of the command of the Creator. Of course in the case of the Holy Prophet and the Imams, their infallibility is enough to vouchsafe this aspect, for they cannot be suspected to say anything contrary to the command of Allah.
Thus this kind of obedience is not absolute, and does not involve blind and unconditional submission.
