In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Al-Allamah Salih Aala Ash-Shaikh, may Allah preserve him, said:

Allah created the heavens and the earth in order that two obligations are fulfilled: His rights and the rights of His servants. Every Messenger and the divine scriptures were revealed to explain these two obligations: to worship Allah alone, reject all false gods and rivals, and follow His Messenger in that particular era and place. Allah revealed His scriptures and sent His Messengers to establish these two obligations. Allah, The Exalted, said:

لَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلَنَا بِٱلۡبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَأَنزَلۡنَا مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ ٱلنَّاسُ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ

Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice. [Al-Hadid. 25]

Allah said:

وَلَقَدۡ بَعَثۡنَا فِى ڪُلِّ أُمَّةٍ۬ رَّسُولاً أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱجۡتَنِبُواْ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ

And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deities, etc. i.e. do not worship Taghut besides Allah).” [Al-Nahl. 36]

Due to this, the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “O Mu’adh! Do you know what is the right of Allah upon His servants?” I (Mu’adh) said, “Allah and his messenger know best”. The Prophet said, “To worship Him alone and associate none in worship with Him. And do you know what is their right upon Him?” I said, “Allah and his messenger know best”. The Prophet said, “Not to punish them if they do so”. [Al-Bukhari 6938] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRkeYjcJ728

Imam Ash-Shatibi, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated:

Know that Allah has established this Shariah as proof against the creation (humankind and jinn) – the old and young alike, the obedient and the disobedient, the righteous and the wicked. He did not specify the proof against anyone in exclusion of another one. Also, all the other revealed laws were established as proof against all the nations to whom they were revealed. The Shariah is the judge- in general, and specifically- the judge on all those who have reached the age of responsibility. It is the path attached to (what Allah has ordained) and it is the Greatest Guide. Have you not heard the statement of Allah, The Most High:

وَكَذَٲلِكَ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ رُوحً۬ا مِّنۡ أَمۡرِنَاۚ مَا كُنتَ تَدۡرِى مَا ٱلۡكِتَـٰبُ وَلَا ٱلۡإِيمَـٰنُ وَلَـٰكِن جَعَلۡنَـٰهُ نُورً۬ا نَّہۡدِى بِهِۦ مَن نَّشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِنَاۚ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَہۡدِىٓ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطٍ۬ مُّسۡتَقِيمٍ۬

And thus We have sent to you (O Muhammad) Ruhan (an Inspiration, and a Mercy) of Our Command. You knew not what is the Book, nor what is Faith? But We have made it (this Qur’an) a light wherewith We guide whosoever of Our slaves We will. And verily, you (O Muhammad) are indeed guiding (mankind) to the Straight Path (i.e. Allah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism). [Ash-Shura 52]

He (the Prophet) – peace and blessings of Allah be upon him- was the first to be guided to the Book and Iman, and then those who followed him. The Book is the Guide and also the Sunnah that was revealed to him explains that guidance (i.e. the Sunnah and the Qur’an explain each other). All the creation (mankind and Jinn) are guided through it. Therefore, when this is the case that the Shariah is worthy of being a decisive proof against them and a beacon by way of which they are guided to the truth, their nobility is determined by the extent to which they embrace its rulings- through acting upon them in speech, belief, and deeds– and not merely due to the level of their intellects or their nobility amongst their people. That is because Allah, The Most High, has determined nobility through Taqwa and no other than it. Allah, The Most High, says: [إِنَّ أَڪۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَٮٰكُمۡۚ- Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa] [49:13] [1]

This is simple and clear distinction in behaviour that can be seen as either civilised or uncivilised. Actions that align with divine revelation reflect moral integrity, while those that contradict it are considered evil, corrupt, or misleading. It is important to be cautious of those who promote misguided ideas in Muslim societies —individuals who aim to undermine the sound social values that are in harmony with the Messenger’s guidance, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, rebuked those misguided individuals in Muslim countries who attempted to evaluate civilised behaviour through the lens of foreign practices. He stated:

“In the view of these deviants, revival and advancement means to assimilate into the morale and mentality of the outsiders – the enemies of all religions; lose all their personalities by adopting the personalities of those people, imitate them in their manners, dress, dealings and customs – precisely and distinctly, because they see that one should dissociate from the religion ordained by Allāh and from beautiful manners. This is progress and advancement in their view, thus they replace that which is lofty, perfect and precious with something that is low and despicable. They are in agreement with their enemies outwardly and inwardly, and through this path they became the greatest weapon of the enemies against their religion and people, and for this reason they blindly imitated the foreigners in harmful matters.

As for that which they possess of those things that are of benefit – even if associated with the religion, they are the most distant from it as is well known regarding their state of affairs. And through that which the deviants decorate their falsehood is their strong language (or forceful speech) regarding modern culture (or intellectual development), whilst claiming that neither can manners be refined nor free from oppression and tyranny except by way of that. They exaggerated in praising it and its educators, vilify those who do not have this modern culture and ridicule them. They interpret it with various deviated interpretations and everyone blurting, because if sciences are disorderly and manners are based on them, then this is how its people will behave. They do not agree – in anything – in their views and opinions, and all their statements refer back to toppling the religion and manners. Indeed, sound intellectual development and beneficial refinement is that which the religion of Islam brought, which cleansed the beliefs from polytheism and the worship of images; cleansed the manners from every evil trait, cleansed deeds and etiquettes until matters became rectified, the state of affairs came to be upright, combined between the religious and worldly affairs, reformed the beneficial morale and the material sciences that support them. And certainly what is witnessed is a testimony to that which we have mentioned, for indeed the contemporary (or modern) sciences and inventions – despite their expansion and vastness – have been unable to rectify the manners, bring about sound virtues and remove evil due to them being devoid of (sound) religion; rather the religion of Islaam is that which will guarantee this rectification, undertake this beneficial refinement, direct towards every good and deter every evil, for indeed it is the rectifier of the apparent matters (i.e. deeds) and the hidden affairs of the soul in the religious and worldly affairs. Whoever looks at its fundamentals, subsidiary issues and what it deters, he will find the affair as we have mentioned; rather -above everything else -Allāh is the granter of success. [2]

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Whoever ponders upon the state of affairs of the world will find that every affair of rectification is due to Tawheed, singling out Allah in worship and obedience to His Messenger (Muhammad). And every evil in the world, trial, affliction, scarcity (in livelihood), being overpowered by an enemy and other than that is due to (our) opposition to the Messenger and the call to other than (the way of) Allah and His Messenger. Whoever truly ponders upon this and examines the state of affairs of the world- since its beginning and until the time Allah will take it away and those upon it- he will realise this affair regarding himself and others, in general and specific (circumstances). And there is no Might or Power except with Allah –The Most High, The Most Great. [3]

Imam Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated regarding Allāh’s statement:

 وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةً۬ وَفِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً۬

And of them there are some who say: “Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good (2:201]

Good in the worldly life is Knowledge and worship. Good in the afterlife is Paradise. [4]

[1] Al-I’tisam 3/434

[2] An Excerpt from Ad-Dalaa’il Al-Qur’aaniyyah Fee Annal Uloom Wal-A’maal An-Naafi’ah Al-Asriyyah Daakhilatun Fid Deen Al-Islaamiy. page 33- 36

[3] Bada’i al-Fawa’id 3/525-526

[4] Jami Bayan Al-Ilm 1/11