[28] Exalt Allah And His Shariah First and Foremost

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Allah, The Most High, said:

وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِى وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah), and wheresoever you are, turn your faces towards, it (when you pray) so that men may have no argument against you except those of them that are wrong-doers, so fear them not, but fear Me! – And so that I may complete My Blessings on you and that you may be guided.

 فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ

“So fear them not”.

Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

لأن حجتهم باطلة, والباطل كاسمه مخذول, مخذول صاحبه، وهذا بخلاف صاحب الحق, فإن للحق صولة وعزا, يوجب خشية من هو معه, وأمر تعالى بخشيته, التي هي أصل كل خير، فمن لم يخش الله, لم ينكف عن معصيته, ولم يمتثل أمره

(This is) because their proof (arguement) is falsehood, and falsehood – just like its very name -is forsaken (vanquished) and the one who upholds it is forsaken as well. This is unlike the person upon the truth, for indeed, truth has prevailing strength and honour that necessitates fear of the one with it.

And Allah commanded that He (alone) be feared which is the foundation of every good. The one who does not fear Allah will not refrain from disobeying Him, nor will he fulfil His command.

An Excerpt from Tafsir As-Sadi. Paraphrased