Allaah does not want to place you in difficulty

 Shaykh Usaamah al-Khayyat

27 Rabee'ul-Awwal 1426 (6 May 2005)

All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam), his household and his companions.

Dear brethren! Fear Allaah Who created you, provided you with sustenance and showered His blessings upon you inwardly and outwardly. Be conscious of Him and remember your stand before Him on the Day of Resurrection, "the Day when man will see that (the deeds) which his hands have sent forth, and the disbeliever will say: "Woe to me! Would that I were dust!"

Fellow Muslims! Easiness, removal of difficulties and fetters are some of the characteristics of this religion. This is in order that all avenues of exaggeration would be blocked so that humans will not put themselves in shackles or fail to make of concessions that the Sharee'ah has provided them. It is in the light of this that Allaah says,

"Allaah does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour on you that you may be thankful."

(Al-Maaidah 5:6)

This verse was revealed following the Qur'aanic explanation on the rules of purification from major and minor impurities; that the Muslims can make dry ablution when there is no water or when it is difficult to use it. This is in order to make things easy for the Muslims and spare them hardship. Though the revelation of this verse after the afore-mentioned ordainment can infer that it is restricted to the rules of purification, the fact is that it is a general injunction that applies to all other Islaamic rules. This is supported by the verse in Soorah al-Hajj,  

"He has chosen you (to convey His Message of Islaamic Monotheism to mankind by inviting them to His religion, Islaam), and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship."(Al-Hajj 22:78)

The two show the believer the greatness of Allaah's favour upon him. For, He made easy for him the path to happiness and success. If he follows it he would find no difficulty.

The is as opposed to the children of Israel who were burdened with shackles that their law imposed upon them like forbiddance of eating from the war spoils, killing of the sinner as a condition for repentance and removing impurity from the garment through cutting off the affected place.

All this is because this Ummah is a blessed one whom Allaah makes just among other nations. Allaah says,

"Thus We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islâmic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a Wasat (just) (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you."

(Al-Baqarah 2:143)

Wasat according to Ibn Katheer means, the best. The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam) was the best among his people and the noblest of them.  Since Allaah has made this Ummah the just nation He exclusively gave it the most perfect of all laws and teachings, and the clearest of all paths.

Fellow Muslims! Removal of hardship from this Ummah suits its virtues, justice, comprehensiveness and universality of the message of its Prophet.  It is also compatible with its everlasting nature and its prevalence over other religions. Allaah says,

"It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad (peace be upon him)) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islaam), to make it superior over all religions even though the Mushrikûn (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah) hate (it)."

(At-Tawbah 9:33)

Therefore, Islaam is a divine and comprehensive way of life that is suitable for all mankind, irrespective of their classes and levels of their civilization. It is a way in which there is no confusion. Allaah made it an easy path to follow and explained its characteristics clearly to His servants.

There are many examples that illustrate Islaam's removal of hardship like: permission of dry ablution [tayammum] when there is no sufficient water or when its use can be harmful due to an illness, for instance; permission to perform prayer in sitting position for those who are unable to perform it standing; allowing the sick, the traveller, the pregnant woman and the nursing mother not to fast in the month of Ramadaan; permission to shorten prayers and combine between two prayers when one is on a journey; allowing the menstruating woman and the woman in post-natal period not to make up for the missed prayers; exemption of those who are unable to perform hajj from its obligation; and permitting the eating from a dead carcass in a state of dire necessity. There are many more examples of how the Islaamic law seeks to remove hardship and bring about easiness.

In all of the above cases, resorting to these concessions becomes safer for the servants so that they could avoid difficulty. This is a fundamental principle that has many branches in acts of worship and rules of interactions. Allaah says,

"Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you."(Al-Baqarah 2:185)

From the Light of the Sunnah, the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam)  said, "Make things easy and do not make things difficult. Give glad tiding and do not scare [people]." (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

In another hadeeth, the mother of the faithful 'Aaishah said, "The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam) was never asked to choose between two things except that he chose the easier of them as long as it is not a sin. If it is a sin, he is the farthest one from it." (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

However, the hardship that demands ease has regulations because; not everything that demands efforts can be regarded as difficult. Likewise, not every illness warrants breaking of fast; and the eating of dead carcass is not permitted in all conditions of hunger.

The fact of the matter is that, hardship of two types:

One: Normal hardship that is not regarded as a difficulty like working during the day in Ramadaan, passing and tolerable illness or temporary hunger that is far from being deadly. All these are not regarded as difficulty that should be removed. Therefore, the Sharee'ah does not intend to remove difficulties of this ordinary type for nothing of efforts of this life is devoid of one kind of difficulty or another.

Two: Extraordinary difficulty. This type of difficulty makes the hearts constrained, exhausts all efforts and leaves bad impacts on a man's mind and wealth. It might even lead to cessation of many useful deeds. It is this kind of hardship that Allaah, out of His mercy and desire to make things easy, removes from this Ummah.

In short, it is this show of compassion that makes the Muslims direct all his attention to his Merciful Lord, Who not only takes care of His servants with what He bestowed upon them but also takes care of them and nurtures them in what He ordains for them. He ordained for them regulations that includes all kinds of ease and difference ways of removing hardship. This then makes their hearts full of love for Him, His religion, His Book and His Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam); a love that leads to total submission and return to Allaah, perfect respect for His commands and prohibitions, obedience to Him through remembrance and show of gratitude, worshipping Him in the perfect manner and abiding by His rules.

Dear brethren! Removal of hardship is one of the clearest qualities of this religion and one of its greatest goals.

It is therefore a responsibility of the scholars who are bearers of the light of guidance and the heirs of the Prophets to give greater attention and exert greater efforts in explaining this fact to the Muslims and others. They should do this as a way of fulfilling the obligation of explaining the truth, out of fear of concealing knowledge and a way of guarding this religion so that it remains, according to Allaah's wish, a light for those who are in darkness, an illumination to those who are eager to follow the path of Allaah and a guide to those who are in confusion. Allaah says,

"And strive hard in Allaah's Cause as you ought to strive (with sincerity and with all your efforts that His Name should be superior). He has chosen you (to convey His Message of Islaamic Monotheism to mankind by inviting them to His religion of Islaam), and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship: it is the religion of your father Ibraaheem (Abraham) (Islaamic Monotheism). It is He (Allaah) Who has named you Muslims both before and in this (the Qur'aan), that the Messenger (Muhammad (peace be upon him)) may be a witness over you and you be witnesses over mankind! So perform As-Salât (Iqamat-as-Salât), give Zakaah and hold fast to Allaah (i.e. have confidence in Allâh, and depend upon Him in all your affairs). He is your Maulâ (Patron, Lord), what an Excellent Maulâ (Patron, Lord) and what an Excellent Helper!"

(Al-Hajj 22:78)

Fellow Muslims! Making use of the concessions by which Allaah blessed His servants is not only good because of the difficulties such concessions seek to remove; it is also a recommended act. The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam) said, "Allaah loves that His concessions should be made use of as He dislikes being disobeyed." (Ahmad and others)

He also said, "Allaah loves that His concessions should be made use of as He loves His decreed rules being obeyed." (Ibn Khuzaymah and others)

Brethren in faith! The above Prophetic explanation removes a misconception that making use of Allaah's concessions is an indication of weakness in the fulfilment of obligations in a way that pleases Allaah. For, the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayihi wa sallam)  clearly explained that making use of the concessions is like abiding by the decreed regulations, as long as each is used in its appropriate place and according to their respective rules.

Fear Allaah and follow the path of ease and removal of hardship which Allaah has chosen for you. It is a charity from Him and you should accept his charity. And always remember Allaah as He has commanded you.

From : Islaamic Propagation & Education Committee
Al-Madeenah Al—Munawwarah
(Sermons of the two Holy Mosques)