MAN AND
RESPONSIBILITY
PRESENTED BY:
AL-BALAGH FOUNDATION
In the name of Allah, the
Beneficent, the Merciful.
The Holy Our'an speaks about man,
as a being who has both sacredness and holiness on this land through addressing him as a
person who has both dignity and great importance.
Allah, the Almighty says:
"Surely We have honoured
the children of Adam, and carried them on land and sea..."
Holy Qur'an (17:70)
Man is distinguished from other
beings owing to his wisdom, will and being a vicegerent, who holds responsibility and
deserves such distinction. He is referred to through revelation and upon whom the word of
Allah, the Merciful is revealed. His value and respect compared with other creatures
indicates great honour and trust bestowed upon him. Such responsibility remarks that his
position is raised through giving him more importance and esteem. Indeed, man is not
considered neither a neglected being nor a worthless one in life due to his possessing of
wisdom, will and the ability and who takes his will and his capability to make a choice
and take a decision. Therefore, he is responsible for his deeds and behaviour accordingly.
Allah, the Exalted says:
"And if Allah wills He
would certainly make you a single nation, but He causes to err whom He wills and guides
whom He wills; and most certainly you will be questioned as to what you did."[1]
Holy Qur'an (16:93)
Islam fixes two responsibilities
upon man: individual and collective ones. Concerning individual responsibility, he is
responsible far his own self , thus Allah, the Mast High, addresses him:
"Nay! man is evidence
against himself. Though he puts forth his excuses."
Holy Qur'an (75:14-15)
This verse refers to man's being
responsible before Allah far his speech, behaviour, and deeds and will be judged by Him on
the Resurrection Day the Day of Justice and Punishment).
All these are in order to make
his relation with his Lard directly and also to judge himself before his Lord. He is made
to feel his shortcomings and responsibilities. As such, negative attitudes should be
corrected spontaneously and without any force lest he loses his self-sensibility and
feeling of responsibility which leads him to lose his self-motivation and self-respect.
Later on it can lead to losing his value as a wise and distinguished man, who then needs
farce to make him carry out his obligations and avoid what is forbidden.
Allah, the Almighty says:
"And those who give w
hat they give (in alms) while their hearts are full of fear t hat to their Lord they must
return. These hasten to do good things and they are foremost in (attaining) them. And We
do not lay on any soul a burden except to the extent of its ability, and with Us is a book
which speaks the truth, and they s hall not be dealt with unjustly."
Holy Qur'an (23:60-62)
"He who does not judge
him/ herself daily is not from us, if one does a good deed, Allah will increase it while
if he does an evil deed, Allah forgives him."[2]
Islam wants to bring up the power
of conscience in man's soul in precedence of the power of state and to develop the virtue
of personal responsibility; to became a guardian to judge oneself and know that one is
responsible an the Resurrection Day far what Allah has granted. Everyone is responsible
for the property he owns. And from where did he gain it and how did he use it? Man is also
responsible far the knowledge he acquires and the capabilities to which it is applied
before Allah and how they are employed. Did he use them far his own personal benefit or
far the general benefit of society? Did he exploit them far corrupt and destructive
practices, and for boosting only himself and his worldly interests? Man is responsible far
his mentality and intelligence which Allah gave him and how they are put to use. And if
they were misdirected in deviated ways, deceiving others or corrected in the way of
guidance and edification of soul and its reformation.
He is also responsible for the
strength that Allah gave him and to what purpose did it gain. Was it spent in wasteful
disobedience and being aggressive? Or was it used towards goodness and following the right
way? Man is also responsible for the power, position and social rank which Allah gave him
and whether they were misused for suppression, creating terrorism, and seeking
predominance to obtain personal gain over others? Or was it constructively put to use for
social development in the way of Allah, the Almighty?
Consequently, man will be
questioned for the tongue which Allah gave him and how did he use its talents. Did he use
it for uttering the word of goodness, reformation and benefitting social progress? Or did
he use it for cheating, backbiting, lying, and insulting others?
Similarly, he will be questioned
for the. eyes which Allah gave him and for what purpose were they put. Did he use them for
reading knowledgeable books and respecting Allah's greatness? Or did he use them for
looking at what Allah has forbidden and prohibited?
He will also be questioned on
Allah's gift of ears and was the sense of hearing used only for listening to gossip, empty
words, indecency and wasteful entertainment? Or were they directed at hearing the word of
guidance, educative and fruitful debates?
Allah, the Almighty says:
"...surely the hearing
and the sight and the heart, all of these, s hall be questioned about that."
Holy Qur'an (17:36)
"He utters not a word
but there is by him a watcher at hand."
Holy Qur'an (50:18)
"And stop them, for they
will be questioned."
Holy Qur'an (37:24)
"He cannot be questioned
concerning what He does and they shall be questioned."
Holy Qur'an (21:23)
People will be questioned for
everything they do whether it be small or great:
"...what a book is this!
it does not omit a small one nor a great one, but numbers them (all);..."
Holy Qur'an (18:49)
Islam legislates individual
responsibility before Allah and also individual responsibility before the Islamic state,
run according to Islamic laws. Such a state is given the right of governing and organizing
the affairs of society, promulgating law to safeguard the interests of the Muslim
communities, the welfare of humanity and its progress. It is also given the right for
issuing orders and judgements. So, man is also responsible for these before Allah, the
Most High.
Allah, the Almighty says:
"O you who believe! obey
Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you;..."
Holy Qur'an (4:59)
As man is responsible before the
legislative state, which has the right of governing over him, it has the right of
presenting him before court and punishing him in the case of violating its laws and
regulations.
Therefore, an Islamic state has
the right to interfere in the individual, social and economic affairs in order to achieve
an equitable society. It also has the right to charge and restrict man's actions which
contradict the general interest. In case of emergency, it also has the right to prevent
the forbidden behaviour and act against whoever abandons his obligations by forcing him to
carry them out even to the extent if such obligations oppose his personal interests. An
Islamic state has also the right to impose certain duties upon man or make him work in a
special field, to punish him in the case of killing another, of drinking alcohol, of
cheating or manipulating prices and misleading commercial markets. The individual has no
right to behave or do anything without responsibility. He must feel that he is responsible
both in front of Allah and the legislative state.
Through carrying our
responsibilities, based upon Islamic laws and values which organize personal duties to
regulate behaviour, a society can be established to keep an equilibrium, where security,
social peace and economic welfare are preserved. Without these responsibilities, life
turns into chaos and anarchy, the role of justice and law disappears, and society becomes
a tyrannical one.
Islam organizes responsibility by
making every one responsible both for himself and others, therefore, a shepherd is
responsible for his flocks, a father for his children and a governor for his subjects.
Each have their responsibilities
arranged according to their position in society as the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) says:
"All are custodians and
are responsible for their charges."[3]
Imam Ali (a.s.) describes this
responsibility in his letter to Malik al-Ashtar by saying:
"...so, extend to them
your forgiveness and pardon, in the same way as you would like Allah to extend His
forgiveness and pardon to you, because you are over them and your responsible commander
(Imam) is over you while Allah is over him w ho has appointed you. He (Allah) has sought
you to manage their affairs and has tried you through them..."[4]
Life can not be organized without
responsibility. Imam Ali (a.s.) explains that Muslims on one hand are responsible before
those who take responsibilities, while on the other hand, they (who take responsibilities)
themselves are also responsible before their leader (Imam) who himself is also responsible
before Allah both for the Muslims and those who take the responsibilities.
In effect, Islam makes an Islamic
state be responsible in front of Muslims, while it gives Muslims the right to supervise
and advise such a state.
Allah, the Most High says:
"And (as for) the
believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of each other; they enjoin good
and forbid evil..."
Holy Qur'an (9:71)
All these directions are made in
order to fulfil responsibility and build both state and society on an equitable foundation
of rights and du ties. Islam considers man to be responsible fur himself, his actions as
well as for others. It prompts upon him towards reforming society and standing against all
kinds of corruption: moral, political, economic, and social...etc. It compares society to
a ship carrying its passengers in the middle of the sea and in which all are responsible
from protecting it because if something happens to the ship, all will be drown and
destroyed.
As the Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.) describes such reciprocal responsibility:
"The example of him who
sets the limits of Allah and then contradicts them is like a people who were travelling
together on a ship. It happened that some of them took the upper part, while others took
the lower part of it. Those who took the lower part, while seeking for water came near
those w ho were above them. Those who were above, told them: We will not allow you to take
water because you will hurt us. In response to their answer, those w ho below said: We can
make a hole in the bottom of the boat without hurting those above us. In this case, if
they leave them to do w hat they want, all will perish while if they took their hand (help
them) all will be saved."[5] all will be saved..."[6]
Islam refuses and stands against
the spirit of dependence by making all responsible for the shortcomings in any action,
which has a cooperative mode of necessary obligations. So, in fulfilling necessary
obligation, there is a cooperative duty for which one is not directly responsible for
actions performed by others but which all have some responsibility and will be questioned
for it. Therefore, it is not permitted for individuals to depend upon others to carry out
tasks and actions which have a cooperative nature, like bidding for what is right and
forbidding what is wrong.
For instance, if it so happens
that some apologize and excuse themselves for being unable to perform certain functions
and stand against corruption and crime, in that case, responsibility will be directed at
those who sit and withdraw themselves, neglecting their cooperative duty and not
participating in safeguarding Islam as a belief and as a right path for life.
Islam educates man through
connecting him with Allah, the Creator of this existence in order to make him feel
self-responsible and raise within himself the power of inner consciousness and
sensibility.
Allah, the Most High says:
"Nay! I swear by the Day
of Resurrection! Nay! I swear by the Self-Accusing self!."
Holy Qur'an (75: 1-2)
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is also
reported to have said:
"Judge yourselves before
being judged by others".[6]
"No foot of a servant
(of Allah) (on the Resurrection Day) will move before being asked about four things: his
years (age) and how he spent them, his youth and how he worn it out, his wealth and how he
earned it and on what he spend it and about his love towards us, the Ahlul-Bait (the
Prophet's Household)."[7]
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
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FOOTNOTES
[1] Allah, the
Almighty created man who possesses will and choice and his guidance or his deviation is
made accordingly to their use. Whoever chooses the way of deviation, is misled. Whoever
chooses the way of guidance, is led towards it. Therefore, divine guidance and deviation
mentioned in this verse is but the punishment or reward adjusted to accord with to man's
choice.
[2] Narrated by Imam al-Kadhim, in al-Wasa'il al-Shi'a,
Amili, vol. 11, p.377
[3] Bukhari, Sahih al-Muslim, vol. 2, p.6.
[4] Imam Ali (a.s.), Nahj
al-Balaghah, compiled by Dr. Subhi Salih, p.426.
[5] Sunnan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Fitan, vol. 4, p.470, Hadith
No. 2173.
[6] Amili, al-Wasa'il al-Shi'a, vol. 11, p.380.
[7] Sayuti, Ihya'
al-Mayyit, Hadith No. 44.
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