Meaning recognition of the word ''religion'' in Quran

The features of the religion:
1. Surrendering against God
Quran expresses the rules of the Islam in a written form and the charter of this religion. On the other hand, this book is only divine book that is not distorted and human uses it. Hence, the recognition of the phenomenon of the religion from the point of view of Quran that expresses the superiority of the religion of God has high importance. According to Quran lexicon, what are the features and characteristics of the religion? We can have better recognition from this conception with the help of these features. Which religion is an ideal and desirable religion? Finally, which religion is the best religion? According to Quran, the best religion is a religion that belongs to a person that has surrendered against God; '' وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ دِینًا مِّمَّنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لله''
The first conception among the conceptions of the collocation of the word '' religion'' that will be analyzed is the conception of '' surrendering''. Analyzing the verses that are related to the word '' religion'' in Quran, we can realize that the conception of surrendering along with the word '' religion'' has been repeated over and over again and in some cases, even it has been expressed clearly that in fact, the religion is only surrendering against the nature of exalted God. We will analyze the verses and the ideas of the interpreters about the conception of surrendering and its relationship with the word '' religion'' in these verses
''وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ دِينًا مِّمَّنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ وَاتَّبَعَ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۗ وَاتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا''
''Who can be better in religion than one who submits his whole self to Allah, does good, and follows the way of Abraham the true in Faith? For Allah did take Abraham for a friend ''.
Allame Tabatabaei explains in the book '' Al-Mizan Interpretation'' that in fact, this verse is an interrogation and with this interrogation, the style '' granted sending'' has been used. As a matter of fact, it is supposed in this matter that Islam is the best religion. In other words, a person should choose a religion and the best religion is that human surrenders himself or herself God that owns whatever exists in the sky and the earth, humility out against him and acts according to the rules of the nation of Hazrat Ibrahim( peace be upon him)and this is the religion based on nature. Immaculate God considered Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) that was the first person that surrendered against God and followed as his Khalil;
''وَمَن يَرْغَبُ عَن مِّلَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِلَّا مَن سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ ۚ وَلَقَدِ اصْطَفَيْنَاهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَإِنَّهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ ۖ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ''
''And who turns away from the religion of Abraham but such as debase their souls with folly? Him We chose and rendered pure in this world: And he will be in the Hereafter in the ranks of the Righteous. Behold! his Lord said to him: "Bow (thy will to Me):" He said: "I bow (my will) to the Lord and Cherisher of the Universe ''.
''وَوَصَّىٰ بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَا بَنِيَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ''
''And this was the legacy that Abraham left to his sons, and so did Jacob; "Oh my sons! Allah hath chosen the Faith for you; then die not except in the Faith of Islam''.
In this verse, it has been discussed about the religion or the nation of Ibrahim and its selection in the world and the doomsday. The nation of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was the same way that selected him as a superior person and promoted him to the rank of Imamate. What is the story of the nation of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him)? This verse elucidates that the nation of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) surrendered against God as Quran states
''إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ''
Or it is expressed from Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and Hazrat Yaghub (peace be upon him) in another part of this verse
''إِنَّ اللّهَ اصْطَفَى لَكُمُ الدِّینَ فَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إَلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ''
Allah hath chosen the Faith for you; then die not except in the Faith of Islam because only religion that will be accepted from you is a religion that is surrendering against exalted God. In other words, religion is only surrendering against exalted God.
Allame Tabatabaei believes about this verse that the word '' astafa '' means gaining the abstract of something'' and this abstract can be separated after it is combined with other things. When this word is considered with the ranks of guardianship, it will be in line with the ranks of guardianship, it will be in line with the purity of worshipping. In conclusion, the word '' astafa'' in this rank is that persons should behave as he or should worship God. In other words, he or she should surrender against God and this meaning can be implemented with action because religion is only worshipping the affairs of the world and the doomsday. The religion also says that a person should surrender against the satisfaction of God in all of his or her affairs. Hence, it turns out that the rank of astafa is the same as the rank of the Islam and it is in line with the following verse
''إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ''
As a consequence, astafa of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) happened when his God said to him to become Muslim and he became Muslim for the creator of the world. Hence, the following sentence is an interpretation for the sentence that starts with '' astafina''.
'' إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ''
''إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ ۗ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ ۗ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ''
''The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His Will): Nor did the People of the Book dissent therefrom except through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them. But if any deny the Signs of Allah, Allah is swift in calling to account''.
There is a religion in immaculate God and there is no disagreement about it. God has ordered his persons to follow the same the religion, has descended his prophets about same religion and has sent verses and miracles about the religion that is Islam, surrendering against reality, loyalty toward true beliefs and doing right actions. In other words, religion is surrendering against statements are issued by God about beliefs, actions, trains and rules. In spite of the fact that the rules of prophets are different from the aspects of amount and quality, the reality of the religion is same common component, surrendering against God. Disagreement among Sharias is related to perfection and weak points and there is not natural disagreement and basic contrast among them and complete meaning that is common among them is surrendering against God in doing religious affairs and obeying him in whatever he has wanted his persons through his prophets in any eras. Taleghani writes about the interpretation of Quran
'' Islam in lexical meaning is surrendering and tending in the Islam in a right way that is considered as the necessity of surrendering as verbs related to this infinitive in its lexical meaning have been expressed in Quran in the following verses;
''أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ''
''Do they seek for other than the Religion of Allah?-while all creatures in the heavens and on earth have, willing or unwilling, bowed to His Will (Accepted Islam), and to Him shall they all be brought back''.
''وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ دِينًا مِّمَّنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ وَاتَّبَعَ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۗ وَاتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا''
''Who can be better in religion than one who submits his whole self to Allah, does good, and follows the way of Abraham the true in Faith? For Allah did take Abraham for a friend''.
''يلَ لَهَا ادْخُلِي الصَّرْحَ ۖ فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ حَسِبَتْهُ لُجَّةً وَكَشَفَتْ عَن سَاقَيْهَا ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُ صَرْحٌ مُّمَرَّدٌ مِّن قَوَارِيرَ ۗ قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَانَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ''
''She was asked to enter the lofty Palace: but when she saw it, she thought it was a lake of water, and she (tucked up her skirts), uncovering her legs. He said: "This is but a palace paved smooth with slabs of glass." She said: "O my Lord! I have indeed wronged my soul: I do (now) submit (in Islam), with Solomon, to the Lord of the Worlds''.
And its other infinitives are found in other verses. As a matter of fact, true and divine or all religions in God, God that is single and establishes justice, is surrendering and tending in the Islam because whatever exists, seen and unseen things, is in God and surrenders in the will of God.
It has been expressed in the above verse that all creatures in the sky and on the earth surrender against exalted God and it is concluded from this introduction that since all creatures surrender against God, it is not permitted that human applies another religion except the religion of God, surrendering against God because Islam is a religion whose basis is nature and all people should accept the religion that the reason of its reality is same reason that God has made all creatures in the sky and on the earth accept the religion and all creatures should surrender against him and accept only his rules.
''أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ''
''Do they seek for other than the Religion of Allah?-while all creatures in the heavens and on earth have, willing or unwilling, bowed to His Will (Accepted Islam), and to Him shall they all be brought back''.
''لْ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَالنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ''
''Say: "We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma´il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam)''.
وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ''
''If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good)''.
The religion is humiliating out against programs and regulations. A religion that is divine and true is implemented in the conception of the Islam. A pious person should obey all affairs, rules and regulations, moves along with the satisfaction of exalted God, does not commit any sins and should not be arrogant;
''حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الْخِنزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا بِالْأَزْلَامِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ ۗ الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ ۚ الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا ۚ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ فِي مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍ لِّإِثْمٍ ۙ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ''
''Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful''.
About the interpretation of the above verse, Muhammad Taghi Modaresi believes that Islam in this verse is same lexical meaning, surrendering against God and his rules, that Quran has used in other verses. Islam is a religion that God has selected for us and in this religion, we should be pious and should obey the rules of God, the messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) and Imams that are followers of the path of the mission of the messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants).
What is understood from the above verses is that in the culture of Quran, the conception of surrendering in understanding the meaning of the religion is one of the most main conceptions. As we observed in the verses of Quran, basically, the religion is only surrendering against exalted God. Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) achieved to an exalted rank with surrendering against God and as all creatures in the sky and on the earth have surrendered against God, human should surrender against God and basically, the best religion is that benevolent human can surrender God.
2. We should be polytheistic toward God;
Surrendering against God and obeying him equals with considering another thing or person in rules and lifestyle except exalted God. In other words, when we obey God, we do not consider a partner for him and do not equalize him with another person or thing. If we consider another person or thing in an equal level with God and respect him or her, we should consider him or her the source of goodness and try to follow him or her in the life. Hence, surrendering against God equals with not considering a partner for him. Referring to the luminous verses of Quran, we can understand that one of conceptions that has been repeated over and over again along with the word '' religion'', in fact, one of the conceptions of the collocation of the word '' religion'', is the conception of lack of polytheism. In all verses of Quran, the words '' polytheism'' and '' polytheists'' beside the word '' religion'' as the opposite words of the religion have been expressed. In other words, not being polytheistic toward exalted God is as a general rule of the desirable religion Of God. Analyzing the following verses, we can have a clear picture from this matter;
''قُلْ إِنَّنِي هَدَانِي رَبِّي إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۚ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ''
''Say: "Verily, my Lord hath guided me to a way that is straight,- a religion of right,- the path (trod) by Abraham the true in Faith, and he (certainly) joined not gods with Allah''.
This verse expresses clearly that Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had been guided to true path and the religion by God, had pushed away polytheism and was not a polytheist. It has also been expressed about this matter '' the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) was obliged to introduce his rules as the rules of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and to say '' the real religion of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) is same religion that I invite you not what you are obeying. He is Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) that turned away from the superstitious rules of his time and environment and tended the rules of monotheism. '' Hanif'' means a person or a thing that tends toward a way, but in the expression of Quran, hanif is told to a person that turns away from the false rules of his or her time and pays attention to true rules. It seems that this interpretation is an answer to the remarks of polytheists that censured the disagreement of the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) with the rules of idolism that were the religion of the ancestors of Arab. The prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) says in order to answer them '' breaching this tradition and giving up the superstitious beliefs of the environment is not my job and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) that is respected buy all of us did such a thing. Then he added to emphasize on his remarks '' he was never a polytheist and an idol worshipper. In some verses, Quran has emphasized on this matter that Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) that Arabic people were proud of was pure from false beliefs and actions''.
''هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ''
''It is He Who hath sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it)''.
God sent the messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) with guidance, verses, miracles and a religion so that his religion could deal with other religions in spite of the fact that polytheists would not like and became sad. Because polytheists are interested in and loyal to their religion, being polytheistic toward God, they consider the true religion and guidance that God has annunciated his messenger unpleasant. In other words, the religion of polytheists is in contrast with the religion that God has led the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) toward it and he has presented it to the world through the messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants). Therefore, divine guidance and true religion are in contrast with polytheism. Hence, polytheism causes that polytheists stand against true religion. Hence, we can say that one of the conceptions of the collocation of the word '' religion'' in Quran is lack of polytheism.
''هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ''
''It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, that he may proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest''.
''إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ ۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ وَقَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَافَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَافَّةً ۚ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ''
''The number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year)- so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred: that is the straight usage. So wrong not yourselves therein, and fight the Pagans all together as they fight you all together. But know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves''.
About the interpretation of the above verse, it has been expressed about polytheism and the content of the verse '' we should arrange our affairs according to the age of the traditions of the nature not according to our desires and lusts. The traditions of the nature are same reality that the earth and the sky have been created according to it. The signs of ignorance are to act according to our desires not according to the traditions of the nature. Quran emphasizes on this matter;
''إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِی كِتَابِ اللّهِ یَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَات وَالأَرْضَ''
According to the statement of God, the number of month is twelve since the sky and the earth have been created. Hence, whatever is in the book of the nature is found in the book of Sharia and is according to a fixed system. We should discover this system so that we can succeed; otherwise, we will suffer from a lot of difficulties and we will be in temptations that God has prohibited us from them. Polytheists are persons that do not pay attention to these realities and we should fight with them in order to correct their ways;
'' وَقَاتِلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِینَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا یُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً''
''Fight the Pagans all together as they fight you all together''.
Hence, the above verse encourages human to arrange their action according to the system of the nature and sharia because these are in line with each other and are according to a fixed system. But the religion of polytheism is in contrast with these natural realities. Hence, the preservation of the religion is in contrast with the religion and rules of polytheists.
''وَأَنْ أَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ''
''And further (thus): ´set thy face towards religion with true piety, and never in any wise be of the Unbelievers''.
''وَلَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ ۖ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِّنَ الظَّالِمِينَ''
''Nor call on any, other than Allah;- Such will neither profit thee nor hurt thee: if thou dost, behold! thou shalt certainly be of those who do wrong''.
This sacred verse is a prohibition after another prohibition toward being polytheistic and expresses that being polytheistic considers human as tyrant persons and when persons are tyrant, threats that exalted God has expressed for tyrant persons in his remarks are implemented about human. Hence, human should tend the religion without tending deviational and polytheistic ways and you should be careful that you should not be considered as polytheists and tyrant persons.
''وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ''
''Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion - the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: ´They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me. ´If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked''.
This verse represents that purpose from the religion is to worship God purely and there is no polytheism about it. In conclusion, God considers a society secure that nothing should be worshipped except God and only god should be the creator of the world. A religion is the satisfaction of exalted God if God is worshipped without any polytheism. Hence, the religion and lack of polytheism are necessary in the culture of Quran.
''فَإِذَا رَكِبُوا فِي الْفُلْكِ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَ''
''Now, if they embark on a boat, they call on Allah, making their devotion sincerely (and exclusively) to Him; but when He has delivered them safely to (dry) land, behold, they give a share (of their worship to others)''.
These verses mention contrasts that polytheists have in their beliefs and these contrasts include '' polytheists confess that God is the creator of the sky and the earth and he organizes the moon and the sun. They also confess that only person that descends water from the sky and revitalizes the earth after it dies is God whereas they worship other persons and things then God and want their daily bread other persons and things than God. Or when they get on the ship, they call and worship God, but God saved them from the danger of the sea, they started worshipping other persons and things than God. Although Mecca is a secure holy shrine and God has granted then such a great blessing, they believe in another God and deny reality. It can be understood from the previous verses that polytheists have told a lie to God in their polytheism and most of them do not think deeply and commit contrast in confessing the creation of God and denying God as the creator of the world. As a consequence, when they get on the ship, they do such and such actions. The meaning of the verse is that when they got on the ship, they worshipped God and when God saved them, they became polytheists and this is considered as one of other contrasts of polytheists.
شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ ۚ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ ۚ اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يُنِيبُ
The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - the which We have sent by inspiration to thee - and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him).
It has been expressed in this verse that religion that God has annunciated through Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him), Hazrat Muhammad (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants), Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him), Hazat Musa (peace be upon him) and Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) to people is Islam that is unpleasant for polytheists whose religion, polytheism, is in contrast with the religion of the Islam. Hence, the religion that had been descended to prophets was away from polytheism;
''أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَن بِهِ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةُ الْفَصْلِ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ''
''What! have they partners (in godhead), who have established for them some religion without the permission of Allah? Had it not been for the Decree of Judgment, the matter would have been decided between them (at once). But verily the Wrong-doers will have a grievous Penalty''.
The verse expresses that polytheists will have no use in the doomsday and he states '' there is not another religion except what God has determined so that polytheists refer their action to it and they can have the same reward that benevolent persons will have in the doomsday because God has no partners so that he or she could determine a religion against the determined religion of God without his permission. Hence, there is no religion except the religion of God and only persons that have believed in God and have acted according to the rules of God will be rewarded in the doomsday.
3. The source of divine religion
One of other conceptions of the collocation of the word '' religion'' that has been used beside the word '' religion'' over and over again is this matter that only religion that is attributed to God is true and accepted. This conception has been expressed with different statements. Sometimes, it has been expressed that the religion has been confirmed by God;
'' دِینَهُمُ الَّذِی ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ'' ''وَرَضِیتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِینًا''
Sometimes, it has been talked about the selection of the religion by God;
''وَصَّىٰ بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَا بَنِيَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ''
''And this was the legacy that Abraham left to his sons, and so did Jacob; "Oh my sons! Allah hath chosen the Faith for you; then die not except in the Faith of Islam''.
In some verses, it has been expressed about the religion in God;
''إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ ۗ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ ۗ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ''
''The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His Will): Nor did the People of the Book dissent therefrom except through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them. But if any deny the Signs of Allah, Allah is swift in calling to account''.
In other verses, it has been expressed that the religion has been sent by God;
'' هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ''
''It is He Who hath sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest''.
In other verses, it has been expressed that the religion has been determined by God
'' شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ ۚ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ ۚ اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يُنِيبُ''
''The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - the which We have sent by inspiration to thee - and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him)''.
In other verses, it has also been expressed that the religion or guidance has been attributed to God;
''وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا لِمَن تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ الْهُدَىٰ هُدَى اللَّهِ أَن يُؤْتَىٰ أَحَدٌ مِّثْلَ مَا أُوتِيتُمْ أَوْ يُحَاجُّوكُمْ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ''
''And believe no one unless he follows your religion." Say: "True guidance is the Guidance of Allah: (Fear ye) Lest a revelation be sent to someone (else) Like unto that which was sent unto you? or that those (Receiving such revelation) should engage you in argument before your Lord?" Say: "All bounties are in the hand of Allah: He granteth them to whom He pleaseth: And Allah careth for all, and He knoweth all things''.
''أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ''
''O they seek for other than the Religion of Allah?-while all creatures in the heavens and on earth have, willing or unwilling, bowed to His Will (Accepted Islam), and to Him shall they all be brought back''.
''قُلْ إِنَّنِي هَدَانِي رَبِّي إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۚ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ''
''Say: "Verily, my Lord hath guided me to a way that is straight,- a religion of right,- the path (trod) by Abraham the true in Faith, and he (certainly) joined not gods with Allah''
''حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الْخِنزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا بِالْأَزْلَامِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ ۗ الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ ۚ الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا ۚ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ فِي مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍ لِّإِثْمٍ ۙ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ''
''Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful''.
The following statement that has been expressed by God shows that the perfection and completion of the religion and satisfaction of the religion is permitted only by God. In other words, from the point of view of Quran, one of the conceptions of the collocation of the word '' religion'' is that the religion has been descended by God.
''الْیَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِینَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَیْكُمْ نِعْمَتِی وَرَضِیتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِینًا''
Sheikh Tusi writes about this natter in the book '' the interpretation of Tabyan'' in this way
''قوله: «وَرَضِیتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِینًا» معناه رضیت لکم الاستسلام لأمری و الانقیاد لطاعتی علی ما شرعت لکم من حدوده و فرائضه و معالمه دیناً یعنی بذلک طاعة منکم لی. فان قیل: أو ما کان الله راضیاً الإسلام دیناً لعباده الا یوم أنزلت هذه الآیة. قیل: لم یزل الله راضیاً لخلقه الإسلام دیناً، لکنه لم یزل یصف نبیه محمد (صلی اللهُ علیه و آله وسلم) و أصحابه فی درجات الإسلام و مراتبه درجة بعد درجة و مرتبة بعد مرتبة و حالا بعد حال حتی أکمل لهم شرائعه و بلغ بهم أقصی درجاته و مراتبه، ثم قال: حین أنزلت هذه الآیة «وَرَضِیتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِینًا فالصفة التی لها الیوم و الحال التی أنتم علیها، فالزموه و لا تفارقوه''
'' means that I selected a وَرَضِیتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِینًا'' The remark of God that states
religion for you that you can surrender against my order with the help of the observation of the guidelines of the religion and obey me. Didn't God select Islam as the religion of his persons before this verse was descended? We can answer in this way '' God had selected Islam as the religion of the creatures of God and had described the ranks of the Islam to Hazrat Muhammad (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) and his companions and it was introduced more stages to stages in different degrees so that God completed his Sharia and promoted them to the highest degrees and ranks. Then he stated with the descending of the following verse '' preserve features of the religion that you have today and do not give them up''.
''وَرَضِیتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِینًا''
Abu Hayan Andolesi states in his interpretation
''وَرَضِیتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِینًا یعنی: اخترته لکم من بین الأدیان و أذنتکم بأنه هو الدین المرضی وحده «وَمَن یَبْتَغِ غَیْرَ الإِسْلاَمِ دِینًا فَلَن یُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ» «إِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً» قاله الزمخشری. و قال ابن عطیة الرضا فی هذا الموضع یحتمل أن یکون بمعنی الإرادة و یحتمل أن یکون صفة فعل عبارة عن إظهار الله إیاه، لأن الرضا من الصفات المترددة بین صفات الذات و صفات الأفعال و الله تعالی قد رضی الإسلام و أراده لنا و ثم أشیاء یرید الله وقوعها و لا یرضاها. و الإسلام هنا هو الدین فی قوله: إِنَّ الدِّینَ عِندَ اللّهِ الإِسْلاَمُ انتهی و کلامه یدل علی أنّ الرضا إذا کان من صفات الذات فهو صفة تغایر الإرادة. و قیل: المعنی أعلمتکم برضائی به لکم دینا، فإنه تعالی لم یزل راضیا بالأسلام لنا دینا، فلا یکون الاختصاص الرضا بذلک الیوم فائدة إن حمل علی ظاهره. و قیل: رضیت عنکم إذا تعبدتم لی بالدین الذی شرعته لکم. و قیل: رضیت إسلامکم الذی أنتم علیه الیوم دینا کاملاً إلی آخر الأبد لا ینسخ منه شیء''
'' means that I selected وَرَضِیتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِینًا'' The remark of God that states
Islam among religions for you and announced that Islam was only a religion;
وَمَن '' إِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً '' and ''یَبْتَغِ غَیْرَ الإِسْلاَمِ دِینًا فَلَن یُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ
Ibn Atiyeh has said '' satisfaction may mean ''will'' in this situation and it may be the adjective of the verb and means a statement that God has expressed for himself or herself. Exalted God selected Islam for us and willed it for us. There are matters that God has willed their occurrences, but God is not satisfied of them. In this situation, Islam is same religion that God has stated in the following verse
''إِنَّ الدِّینَ عِندَ اللّهِ الإِسْلاَمُ''
His remarks express that if satisfaction is considered as the attributes of nature, it will be an attribute that is in contrast with will. It has been expressed that the meaning of the verse '' I selected the Islam as a religion for you because exalted God has always been satisfied that Islam is our religion. Hence, if its appearance is considered, devoting '' satisfaction'' to current time will have no use. It also means ''I will be satisfied of you when you worship me along with the religion that I determined for you''. It has also been said '' I selected Islam that you believe in toady as a complete religion that will not be copied''.
Ibn Ashur writes in the books '' Al-Tahrir'' and '' Al-Tanviz''
''و قد یدلُ قوله: وَرَضِیتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلاَمَ دِینًا علی أنّ هذا الدین دین أبدی: لأنّ الشیء المختار المدّخر لا یکون إلّا أنفس ما أظهر من الأدیان و الأنفس لا یبطله شیء إذا لیس بعده غایة، فتکون الآیة مشیرة إلی أنّ نسخ الأحکام قد انتهی''
'' The remark of God represents this matter that the religion of God is a permanent religion because a religion that has been preserved and selected will not be a religion if the best religions are not abolished and there will be no destination after it. Then verse emphasized that the copy of rules has ended'';
''وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ''
''Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion - the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: ´They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me. ´If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked''.
It has been expressed in the above verse that finally God will establish a religion for believers and benevolent persons that he has liked and has been satisfied of it. In other words, one of signs and conditions of the religion in Quran is that it has been descended by God and it has divine source;
''وَوَصَّىٰ بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَا بَنِيَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ''
''And this was the legacy that Abraham left to his sons, and so did Jacob; "Oh my sons! Allah hath chosen the Faith for you; then die not except in the Faith of Islam''.
In this verse, it has been expressed from Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) that only God has selected the religion for human. In other words, a religion that human selects should be descended from God.
Allame Tabatabaei believes that the religion has been selected by God and persons should surrender against God. This meaning along with acting the rules of the religion can be implemented. The religion is worshipping the affairs of the world. The religion also says '' persons should surrender against God in all of their affairs as it has been expressed in Quran, the religion of God is Islam. Hence, it turns out that the rank of astafa is the same as the rank of the Islam and it is in line with the following verse
''إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ''
Astafa of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) happened when his God said to him to become Muslim and he became Muslim for the creator of the world. Hence, the following sentence is an interpretation for the sentence that starts with '' astafina''.
'' إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ''
There is a religion in immaculate God and there is no disagreement about it. God has ordered his persons to follow the same the religion, has descended his prophets about same religion and has sent verses and miracles about the religion that is Islam, surrendering against reality, loyalty toward true beliefs and doing right actions. In other words, religion is surrendering against statements are issued by God about beliefs, actions, trains and rules. In spite of the fact that the rules of prophets are different from the aspects of amount and quality, the reality of the religion is same common component, surrendering against God. Disagreement among Sharias is related to perfection and weak points and there is not natural disagreement and basic contrast among them and complete meaning that is common among them is surrendering against God in doing religious affairs and obeying him in whatever he has wanted his persons through his prophets in any eras.
''إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ ۗ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنهُمْ ۗ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ''
''The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His Will): Nor did the People of the Book dissent therefrom except through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them. But if any deny the Signs of Allah, Allah is swift in calling to account''.
Taleghani writes about the interpretation of Quran
''Islam in lexical meaning is surrendering and tending in the Islam in a right way that is considered as the necessity of surrendering as verbs that are related to this infinitive in its lexical meaning have been expressed in Quran.
It has been expressed in three verses of Quran that God has attributed sending messenger along with a true religion that guides human to himself;
''هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ''
''It is He Who hath sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest''.
''كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ''
''Grievously odious is it in the sight of Allah that ye say that which ye do not''.
''هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا''
''It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion: and enough is Allah for a Witness''.
The word '' Hoda'' means guidance that God has accompanied it with his messenger and purpose from a true religion is the religion of the Islam and its beliefs and rules that are in line with reality. Hence, the meaning of this verse is that God is a person that sent his messenger, Hazrat Muhammad (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants), along with guidance, verses, miracles and a religion that is in line with the nature and reality of creation so that it can be deal with other religions.
In this verse, it has been expressed about a true religion and guidance of God through his messenger beside the word '' religion''. In more clearly words, the rule religion for guidance of human is a religion that has been sent by God and it has divine source.
Purpose from the religions is beliefs and rules and guidance by God along with a true religion. It has been expressed from Imam Baqer (peace be upon him) in the book '' Majma Al-Bayan'''' this dominance and extension will happen in the time of the advent of Hazrat Mahdi (peace be upon him) when only person confess prophesy of Hazrat Muhammad (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants);
''ان ذلک یکون عند خروج المهدی من آل محمّد فلا یبقی احد الا اقر بمحمد (صلی اللهُ علیه و‌آله سلّم)''
''This dominance and extension will happen in the time of the advent of Hazrat Mahdi (peace be upon him) when only person confess prophesy of Hazrat Muhammad (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants)''.
Such narrations have been expressed in in the books '' the interpretation of Ayashi'', the book '' the interpretation of Safi'' and the book '' the interpretation of Borhan''.
''شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ ۚ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ ۚ اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَن يُنِيبُ''
''The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - the which We have sent by inspiration to thee - and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him)''.
''أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَن بِهِ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةُ الْفَصْلِ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ''
''What! have they partners (in godhead), who have established for them some religion without the permission of Allah? Had it not been for the Decree of Judgment, the matter would have been decided between them (at once). But verily the Wrong-doers will have a grievous Penalty''.
In the above verses, Quran devotes the religion to God. It is expressed in the first verse that the religion of Hazrat Nuh (peace be upon him), Hazrat Muhammad (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants), Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him), Hazrat Isa and Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) have been determined by God and Quran expresses in the second verse that the religion can be determined according to the permission of God;
''وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا لِمَن تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ الْهُدَىٰ هُدَى اللَّهِ أَن يُؤْتَىٰ أَحَدٌ مِّثْلَ مَا أُوتِيتُمْ أَوْ يُحَاجُّوكُمْ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ الْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ''
''And believe no one unless he follows your religion." Say: "True guidance is the Guidance of Allah: (Fear ye) Lest a revelation be sent to someone (else) Like unto that which was sent unto you? or that those (Receiving such revelation) should engage you in argument before your Lord?" Say: "All bounties are in the hand of Allah: He granteth them to whom He pleaseth: And Allah careth for all, and He knoweth all things''.
'' represents this matter that only ان الهدی هدی اللهThe phrase ''
religion that can guide human is from God.
''قُلْ إِنَّنِي هَدَانِي رَبِّي إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۚ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ''
''Say: "Verily, my Lord hath guided me to a way that is straight,- a religion of right,- the path (trod) by Abraham the true in Faith, and he (certainly) joined not gods with Allah''.
In the above verse, the old religion that is same true path and the rules of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) has been attributed to God. On one hand, God determines the true religion and the right path for human and on the other hand, person that is trying to pass the true path should follow the religion that has been descended by God;
''أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ''
''Do they seek for other than the Religion of Allah?-while all creatures in the heavens and on earth have, willing or unwilling, bowed to His Will (Accepted Islam), and to Him shall they all be brought back''.
The meaning of the above verse is that the religion of God is unique and all prophets had promised that they would annunciate the prophet after themselves and confirm whatever they would bring. Because the basis of the religion of the Islam was based on nature and all of them, they had to accept it and the reason of its trueness was the same reason that God had convicted all people from the sky and on the earth to accept it and they should surrender against God and accept only the rules of God.
Fourth: The religion of Allah
The combination of the religion and Allah is a kind of extra combination that shows a kind of belonging. In other words, the religion belongs God. It was already that the source of the religion was divine in the culture of Quran. This conception has been emphasized in a lot of verses that believers should purify their religion for God and behave for the satisfaction of God because the religion belongs only and only God. In this part, a lot of verses of Quran will be analyzed and they emphasize that the religion belongs only to God. Finally, persons should behave in a way that the religion belongs only to God completely because all creatures should surrender against God in the whole world system and creation and persons should follow such a manner, surrendering against God because the religion is only surrendering only against God. Hence, Quran asks in a surprised way '' do you follow a religion except the religion of God?'';
''أَفَغَیْرَ دِینِ اللّهِ یَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ ''
Verses that devote the religion to God include:
''أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلَّا لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَىٰ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي مَا هُمْ فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي مَنْ هُوَ كَاذِبٌ كَفَّارٌ''
''Is it not to Allah that sincere devotion is due? But those who take for protectors other than Allah (say): "We only serve them in order that they may bring us nearer to Allah." Truly Allah will judge between them in that wherein they differ. But Allah guides not such as are false and ungrateful''.
Modaresi believes in the interpretation '' Men Hoda Al-Quran'' that absolute governorship over creatures belongs only God. Hence, it is necessary that worshipping devote only God. There is no question that God has absolute domination on his persons, runs systems and regulations with his power in a magical way and no one cooperates with him because God does not do anything with his body organs and instruments;
''إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَیْئًا أَنْ یَقُولَ لَهُ كُنْ فَیَكُونُ''
Allame Tabatabaei also writes
'' The meaning of the purification of the religion for God is '' God does not accept the prayer of a person that does not worship only God whether persons worship God as well as other persons than God or worship other persons or things than God''.
''وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ لِلَّهِ ۖ فَإِنِ انتَهَوْا فَلَا عُدْوَانَ إِلَّا عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ''
''And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, Let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression''.
The religion devotes God and pressure, freedom or lack of freedom does not cause that Muslims can follow their religion easily and comfortably. Since prudence of human is so important, Jihad should be done. Jihad should be accompanied with Islamic and religious conditions because real freedom should remain for human in the life based on fairness and rights and persons do not imagine that they can have freedom in the government of blasphemy, tyranny and lack of fairness under the name of freedom of acting and thinking.
''وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلَّهِ ۚ فَإِنِ انتَهَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ''
''And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere; but if they cease, verily Allah doth see all that they do''.
The religion belongs God completely because people will tend the Islam when all of material barriers for achieving the Islam are removed. This is considered the same path that believers should pass the path in the battlefield and their purpose is that they weaken all of forces of unbelievers with their facilities.
''أَفَغَيْرَ دِينِ اللَّهِ يَبْغُونَ وَلَهُ أَسْلَمَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ طَوْعًا وَكَرْهًا وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُونَ''
''Do they seek for other than the Religion of Allah?-while all creatures in the heavens and on earth have, willing or unwilling, bowed to His Will (Accepted Islam), and to Him shall they all be brought back''.
It has been expressed in the book '' Al-Forghan Fi Tafsir Al-Quran Belquran''
'' The religion of Allah means obeying God. An obliged person has to select a religion and obeying a creator, obeying merciful God or obeying Satan. A person that claims faith in God should select the religion of God completely because the religion devotes God''.
''وَلَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَهُ الدِّينُ وَاصِبًا ۚ أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ تَتَّقُونَ''
''To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and on earth, and to Him is duty due always: then will ye fear other than Allah''.
Tarihi has expressed about the meaning of the word '' vaseb'' in the book '' Majma Al-Bahrein''
''قوله: و له الدین واصباً الدین: الطاعة و واصباً حال عمل فیها الظرف. و الواصب: الواجب الثابت، لأن کل نعمه منه و الطاعة واجبه له علی کل منعم علیه، أو له الجزاء دائماً ثابتا سرمدا لا یزال یعنی الثواب و العقاب''
Ibn Manzur says about the meaning of the word '' vaseb'' in the book '' Lesan Al-Arab''
''و فی التنزیل العزیز: وَلَهُ الدِّینُ وَاصِبًا، قال أبواسحق قیل فی معناه: دائما أی طاعته دائمه واجبه أبدا، قال ویجوز، و الله اعلم، أن یکون: وَلَهُ الدِّینُ وَاصِبًا أی له الدین و الطاعة، رضی العبد بما یؤمر به أو لم یرض به، سهل علیه أو لم یسهل، فله الدین و إن کان فیه الوصب. و الوصب: شده التعب''
''وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا''
''And thou dost see the people enter Allah´s Religion in crowds''.
Fifth: the victory of the true religion over other religions
This matter has been repeated in three verses of Quran
''هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ''
''It is He Who hath sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it)''.
The above verse represents that God has sent his guidance, that is same the true religion, along with his messenger and this religion will dominate on all other religions.
''هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ''
''It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, that he may proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it)''.
''هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا''
''It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion: and enough is Allah for a Witness''
Sixth: easiness in the religion
Referring to the verses of Quran, we can understand that God has emphasized that there is no difficulty in the religion and God does not want to cause difficulties for human;
''يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قُمْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ وَامْسَحُوا بِرُءُوسِكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمْ جُنُبًا فَاطَّهَّرُوا ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِّنكُم مِّنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ حَرَجٍ وَلَٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ''
''O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favour to you, that ye may be grateful''.
''لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ''
''On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:) "Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden Like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; Help us against those who stand against faith''.
It can be understood from above verse that the Sharia of the Islam is an easy Sharia and it is the Sharia of their father, Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and he surrendered against his God.
Seventh: The success of the religion in the doomsday
''يَوْمَئِذٍ يُوَفِّيهِمُ اللَّهُ دِينَهُمُ الْحَقَّ وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ''
''On that Day Allah will pay them back (all) their just dues, and they will realise that Allah is the (very) Truth, that makes all things manifest''
Allame Tabatabaei believes about the interpretation of the above verse that since this is an independent verse, we may say '' purpose from the religion is meaning whose synonym is the words'' nation and rules''. It means that the tradition of the life will be superb in the rank of expression of meaning and realities will appear for human in the doomsday and this meaning is in line with the following sentence;
''وَیَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِینُ''
However, interpreters have guessed that the word '' religion'' in this verse means punishment and reward. But as it has been expressed in the book '' the interpretation of Al-Mizan'', the religion in the context of Quran as the meaning of religion and rules will be better and more appropriate.