Submission to Religion

By: Ayatullah al-Uzma Shaykh Husayn Vahid Khorasani
If one realises the roots and branches of religion, reflects upon their laws of worship and dealings, ponders upon their policies about managing the self, home and city, and relects upon the collective etiquette of Islam from its recommendations and discouragements, one would perceive with certainty that these laws are established by divine wisdom.
Naturally, understanding the reasons of religious laws, which are made for the privilege of all aspects of human life, is dependent upon our encompassment of these cosmos, on knowing the needs of the human beings in them and the ways of fulfilling them. In fact, the truth is that complete understanding of the reasons of a single divine law is not possible for mankind, because this law is part of the programme for mankind for all aspects of his life.
Therefore, our lack of understanding the reasons of an Islamic law does not mean that there is no reason; rather, it is proof of our shortcoming.
There are decisive and allegorical metaphors in the book of nature; yet, no one knows the reasons of their existence. Logically, it is not permissible to leave what one knows for what one does not know and to nullify the certainty for the doubt.
Likewise, the book of divine laws contains decisive and allegorical metaphors, which are in conformity with the nature of the law made by the All-Wise, the Subtle and the All-Informed, Who has knowledge of everything and encompasses everything. Indeed, the book of divine laws contains both the decisive and allegorical. If we see an allegorical, it is not correct for us to leave a decisive. We should not think that the creation or the divine law is useless: None knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord.(Holy Qur’an, 3: 7).
It is necessary for man to know that the life of this world in relation to the life of the hereafter is like the life of a fetus in the womb of his mother in connection with its life of this world. Thus, no matter how much wisdom and knowledge a fetus may have, it is not possible for it to understand the wisdom behind the creation of its limbs and powers and the reasons why Allah made his sight, hearing and breathing. What are the benefits of these limbs for him? What are the reasons for creating his perception, thinking and intellect? However, when it is born into this world, it understands all that.
Similarly, the fetus of the human spirit lives in the womb of nature and must also have parts and powers, which are the means of his eternal life. Eternal life cannot take place except with implementing the teachings and laws of his Lord. Soon the reasons for these teachings will become clear to him; when he steps into the hereafter he will understand that he was like a fetus in this world.
Consequently, submission to religious laws is from the necessities of human creation. In fact, it is necessary for a man’s perfection. The reward of a doer is based upon his action and the reward of an action is based upon the intention. In other words, the reward of an action is based upon the motives of the action. The Prophet (S) hasled to this reality in his word: Surely, the actions are based upon the intentions and for every man is what he intended. (Tahdhib al-Ahkam: vol. 4, pp 186).
For this reason, the quality of the godly people is that they obey Allah, the Exalted, only for the sake of Allah and regardless of their understanding of benefit or detriment, and interest or loss.

Emulation is Obligatory on Other than Experts
The safeguarding of one’s health is based upon the abiding by medical rules. To know them one must be a physician, or one must refer to a reliable physician and then follow his direction, or one must practice precaution. Precaution would require him to refrain from everything that may be harmful for his health. He will do this until he finds out the ruling for himself or finds someone who knows it so he may ask him.
In fact, emulation is from the necessities of human life, whether he is ignorant or learned. As for the emulation for the ignorant then it is clear, but as for the learned, it is because the specialisation of every learned is limited to a part of all the things which are required for human life.
For example, a physician must emulate an engineer and a builder for the construction of his house; he must emulate a mechanic for the repair of his car. When he flies in an airplane, he emulates the pilot. When he rides a boat, he emulates the sailor. In fact, within the departments of medicine, the specialist of one organ or part of the body must emulate another specialist physician, who is in specialisation of another expert.
As a result, the life of any human being is incomplete without emulation. Therefore, any person who believes in any religion and knows that he has been specified with responsibilities and has laws to follow, must act according to logic and nature: either he must become an expert himself, or follow an expert who has the conditions for giving edicts like knowledge, fairness and other conditions, or he must practice precaution.
When he is not learned enough himself, nor does he follow precaution then he only has one choice, which is to emulate an expert. In case of differences in opinions between experts, it is stipulated for him to follow the most learned. When two physicians differ in diagnosing an illness and its treatment, then logically it is obligatory for him to follow the greater expert of the two.
In conclusion, Islam is a religion of knowledge. In Islam, every action must end with knowledge, even if that is through a link. Thus, emulation of an expert in relious matters is acting with knowledge, because it refers to the view of an expert in religious rulings. The basis of emulation is knowledge, wisdom and nature.
And follow not that of which you have not the knowledge; surely the hearing and the sight and the heart, all of these, shall be questioned about that. (Holy Qur’an, 17: 36)