by Syed Qutb
And We shall smooth your way to pefect ease.” (Al-Qur’an 87:8)
This is a glad tiding for the Prophet (PBUH) personally and for the Islamic nation at large. It is furthermore a statement of Islam, its role in human life and in the universe. This verse states one of the most fundamental principles of faith and existence. It provides a link between the nature of the Prophet (PBUH), the nature of Islam and that of the whole universe. It is a universe created by Allah (swt) with ease; it follows it appointed way with ease and draws nearer to its final objective with ease. Thus it is an inspiration lighting limitless horizons.
If Allah (swt) smoothes a certain person’s path, he finds ease in everything in his life. Ease will pervade his whole life. It will be evident in his hand, tongue, movement, work, concepts, way of thinking and conducting all affairs and tackling all matters; ease with himself and ease with others as well.
The Prophet’s wife, Aisha, reports that whenever faced with a choice, the Prophet (PBUH) would always choose the easier of the two alternatives (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). She also reports: “Whenever the Prophet (PBUH) was alone with his family at home, he was the easiest of men, always smiling and laughing.” Al-Bukhari has also transmitted, “A maid servant would take the Prophet (PBUH) by the hand and lead him wherever she wished.” His guidance in matters of clothes, food, household furniture and other matters of day to day life points to a preference for what is easy.
The Prophet’s traditions urging the adoption of an easy, gentle and tolerant attitude in all matters, especially those which concern religious duties are numerous. From among these we may quote: “This religion is of an easy nature. Anyone who pulls hard against it shall be the loser” (Al-Bukhari). “A rider driving hard neither reaches his destination nor keeps his transport” (Al-Bukhari). “Make it easy, no difficult, for others” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Concerning social dealings, the Prophet (PBUH) says: “May Allah have mercy on any person who is tolerant when he buys, sells and asks for his rights” (Al-Baihaqi). “The type of man Allah dislikes most is the quarrelsome one who does not budge” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). He also said, “It is part of kindness to receive your brother with a smiling face” (Al-Tirmithi).
The life story of the Prophet (PBUH) is composed of pages of gentleness, ease, tolerance and understanding in all affairs. Let us quote here an incidence which reveals his method of dealing with people of difficult temperament: “Once a Bedouin came to the Prophet (PBUH) asking something. The Prophet (PBUH) granted his request then said, “Have I treated you well?” The Bedouin said, “No, and you have not been kind either!” The companions of the Prophet (PBUH) felt very angry, and wanted to punish the man. The Prophet (PBUH), however, intervened to leave him alone. He then went into his house with the Bedouin, and gave him something over and above his original request. The Prophet (PBUH) then asked him, “Have I treated you well?” The man said, “Yes, indeed, May Allah reward you well for you are a good kinsman and a good tribesman.” The Prophet (PBUH) then said to him, “When you said what you said you made my companions feel angry with you. If you like to tell them what you have just told me so that they would have nothing against you.” The man said, “I will.” The following day the Bedouin came and the Prophet (PBUH) said to his companions, “the Bedouin said yesterday what you have heard. We gave him more and he claims now that he is satisfied. Is that so?” The Bedouin said, “yes. Indeed! May Allah reward you well, for you are a good kinsman and a good tribesman.” The Prophet (PBUH) then said to his companions, “My affair with this bedouin is similar to that of a man who had a she-camel which ran loose. Other people rushed to try to catch her but they managed only to make her run wild. The owner then appealed to them to let him alone with this she-camel as he was gentler to her and knew her temperament. The owner then went towards her, having picked something to feed her with. He approached her gently until she responded and sat down. He then saddled her and mounted her back. Had I let you alone when the man said what he said, you would probably have killed him and he would have gone to hell.”
So gentle, simple and compassionate was the Prophet’s attitude towards any person of rough nature. The communities that we live in a are similar to the she-camel mentioned in the above hadith. At times, they also go wild and out of control. But just like the owner of the she-camel, we must patiently and wisely let these communities correct themselves.
These examples are practical manifestation of how his path had been smoothed for him to achieve perfect ease in every aspect of life. He had been given a tolerant, understanding nature so that he might carry out his mission as Allah’s messenger to mankind.
The Qur’an described Muhammad (PBUH), Allah’s Messenger, as source of mercy to humanity, who had come to relieve people of the burdens imposed on them by reason of their being too hard against each other. “We have sent you forth only a mercy to mankind.” (21:107) The Qu’ran further describes the message the Prophet (PBUH) delivered, “We have made the Qur’an easy for warning: but will any take heed?” (54:22) “He has laid on you no hardships in the observance of your religion.” (22:78) “Allah does not wish to burden you; He seeks only to purify you.” (5:6) “Allah does not burden a soul with more than its capacity.” (2:286) The message of Islam is made easy for people to follow since it takes into consideration the limitations of human abilities. It imposes no burdens which are too heavy. The easy nature of the religion of Islam is readily identifiable in its spirit as well as in its commandments. “Follow the upright nature Allah has endowed mankind with.” (30:30)
When we look carefully through the religion of Islam we find that care has been taken to make it easy for men to follow, without overstraining themselves. It takes into consideration the different situations man finds himself in, and the conditions he faces in different environments. The faith itself is based on concepts which are easy to grasp; a single God; none like Him; He has created everything; He has guided everything to realize the purpose of its existence; He has also sent messengers to remind people of their role in life and to call them back to their Lord Who has created them. All obligations imposed by this faith fit in perfectly together; there are no conflicts, no contradictions. People have to fulfill these obligations according to their abilities: there need be no overstraining, no heavy burdens: “If I give you an order, fulfill it as much as you can; but I leave off what I forbid you” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Prohibition may be also relaxed “save under compulsion of necessity” (6:119). These basic principles provide the limits within which the Islamic commandments and principles operate.
The universe itself with its perfect harmony provides a true picture of how Allah’s creation moves easily and smoothly, without clash or crash. Millions of stars move in their orbits in the great space Allah (swt) has provided, each with its own gravity, yet none moves out of step and none crashes against another. There are millions of living creatures, each moving through life to its appointed aim, near or distant, according to a perfect plan. Each is given the abilities which make its aim easy to achieve. Millions of movements, events and conditions come together then go their separate ways; yet they are much the same as the sounds of the different instruments in an orchestra: so different yet combine together to give a harmonious tune.
In short, perfect harmony exists between the nature of the universe, the message, the Messenger and the Islamic nation. They are all the creation of Allah (swt), the One, the most Wise.