Playing God

"All rights of this book are reserved for the publisher and the author. This copy is for reading purpose only. This copy cannot be uploaded on any website except those of the publisher and the author." Playing God: Misreading a Divine Practice 45 with God.” 26 The following text of this Had ī th clearly shows that by the word ( al-n ā s ) , the people implied are the mushrik ī n (the Idolaters of Arabia): - 3 € P4H F >T ? F ‚I@ F 1 @ O ?@ = 6 + J 6@ o H  Bi? @- R R 1 @ - 2f! W 7- o H  B i? @ - R R 1 @ - 2U :;< 7- W - J € €- 3 [? 0< i : X @- W H6 H10 2A0i R +2 ?@- +,l ?K Anas ibn M ā lik reports from the Prophet: “I have been directed to fight against these Idolaters until they testify to the oneness of God and to the fact that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. If they testify to the oneness of God and to the fact that Muhammad is His servant and prophet, are diligent in our prayer and face our qiblah [while praying], and eat our slaughtered animals, their life and wealth we shall hold sacred except if they commit some violation.” 27 The onslaught launched by the first caliph Ab ū Bakr (rta) against those who had desisted to pay zak ā h in his 26 . Muslim, Al-J ā mi‘ al-sah ī h , vol. 1, 53, (no. 22). 27 . Ab ū ‘Abd al-Rahm ā n Ahmad ibn Shu‘ayb al-Nas ā ’ ī , Al- Sunan al-kubr ā . 1 st ed, vol. 2 (Beirut: D ā r al-kutub al- ‘ilmiyyah, 1991), 279, (no. 3428). www.javedahmadghamidi.com www.al-mawrid.org