RENAISSANCE JANUARY 2021

24 Monthly Renaissance January 2021 Faith & Beliefs Essence of Polytheism (7) Am ī n A ḥ san I ṣ l āḥī Assessment of the current Situation of Muslims The previous chapter detailed the situation of groups which do not claim being enemies of shirk . Now we must look at the group that was created primarily on the basis of taw ḥī d and whose fundamental purpose was to destroy shirk and establish taw ḥī d . It is absolutely certain that the reality of anything does not change just because its location changes. If any element of shirk exists within polytheists and hypocrites and it also exists within Muslims, it will not become taw ḥī d , but will remain shirk . Impurity, whether it exists in a dirty utensil or in one of gold or silver is impure in both. Its matter does not change due to the change of container. However, as circumstances change, instructions for them are also altered. Pork and liquor are forbidden regardless, but if someone who is helpless and distressed eats some of this to satisfy his hunger, the shar ī ‘ah will not hold him accountable. Thus, an incident or situation is one thing and the instruction according to change in circumstance is another. In this chapter, we shall undertake a review of the situation and then present the instructions in the subsequent chapter. If the current situation of Muslims is assessed and if undeserved pride does not stand in the way of the admission of the truth, it must be accepted that the majority, if not all, types of shirk beginning from the times of the Arab j ā hiliyyah to the hypocrites exist within Muslims. Only their manifestations have differed. Which worship: worship of djinns, evil forces,