The Fifth:
Three points of view make interpretation of the law earthly at this time, and prevent it being heavenly. Whereas the Shari‘a is heavenly, revealed, and since interpretations of it disclose its hidden ordinances, they also are heavenly.
The First: The wisdom in an ordinance is one thing, while the reason for it is something different. Wisdom and benefit are the cause of its choice, not the means of its being necessitated and created. While the reason for it is the means for its existence. For example, the obligatory prayers are shortened while travelling; two rak’ats are performed. The reason for this permission of the Shari‘a is the journey, while its wisdom is the hardship. If there is a journey but no hardship, the prayers are still shortened. For the reason exists. But if there is no journey yet hardship, this may not be a reason for shortening the prayers. Thus, in opposition to this fact, the prevailing view at the present time is to advance the benefit and wisdom in place of the reason, and to make the judgement in accordance with that. Such an interpretation is most definitely earthly, not heavenly.
The Second: At the present time eyes are fixed primarily on worldly happiness and its dictates are directed towards it, whereas the Shari‘a looks primarily to happiness in the hereafter, and to happiness in this world in second place and indirectly as leading to that of the hereafter. That is to say, the prevailing attitude at this time is alien to the spirit of the Shari‘a; in which case, it may not make interpretations in its name.
The Third: There is a rule: Necessity makes permissible what is forbidden. This rule is not universal; necessity makes licit what is forbidden as long as it is not by way of what is forbidden. But if something has become a necessity due to abuse and for illicit reasons, this necessity may not be the basis of ordinances permitting it, nor form an excuse.
For example, if, through misuse of his will someone makes himself drunk in an unlawful way, according to scholars of the Shari‘a, his actions act against him and he may not be deemed excused. If he divorces his wife, the divorce is in force. And if he commits a crime, he receives the punishment. But if it is not due to misuse of his will, the divorce is not in force, nor does he receive punishment. And, for example, even if an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol to the degree of necessity, he may not say: “It is a necessity, and lawful for me.”
Thus, at this time there are many matters which have reached the degree of necessity and have taken on the form of a general calamity afflicting people, and which, since they have arisen from ill choice, illicit desires, and forbidden acts, may not be the basis of rulings permitting them and making what is unlawful lawful. However, since those who make interpretations at the present time make those necessities the basis of legal rulings, their interpretations are earthly, the products of their own fancies, tainted by philosophy, and cannot be heavenly or revealed, or conformable with the Shari‘a. For if exercise of authority concerning the divine ordinances of the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and interference in His servants’ worship is without the Creator’s permission, such exercise and interference are rejected.
An example is some of the heedless and neglectful approving changes in such marks of Islam as the Friday Sermon, and substituting the language of each country for Arabic. Two reasons are given:
The First: “So that the mass of Muslims will understand current politics.” But current politics has become so intermixed with lies and trickery and evil that it has come to resemble the very whisperings of Satan. However, the pulpit is the seat of delivering divine revelation; political gossip does not have the right to rise to that high position.
The Second: “The purpose of the Friday Sermon is that the admonitions of certain Qur’anic suras should be understood.” Yes, if the majority of the Islamic nation conformed to the essential teachings and incontestable matters of Islam and the ordinances which are well‑known, and they carried them out, it might have been desirable for the Sermon to be given in a known language and for the Qur’an to be translated, if it were possible, so that the theoretical matters of the Shari‘a and its subtle matters and abstruse teachings might be understood.
But Islam’s well‑known, incontrovertible ordinances such as the five daily prayers, fasting in Ramadan, and zakat, and the unlawfulness of murder, fornication, and wine are neglected. The ordinary people do not need to learn their necessity or unlawfulness; they need through encouragement and warning, to be reminded of those sacred decrees, and, by their sense of belief and feelings for Islam being stirred, to be prompted, encouraged, and reminded to conform to them.
However lowly and ignorant they may be, they understand the following brief meaning from the Qur’an and Arabic Sermon: “The preacher and the reciter of the Qur’an are recalling the pillars of belief and Islam, which are known by me and everyone, and teaching us, and reciting them.” A longing for them is born in their hearts. What words are there in the universe which can be compared with the miraculous, instructive reminders, warnings, and encouragement of the All‑Wise Qur’an, which comes from the sublime throne?