What is the validity of defining Islam as worshipping Allah with what He has prescribed for each time according to its circumstances?
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The questioner:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, some scholars say in their definition of Islam that it is worshipping Allah with what He has prescribed for each time according to its circumstances.
The Shaykh:
"For each time according to its circumstances" is invalid. Rather, what Allah has prescribed is sufficient. That is, it means we change the acts of worship; we change the acts of worship from the first time; we change the prayer, the fasting, and the Hajj. The religion is the religion from when it was revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) until the Hour occurs; it is not changed or altered.
The questioner:
And is this definition in agreement with the statement that Islam is submission to Allah through tawhid (the oneness of Allah), obedience to Him through obedience, and disavowal of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and its people?
The Shaykh:
No, no. Submission to Allah, what does that mean? It means obedience to Him by doing what He has commanded you in all times, not in one time over another. You say the time has changed, we are not praying, we are not giving zakah. This is not permissible. We do not draw near to Allah except with what He has prescribed. We do not invent acts of worship on our own and say this is what suits the time. These are bid'ah (religious innovations) and newly invented matters. Every bid'ah is misguidance. So the religion is one from when Allah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) until the Hour occurs; it does not change.
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, some scholars say in their definition of Islam that it is worshipping Allah with what He has prescribed for each time according to its circumstances.
The Shaykh:
"For each time according to its circumstances" is invalid. Rather, what Allah has prescribed is sufficient. That is, it means we change the acts of worship; we change the acts of worship from the first time; we change the prayer, the fasting, and the Hajj. The religion is the religion from when it was revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) until the Hour occurs; it is not changed or altered.
The questioner:
And is this definition in agreement with the statement that Islam is submission to Allah through tawhid (the oneness of Allah), obedience to Him through obedience, and disavowal of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and its people?
The Shaykh:
No, no. Submission to Allah, what does that mean? It means obedience to Him by doing what He has commanded you in all times, not in one time over another. You say the time has changed, we are not praying, we are not giving zakah. This is not permissible. We do not draw near to Allah except with what He has prescribed. We do not invent acts of worship on our own and say this is what suits the time. These are bid'ah (religious innovations) and newly invented matters. Every bid'ah is misguidance. So the religion is one from when Allah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) until the Hour occurs; it does not change.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [784 -1024] ما صحة تعريف الإسلام بأنه هو التعبد لله بما شرع في كل زمان بحسبه؟ - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.