Whereas people who deviate ever so little from the complete implementation of Tawheed in their collective lives will not be acceptable in the eyes of Allah despite the fact of their staying up all night in prayer on fasting the whole year through. Complete and collective Tawheed is the precondition for 'Taqwa' and without it piety and good deeds of all kinds are fruitless.
[17] The two reasons the angels put forward against the creation of Man, Allah's Khalifa (vicegerent) was that he would create anarchy and shed blood on earth.
[18] They did not say that man would not say his prayers, he would not fast, decline to pay Zakah, refrain from performing Hajj, indulge in adultery or gamble his wealth away or commit other crimes. The only two things they did mention are both collective issues and it does not take a genius to figure out that these very issues have been plaguing mankind from the beginning of time. Not even the League of Nations, formed after World War I or the United Nations after World War II have been able to stop mankind from slithering into these black holes. The reason for this is quite simple…no matter how intelligent or smart Man thinks himself to be, he actually possesses very little knowledge about his own self and the world around him. He is yet to find out exactly how his mind and body coordinate to create his personality, let alone discover the mystery of this universe… therefore for him to devise a constitution that would enable him to live in peace and harmony and eradicate 'fasad' and 'safakuddima' from society is not only improbable, it is impossible. The only other alternative is to accept Allah's Tawheed, His sovereignty and implement the laws, rules, limitations and regulations, His Deen, as revealed from Him through the series of Nabis and Rasuls, the Messengers.
Let us now consider the challenge Eblis (Lucifer) issued at his banishment from Allah's Presence. It was that he (Eblis) would wait to ambush Bani Adam from the Serat-ul-Mustaqeem; he would attack them from the left and right, centre and forward, so that they deviate from it.
[19] Not once did he say-he would refrain them from saying their prayers, from fasting or from paying Zakah or from any other pious work, nor did he say that he would make them commit sins or crimes for that matter. Therefore it becomes clear that Eblis' real intention is not to keep Bani Adam from performing their religious duties, it is to stray them from the Serat-ul-Mustaqeem itself. This being the case, it becomes clear that the Serat-ul-Mustaqeem holds more importance than the personal observances of faith, as in saying prayers, fasting, hajj, Zakah and personal taqwa or piety. So what then is the Serat-ul-Mustaqeem? Why is it named as the straight and simple path? Because it is so. It is Tawheed, reflected on all facets of life, acceptance of the simple truth that we will accept no one else's word except His in any sphere of our lives. For this reason the Messenger of Allah has referred to Serat-ul-Mustaqeem as ‘Sunnat Allah’. To further clarify this, the Messenger has stated, 'him whom Eblis is not able to deviate from the Serat-ul-Mustaqeem will enter paradise even if he commits theft and adultery'. It is noteworthy that he mentioned the two transgressions the punishment for which is the most severe in
Islam. Having said this, the Messenger drew a straight line in the sand and said, 'This is Allah's way, Serat-ul-Mustaqeem'-he went on to draw several lines forking away from it and stated about Eblis' effort to persuade man into taking any of these. With this he recited from the Qur'an, 'Verily this is My Path, straight and simple. Embark on this and not on others, because these roads will take you away from Allah'.
[20] The two reasons or logic the Angels put forward against the creation of Adam and the gist of Eblis' challenge are the same, the end result of both circumstances are 'fasad' and 'safakuddima' injustice, turmoil, unrest, conflict etc. and blood-shed, wars, battles, murders. The point to be noted here is that both are collective issues, not personal. Eblis' challenge of deviating man did not entail refraining them from piety or good deeds because, as soon as man deviates from Allah's Tawheed, Serat-ul-Mustaqeem or His sovereignty, the inevitable result of it would be wrong doings and bloodshed. Therefore, there is no reason for Eblis to refrain man from personal piety because he is well aware that without Tawheed, His sovereignty, no amount of good deeds and Taqwa is acceptable to the great Lord. Allah had clearly stated that He would not hold any number of transgressions against him who has accepted His Tawheed, His Sovereignty.
[21][22] While on the other hand, He affirms- "Those who commit Sherk, (accept someone else's doctrine, order or directives in any sphere of life), shall not be forgiven and thrown into the fire'. Judging by these statements, the Lord Creator seems to be quite extremist, doesn't He? That does seem to be the case apparently. However, it goes without saying that the laws, rules and regulations governing any people greatly influence and direct the behavior of the mass of people living under it.
