Lack of Bara’at Approach A Major Menace in Islamic Society
The main factor that undermines coherence in society is a lack of the Bara’at approach, or in other words lack of seriousness, in individuals.
This is what Hani Chitchian, a member of the Quran and Etrat School of the University of Tehran, discussed in the 14th session in a series on Surah At-Tawbah. Following are excerpts from his remarks in the session:
Sometimes there are some wrong view about the religion that say one should not be happy. This is a wrong understanding of the religion. When they are told their entire life should be based on the religion, they say, “What about myself? I too like things, I too have a taste.” As soon as things other than God enter (the scene), there is no longer Wilayat of God. This introduction is necessary for discussing the issue of contradiction between seeking one’s own interests and social coherence.
God says in c “(Muhammad), tell the disbelievers, ‘I do not worship what you worship, nor do you worship what I worship, I have not been worshipping what you worshipped, nor will you worship what I shall worship.’” (Verses 1-5)
They had told the Prophet (PBUH) to worship their god one day so that they would worship God the other day, but the Prophet (PBUH) dismissed the idea because falsehood must never be endorsed. It falsehood is endorsed, the truth will no longer be the truth.
The challenge is that some people cannot accept the extensiveness of the Wilayat of God. Bara’at means distancing from and abandoning Kufr and Shirk, or in other words, accepting the absolute Wilayat of God. This is the main point in Surah At-Tawbah.
The realization of Bara’at in society in a macro scope requires coherence in the Islamic society in order to create the possibility of protecting divine rules and realization of Wilayat of God. Bara’at is not something that can be achieved by military force but it should be created via the education system, the media, economy, etc.
Although it seems that Surah At-Tawbah should talks about manners of war, it is actually about coherence in Islamic society and relations and conflicts that emerge in society and menaces that afflict Islamic society and prevent that (Bara’at) from happening.
It is necessary that collective menaces in religious governance are recognized and countered so that it would become possible for Bara’at in society. One of the main factors that create menaces is a lack of the Bara’at approach.
In Bara’at, it is necessary for one to fully abandon Shirk and Kufr. The Muslim world and the religious thought never hate people but they hate the Shirk in them. We must hate Shirk. The society includes two groups: those who have a feeling of hate against others but with a wrong reason, and those who have no hatred against Shirk.
