Rights of God.
Rights of God.
According to Islamic law, the rights of God over humans involve believing in God and not associating partners with Him. Believing in the prophets sent by God, and following the rules they laid out. Worshipping God through prayer, fasting, Hajj, and Zakat, among other fundamental acts of Islam.
The term “rights of God” refers to the obligations that humans have toward God. Humans live in society and interact with many people, where everyone has certain rights over others. The first and foremost right that humans are obligated to fulfill is that of God’s, who brought everything into existence from nothingness.
God has many rights over His servants, with the primary rights being:
1. *Knowledge of God: * Knowledge of God is among the most fundamental duties. The Qur’an is full of evidence pointing toward this knowledge. By contemplating the universe, one can gain an understanding of God.
2. *Affirmation of Monotheism: * Monotheism, or “Tawhid,” involves recognizing God’s uniqueness in His essence, attributes, names, and actions, and not associating anyone with Him. As stated in Surah Al-Ikhlas, “Say, He is Allah, [Who is] One.”
3. *Worship: * The primary purpose of human creation is to worship God solely. In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah says, “O human, if you dedicate yourself to My worship, I will fill your heart with contentment.” These include prayer, fasting, Zakat, Hajj, and other acts of worship.
4. *Gratitude: * Allah is the benefactor who bestows blessings upon all creation, making it obligatory to express gratitude through words, heart, and deeds.
5. *Reverence and Love for God’s Beloved Servants:
* It’s God’s right that those whom He loves are loved and respected for His sake. This includes prophets, saints, scholars, etc.
Rights of God
Hadith on the Rights of God
There are various Hadith that guide Muslims on the rights of God and worship. Here are two significant Hadith regarding these rights:
1. *Hadith of Jibril: * In this Hadith, the Angel Jibril (Gabriel) approached the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and asked about Islam, Iman, and Ihsan. This Hadith is found in Sahih Muslim and Sahih Bukhari. The core elements of Islam, including the declaration of faith, establishing prayer, giving Zakat, fasting in Ramadan, and performing Hajj, are outlined. This Hadith provides a basic framework for the rights owed to God.
2. *Hadith of Muadh: * In Sahih Bukhari, it’s narrated that Muadh ibn Jabal (may God be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked. “Do you know what the rights of God are over His servants?” Muadh replied, “Allah and His Messenger know best”. The Prophet then explained, “God’s right over His servants is that they worship Him alone and do not associate anything with Him”. He then asked, “Do you know what the rights of the servants are over God, if they fulfill these rights?”. Muadh answered, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” The Prophet replied, “If they do not associate anything with God. Their right over God is that He will not punish them.”
These two Hadith provide valuable insight into the rights of God and the obligations of His servants.