Al-Amaanah and Al-Imaan
Allah (swt) created the people so that they worship him:
And I have not created the Jinn and the humans except to worship me (AdhDhaariyaat 56).
This was what the Shaari’ (Legislator) intended from the creation and as such this is obligatory to be the objective of the Mukallaf (responsible person) within life and it must be his purpose in it. The worship to Allah (swt) is not restricted to the Mukallaf’s acts of ‘Ibaadah in that which relates to the private or specific relationship between him and his Rabb, and it is not restricted to some actions whilst leaving others. Rather it relates to everything that Allah (swt)
has commanded him with or forbidden him from doing. As such it relates to every one of man’s actions as individuals and collective groupings and in all of their relationships. For this reason it is obligatory upon every ‘Aaqil (reasoning) and Baaligh (mature) person to not accept any Hukm (rule) other than the Hukm of Allah (swt).
So he does not judge or rule by other than what Allah has revealed and is not ruled or governed by other than what He (swt) has revealed. He does not seek judgement from other than what Allah TaAalaa has revealed and it is obligatory upon him to work to realise this matter, as this represents the purpose for which he was created, it is his purpose in life and it is upon this basis that he will be held accountable on the Day of Judgment. This relates to every Mas’alah (issue), large or small, whether it relates to the issues of politics and ruling, the general matters or the specific and partial issues. Allah (swt) has made Imaan rest upon having Imaan in this obligation and undertaking it.
Allah (swt) said:
But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad SAW) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission (AnNisaa’ 65).
And He (swt) made the Imaan of those who wish to go to judgement to other than what Allah (swt) has revealed only a pretence which stands against the true reality:
Allah (swt) said:
Have you seen those (hypocrites) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you, and they wish to go for judgement (in their disputes) to the Taghut (false judges, etc.) while they have been ordered to reject them. But Shaitan (Satan) wishes to lead them far astray (An-Nisaa’ 60).
This Takleef (legal responsibility) is the Amaanah (trust) that Allah (swt) presented and offered to mankind and so he accepted to carry it without realising his own weakness and incapability, whilst other than him from Allah’s creation were unable to accept to carry the burden and responsibility and refused to undertake it.
Allah (swt) said:
Truly, We did offer Al-Amaanah (the trust) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it but man undertook to bear it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results) (Al-Ahzaab 72).
This weakness was made apparent with the very first human that Allah (swt) created, Aadam (as), when Allah (swt) placed him and his wife to live in Jannah. He (swt) allowed them to eat from it and enjoy it’s expanses with the exception of one single tree that he had forbidden them to approach. However they followed that which Shaytaan whispered to them, they ate from it and as a result they were expelled from Jannah. This is the continuous state of the human being, disobedience and misguidance and being negligent with the Amaanah. However Allah (swt) aided and assisted him, he guided him, sending him messages of guidance and Rahmah (mercy) which he would be guided with, by which he would take care of and straighten his affairs so that he would then worship Allah alone. He (swt) sent Anbiyaa’ (prophets) and Rusul (Messengers) to man who carried the Amaanah (trust) in full and gave it its true right. They ordered the Ma’rouf (what was good) and forbade the Munkar (what was bad) whilst enduring upon that path all that Allah (swt) willed them to endure. They carried the people upon the Siraat ulMustaqeem (straight path) whilst returning them from their misguidance and arrogance to Imaan in Allah and His obedience.
This matter has been made crystal clear in the stories of the Anbiyaa’ that have been mentioned in the Qur’aan Al-Kareem from the time of Aadam (as) until Muhammad (saw), the seal of the Prophets, was sent with the everlasting and protected message of Islaam. In this it was made abundantly clear in a definite manner, that the issue of the creation always represents the most vital issue. It is the purpose for which Allah (swt) created the creation; it represents the true and absolute issue: Laa Ilaaha Illallah, to worship Allah alone and to not worship other than Him. And all of this cannot be understood upon its true reality since the sending of the Nabi Muhammad (saw) and until now, or become a true reality, unless it is connected to the truth and true reality of bearing witness to the fact that ‘Muhammad Ar Rasoolallah’ (The Messenger of Allah).
Allah (swt) said in respect to Aadam (as) and his wife:
(Allah) said:"Get you down (from the Paradise to the earth), both of you, together, some of you are an enemy to some others. Then if there comes to you guidance from Me, then whoever follows My Guidance shall neither go astray, nor fall into distress and misery "But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Quran nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection." He will say:"O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight (before)." (Allah) will say: "Like this, Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) came unto you, but you disregarded them and so this Day, you too will be forgotten (in the Hell-fire, away from Allah's Mercy)." (TaHa 123- 126).
And in respect to Nooh (as) Allah (swt) said:
And indeed We sent Nuh (Noah) to his people, and he said: "O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. Will you then fear Him (Al-Mu’minoon 23).
And He (swt) said:
And to the 'Aad [We sent] their brother Hud. He said: "O my people, worship Allah. You have no deity other than Him. Will you not then fear Him?" (AlA’araaf 65).
And:
And to the Thamud [We sent] their brother Salih. He said: "O my people, worship Allah ; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord (Al-A’araaf 73).
And:
And Ibrahim when he said to his people: Worship Allah and fear Him. That is better for you if you only knew (Al-Ankaboot 16).
And:
And when Ibrahim said to his father: Verily I am free of that which you worship.
Apart from the one who created me for verily he will guide me. And he made it a word remaining among his descendants that they might return [to it] (AzZukhruf 26-28).
And:
Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya'qub (Jacob)? When he said unto his sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, "We shall worship your Ilaah (God - Allah), the Ilaah (God) of your fathers, Ibrahim, Isma'eel, Ishaaq (Isaac), One Ilaah (God), and to Him we submit (in Islam)." (AlBaqarah 133).
Reference: Taghyeer (change) - Mahmoud Abdul-Kareem Hasan