Thought of the Week

[Muslimah]

The meaning of enslavement to Allah versus owning slaves.

Alright, now what are the features of a master - slave relation?

The master purchases the slave in return for a certain amount of money, whereby, the slave becomes of a monetary value to the master in the sense that master may re sell the slave and invest the money. Slave performs whatever duties assigned by master. Master is not obliged to provide food and shelter, but he /she does of course according to minimum requirements. Slave is not allowed to go out, marry, entertain, object to heavy duty, ..etc. Master is not obliged to provide means to facilitate slave's duties, but it is the other way around, slave has to work under any condition.

I had met so many non Muslims specially atheists or agnostics who face major problem on this particular point. They criticise the idea of Muslims being enslaved to Allah, or called as Allah's Slaves in Quran. They argue that what type of a god is this who requires from those who believe in him to be slaves?

Now let us examine the Muslim (or more to say) Allah's slave, because not every Muslim or even Mu`min is enslaved to Allah. Allah Had Created this whole universe to be in the service of mankind (who the slave), Allah Subjected the whole universe, and in this I mean whole universe, skies, land, seas, rives, plants, animals, for the service of mankind. Allah Provides all possible means for mankind to perform their needed duties, provides what is needed to sustain themselves, enables them to sleep and rest, whenever they feel like, Allah Does not even compel mankind to believe in Him, and Allah Does this, I mean the subjection of universe for those who believe in Him or not. Instead of providing either monetary or physical benefit from the slave to the master, the master not only provides for the slave, but also protects him, cares for him, listens and grants the slave his needs, requests ..etc. Moreover, whenever the slave needs to speak to the Master who happens to be King of the Kings, Allah Is never occupied, sets forth a secretary to prevent or grant appoints, unlike the normal master - slave case of course, no need to elaborate, I am sure you understand. What kind of a Master is this? Isn't this Master is worthy that one willingly enslaves him/herself to Him????

When one does this, in addition to the aforementioned benefits that are even granted to those who do not believe, one feels honoured by being protected, and when you speak to Allah secretly, your secrets are not revealed, or scandalised. In addition, unlike the normal master - slave (who work for free), the master, in this case as we said does not receive neither monetary or physical benefit, but rather gives out in return for the manifestation of enslavement either in this Dunia or the Hereafter. But then of course those who are capable of enslaving themselves only to Allah shall receive different rank and treatment that no one can imagine but them and nothing in this whole world matters to them.