Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) stated that He put His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on the plain way of (His) commandment (i.e. legal ways and laws of the Islamic Monotheism) which means on an apparent, manifest way

of commandment which is the true religion of Islam. Allah (Exalted be He) says, "So follow you that (Islamic Monotheism and its laws)" and "follow" here means to adhere and hold fast to it. It is a command to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and to the Ummah (nation based on one creed) as a whole, for any command directed to him is necessarily directed to us unless there is evidence that specifically confines to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Then Allah (Exalted be He) says, So follow you that (Islâmic Monotheism and its laws), and follow not the desires of those who know not. Here Allah (Glorified be He) warns against following the desires of people [who have no knowledge] and all those who oppose Shari`ah (Islamic law) have no knowledge.

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) clarified that people can avail him nothing against Allah i.e. if he sided with them and followed their desires while Allah was protecting him from that, they can avail him nothing against Allah. All matters are in the Hand of Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, Who has power over everything, so no one can deviate His Messenger (peace be upon him) from the honor and assistance which Allah (Exalted be He) predestined for him.

with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon them) are apparent, plain, and manifest ways for those who ponder on them. They lead those who hold fast to and follow them in full conformity to survival, happiness and honorable prosperous life in this world and in the Hereafter.

another and wishing good for one another, enjoining Ma`ruf (that which is judged as good, beneficial, or fitting by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect), forbidding Munkar (that which is unacceptable or disapproved of by Islamic law and Muslims of sound intellect), helping one another in doing good deeds, and preventing one another from evil deeds. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "None of you will believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islâmic religion). So make reconciliation between your brothers A believer is the brother to another believer; he helps him do what is good and calls to it, forbids him from committing evil and reproaches him like when the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or an oppressed!" A man said, "O Allah's Messenger of Allah, I will help him if he is oppressed but if he is an oppressor, how shall I help him?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "By preventing him from oppressing (others), for this the manner of helping him." So, helping the oppressor is to prevent him from oppressing others and reproaching him.

If Muslims

carry out this work and cooperate, they will attain great success, honor, dignity, fear in their enemies' hearts and protection from their plots.

What also distinguishes the Shari`ah is that it regulates the transactions between Muslims through a precise system including equity, justice, and establishment of Al­Haqq between them without bias to a relative or friend. Everyone should be subject to justice and the Law of Allah without partiality to anyone just because he is a relative or a friend or because he has a certain job or is rich or poor. Everyone should be just in their transactions concerning justice, saying the truth and performing Amanah (the obligatory acts of worship). Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allâh as just witnesses; and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice i.e. be defenders and applicants of justice. as witnesses to Allâh, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allâh is a Better Protector to both (than you). So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you avoid justice

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, And whenever you give your word (i.e. judge between men or give evidence), say the truth even if a near relative is concerned, and fulfil the Covenant of Allâh Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) ordains for all Muslims to deal with each other with justice and equity and to establish Al­Haqq between themselves justly and fairly without siding with a friend, a spouse, an old person, or a young person.

One of the merits of this Shari`ah that indicates its greatness and validity for people every time and everywhere, is that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has made their transactions absolutely open for all contracts,

sales, Ijarah (a lease for a lawful identified use or a hiring agreement), and the likes without confining these contracts to certain formulae to allow different peoples and nations to deal, each according to their habits, traditions, purposes and languages and in consideration of consequences. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has made their contracts lawful and He did not specify certain terms for them but He left them absolute. Moreover, for their marriages, divorces, Nafaqah (obligatory financial support), litigations and disputes, Allah (Exalted be He) has provided a sound system that includes equity and justice. It should be taken into consideration the different habits, traditions, terminologies, environments, purposes, circumstances, ages and places within the limits of the Shari`ah as a whole, so that no one will be wronged. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, O you who believe! Fulfil (your) obligations. So, Allah (may He be Exaletd) imposed the obligations and says, whereas Allâh has permitted trading and forbidden Ribâ (usury). Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: Then if they give suck to the children for you, give them their due payment There are many Hadiths narrated by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) concerning Musaqah (giving planted or unplanted trees and land to be tended for a specified share of the fruit), Muzara`ah (giving land for cultivation in return for a specified portion of the harvest), partnership, Ji`alah (payment for a permanent job, salary/wage), guarantees, Awqaf (Endowments), marriage, divorce, breastfeeding, and others in accordance with the Noble Qur'an.

These systems that were revealed by the Qur'an and authenticated by the Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet) are clear and plain systems that regulate all the matters of the Muslim and are valid for all ages and places without debate. They have their own tradition in selling, purchasing, marriage, divorce, endowments, bequests and the like in order

not to associate things wrongfully. Allah (Exalted be He) stressed the same meaning, saying, but the father of the child shall bear the cost of the mother's food and clothing on a reasonable basis. In this Ayah, "on a reasonable basis" means "as reasonably known".

In his great speech on the Farewell Hajj, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, Their (i.e. wives) rights upon you are that you should provide them with food and clothing in a fitting manner. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning). to establish the incontrovertible evidence and give warning.

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, And Allâh will never lead a people astray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them as to what they should avoid. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ) the Dhikr [reminder and the advice (i.e. the Qur'ân)], that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought. So Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) clarified that there should be a clarification (of the prohibitions) and that the clear evidence should be established, thus no one could be punished unless the supporting evidence is established against him.

In his book (I`laam Al Muwaqqi`een), Ibn Al­Qayyim (may Allah be Merciful with him) discussed this point in a great chapter where he clarified that Shari`ah has guarded people's habits, intentions, traditions, and languages. So fatwas and legal rulings should be in consistency with them. A tradition of a certain town or region may be different from that of another town and region.

A person may have intentions and purposes which are different from those of another person, and what is habitual for some people may not be the same for others; moreover, acts permitted in a certain age could be prohibited in another age. Da`wah (calling to Islam) at the age of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Makkah was different (in its course) from Madinah due to the difference in time, place, strength and weakness. Indeed, this is out of Allah's great Wisdom and His attention to

His servants' circumstances. People may use some words in sale and endowment that refer to a different meaning or a different obligation for other people and the same can happen in divorce and Ijarah. Some acts are permitted in some ages but they are not permitted in another age, such as establishing Had (ordained punishment for violating Allah's Law) on the land of the enemy, in case some invaders committed violations that necessitated Had to be established on the enemy's land. Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited Muslims from establishing Had on the enemy's land, because the one upon whom the Had is to be applied could become angry and motivated by the temptations of devil, he may renounce Islam and apostatize for that reason due to his being close to the enemy.

Another example is the year of famine; when there is a year of famine and people are distressed, thieves' hands should not be cut off if they admitted that they only committed theft out of poverty, distress, and need for anything to satisfy their hunger and fulfill their needs. That is because this case is a doubtful matter concerning the permissibility of cutting the hands and indeed Hudud are warded off by shubahat (a case where doubts and suspicions are there concerning the motives and causes of crime.)

S o `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and please him), during the Year of Ramadah (Famine Year), commanded the Muslims not to cut (the hand for theft) and gave this judgment because it was a doubtful matter. In this way, Muslims should take admonition from consequences as Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, Then take admonition, O you with eyes (to see). Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: So be patient. Surely, the (good) end is for Al­Muttaqûn (the pious) Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides Allâh, lest they insult Allâh wrongfully without knowledge. So Muslims should pay heed to the ends. Ibn Al­Qayyim (may Allah be Merciful with him) mentioned that sometimes commanding good may lead to committing an act which is more evil than the act which is meant to be prohibited. So in such a case, it is not permissible to prohibit the evil act if resisting evil could lead to a more evil and more grievous act.

In this case, the evil act should not be permitted lest more evil should take place. This is mentioned in the chapter of considering consequences.

For example, if there is a person who drinks Khamr (intoxicant), and you know that if you prohibit and prevent him from doing so, he will start killing people, abstinence from prohibiting him becomes the first priority because drinking Khamr is more tolerable than committing transgression against people by killing them. What is meant here is that Muslims should consider the consequences, habits, circumstances, conditions, purposes, intentions of people in their obligations and their behavior in dealing with one another, in establishing Hudud, in commanding good and forbidding evil. Muslims should consider gaining interests, warding off evils, gaining the greater interest by forsaking the lesser interest and avoiding the greater evil by committing the lesser evil in case of being unable to avoid both of them. These are great issues examined by our perfect Shari`ah and they are undoubtedly some of its merits. Every ruler and every person who has authority over people including a judge, a Mufty (Islamic scholar qualified to issue legal opinions), a commander and the likes should hold fast to it. All these matters are from the merits of this great Shari`ah.

It is also of the merits of Shari`ah that it makes people free to earn their livelihood, in giving and taking, so a Muslim can freely earn, take, and give within the limits of Shari`ah. Allah (Exalted be He) says, He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. i.e. A Muslim will be rewarded for his good gains and will be punished for his evil gains. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in an authentic Hadith, "It is better for anyone of you to take a rope (and cut) and bring a bundle of wood (from the forest) over his back and sell it and Allah will save his face (from the Hell­Fire) because of that, rather than to ask the people who may give him or not." So the Prophet (peace be upon him) exhorted people to earn their living and clarified that it is much better than asking people (for charity).

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about the best type of earning,

The Shari`ah prefers and encourages earning and working. It indicates that the one who works with his own hands is worthy of his earnings and it prohibits a Muslim from offending his brother, his wealth and his honor unless he has the right to do so. All these matters are from the merits of this great Law that protects people's wealth and honor. It protects their people and blood and commands them to earn their own living and encouraged them to. The noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, do not say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do and your " if" opens the (gate) for the Satan." This Hadith is reported by Muslim in his Sahih.If I were to mention everything about the greatness of the Shari`ah, its merits and care for the interests of Muslims during their life and after their death, it would take a very long time. This is just a small indication that is sufficient for a rational person to acknowledge the greatness of this Shari`ah and its care for the Muslims' circumstances and interests in the present and in the future.

Another merit of this Shari`ah is the command of Tawbah (repentance to Allah) as it reforms the past and protects (Muslims) from evil. Some people in the past used to attain repentance by killing the souls, but Allah sent His Mercy upon this Ummah (nation based on one creed) and ordained that Tawbah can be fulfilled by regret, abstinence, determination to not return to the sin, and by returning stolen rights to their owners. This is out of the Benevolence and Mercy bestowed by Allah (Exalted be He) upon the Ummah and it is really one of the merits of the Shari`ah that it granted humans the relief and expiation for their sins and evil doings through true repentance, Istighfar, resorting to Allah,

and righteous deeds. Whoever contemplates the Shari`ah with its resources and sources and considers its great and just rulings, its benevolence to all creatures and its care for the poor, the needy, the young, the old and others; and even animals, Shari`ah takes care of them and prohibits oppression and transgression against them, he will come to know that it is a law descended from Allah, the All­Wise, the Worthy of all praise, the All­Knowing of the circumstances of His Servants and the Well­Acquainted with what is best for them. He will also know that the Shari`ah is one of the decisive evidence for the existence of Allah (Exalted be He), His Perfect Power, Wisdom and Knowledge and the truthfulness of His Messenger (peace be upon him), for he is the Messenger of Allah. So when you ponder on the rulings of this Shari`ah and its great concern for the servants' affairs whether rich or poor, owners or workers, ruling or ruled, and individuals or groups, you can see that it pays much attention to all of them and enacted rulings based on benefit, justice, equity, benevolence, and mercy. Indeed, it is a Shari`ah full of benefits, morals, guidance and justice. If any matter deviated from justice to injustice, from benefit to harm and from mercy to its opposite, it does not belong to the Shari`ah even if it is falsely attributed to it by Ta'wil (allegorical interpretation) as stressed in meaning by the great scholar Ibn Al­Qayyim (may Allah be Merciful with him). Our Shari`ah is full of mercy, justice, and wisdom. It cares mostly for the Muslims' interests and is far removed from abuse, oppression, and hardship. Whoever ponders on that which was previously mentioned, will know what I meant in the second part of the title of this lecture which explains that humans are in great need of the Shari`ah because of its great benefits. It pays much concern to the Muslims' interests during their life and after their death and paves the way which leads to survival and happiness. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) indicates in His Book that His Law is a straight path; a plain path and a precious method.

Whoever holds fast to it will survive and whoever deviates from it will perish. Whoever considers these matters as carefully as they should, will know that the Shari`ah is as the same as Nuh's (Noah's) Ark and whoever enters it survives and whoever missed it drowns. So, whoever holds fast to this great Shari`ah and persists in acting according to it will survive, but whoever deviates from it will perish. Indeed, there is neither might nor power except with Allah. It is clear for any rational Muslim that all the servants of Allah are in dire need of the Shari`ah for it introduces the solutions for their problems and includes just rulings and takes a moderate stance between corrupt Marxist, atheistic, Communism, and unfair, oppressive Capitalism. It is moderate in every thing as it has a moderate economy between the communism and materialism of the atheists and the oppressive capitalism which has no limits. So Shari`ah is intermediate between two extremes, just between these two unjust matters and moderate in all aspects; there is no extremity or exceeding of the proper limits and no extremity in aversion. This great Shari`ah is moderate in spending and abstention without extravagance or wastefulness and without abstention or niggardliness. Allah (Exalted be He) says, And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty. Allah (Glorified be He) says concerning the attributes of the Servants of the Most Beneficent (Allah), And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a medium (way) between those (extremes). So whoever ponders on this matter and pays attention to it will know that the Shari`ah is both a religion and a state, a book and sword, an act of `Ibadah (worship) and good treatment (of others), Jihad (fighting in the Cause of Allah) and good deeds, spending money (in the way of Allah) and Ihsan (the perfection of Faith), obedience to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), repentance from past (sins) and performing good deeds for the future. It has all forms of goodness as it includes the good of the world and the Hereafter. It is not permissible to separate our religion from our worldly life

or to separate our worldly life from our religion, yet our religion and worldly life are closely associated with each other in this Shari`ah. Allah (Exalted be He) says, Verily! Allâh commands that you should render back the trusts to those to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (Allâh) gives you! Truly, Allâh is Ever All­Hearer, All­Seer. So it is the judge for all people, whether rulers or others and for individuals and groups, therefore, they should all adhere to its rulings and act under its authority in every matter. Whoever alleges that religion should be separated from the state and that religion is to be applied only in mosques and houses, whereas the state has the right to do whatever it likes and may judge according to whatever rulings it wants, has invented a grievous lie against Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) and has committed the most offensive act; it is an act of Kufr (disbelief) and deviation. We seek refuge with Allah from all these allegations, as all servants are obliged to submit to the rulings of Shari`ah and its laws, in acts of worship and other aspects of life. Certainly, the state should execute the rulings of Shari`ah and submit to its authority in all things. This is exactly the way followed by the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), his noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them and please them) and the Muslim Imams (rulers) after them in every aspect of life. Allah (Exalted be He) has made this Shari`ah a source of spirit, light and life for people. You may know that you are in dire need of it as are all humans, because it is the source of life, the light, and Al­Sirat­ul­Mustaqim (the Straight Path) which leads to survival. Without this light, there will be nothing but darkness, death, and misery. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says in His Great Book, Is he who was dead (without Faith by ignorance and disbelief) and We gave him life (by knowledge and Faith) and set for him a light (of Belief) whereby he can walk amongst men ? like him who is in the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy) from which he can never come out? Allah (Exalted be He) compares those who deviate from

So Allah (Glorified be He) has made the revelation sent upon Muhammad (peace be upon him) like a soul for His servants to define their life and as a light to reinforce their insight, survival, and following Al­Sirat­ul­ Mustaqim.

The Shari`ah is the soul of the Ummah by means of which it lives, rises, and gains victory. Moreover, it is the light by which the Ummah reaches the means of its survival and is guided to Al­Sirat­ul­Mustaqim. Al­ Sirat­u l­Mustaqim is the plain path which leads whoever passes over it to survival and causes whoever deviates from it to perish.

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, Whoever works righteousness ­ whether male or female ­ while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islâmic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter). Here Allah (Glorified be He) clarified that whoever acts righteously out of Iman (Faith), He will grant him a happy and good life. This is also an indication that the life led by the disbelievers who deviated from Shari`ah is not a good life but it is certainly an evil life; a life which is laden with distress, grief, sorrow, great problems and much sedition.

It is a life that resembles that of animals whose people have no obsession except their desires and instant luck. It is the same life led by animals but it my be worse and more astray for they did not utilize their minds by which they are distinguished from the animals. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says, Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle ­ nay, they are even farther astray from the Path (i.e. even worse than cattle). Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says: while those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as cattle eat; and the Fire will be their abode. Indeed, the life of those who deviated from Shari`ah is similar to death as they neither sense their duty nor understand the supreme aim for which they were created. Their life is similar to that of animals in the way that animals have no concern but their desires and instant luck and so does the disbeliever who abstains from the Shari`ah. Therefore, Allah has described the people of Faith and true guidance as seers and listeners and has described those who deviated from the Shari`ah with blindness and deafness. Moreover, Allah has associated those who follow the Shari`ah with life and has associated those who oppose it with death. Thus, my Muslim brothers and sisters, we know that the Shari`ah is the humans' source of life, happiness, and survival in this world and in the Hereafter and that they are in dire need to embrace it, abide by it, and hold fast to it because it is the essence of their life, victory, survival, and happiness in this world and the Hereafter. It also judges between them justly and restores the rights of the wronged from their oppressors. Therefore, this great Shari`ah is the greatest and the most perfect one and humans are in dire need to apply and abide by it. Muslims will find no solutions to their problems and will find no happiness or survival from their current state of dissociation,

difference, weakness and humbleness unless they resort and hold fast to it and abide by its teachings and rules.

I ask Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) to grant us success in understanding it well and acting according to it. I ask Him to guide us and all His Servants to abide by it, follow its light, and be enlightened by its guidance. Indeed, He is Generous and Bountiful. I ask Allah (He be Glorified and Exalted) to reform all Muslim rulers and help them hold fast to this Shari`ah, act according to it, resort to it in all their disputes and take it as a judge in all matters. May Allah safeguard us and them from evil entourage and misguiding preachers. Indeed, He has power over all things. May peace and blessings be upon His Servant and Messenger Muhammad, his family, Companions, and those who follow them righteously until the Day of Resurrection. May peace, blessings, and mercy of Allah be upon you.