Islam Rediscovered
15. Preservation, Updating, Da‘wah
~ 273 ~
al-din
is basic and absolute, always remaining the
same, without the slightest change. It is obligatory
for all believers, whatever the circumstances, and
entails belief in the One God, and the worship of
Him alone. The
Shariah
, on the other hand, may
differ, depending upon times and places.
On the subject of
al-din
the Qur’an has this to say:
He has ordained for you the same
din
which He
enjoined on Nuh (Noah) and which We have
revealed to you and which we enjoined on Ibrahim
(Abraham) and Isa (Jesus) (saying): Observe this
din
and be not divided therein. (42:13).
On the other hand, there is another verse of the
Qur’an which tells us that the shariat given to
different prophets were not always identical. The
Qur’an states:
We have ordained a law
(Shariah)
and a path
for each of you. And had God so willed He
would have made you all a single community,
but He wanted to try you by what He had
given you. Vie with each other then in good
works, for to God you shall all return and he
will resolve for you your differences. (5:48)
