Implementing Sharia Is within Scope of Social Rights Not Personal Rulings

TEHRAN (IQNA) – There has always been a question on how and in what scope the society can become religious and spiritual.

Qom Islamic Seminary Scholar Seyed Mohammad Ali Ayazi, in his book “Realm of Implementation of Sharia in Religious Government”, has discussed this issue. In a speech, he explained about the content of the book, excerpts from which are as follows:

We all have religious concerns and religious responsibilities and attach importance to the issue of implementing the Sharia and making society religious.

The question on how and in what scope the society can become religious and spiritual has always been an important one. A society becoming religious is based on the divine Sunnah (law). In many verses of the Quran, when God speaks about divine will, He says: “Had your Lord willed, whosoever is in the earth, all would have believed. Would you then constrain people until they believe?”

When we say implementing the Sharia in society should be based on Sunnahs and laws, we should determine the scope of its implementation.

The gist of what the book wants to say is that implementing the Sharia is within the realm of people’s social rights not in the field of personal rulings.

Issues like prayers, fasting, etc, are not within the realm of implementing the Sharia in religious system and religious society. Although encouraging people to do them is necessary, imposing them on people and punishing them for their refusal are not appropriate.

For example, about the issue of Hijab which is being discussed in society today, it is said that the absence of Hijab disturbs public Iffa (chastity). Has any Quran interpreter or Faqih said such a thing?  

Faqhis do not consider the ruling on Hijab to be within the realm of public chastity. For example, all Faqihs say the Sha’an Nuzul (conditions of revelation) of this verse) is that when women believers went out at night, some thought they were Kaniz (slave girls) and thus disturbed them. That is why the Quran issues this ruling so that they will not be disturbed.

Therefore, if you want the Sharia to be implemented in society, it will not happen with compulsion.