SEPTEMBER 17
Discharging Obligations
After the emigration, the Prophet of Islam gave his blessings to Salman and Abu Darda to become like brothers to one another. When they began to live together, Salman saw that Abu Darda fasted during the day and continued to pray for the greater part of the night. This left little room for discharging other responsibilities.
Therefore Salman asked Abu Darda not to keep praying all the time saying, that he had some duties towards other human beings as well, and that he should attend to them. When this incident came into the knowledge of the Prophet, he observed: Salman is right. According to another tradition, the Prophet said: Salman is a faqih (having insight into religion) and that he had been granted a share in religious knowledge by God. (Fathul Bari)
The fulfillment of obligations is so serious a matter in Islam that according to a hadith, the Prophet said: “If you have failed to pay what is due to your creditors, you will have to pay them what you owe on the day of Judgement. (Sahih Muslim) That is, one who fails in the payment of these dues in this world of trial, will have to make their payment in a far more rigorous manner in the Hereafter. There he shall have to make good debts with the currency of his good deeds, as on that day there will be nothing else with which to pay.
Discharging one’s duties is not concerned with just one thing but with many things. For instance, as a householder, you should fulfill the responsibilities that fall on you as regards your wife and children. Neighbours have the right to expect that you will not create any problems for them. Then, even in walking along a path every one has an equal ‘right of way’, so that you should not obstruct any wayfarer in his journey. Society has the right to demand that your dealing with them be in a spirit of well-wishing. The nation likewise has the right to charge you with its welfare and to expect that you may never be oblivious of this responsibility.
The fulfilling of rights is a complete ideology. There is no realm of life to which it does not relate.
