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In order to prevent the establishment of traligious practices, the Wonderful Quran purges all cultural traditions and restores God’s message of Submission to its pristine condition. Thus, Submission is the only religion approved by God (3:19) and is free of man-made traditions:
(3:19) The only religion approved by GOD is “Submission.” Ironically, those who have received the scripture are the ones who dispute this fact, despite the knowledge they have received, due to jealousy. For such rejectors of GOD’s revelations, GOD is most strict in reckoning.
The Quran’s banishment of traditions may be the very reason why the Meccan idolators asked the prophet to change the Quran (10:15).
(10:15) When our revelations are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet us say, “Bring a Quran other than this, or change it!” Say, “I cannot possibly change it on my own. I simply follow what is revealed to me. I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the retribution of an awesome day.”
Below are examples of Quranic verses addressing the most common traditions that may have otherwise evolved into traligious practices:
The Quran condemns the act of man-made prohibitions attributed to God. An example of this is spelled out in 6:138-139 where it was a tradition for the men to forbid their wives from eating and riding certain kinds of livestock:
(6:138-139) They said, “These are livestock and crops that are prohibited; no one shall eat them except whomever we permit,” so they claimed. They also prohibited the riding of certain livestock. Even the livestock they ate, they never pronounced GOD’s name as they sacrificed them. Such are innovations attributed to Him. He will surely requite them for their innovations.They also said, “What is in the bellies of these livestock is reserved exclusively for the males among us, and prohibited for our wives.”
But if it was a stillbirth, they permitted their wives to share therein. He will certainly requite them for their innovations. He is Most Wise, Omniscient.
Estranging a wife by declaring that she is like one’s mother was a common pre-Islamic traditional practice. Such an ideology is labeled as a blasphemy and falsehood in the Quran:
(58:2) Those among you who estrange their wives (by declaring them as forbidden in sex) as their mothers know full well that they are not their mothers. Their mothers are the women who gave birth to them. Indeed, they are committing a blasphemy and a falsehood. GOD is Pardoner, Forgiver.
Some cultures commit the crime of female infanticide; this is mainly due to having offspring that cannot help during war. This primitive mind-set of killing female infants was a well-established tradition throughout the world. God forbade such cruel traditions in the Quran:
(43:16-18) Has He chosen from among His creations daughters for Himself, while blessing you with sons?When one of them is given news (of a daughter) as they claimed for the Most Gracious, his face is darkened with misery and anger! (They say,) “What is good about an offspring that is brought up to be beautiful, and cannot help in war?”
(81:8-9) The girl who was buried alive is asked: For what crime was she killed?
Prophet Muhammad was fearful of marrying the divorced wife of his adopted son because this may have been an uncommon or unaccepted practice during his time (33:37). But despite the social pressures, prophet Muhammad obeyed God’s law and married the divorced wife of his adopted son. Sometimes we become so accustomed to our traditions we refuse to let go of them — even if the tradition violates God’s law.
[33:37] Recall that you said to the one who was blessed by GOD, and blessed by you, “Keep your wife and reverence GOD,” and you hid inside yourself what GOD wished to proclaim.
Thus, you feared the people, when you were supposed to fear only GOD. When Zeid was completely through with his wife, we had you marry her, in order to establish the precedent that a man can marry the divorced wife of his adopted son. GOD’s commands shall be done. The prophet is not committing an error by doing anything that is made lawful by GOD. Such is GOD’s system since the early generations. GOD’s command is a sacred duty. Those who deliver GOD’s messages, and who reverence Him alone, shall never fear anyone but GOD. GOD is the most efficient reckoner.
In addition to the examples of God preventing tradition from spawning into traligion, other Quranic verses point to the already established traligious practices that are prevalent in many cultures. Again, the Quran purges these traligions from God’s Religion:
Inheriting an idol-worshiping belief-system is a common and fatal mistake in many cultures (2:170-171) because it is an obvious form of traligion. Verse 53:19-23 points out the traligious practices of the Meccans who inherited the religions of their forefathers and worshiped ‘made up’ gods. God condemned them for such practices:
(53:19-23) Compare this with the female idols Allaat and Al-`Uzzah. And Manaat, the third one. Do you have sons, while He has these as daughters?These are but names that you made up, you and your forefathers. GOD never authorized such a blasphemy. They follow conjecture, and personal desire, when the true guidance has come to them herein from their Lord.
Amazingly, the Quran addresses traligious practices that may appear benign and unharmful since the surface reasons appear righteous. An example of this is Hermitism (57:27); a common practice amongst Christians who believe in segregating themselves from society in order to come closer to God. Although the intentions of these Christians are to do good, they have wronged their souls by inventing a practice that was never ordained by God. Thus, hermitism is another form of traligion.
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