It must be known that accepting Islam and conforming to Shari'ah is comparable to a tillage. The tilth is prepared for cultivation, seeds are sown, care is taken and then, by Allah^-SWT’s Grace, the fruit is acquired. Thus beyond doubt, those who embrace Islam, be it men or women, are blessed with firm faith.

Both Sexes Equally Obliged To Worship. Both Shall Face Requital

Adorned with faith and trust, both men and women are blessed with the capacity to obey and worship Allah^-SWT . This makes them veracious and upright, which, in turn, blesses them with the honour to persevere in hardships, to stand fast on piety and to abstain from sins. Thus they acquire awe, that is, a deep hearted consciousness of His^-SWT Magnificence and they become firm in His^-SWT obedience and worship. And the fasting men and women acquire angelic qualities, whereby they are endowed the power to overcome their lustful desires, one of the greatest trials for humanity. Therefore, it is said that these men and women guard their modesty and ultimately get the yield of the tillage.

Zikr Allah^-SWT

The men and women who shall accrue the yield of this tillage are the men and women who remember Allah^-SWT much. They are entitled to the promised Divine Forgiveness and a magnificent reward. Zikr is the output of all worships and it is the fruit as well as the seed. That is why Quran repeatedly enjoins Allah^-SWT’s Zikr in abundance, and has especially directed the believers to practise secret and Qalbi Zikr, together with Zikr by words and actions. For those who acquire Zikr-e-Qalbi, the virtues listed in this Ayah begin to develop in the given sequence. So they qualify for Allah^-SWT’s Forgiveness as if it is actually meant for such souls alone, while the rest are forgiven because of them. The author has, by Allah^-SWT’s Grace, been honoured to write at length on this topic, which can be seen in the relevant books. The point to highlight here is that Allah^-SWT has promised a magnificent reward on Zikr.

The epitome of faith, the essence of all striving and Allah^-SWT’s Zikr is that when Allah^-SWT and His^-SWT Prophet^-SW enjoin a duty there must be no reservations in execution. And rightfully then there is no other option left for any believer. Whosoever becomes guilty of disobedience goes totally astray. The Quran here declares that the Holy Prophet^-SW is a model of exemplary obedience to Allah^-SWT and the conduct of his^-SW paternal cousins, Hadhrat 'Abdullah bin Jahsh^-RAU and his^-RAU sister Hadhrat Zainab^-RAU are the symbols of exemplary obedience to the Holy Prophet^-SW.

Hadhrat Zaid^-RAU’s Story

He^-RAU was a slave owned by someone. The Holy Prophet^-SW had bought him^-RAU as a young lad from the market of Okaz before his^-SW raising. He^-SW had freed him^-RAU and adopted him as his^-SW son. The Makkans would call the boy as Zaid bin Muhammad. When he grew up, the Holy Prophet^-SW sought the lurid of Hadhrat Zainab, daughter of his^-SW paternal aunt in marriage for him^-RAU. This bewildered both Hadhrat Zainab^-RAU and her brother for they were the elite Quraish while Hadhrat Zaid^-RAU was after all a freed slave. It is then that these Ayat were revealed enjoining that the command of the Holy Prophet^-SW was indeed Allah^-SWT’s Command and a believer has no other option but to obey. So both accepted the proposal of the Holy Prophet^-SW.

The Concept Of Equality In Nikah

The condition of equality between spouses is not for the reason that a gender from the higher class is a different type of human being who cannot marry in a poor family. The sole aim is administrative as the pattern of thinking vanes at different social levels. If two people of the same social background get together in wedlock it will make their mutual adjustment easy and ensure a peaceful life.

Mehr

The Mehr paid in this Nikah by the Holy Prophet^-SW was approximately 47 grams of gold, 210 grams of silver, one beast of burden, one dress for the bride, twenty four kilos of flour and five kilos of dates. This is an authentic evidence that the Mehr commensurate to status should be paid, so that the lady who joins the family may become a member of the household by having a share in the family's fortune.

This marriage did not, however, last and Hadhrat Zaid^-RAU decided to divorce her. He^-RAU sought the Holy Prophets^-SW permission to do so. At that time an absurd tradition prevailed whereby an adopted son had the same rights and privileges as a real son in terms of inheritance and legal status etc. Thus the adopted son could not get married to all those women prohibited to the real son. In the same way his^-RAU widow or divorcee was considered as a widowed or divorced real daughter-in-law. Islam scraped this custom and enjoined that an adopted son be called after his real father and would not enjoy the same rights as the real son. To practically enforce this injunction, Hadhrat Zainab^-RAU was married to Hadhrat Zaid^-RAU in the first instance but later the Holy Prophet^-SW was commanded to marry her after she was divorced. It was a task sure to arouse formidable clamour and derision, which only the Holy Prophet^-SW had the courage to face and no one else. Hence he^-SW was given the Divine Command. The Holy Prophet^-SW had known this earlier through Kashf.

Such Knowledge Does Not Affect Shari'ah

But knowledge through Kashf does not affect the rules of Shari’ah, which ought to be followed. So despite knowing everything the Holy Prophet^-SW still advised Hadhrat Zaid^-RAU to try his best to make this marriage work. The Quran says that the Holy Prophet^-SW did not disclose what he^-SW had already known as the inevitable. Yet Allah^-SWT wanted it to happen. Since it involved definite sarcasm and censure by the people it was natural for the Holy Prophet^-SW to feel anxious. But a Prophet^-AS always obeys Allah^-SWT Alone and cannot even bear the thought of His^-SWT Annoyance.

Allah^-SWT Wedded Hadhrat Zainab^-RAU To The Holy Prophet^-SW

Hadhrat Zaid^-RAU divorced Hadhrat Zainab^-RAU. After her^-RAU waiting period lapsed Allah^-SWT gave her^-RAU hand in marriage to the Holy Prophet^-SW in order to rid the believers of this ungodly custom. They were now free to many the widows or divorcee of their adopted sons, who would no longer enjoy the same rights as their real progeny. The scholars assert that this marriage had been solemnized by Allah^-SWT Himself as Hadhrat Zainab^-RAU had made a sacrifice in the execution of a Divine Injunction. This is her singular distinction. And it had always been the practice of Allah^-SWT’s Prophets that whatever Allah^-SWT enjoined upon them, they executed it without ever giving any importance to the sarcasm of the society.

To Observe Shari'ah One Has To Put-Up With Sarcasm

The Holy Prophet^-SW did the same for any one's sarcasm is of no consequence. Allah^-SWT’s Command is inevitable. Those whom Allah^-SWT chooses for His^-SWT Messengership are concerned only about His^-SWT Pleasure and least bother about people's comments. Therefore, the Aulia' must also be prepared for this trial, as it is bound to come. People may say whatever they will, it is Allah^-SWT Who will reckon for everything.

Prophet Muhammad^-SW is not the biological father of any of you men that such laws apply to him^-SW. Rather, he^-SW has to comply with Allah^-SWT’s Commands Whose Messenger he^-SW is, and indeed the final one who completes the chain of Prophethood. There is not the remotest possibility that any new Prophet will follow him^-SW to reform any affairs which he^-SW might have left out. He^-SW has extended perfect guidance to the whole of mankind about their entire life, from obligations to meritorious acts, from affairs of State to that of a commoner, from politics to economics, from morality to worships and precepts. This guidance will remain valid till the end of time as no Prophet^-AS will be sent after him^-SW. Allah^-SWT is well Aware of these matters. Without going into any details, one thing stands established here that Mirza Qadyani was an impostor, and all those who consider Islam to be outdated and inapplicable in today's world are also impostors.