Is Spirituality Without Sharia (Religious Law) Enough? | Must We Follow a Specific Religion?

Is it truly necessary for us to follow a specific religion? Wouldn't it be better, instead of following a particular religion, to draw upon the commonalities of all religions and strive to be good spiritual human beings, mindful of God and devoted to spirituality, morality, and humanity? This question becomes particularly more prominent and important when we realize that the Quran itself invites us to this very approach. In previous episodes, we explained and saw that the religion the Quran calls us to follow is the Hanif religion, the religion of humanity and fitra, human nature.

And the Quran actively opposes dividing lines, boundaries, and religious labels. Does this not mean what many suggest today, that instead of following a specific religion, such as Islam, we should view ourselves apart from and above religions, striving to be good and spiritual humans, remembering God, and selecting and applying whatever we perceive to be best among all religions for our own spirituality? However, these individuals overlook the fact that while it is true that the commonalities among religions were identical in the call of all prophets, and the Quran also calls us to these very commonalities, the realization of these shared principles and exalted values nevertheless requires action, practical effort, persistence, and discipline. Ultimately, we must choose a method.

We cannot simply claim that whatever we feel like or whatever we personally deem appropriate will serve as our foundation while simultaneously expecting to reach the correct and ultimate destination. Alongside its call to these shared principles and values, the Quran speaks of the specific sharias, laws, and methods of each prophet, recognizes them, and advises us that each of us must follow a specific sharia and method. This is because each prophet, depending on the conditions, audience, and capacities they observed, proposed guidelines and methods to realize those same identical shared principles and ask their followers to act upon that method. For instance, all religions emphasize and recommend the remembrance of God, prayer, and supplication.

However, we still need a specific method for remembering God and connecting with him in daily life. If we do not choose and adhere to a definite method, we will gradually slip into scattered and confused behaviors, actions that we often forget and lose amidst the affairs of daily life. In this way, we slowly drift away from the very principles intended to be realized in our lives, potentially substituting desires, whims, and errors for those correct values and methods and straying off course. It is inappropriate to set aside this great treasure, discovered and recommended by the most spiritual human beings in history, and rely instead on whatever crosses our minds or seems right to us at the moment, especially when we know our awareness and access are limited.

Furthermore, when mentioning various prophets, the Quran reminds us that these are individuals to whom God granted the blessing of guidance. They have walked the path, seen the route, and offer us the best way to reach the destination better than anyone else. Therefore, we ought to follow them. Thus, from among the available methods to achieve that goal, we must choose the best and most suitable one for our condition and remain committed to it.

Of course, there is an objection here that merits reflection. It is said that when we find ourselves once again bound to a specific sharia and religion, we fall victim to the very harms previously mentioned, fanaticism, narrow-mindedness, prioritizing a specific religion over core truths, and losing sight of the ultimate goals amidst rituals and outward appearances. However, to avoid these harms, the solution is not to discard the essence of Sharia and religious practice altogether and deprive ourselves of all those blessings and achievements. The solution is precisely what the Quran insists upon.

The Quran indicates that while adhering to one of these Sharias, whichever one an individual determines is most suitable for them, the priority of humanity, the priority of the Hanif religion, and that elevated perspective beyond limited boundaries must not be cast aside once chosen. It is true that belonging to a collective identity, uniting with a group, and forming a community enables us to progress along the path better and with greater motivation. For this reason, the Quran repeatedly recommends not separating from the community, worshiping alongside fellow worshipers, and participating in collective worship and rituals. Yet, alongside this, it constantly reminds us that we must not sacrifice inner meanings and purposes for outward forms, nor prioritize a mindset that views salvation as exclusively restricted to a single group or Sharia.

Rather than merely inviting us to specific rights and rituals, the Quran constantly warns us to guard against those pitfalls while maintaining adherence to a specific Sharia. Therefore, we must indeed choose a Sharia and a religion, but with careful consideration of those strict reminders and recommendations of the Quran. As for which religion and Sharia to choose, we will discuss that in the next episode, God willing.