Find peace in submission [2:112]

The third aspect of developing our relationship with Allah is submission to Allah [swt]. If we recognize and reciprocate Allah’s love for us and have khashya of Him through recognizing His Greatness, Perfection and Power, it follows that we would find it easy to submit to Him.

In Surah Al-Baqarah verse 112, Allah says:  

بَلَى مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ  

"Yes! Whoever submits himself entirely to Allah and he is the doer of good (to others) he has his reward from his Lord, and there is no fear for him nor shall he grieve."

Firstly, it appears that the natural extension of submitting to Him is to be a Muhsin, a doer of good. In other words, our horizontal relationships with people are impacted by our vertical relationship with Him.

 Secondly, when one submits to Him and does good to His creation "...no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they grieve." The verse refers to the experience of Paradise where there shall be no fear [anxiety] or grief [depression].

 However, if we reflect upon the outcome of submission, it appears that we can experience the peace and security of submission right here in our lives.

 The word Islam, silm, salaam all come from the same root which implies both submission and peace, alluding to the inner peace and safety that is the result of submission.

 The foundation of the message of Islam is submission to the will of Allah [swt]. The Quran also says: Say, ‘Indeed it is the guidance of Allah which is [true] guidance. And we have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds (Holy Quran 6:71).

 In the modern world, submission has negative connotations, implying that we would lose freedom which is important to us. Human beings have pride and self-respect and we do not want to be subjugated or do things against our will.

 Allama Iqbal the poet-philosopher explained it best [about this type of thinking] when he said:

یہ ایک سجدہ جسے تو گراں سمجھتا ہے  

ہزار سجدوں سے دیتا ہے آدمی کو نجات  

 This one prostration [submission] that you find burdensome
Grants man freedom from a thousand prostrations

In other words, the path to human freedom from multiple masters is to submit to the One.

From the Islamic world view then, submission to God is not derogatory for the human being. It is with the understanding that we are servants of God, not free to do what our desires want. We have been created and are responsible and accountable for our actions. A person who truly believes that he has a Creator is convinced of the necessity to obey the Creator. He cannot set himself up to choose his path according to his own views. Submission and obedience to God is the fruit of true faith which comes from love of God and understanding Him.

To submit to God, to obey His commands and accept His decree is to understand that the Creator only has our best interests at heart. He only commands what is in our ultimate best interest and that human beings have limited knowledge and a short term view.

The Prophet (saw) explains this: O servants of Allah, you are like the patients and the Lord of the world is like the doctor. The recovery of the patient lies in what the doctor teaches him and plans for him, not what the patient desires and demands. So submit to the order of Allah, you will be successful (Majma’ al-Warram, v.2, p.117).

Submission to Allah, then is an honor for the human being. It is submission to the Creator, not to created beings who are just as helpless, self-interested and dependent on the Creator as himself.

Moreover, human knowledge is limited and constantly evolving. What was once considered absolute truth is later disproven, leading to confusion and even harm. In contrast, divine knowledge is perfect, timeless, and unchanging. When we submit to Allah’s commands, we align ourselves with the ultimate truth, freeing ourselves from the anxiety and instability of human speculation and mistakes.

Let’s try and understand this with an example from our everyday lives.

 Modern trends in health and wellness frequently shift. Foods once labeled as "healthy" later prove to have adverse effects. Medications once prescribed as safe later get recalled due to severe side effects. We frequently come face to face with mistakes made by medical professionals when we rely on their expertise.

Allah’s guidance on the other hand, remains constant, timeless and flawless.

When we follow divine commands, we avoid the mistakes that come from flawed human reasoning. Allah, the All-Knowing, provides guidelines that are always in our best interest, even when our limited understanding cannot immediately comprehend them.

 Having an attitude of submission in big and small things brings us a deep sense of security and confidence that we are on a path for our ultimate wellbeing.

Let’s end by reflecting on these words of Imam Zaynul ‘Ābidīn [as] as he explains how all human beings are alike in their dependency and helplessness. He says: O God, I showed sincerity by cutting myself off from everything but You. I approached You with my whole self, I averted my face from everyone who needs Your support, I ceased to ask from any who cannot do without Your bounty. I saw that the needy who seeks from the needy is foolish in his opinion, and misguided in his intellect [Du’ā 28, Sahīfa Sajjādiyya].