Fatwa ID: 08569
Written by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam
Question:
Something I have been wrestling with is, how is Islam easy when there are so many rules?
No pictures of inanimate objects, no TV, no cinema, dress appropriately, don’t eat certain things, pray 5x a day, no music, no friends who are of the opposite gender, don’t talk to non mahram unless you have to, women shouldn’t travel without a mahram, no free mixing. Avoiding free mixing + music + pictures of inanimate objects is very hard to do in the present day.
I’m guessing this the fault of the present day, and it’s not Islam being hard.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Islam, by its very nature, is a religion of mercy, ease, and balance. Allah says:
“Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear.”
[Surah al-Baqarah, 2:286] [1]
The various rulings and guidelines in Islam such as modest dress, guarding the gaze, maintaining appropriate interaction boundaries, and avoiding harmful environments are not intended to create hardship. Rather, they are designed to align with human nature and to protect faith, dignity, and moral wellbeing, safeguarding individuals and societies from harm.
Today’s society normalises everything Islam came to protect us from, free mixing, casual relationships, immodesty, distraction. So, following Islam feels harder now but it’s not because Islam is harder. It’s because we are swimming against the current of the realities of the modern world. In such an environment, adhering to Islamic teachings feels harder, but essentially it remains a path of goodness and reward.
The Prophet ﷺ informed us:
“Islam began as something strange and will return to being strange, so glad tidings to the strangers.” [Sahih Muslim] [2]
The hadith is referring to those people who will remain righteous among the rising of the corrupt, displaying a strong sense of Jihad of the nafs. Striving to uphold Islamic principles amidst widespread opposition is a form of jihad of the soul (jihad al-nafs) and carries immense reward. Islam recognises human limitation and thus encourages gradual improvement and consistent striving, not instant perfection.
You are right in thinking that Islam is a religion of ease. It is the corrupt world around us that sometimes makes following the path of Islam feel more difficult or out of place. What is important to remember is that every sincere effort, no matter how small, is loved by Allah, and every step you take towards obedience is rewarded greatly.
References:
[1] لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ
[2] وأخرج أيضا عن عبد الرحمن بن سنة (بالنون المفردة) أنه سمع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «بدأ الإسلام غريبا، ثم يعود غريبا كما بدأ، فطوبى للغرباء. قيل: يا رسول الله، من الغرباء؟ قال: الذين يصلحون إذا فسد الناس. . . (٣) » الحديث، وبهذا يعلم أن الحديث صحيح.
ص430 – كتاب فتاوى اللجنة الدائمة المجموعة الأولى – حديث بدأ الإسلام غريبا – المكتبة الشاملة
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
