Why Should Islamic Society Disassociate from Disbelievers?
This is what Hani Chitchian, a member of the Quran and Etrat School of the University of Tehran, discussed in the ninth session in a series on Surah At-Tawbah. Following are excerpts from his remarks in the session:
Extremist behaviors of some believers have been among the challenges that we can witness since early Islam. Religion has come to guide people; prayer, fasting, etc. all aim at monotheism.
The Holy Quran says “Woe to those who pray,” (Surah Al-Ma’un, verse 4); God urges people to understand monotheism and not limit themselves to prayers.
To understand the word “Bara’at”, we need to take three steps. Firstly, we should refer to dictionaries. Secondly, we should study how this word is used in the Holy Quran. And finally, we should see how the word is used in the Surah. Surah At-Tawbah is one of the final chapters revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
“Bara” refers to being free from disease and becoming sad about an appropriate thing. It also refers to hatred.
There are several instances the roots of the word Bara have been used in Quranic verses. One of them is when divine prophets say they are clear of what disbelievers do such as in verse 41 of Surah Yunus.
The word refers to the separation of something from something else in a way that their destinies also become different.
Bara’at means disassociating with polytheism in a way that we would not have the same destiny as disbelievers. Prophets did this disassociation at all spiritual and practical levels. This Bara’at completes with verse 6 of Surah Al-Kafirun: “To you your religion and to me my Religion.”
