Another characteristic of Jaahiliyyah is going to extremes with regard to their scholars and righteous people. Allaah has mentioned this extremism with regard to the scholars and righteous people in some verses of the Qur’aan. Allaah says:
"O People of the Book! Do not go to extremes in your religion (by exceeding the limits set forth by Allaah). And do not speak concerning Allaah, except that which is true." (Q4:171)
He also says:
"They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Marry)..." (Q9:31)
The people of Jaahiliyyah have two types of extremism: extremism in relation with scholars and extremism in relation with righteous people, here we shall consider the first type of extremism The people of Jaahiliyyah go into extremes in relation to the scholars in that they follow them in making things Halaal (lawful) or Haraam (unlawful). They made Halaal what their scholars made Halaal even if the thing was Haraam and made Haraam what their scholars made Haraam even if it was Halaal in the Book of Allaah.
They put scholars in a position higher than that of the prophets. They made them lords who were worshiped as Allaah says:
"They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allah), and(they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary)..." (Q9:31)
When 'Adiy bin Haatim heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings be upon him) reciting the above verse he said: "Indeed we did not worship them." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Did they not make unlawful that which Allaah made lawful and so you too did the same? [Did they not] make lawful what Allaah made unlawful and so you too did the same?” I replied, "Verily!" He said, "This then was the worship of them.” (Tirmidhee)
This is one of the different kinds of extremism i.e.to believe that their knowledge is sufficient to derive ruling without recourse to the Sharee'ah. This is a form of shirk. Allaah says:
"Or have they partners with Allah (false gods), who have instituted for them a religion which Allaah has not allowed." (Q42:21)
They used to believe that the scholars could abolish some of the rulings in the revealed books and affirm some as it happened in the case of the Jews and Christians. They changed the Tawraat and Injeel by addition or subtraction with false interpretation and meaning and people followed them.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited