“O my son! Maintain the prayer and bid what is right and forbid what is wrong.â€‌[ii][97]
b) Although puberty is a requisite for accountability, parents are nevertheless supposed to acquaint their children prior to puberty with the religious rites and traditions, such as prayer and fasting. Sometimes, they are advised to punish them with the aim of showing their seriousness and the dire consequence of neglecting prayers and other duties.
c) Puberty is a requisite for accountability, but if a young person causes financial damage to someone, his parents should provide compensation, because accountability to people is separate from the accountability to God.
d) Maturity is a requisite for accountability, but young people have rewards for their good deeds yet, if they commit a mistake, say something unpleasant, or do something bad, there is punishment for them.

2. Strength
Strength and capability are requisites for accountability. Anyone who is incapable of performing a certain task is not accountable for it. Concerning the divine duties, this parameter of strength is also observed. God thus says:

“We task no soul except according to its capacity.â€‌[ii][98]
The Qur’an also states:

“He has chosen you and has not placed for you any obstacle (as well as pressure and difficulty) in religion.â€‌[ii][99]
This refers to pressure beyond man’s capacity, for religiosity also has corresponding pressure and struggle.
Even in the case of jihad, which entails broader predicaments and difficulties, the Qur’an does not include the sick, infirm and blind as well as other individuals who are incapable of performing jihad.[ii][100]

3. Freewill {ikhtiyar}
If someone is compelled to commit a certain sinful act, or hindered by force from fulfilling a certain duty, he cannot be called to account. It means that a requisite of fulfilling an obligation is freewill {ikhtiyar} and freedom of action. Under compulsion and in an emergency, the verdict about a certain issue is different. An example is the case when a taghuti places hindrances in the way of a Muslim’s performance of the Hajj pilgrimage, or the case of someone who is dying of hunger and no food is available for him except a human corpse.

4. Intellect {â€کaql}
Intellect {â€کaql} and common sense {shuâ€کur} are the criteria of man’s maturity and his duty. Accountability, liability and responsibility are also undertaken on the basis of one’s level of intellect, and those who lack intellect have no obligation and as such, no punishment or reward. In some Prophetic traditions, the intellect has been reckoned as the first created entity and true servitude {â€کubudiyyah} as emanating from the intellect. And in the books on hadith, the discussion about the intellect has come first compared to other subjects.[ii][101]
In Islam, anything that befogs the mind (such as alcoholic beverages) is unlawful {haram} and anything that enhances the intellect and understanding is encouraged such as teaching, learning, research, traveling, consultation, etc.

Conditions for the soundness of worship
The value of worship lies in its soundness and correctness, which depend on two key factors: (1) soundness of the purpose, and (2) soundness of its form.
Let us deal first with the “purposeâ€‌. Seeking divine pleasure and attempting to perform one's duty must be of man's purpose in worship. Therefore, an act of worship which is performed with ostentation {riya’}, or is meant to win people’s attention and approval, or performed with the expectation of praise from one other than God, is tantamount to the commission of polytheism {shirk}. Of course, if people take notice of someone’s sincere work, there is nothing wrong with that.[ii][102]
In addition to its being unlawful {haram}, ostentation in worship also renders it invalid. One must strive hard so that the pure intention for worship is not mixed with ungodly motives. Regarding sincerity in action, Imam as-Sadiq (â€کa) has said:

.
“And the sincere deed is that you do not expect any appreciation and eulogy from anyone except God.â€‌[ii][103]
On the effects of sincerity, the Messenger of Allah (S) is reported to have said:

.
“There is no servant of Allah, the Glorious and Dignified, who sincerely worships Him for forty days without having springs of wisdom flow from his heart to his tongue.â€‌[ii][104]
Sincerity is an academy that produces sages and men of wisdom after a period of forty days.
Let us now deal with “the form of worshipâ€‌.
An act of worship is correct when it is performed in exactly the same form, method and manner as specified by God and ortodox teaching, and not according to personal whims or manners contrary to the dictates of religion.
The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

.
“No saying, action or intention is valuable unless it is done according to the sunnah.â€‌[ii][105]
So, the form of worship must also be learned from the holy saints {awliya’}. Hadhrat Ibrahim (â€کa) beseeches God to show to him the correct form of worship:

“And show us our rites {of worship}.â€‌[ii][106]
One must faithfully observe the commands for the prayer to be shortened {qasr} or performed in full {tamam}, the recitation in prayer must be loud or silent, the number of rakâ€کahs, and the like, otherwise it will have no value at all.
The same is true if it is said that there is a hidden treasure a 100 steps away, which you may posses, if you take 98 or 102 steps, you will not possess it and your efforts will be useless.
Similarly, if you want to contact a certain person or a municipality by phone, by dialing one digit more or less, you will be connected to another person or another municipality. So, in worship the form which is commanded must be strictly followed. It is like the grooves of a key, which if they become a little too fine or rough, will no longer open a lock.
On the interpretation of verse {ayah} 189 of Surah al-Baqarah, “And come into houses from their doors,â€‌ Imam al-Baqir (â€کa) said: “It means that you have to perform an act according to its command.â€‌[ii][107]

Motives behind changing the form of worship
The Holy Qur’an cites numerous cases on how the past communities incurred divine wrath and chastisement by changing the form of worship. The motive behind this change has assumed diverse forms. We shall mention an example from the Qur’an for each of these cases:

1. Changing the form out of obduracy
God commanded the Children of Israel {Bani isra’il} to utter the word “hattahâ€‌ (which means, “O God forgive us and wipe off our sinsâ€‌) at the time of entrance to the holy land. Out of derision and obduracy, they changed it and instead said, “hantahâ€‌ (which means “wheatâ€‌). God vented His wrath upon them and brought them to perdition.[ii][108]

2. Changing the form out of false enlightenment
In Islam, four months are deemed sacred {haram} in which waging war is forbidden. The imposed ceasefire covers three successive months, namely, Dhu’l-Qaâ€کdah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Muharram, and one separate month (Rajab) which have been described as a whole by the Holy Qur’an as the “four sacred (months)â€‌ {arbaâ€کatun hurum}[ii][109] in which fighting is prohibited except in the form of defense.
Out of their personal desire and false enlightenment, some people used to interchange these months, setting them in advance or otherwise, and saying: “What is the difference? The point is that every year, we should not wage war for four months.â€‌ The Glorious Qur’an condemned this changing of the sacred months, regarding it as a sign of unbelief {kufr}.[ii][110]

3. Changing the form out of sanctimony
It refers to the work of those who, under the garb of religion and religious ruses, want to satisfy their carnal desires, and by means of this, they wish to relieve their conscience and circumvent the laws of God. An example of this can be found in the historical account of the Children of Israel.
Since God had forbidden them to catch fish on the Sabbath, they constructed small pools near the body of water in which they placed the fishes caught a day before, and took them the next day saying, “We have not caught fishes on the Sabbath!â€‌
This event has been described and condemned in some verses of the Holy Qur’an.[ii][111]

Conditions for the acceptance of acts worship
Apart from their correctness, acts of worship have conditions for their “acceptanceâ€‌ and “perfectionâ€‌. It means that by observing them man will attain nearness to Allah, spiritual growth and influence individual as well as society.
Sometimes, an act of worship is correct but does not lead to spiritual growth, just like a medicine which does not heal the patient.
At times, an act of worship relieves us from the punishment (of abandoning it) but does not make us beloved of God.
The conditions for the acceptance of deeds and acts of worship have been stated in Qur’anic verses and Prophetic traditions. Some of them are the following:[ii][112]
1. Ideological condition;
2. Political condition;
3. Moral condition;
4. Economic condition;
5. Social condition;
6. Familial condition.
Before explaining the above, it must be emphasized that man should strive hard for the acceptance of his acts of worship and to benefit from his spiritual endeavors. â€کAli (â€کa) said:

.
“Pay more attention to the acceptance of the act than you do to the act itself.â€‌[ii][113]
For acceptance in a certain position, a person may possibly be required to acquire an entrance card and to act according to the apparent rules, but in the interview he will be rejected for reasons such as moral corruption, bad record, etc. It is also possible for the act of worship to have been performed properly according to the divine rules, but it will not be accepted by God for certain reasons. Is it not sometimes observed that correct works done by unauthorized persons, instead of being appreciated are criticized?! Why? Because acceptance depends on certain conditions which shall now be discussed.

1. Ideological condition: Faith in God
Lack of faith {iman} renders deeds futile:

“Should anyone renounce his faith, his work shall fail.â€‌[ii][114]
Those who build the mosques of God should be believers in God and the hereafter:

“Only those shall maintain Allah’s mosques who believe in Allah and the Last Day.â€‌[ii][115]
And it is the righteous deed of a believing {mu’min} man and woman that brings about pure life:

“Whoever acts righteously, {whether} male or female, should he (or she) be faithful—We shall revive him with a good life.â€‌[ii][116]
Anyone who denies God has performed no deed for which he should expect reward. The Holy Qur’an regards the deeds of unbelievers just like ashes that will be blown by the wind on a windy day, and thus, nothing will be left of them.

2. Political condition: Guardianship {wilayah}
Correct and divinely ordained guardianship {wilayah} directs all the servants of God, acts of servitude (to Him), prayer, Hajj pilgrimage, jihad and others, along the divine path. It is like Iran which today, having the guardianship of the jurist {wilayah al-faqih}, is progressing. On the contrary, other Muslim countries, notwithstanding the observance of prayers, fasting and others therein, are in an abject state due to incorrect leadership.
The leader of society is like the driver of a vehicle. If all the passengers are smart, neat and courteous but the driver is drunk or the way is altered, mishap is in the offing. But if the driver is morally sound and well-experienced, no matter if all the passengers are old-fashioned and untidy, this journey will end at its destination.
In a hadith, Imam al-Baqir (â€کa) is reported to have said:

.
“Anyone who has faith in God and also performs onerous acts of worship, but has no deserving Imam from Allah, his efforts are useless.â€‌[ii][117]
If the divinely ordained leader had been allowed to rule, the worship of God would not have led to the worship of the taghut; the heavenly laws would not have turned into superstitions; the Friday congregational prayers, in all their splendor, would not have been conducted for the interest of the taghuts; and the Hajj—this manifestation of the power and honor of Islam and the Muslims—would not have been transformed into something unproductive or for the advantage of rulers alien to Islam.
We read in a hadith:

.
“Whoever shall not accept our guardianship {wilayah} (and leadership), his deeds also shall not be accepted by God.â€‌[ii][118]
Hadhrat â€کAli (â€کa) said: “We are the “door of Allahâ€‌ {bab Allah} and the way of Allah will be introduced and known through us.â€‌[ii][119]
So, wilayah is a condition for the acceptance of acts of worship. Along with it, there must also be God-wariness {taqwa}. Imam al-Baqir (â€کa) said:

.
“There is nothing in the line of our leadership except (good) deeds and piety {wara â€ک}.â€‌[ii][120]

3. Moral condition: God-wariness {taqwa}
The story of the two sons of Adam (Adam) (â€کa) is recorded in the Glorious Qur’an. Both of them offered sacrifices. The sacrifice offered by one of them was accepted while that of the other was not.
God says:

“Allah accepts only from the God-wary.â€‌[ii][121]
It has been narrated that upon entering the market, a certain person stole two loaves of bread and two pomegranates. He then gave the two loaves of bread and the two pomegranates to the poor. He was asked: “What kind of work is this?â€‌
He answered: “God gives one punishment for every sin committed but ten rewards for every good deed done. By stealing those two loaves of bread and two pomegranates, I committed four sins, but since I gave the same to the poor, I have gained forty rewards. If four sins are subtracted from forty rewards, thirty six rewards will remain.â€‌
It was said to him: “Ten times the reward is for the one who does good deeds on the basis of God-wariness {taqwa}. Spending stolen or usurped property in God’s way has no reward. Have you not read, “Innama yataqabbal Allahu min al-muttaqinâ€‌ {Verily, God accepts only those who are God-wary}?!â€‌

4. Economic condition: Giving people their rights
Addressing the needs and rights of the deprived occupies such a degree of importance that sometimes the acceptability of the act of worship depends upon it. Paying the poor-rate {zakat}[ii][122] and earning a lawful income are some examples. Imam ar-Rida(â€کa) says:

.
“The prayer of one who prays but does not give zakat (and other Islamic taxes) shall not be accepted.â€‌[ii][123]
In another hadith, â€کAli (â€کa) says to Kumayl: “When your food is not acquired through lawful {halal} earning, God will also not accept your glorification {tasbih} and thanks-giving.â€‌[ii][124]

5. Social condition: Wishing others well
The preservation of society, brotherhood, and a wholesome relationship among Muslims, are of the utmost importance. There fore any saying or action that disrupts good relationships is prohibited. Backbiting {ghiybah}, suspicion {su’i zann}, malevolence, severance of ties, peevishness and envy are some of the vices and actions that cause the non-acceptance of worship.
The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

.
“The prayers and the fasting for forty days of one who backbites against a Muslim man or woman are not accepted unless the victim (the person backbitten) concerned forgives him.â€‌[ii][125]
The Prophet (S) also said:

.
“O Abu Dharr! Keep aloof from severing ties with your brother in faith as the deeds of the ones doing so are not accepted.â€‌[ii][126]
Imam as-Sadiq (â€کa) said:

.
“God does not accept the deeds of any believer who has bad intentions against his brother in faith.â€‌[ii][127]
Imam as-Sadiq (â€کa) also said:

.
“Verily, bad behavior (toward the people) spoils (good) deeds just as vinegar spoils honey.â€‌[ii][128]
In conclusion, speaking ill of others, bad intentions against others, severing ties of friendship, backbiting and the like which weaken the social bonds of Muslims, are considered among the obstacles to the acceptance of worship. Therefore, supplicants and worshippers should have a firm religious relationship with the servants of God so that their acts of worship might become worthy of acceptance.

6. Familial condition: Good behavior
Islam establishes a strong interconnection between devotion, politics, morality, and society. In family affairs, it regards as important the observance of mutual respect and rights between the husband and wife so much so that inattention to them may sometimes lead to the non-acceptance of worship. The severance of earthly ties leads to the severance of heavenly ties. In this regard, the Prophet of Islam (S) has said:

.
“God does not accept the prayers and good deeds of an ill-mannered and annoying wife… And the same is true if the husband is such.â€‌[ii][129]
Not only does uncivil behavior toward one’s spouse hinder the acceptance of worship, but also casting a furious look at one’s father or mother, as said by Imam as-Sadiq (â€کa):

.
“The prayer of the one who looks furiously at his father or mother is not accepted even though his parents have treated him unjustly.â€‌[ii][130]
For, once we are in the state of prayer, we are actually in spiritual ascension {miâ€کraj} provided that its edifices are firmly established on the ground. However, if they are situated on slippery or soft ground, going up becomes problematic and at times, impossible. Spiritual perfection under the aegis of worship also emanates from good behavior and wholesome social relationships.
Habits such as drinking liquor, gambling, eating what has been prohibited and others, which have been mentioned in the Prophetic traditions, also hinder the acceptance of good deeds. However, it must not be imagined that since God does not accept them, one should not pray and fast, etc. Rather, these examples point out what weakens deeds and decreases their value on account of the untoward behavior and character of the worshipper.

Signs of acceptance
The Holy Qur’an regards the rejection of obscenity and vices as the fruit of prayer—“Indeed the prayer prevents indecencies and wrongsâ€‌[ii][131]—and this virtue is the essence of prayer and a sign of its acceptance and other acts of worship.
In expressing this sign, Imam as-Sadiq (â€کa) thus said:

.
“Anyone who wants to know whether his prayer is accepted or not should see if his prayer is keeping him away from sin and indecency. So, the degree of acceptance of his prayer is commensurate with the power his prayer has in keeping him away from sin.â€‌[ii][132]

Conditions for the perfection of worship
Besides the conditions for the correctness and acceptance of worship, there are other conditions which relate to the perfection {kamal} of worship, which indicate the higher value, better substance and greater impact of worship. These conditions are the following:

1. Making greater effort
Performance of easy tasks and acts of worship can be undertaken by everybody, but an act of worship which is more difficult and necessitates more dedication, effort and endeavor is more valuable and nearer to perfection. The Holy Qur’an praises those who assisted and obeyed the Messenger of Allah (S) during tortuous circumstances.[ii][133]
Imam al-Mujtaba (â€کa), in spite of having a riding animal, used to travel by foot in performing the Hajj so as to gain a greater reward. The Glorious Qur’an praises those who perform the night supererogatory prayers by leaving their soft, warm beds so as to engage in supplication and prayer.[ii][134]
Imam â€کAli (â€کa) has said:

.
“The best of deeds is that in which you have to urge yourself to perform it.â€‌[ii][135]
The Holy Qur’an regards as superior the reward and station of great and diligent mujahidin,[ii][136] stating thus:

“And Allah has graced those who wage jihad over those who sit back with a great reward.â€‌[ii][137]

2. Concentrating on what is more important
In the performance of works, paying attention to “what is important and what is more importantâ€‌ is an indication of intellect, foresightedness and purposefulness, and Islam encourages the performance of works which are more in need, more useful and more important, be it in the realm of education, worship, spending money in Allah’s cause {infaq}, etc. The Prophet of Islam (S) has said:

.
“While there are needy relatives, spending on and helping others is worthless.â€‌[ii][138]
And Imam â€کAli (â€کa) said:

.
“Whenever supererogatory prayers jeopardize obligatory prayers, they will not bring about nearness to God.â€‌[ii][139]

3. Concentrating on what has lasting value
The impact of a deed and act of worship which has the quality of perfection is not fleeting and temporary but of permanent value.
Imam â€کAli (â€کa) says:

.
“So many seemingly small and trivial deeds are more fruitful than a large amount of deeds.â€‌[ii][140]
Some writings, outstanding works and service centers are blessed with amazing influence and power that so many writings, works and institutions lack. It shows that being blessed is also a sign of achieving perfection in devotional acts.

4. Acting in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (S)
The perfection of deeds and acts of worship is achieved when it toes such actions are in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (S) and the holy saints, and not based on inherited popular communal rituals or traditions. The nearer the worship is to the method of the Infallibles (â€کa), the more valuable it is.

5. Having precedence in meritorious works
Precedence has value in acts of worship and good deeds, and preeminence in such affairs is the criterion of perfection. The Holy Qur’an in many instances uses the order, “sariâ€کuâ€‌ and “sabiquâ€‌ {be ahead}. It states elsewhere:

“Why should you not spend in the way of Allah, while to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal {to others} are those of you who spent and fought before the victory. They are greater in rank than those who have spent and fought afterward. Yet Allah has promised the best reward to each and Allah is well aware of what you do.â€‌[ii][141]
So, having precedence in meritorious works (such as spending and jihad in the way of Allah) is one of the criteria of perfection. We read in a hadith that â€کAli (â€کa) said:

.
“A good deed becomes more valuable if it is done immediately; the doer regards it as something small (and as such he does not become proud of it), and does it quietly without expecting anything in return.â€‌[ii][142]
Therefore, the best prayer is that which is offered at its first call; the more it is delayed, the lower its merit. The adhan {call to prayer} clearly invites: “Come to prayer; come to success; come to the best of deeds {hayya â€کala’s-salah; hayya â€کala’l-falah; hayya â€کala khayr al-â€کamal}!â€‌

6. Performing devotional acts under difficult circumstances
As it demands more sacrifices and has a far-reaching impact, the good and devotional act performed in an atmosphere dominated by tyrants and taghuts is more valuable. Since the pressures of the external environment and natural instincts tend to obstruct worship and servitude to God, overcoming these pressures and worshipping God are signposts of value and perfection. In praising the upright believers, the Glorious Qur’an states:

“Wage jihad in the way of Allah, not fearing the blame of any blamer.â€‌[ii][143]
It also states in another place:

“Such as deliver the messages of Allah and fear Him, and fear no one except Allah, and Allah suffices as reckoner.â€‌[ii][144]
Yes, those who safeguard themselves and their religion (such as the wife of Pharaoh) under the dominance of an oppressor, occupy a loftier station.

7. Fervor and constancy
The lack of fervor in worship is a sign of hypocrisy {nifaq}. The Holy Qur’an denounces the lack of enthusiasm of the hypocrites {munafiqun}.[ii][145] On the contrary, enthusiasm and constancy in worship generates spiritual perfection {kamal}.
In the hadiths, a small number of deeds which are constant and regular are considered better than a large quantity of devotional acts which are accompanied by laziness, ennui and abandonment. The Glorious Qur’an promises rewards and abundant good fortune in the field of knowledge and understanding to those who are firmly entrenched on the right path.

“If they are steadfast on the path {of Allah}, We shall provide them with abundant water.â€‌[ii][146]

8. Humility
Arrogant people regard their acts of worship as great and significant where by they spoil their acts of worship. Whereas the condition for the perfection of worship is that the worshipper should not reckon his devotional acts as plentiful and be arrogant. In the Makarim al-Akhlaq supplication, Imam as-Sajjad (â€کa) thus pleads with God:

.
“O my Lord! Let me be Your servant but do not contaminate my devotion {â€کibadah} with self-conceit {â€کujb}.â€‌[ii][147]
There are many hadiths which exhort man not to consider as great his devotions and good deeds. The Qur’an mentions the abundant worship and glorification {tasbih} of angels as well as their remembrance {dhikr} of God.[ii][148] Perhaps, the purpose behind this is to discourage the servants of God on earth from being proud of a few rakâ€کahs of prayer and worship.

9. Possessing insight
Profound awareness and insight in religion is the most valuable attribute of deeds and devotional acts, without which no work can achieve perfection. Imam â€کAli (â€کa) says:

.
“Worship without insight and reflection is indeed worthless.â€‌[ii][149]
In another hadith, “certaintyâ€‌ {yaqin} is mentioned as follows:

.
“Verily, small yet constant works based on certainty {yaqin} are superior in the sight of God to many works without certainty (and insight).â€‌[ii][150]
Let us suffice ourselves with this in explaining the conditions for attaining perfection in deeds and worship.

Philosophy of worship
All Islamic laws and traditions of worship possess wisdom and philosophy: Firstly, in line with hundreds of Qur’anic verses and hadiths that call on the people to reflect and think, and no school of thought has invited the people to think as much as Islam has done.
Secondly, one of the strong criticisms of the Qur’an against the polytheists and idol-worshippers is their blind and unreasonable imitation of their ancestors.
Thirdly, the Qur’an itself has also mentioned the laws and commands many times along with the reasons behind them. The infallible Imams (â€کa) have also cited in the hadiths the wisdom behind these laws and commands. Some Muslim scholars have also written books regarding this subject.[ii][151]
In addition, with the advancement of human knowledge some of the secrets of divine laws and religious commands are being unveiled day by day, and with the passage of time the grandeur and image of Islam will be enhanced.
In view of all the above points, it must be noted that:
1. It is not necessary that all the people in all eras should know the wisdom behind all laws. Sometimes, the reason behind some of them is presently unclear but as time goes on, it will become clear.
2. Concerning the philosophy of the laws, one must not only focus on their material benefits and effects, nor pay attention only to their economic, medical and other dimensions but also assess their spiritual and otherworldly outcomes.
3. Anyone who regards God as All-wise and His commands as based on wisdom should not neglect a command merely because of not knowing the reason behind it today.
4. Whenever we do not have strong proof in the Qur’an and hadith of the philosophy of a law, it is better for us to keep silent rather than offering a series of justifications based on conjecture.
5. If some secrets of the universe are revealed to us, we should not become arrogant and expect to know the reason behind everything.
6. We should not go beyond the common axis and fall prey to insinuations. Just as people entrust themselves to a physician and refrain from asking technical questions they are also supposed to accept and abide by the laws of God, for God is the Most Kind, the All-Knowing as well as the All-Wise; He knows the future, as well as the apparent and hidden effects.
7. If we discover a certain secret of God’s law, we should not imagine that we have discovered the whole secrets. When one puts his hand under the sea, he has no right to say to the people that the water in his hand is the sea. Instead, he must say, “This water is from the sea, only as much as it fits in my palm.â€‌ He who understands the philosophy of a law is not supposed to think that that which he understands is the whole truth and there is nothing else. Could the depth of the laws that emanate from the boundless knowledge of God be fathomed solely through the limited human intellect and reason?
8. The same intellect that calls on us to understand the philosophy of laws directs us toward the holy saints.
Now, after these preliminaries, we shall cite some instances from the Qur’an and hadiths which point out the philosophy of laws:
Firstly, we deal with the Qur’an: Regarding the prayer, the Qur’an states that it keeps man away from evil and indecency.[ii][152]
In another place, it states: “And maintain the prayer for My remembrance.â€‌[ii][153]
In yet another place, it states: “Look! The hearts find rest in Allah’s remembrance!â€‌[ii][154]
Concerning fasting {sawm}, it declares: “O you who have faith! Prescribed for you is fasting as it was prescribed for those who were before you, so that you may be God-wary.â€‌[ii][155]
It is because many sins are outbursts of anger and carnal desire and fasting prevents that outburst and arouses fear of God {taqwa} in man. It is precisely for this reason that crime rates are and offenses is lower in the month of Ramadhan.
With regard to the Hajj, it says: “That they may witness the benefit for them.â€‌[ii][156]
The social and political benefits and impacts of Hajj are things that are beyond doubt and skepticism.
It thus states about the poor-rate {zakat}: “Take charity from their possessions to cleanse them and purify them thereby, and bless them.â€‌[ii][157]
It thus declares pertaining to gambling and intoxicants: Indeed Satan seeks to cast enmity and hatred among you through wine and gambling, and to hinder you from the remembrance of Allah.â€‌[ii][158]
And it regards retribution {qisas}[ii][159] as vital for the health of society.[ii][160] The reason for this is that if the criminal is not punished the society will wither and die; crime will prosper while the oppressed will be crushed, and security of life and property will disappear.
These are some of the verses of the Qur’an that point out the effects and reasons behind the divine laws.
We shall now deal with the Prophetic traditions: Among the abundant hadiths regarding this subject, we shall quote some lines of one of the speeches of the Commander of the Faithful (â€کa) recorded in Nahj al-Balaghah:

“Allah has laid down belief {iman} for purification from polytheism, prayer {salah} for purification from vanity, zakat for purification of the means of livelihood.â€‌[ii][161]
Faith in God saves man from polytheistic thinking, futile worship and impotent sources of support.
The prayer which seeks to worship the Fountainhead of all greatnesses and pleads for help from the Epicenter of power and grandeur purges man of pride {kibr}.
Zakat provides succor to the unemployed; motivates and empowers the deprived and bankrupt; revives compassion and benevolence toward the needy; and it excludes love of wealth and the world from the heart of the alms giver. In addition, he will strive hard to compensate for the amount of zakat thus deducted from his wealth by engaging in more economically prosperous activities. It is natural that he who spends a much must also work hard too. Therefore, zakat is a source of sustenance.
In the above hadith Imam â€کAli (â€کa) points out the philosophy and wisdom behind the divine decrees such as fasting, enjoinment of what is good and prohibition of what is evil, jihad, prohibition of intoxicants and adultery {zina}, implementation of hudud,[ii][162] obedience to the rightful leader, etc.[ii][163]
The natural disposition {fitrah} of man also recognizes and acknowledges the philosophy of some laws. Man, since creation, believes that lying, treachery, slandering, killing, stealing, tyranny, hoarding, etc. are bad, while justice, purity, generosity, charity, etc. are good. This is the divine inspiration referred to in this verse:

“…and inspired it with {discernment between} its virtues and vices.â€‌[ii][164]
It must not be overlooked that the advancement of science in various fields has rendered services in explaining the philosophy of religious laws by revealing their benefits.
For example, the existence of tapeworms in the flesh of the pig or the harmful effects of alcohol to the human liver and body are not hidden from anyone. This reveals the philosophy behind the prohibition of pork and intoxicants.
Islam discourages urinating while standing, and science shows that some urine remains in the urinary passages if one does so; or, the case of taking a bath {ghusl} it cleanses the effects of the activity of certain nerves and the disequilibrium in blood pressure caused by sexual intercourse {janabah}; all this with the intention of seeking nearness to Him {qurbah} In order to cleanse us from the state of negligence of God.
If Islam forbids using the wood of the pomegranate tree as a toothpick, it is because it is harmful for the gums of the teeth. As such, all the injunctions of Islam regarding the obligatory, the prohibited, the recommended and the undesirable in the spheres of behavior, eating, clothing, and other issues of life contain much wisdom, on which many books have been written by Muslim scholars and researchers.[ii][165] But as a whole, it proves one thing and that is, all the laws of Islam are based on a definite philosophy and wisdom, some of which has been discovered. At any rate, the spirit of obedience demands that we accept and abide by everything which we know has been commanded by Allahâ€‌.

Submission as the greatest philosophy of responsibility
Undoubtedly, the commands of God and religious laws have reasons and philosophy, but it is not necessary for us to discover the economic, medical and scientific reasons of all the divine laws and commands. The Muslim must submit to the order of revelation, and this spirit of submission and acceptance demonstrates human perfection, as some orders are meant to test the spirit of submission and servitude. God’s order to Ibrahim (â€کa) to sacrifice Ismaâ€کil (â€کa) is an example, and Ibrahim’s (â€کa) obedience is a sign of perfection in servitude.
Let’s take the example of walking; not all the time do we walk to reach a certain point but walking itself is our purpose; as in a march or walking for doing exercise, as well as running in a race that the purpose is just running not reaching anywhere.
In religious commands and divine laws, too, at times the aim is submission to and acceptance of the command and exercise for attracting the Worshipped’s satisfaction as well as mere obedience from the creator.
The aim of devotional acts is to nurture the soul of man in the same manner as athletic movements are meant to train the body.
Imam â€کAli and Imam as-Sajjad (â€کa) have said:

.
“O Lord! It is already an enough honor for me that I am Your servant.â€‌[ii][166]
In Munajat ash-Shaâ€کbaniyyah,[ii][167] we read:

“(O Lord

Even if You throw me into the hellfire, I shall announce to its dwellers that I love You!â€‌
â€کAli (â€کa) declared:

.
“O God! My worship is not out of fear of hell or desire for Your paradise. Rather, it is because I found You worthy of worship and thus I worshipped You.â€‌[ii][168]
The divine saints {awliya’} acquire pleasure in worshipping God while sinners are deprived of this pleasure found in the remembrance of God.
Sometimes, a person wants to serve another without having any monetary motive or economic aim. For him, rendering service itself to that great person is itself the aim and is valuable in itself and not the acquisition of knowledge, earning money or the attainment of a certain social standing.
So many are glad to sit beside a certain figure or take pictures with him even if it brings no benefit to him at all. To be with the said person is in itself important for him. If such an act is precious and pleasurable for human beings in this world, should servitude to God and being in His Presence not be a source of pride?

Pretext or research?
Keeping in mind what has been discussed so far, it is obvious that there are those who do not possess the spirit of submission and obedience and are looking for pretexts to find fault with religious obligation and religiosity. As such, they bring about the issue of “researchâ€‌ and are looking for the philosophy and reasons behind every religious injunction while claiming to be “intellectualsâ€‌. Regarding such persons, the Holy Qur’an thus says concerning belief in the Day of Resurrection:

“Rather man desires to go on living viciously. He asks, â€کWhen is this day of resurrection?â€‌[ii][169]
They are like children who are constantly seeking excuses. Regarding such individuals, the Glorious Qur’an says:

“If they see a sign, they turn away, and say, â€کAn incessant magic!â€‌[ii][170]
Strangely enough, they unconditionally submit to the mechanic, the physician, all external fashions, baseless insinuations and satanic inclinations, but when a religious command comes, they disparagingly become men of research and reasoning.

An encounter
One day, someone asked: “Why does the dawn {subh} prayer have two rakâ€کahs?â€‌ I replied, “I do not know. It is the command of God and we have to perform it.â€‌
As soon as I said I do not know, he began posing as an “intellectualâ€‌ and said: “The world is a world of science. Today, religion without science is not correct…â€‌ I asked, “Now, you tell me why the leaf of a pomegranate tree is small while the leaf of the grapevine is big and wide?â€‌
He answered, “I do not know.â€‌ I smiled and said: “The world is a world of science. Science must give a reason for it…â€‌ His sense of arrogance diminished immediately, so I said: “Brother! We do accept that the world is a world of science, but it does not mean that all the secrets of the universe must be known to us now.
There definitely is a relationship between the small leaf of pomegranates and the wide leaf of grapes and their fruits, which the experts on leaves, soil, plants and fruits have not yet discovered. Thus, we acknowledge the existence of secrets, but we will never accept anybody’s claim to knowing all of them.â€‌
By the way, if we had to know the philosophy of laws first before abiding by them, where would worship of and submission to God be headed? Divine revelation {wahy} is superior to science and more mysterious than human knowledge. Why do so-called intellectuals obey man-made laws and programs, but when it comes to the laws of God and religion, being “men of logicâ€‌ they find them difficult to believe,?!

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