No one can deny that when personal interests are involved, corruption follows. This is why Allah has warned all the Messengers sent throughout the ages that worldly interests should not be associated with the religion Allah has revealed for mankind. The Quran describes how previous religions were distorted. Allah has pointed out in various verses the misdeeds of the clergy class in earlier religions, who attached their personal interests to religion and turned it into a commercial product. As Allah says in Surah At-Tawba, verses 34-35: "O you who believe, many religious leaders and spiritual guides devour people's wealth illegally and hinder them from the way of Allah. The gold and silver they hoard will be heated in the fire of Hell, then used to burn their foreheads, their sides, and their backs."
Allah instructs and warns the believers in verse 21 of Surah Yasin: "Obey those who ask of you no fee and who are rightly guided." In many verses, He forbids accepting material gain in exchange for religious knowledge. In verse 174 of Surah Baqarah, He says: "Those who conceal Allah's revelations in the scripture in exchange for a cheap material gain consume nothing but fire into their bellies. Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. They have incurred a painful retribution."
This is why all the Messengers called their people to the path of Allah and declared: "I ask you for no wealth in return; my reward is from none but Allah." Allah has mentioned the statements of at least seven Messengers, including the last Messenger, in the Quran. All the Messengers had to work for their livelihood, which demonstrates that taking money in exchange for religious teachings or seeking personal benefit is considered haram (forbidden) in Islam. Such practices are prohibited because they lead to the distortion of religion and hinder the welfare that religion is meant to provide.
All Islamic works should be selfless, aimed solely at the hereafter and the pleasure of Allah. This is evident when we consider the lives of Rasulullah (PBUH) and his Companions. They dedicated their lives and wealth to the path of Allah, establishing the message of Islam across much of the world without seeking personal gain.
However, today Islam is often misused to achieve various interests. In the name of Islam, politics of self-interest, extremist activities, organized attacks on minorities, misogyny, and unjust fatwas against opponents have become prevalent. In this discussion, we will examine how Islam is being exploited for material gain and the implications of such misuse.
We observe that a so-called class of ulama has turned various religious ceremonies and practices into a profession. They earn money by leading prayers, delivering religious speeches, giving Friday sermons, conducting Khatam Tarabi, and performing janaza prayers for the deceased. The situation has become such that it seems impossible to carry out any religious activity without the involvement of these mullahs.
However, the Quran, the original scripture of Islam, does not support the existence of a professional priestly class between Allah and His followers. In the community established by the Messenger of Allah, there was no distinct ulama class separate from ordinary Muslims. Over time, practices of Islam have been distorted, with the emergence of a professional ulama class being one of these distortions—an innovation in Islam.
Similarly, another group of religion mongers in our society exploits their followers by claiming to teach spirituality while actually deceiving them for personal gain. These individuals often present themselves as Sufi, Pir, Shayekh, and other revered titles.
Additionally, a certain group is exploiting religion for their own political advantage. In countries with a Muslim majority, some Islamic political parties are attempting to use this demographic as a vote bank. They selectively distort Islamic teachings, reinterpreting what is haram as halal and what is halal as haram, using Islam merely as a stepping stone to achieve power. For them, the religious sentiments of people are merely tools for their political agenda.
This group is constantly seeking out controversies. Whenever an issue arises, they take to the streets, engaging in protests, vandalism, and arson, and they misleadingly label these acts of violence as Jihad. By misinterpreting various Islamic terms, they attempt to justify their wrongful actions and deceive the public.
Imperialist states engaged in arms trading are using Islam to advance their own interests. They employ clerics to stir up extremism and militancy, spreading these ideologies from one country to another. This leads to conflicts that are often framed as wars against terrorism. The underlying motive is that these states can only profit from arms trading if there are ongoing wars.
So this is how various groups are manipulating religion to serve their own interests. Most people have forgotten why religion was originally revealed. Religion was sent to unite humanity into one nation, to establish security, justice, equality, order, humanity, and human rights—essentially, to bring peace to the world. However, this noble purpose has been obscured, and religion has been turned into a mere commodity. The clear prohibitions outlined in the Quran and the warnings of Rasulullah have been concealed and disregarded.
Here, we have outlined three main ways in which religion is being sold: first, by turning religion into a profession; second, by exploiting it for political gain; and third, by advancing imperialist agendas. In each of these scenarios, Islam is being corrupted to serve worldly interests. This is what we refer to as religion mongering.
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We, the members of Hezbut Tawheed, are dedicated to raising awareness about all forms of religious mongering and exploitation under the strong leadership of Honorable Imam Hossain Mohammad Salim. We seek your support and active participation in this crucial struggle.
