Reverence and Paying Respect to Divine Rites in the Mirror of Islamic Jurisprudence

T




he plural word “Shaaer” (rites) is derived from the singular “shaerah” or “shear” and the meaning of sign and mark is hidden in it. This word has been used in the Quran four times. Although this word has been used under the subject of Hajj and thus is being used in the meaning of Hajj rituals and sacrifices and the mountain of Safa and Marweh, it has a wide meaning and the reasons like meaning of part (tabeez) and plurality of the “shaaer” confirm it. So everything that is considered as the sign of God and remembers God to human is called “shaaer”. Thus the word “shaaer” has been used in the meaning of religion, orders and prohibitions of God. The verse: “man yuazzem shaaera llah fa ennaha…” explains the reverence and paying respect to the “shaaer” and its necessity, though some Islamic intellectuals like Naraghi has criticized the understanding of the necessity of reverence and respect from this verse. However, he has not negated the necessity of the reverence of the divine rites “shaaer” from the traditions and the reason.
     Jurists have paid attention to the title of “shaaer” (rites) in many cases and in this way, they concluded the recommendation or permissibility and necessity of the cases like proclamation (azan), congregation prayer, greeting, circumcision, religious festivals and death ceremonies, pilgrimage to the shrines of the fourteen innocent people, to observe the hejab (covering) by women, not shaving of the beard, not shaking hands with whom marriage is Islamicly impossible and some other cases.