Download Now 📖

Chapter One :THE RELIGION OF ISLAM

Religion hasbeen ordained for the happiness of mankind in this world, and in theHereafter.The word “Islam” carries the meaning of submission andsurrender to the will of Allah. This means that Islam is the religionof allprophets.  Allah, Most high said, bythe tongue of Noah, as stated in the Holy Qur’an:

“And I have been commanded to be among those who conform toIslam. “(Sura 10:72)

Bythe tongue ofIbrahim:

“(And make of us both) O God, our Creator, two Muslims who conform theirwill to Your will and of our progeny a Muslim nation who conform theirwill toYour will. ” (Sura 2: 128 )

Bythe tongue of Joseph:

“Disembody my soul, O God,impressedwith the image of religious and spiritual virtues, and join me to thosewhosedeeds had been imprinted with wisdom and piety.  ” (Sura 12:101)

Bythe tongue of Moses:

“My people, if you have really accepted God and conformed to His will,then in Him you must trust, if indeed you have conformed to Islam. ” (Sura 10:84)

Islam is the religion which Allah revealed to theProphet Mohammad, (PBUH), to preach toall mankind. He has made it last of the Religions; and after it, thereshallbe no other religion. Nor shall any other religion be acceptable, asstated in the Holy Qur’an.

      Allah Most High said:

“Religion, asa system of faith and legislation, commanded by God isIslam. ” (Sura 3:9)

Allah the Almighty also said:

“Mohammed isnot the father of anyone of your men (so thathe be prohibited to carry into effect the edict of God), but he is theApostleof God and he is the ultimate of the prophets, the last of the longline ofApostles and the seal of Apostleship and of Prophethood. ” (Sura 33:40)

He also said:

Note: The translation of the Qur’anic verses citedin this book is a mere interpretation of the meanings. These verseshave beentaken from AL-Montakhab [The Select] in the interpretation of the HolyQur’anArabic-English Copy.

“And he whoadopts a system of faith and worship other thanIslam, or submission to God’s blessed will alone- simply bends on asystem offaith and worship which does not have the standing upon the vantageground oftruth; such system of faith shall not be accepted from him and he shallbe agreat loser Hereafter. ” (Sura 3:85)

The Call of Islam is directed to all mankind, thesame to those who believe in a religion as to those who do not believein areligion.

Allah Most High said:

“And say tothe people of the Book (Torah and Gospel) and to the illiterates (Areyou nowsatisfied with what you heard and have your doubts been satisfied?) (Ifyou are,then conform to Islam). If they do, then they areon the path of rectitude, but should they turn a deaf ear and theirhearts haveno ears for the truth nonetheless, you are only responsible forrelating themessage and God keeps a watchful eye upon His creation and the way theyconductthemselves in life and He knows the attributes inherent in each andall.” (Sura 3:20)

The Universality Of Islam

As for previous religions, they were all of themrestricted.  They were sent toparticular people and limited to particular times.  Islam alone isthe one religion, which bears the seal ofuniversality arid eternity.  Thismark has adhered to it ever since the beginning of its call.  Itis not therefore the idea of a moment afterwards cast upon it.Allah Most High said in the Meccan’s Suras:

“Praise be to God and blessed is He who has revealed to Hisservant, (theApostle Mohammad), The Qur’an, which He sent down to serve as the canonwhich illuminates the intellect and imparts the soundnessof judgment in the choice of means and ends, in the choice of what isnormallygood, honest and straight forward, the canon which conducts him- TheApostle- toact as a spectacle and warning to all (intellectual) created beings .” (Sura 25:1)

   AllahAlmighty also said:

“Say to them(O Mohammad): O you people,  you hadbetter believe that I have been sent to you all with a Divine Messagefrom God.” (Sura 7:158)

      Allah the Almighty also said:

“When ineffect it – The Qur’an – is but a universal Message which people haveyet tolearn, and an admonition and a counsel of the greatest concern.” (Sura 68:52)

And it is mentioned inthe Al-Hadith Asahih (theauthentic sayings of the prophet) (PBUH): “ in the past, prophets hadbeen sent to their own particular people; but Ihave been sent to all mankind.”

It is also mentioned:

“And after me, there shall be no more prophets”

Theuniversality and eternity of Islam is one of its own characteristics,because itconsists of all the elements of maturity and comprehensives,which can meet the needs of mankind.  It coincides with therefinement of the human intellect and the progressof the human race; and of this

AllahThe Almighty said:

“Today I have completed your Religion for you, andgraced you with thedivine influence which operates in men to regenerate and sanctify andto impartstrength to endure trial and resist temptation, and made all graceabound inyou.  And I have chosen for youIslam,  as the acceptablesystem of faith and worship, not only to guide  you into alltruth, but also to make you better men.” (Sura 5:3)

Islam Is A Faith andinstitution (Law)

The religionof Islam is founded on two main principles: Al-‘Aqidah  (Faith)and Shari‘ah(Law).

1. FAITH, “Al-‘Aqidah”: meansconfirming belief in the heart, in all that prophet Mohammad (PBUH),came with,from all that should be known about it, and is necessary to know.

2. LAW, “Shari‘ah”: is the way in whichwe conduct our lives, and this mostly means practical deeds we carryout.  As with faith, it is something unseen – it isabstract.So that whoever believes with ‘Aqidah, with the acknowledgement ofShari‘ah, and yet falls short of practicing it, is regarded asdisobedient; hewill not be saved from the punishment of Allah, unless Allah forgiveshim.

Allah Most High said, as stated in the HolyQur’ an:

“Never shallGod forgive the impious irreverence of incorporating with Him otherdeities, butforgives He all else whom He will.  ” (Sura 4:48)

And fallingshort in some of the branches or aspects of Shari‘ah does not affectthecorrectness or authenticity of the other aspects fulfilled.  Asstated in the Holy Qur’an,

Allah the Almighty said:

“Then he whohas done an atom’s weight of good, will see it and profit by it, andwho hasdone an atom’s weight of evil, will see it and be punished for it.” *1

And whoever believes in the Shari‘ah alone, withoutthe ‘Aqidah, is not a Muslim, and so his deeds shall not be accepted byAllah.

Allah the Most High saidinconnection with thosewho do not believe in the Day of Resurrection:

“And We applyOurselves to all that they did and accomplished in life and We reduceittogether with their (infidelity-based) hope which sprang eternal intheir breasts to a worthless waste impelled by the wind as if it weredustdissipated in the wind or mist dispelled by dispersion.” (Sura 99:7-8)

(Sura 25:23)

Allah the Almighty Also Said:

“It is these who havedenied the truth of their Creator’s signs and counseled deaf to Hisspirit oftruth that guides into all truth and to His promise of Judgment atResurrection.And in consequence shall their hopes be doomed to disappointment andtheir deeds to worthlessness, and on the Day of Judgment We will attachto themno importance, nor shall their pleading be of weight. ”  *1

‘Aqidah isindivisible: whosoever doesnot believe in certain aspects of it renders his ‘Aqidah totallyunacceptable.

Allah Most highsaid:

“Do youpeople credit part of the Book upon the ground of God’s authority anddiscreditpart upon the ground of your authority! Indeed he who adopts this lineofconduct, shall Suffer for his offense, he shall be lost to shame here,andHereafter shall, such like persons be delivered to the abyss with itstorrentialscorching and roaring flames where they shall suffer torment and be putto thetorture. ” (Sura 18: 105)

Therefore, ‘Aqidah is stable; it does not admit ofalteration; and such is the case with all religions.

Allah Most High said:

“To youpeople has He enjoyed the same system of Faith He enjoyed to Noah; thesystem offaith which We have inspired to you (O Mohammad), the samesystem did We enjoin to Abraham, Moses and Jesus to follow:

(a)Recognition of God and His control of destiny,

(b)His rightful claim to obedience, reverence and worship and the generalmental and moral attituderesulting from this belief and its effect upon the individual and thepeople atlarge, and the personal and the general acceptance of this feeling as astandardof spiritual and practical life.   AndWe enjoined all.

(c) Toobserve this faithfully and not be divided or discordant nor split intoFaction.”(Sura 2:85)

*2(Sura 42: 13)

Within the consensus ofreligious principles prophet Mohammad was not eccentric in his Call, bycitingall the prophets;

AllahMost High said:

“ Say to them :(I am not novelty of Apostleshiphitherto unknown to you).” (Sura46:9)

He has sentthe Qur’an in corroboration with His Heavenly revealed Book.

Allah Most High said in this regard:

“AndWe have sent down to you (O Mohammad), the Book -the Qur’an-confirmingthe scriptures which were revealed before it (Torah and Bible) andserving asthe Book of reference which does answer any query on matters disputedamongpeople of the Book (Jews and Christians), for it is the umpire of allprecedingscriptures (Torah and Bible), and the decision that is based on itspreceptsshall have to be accepted as final” (Sura 5:48)

TheEssence Of Faith And Its Unity Among Religions

As for the shari’ah, certain aspects of it are staticand do not admit of alteration: such asdevotion and the rules of transaction, and conduct.  Yet certainother aspects of it may allow alteration, according toenvironmental situations, and the times; such as civil procedures,commerce, andlegislation, in keeping with the framework of the permanent and thelegitimate.Religions vary however as to laws, As

Allah the Sanctifiedhas said:

 

“In fact, foreach of your people (Jews, Christians and Muslims) have Weauthoritativelydetermined a law and a course to follow. ” (Sura 5:48)

********

 

Chapter Two