ISLAM and the AIM of LIFE
What is your purpose in life? What is the rationale behind our life?
Why do we live in this life? These questions frequently intrigue
people who try to find accurate answers.
People provide different answers to these questions. Some people
believe the purpose of life is to accumulate wealth. But one may
wonder: What is the purpose of life after one has collected colossal
amounts of money? What then? What will the purpose be once money is
gathered? If the purpose of life is to gain money, there will be no
purpose after becoming wealthy. And in fact, here lies the problem of
some disbelievers or misbelievers at some stage of their life, when
collecting money is the target of their life. When they have collected
the money they dreamt of, their life loses its purpose. They suffer
from the panic of nothingness and they live in tension and
restlessness.
Can Wealth Be an Aim?
We often hear of a millionaire committing suicide, sometimes, not the
millionaire himself but his wife, son, or daughter. The question that
poses itself is: Can wealth bring happiness to one’s life? In most
cases the answer is NO. Is the purpose of collecting wealth a standing
purpose? As we know, the five-year old child does not look for wealth:
a toy for him is equal to a million dollars. The eighteen-year old
adolescent does not dream of wealth because he is busy with more
important things. The ninety-year old man does not care about money;
he is worried more about his health. This proves that wealth cannot be
a standing purpose in all the stages of the individual's life.
Wealth can do little to bring happiness to a disbeliever, because he/
she is not sure about his fate. A disbeliever does not know the
purpose of life. And if he has a purpose, this purpose is doomed to be
temporary or self destructive.
What is the use of wealth to a disbeliever if he feels scared of the
end and skeptical of everything. A disbeliever may gain a lot of
money, but will surely lose himself.
Worshipping Allah as an Aim
On the contrary, faith in Allah gives the believer the purpose of life
that he needs. In Islam, the purpose of life is to worship Allah. The
term "Worship" covers all acts of obedience to Allah.
The Islamic purpose of life is a standing purpose. The true Muslim
sticks to this purpose throughout all the stages of his life, whether
he is a child, adolescent, adult, or an old man.
Worshipping Allah makes life purposeful and meaningful, especially
within the framework of Islam. According to Islam this worldly life is
just a short stage of our life. Then there is the other life. The
boundary between the first and second life is the death stage, which
is a transitory stage to the second life. The type of life in the
second stage a person deserves depends on his deeds in the first life.
At the end of the death stage comes the day of judgment. On this day,
Allah rewards or punishes people according to their deeds in the first
life.
The First Life as an Examination
So, Islam looks at the first life as an examination of man. The death
stage is similar to a rest period after the test, i. e. after the
first life. The Day of Judgment is similar to the day of announcing
the results of the examinees. The second life is the time when each
examinee enjoys or suffers from the outcome of his behavior during the
test period.
In Islam, the line of life is clear, simple, and logical: the first
life, death, the Day of Judgment, and then the second life. With this
clear line of life, the Muslim has a clear purpose in life. The Muslim
knows he is created by Allah. Muslims know they are going to spend
some years in this first life, during which they have to obey God,
because God will question them and hold them responsible for their
public or private deeds, because Allah knows about all the deeds of
all people. The Muslim knows that his deeds in the first life will
determine the type of second life they will live in. The Muslim knows
that this first life is a very short one, one hundred years, more or
less, whereas the second life is an eternal one.
The Eternity of the Second Life
The concept of the eternity of the second life has a tremendous effect
on a Muslims during their first life, because Muslims believe that
their first life determines the shape of their second life. In
addition, this determines the shape of their second life and this
determination will be through the Judgment of Allah, the All just and
Almighty.
With this belief in the second life and the Day of Judgment, the
Muslim's life becomes purposeful and meaningful. Moreover, the
Muslim's standing purpose is to go to Paradise in the second life.
In other words, the Muslim's permanent purpose is to obey Allah, to
submit to Allah, to carry out His orders, and to keep in continues
contact with Him through prayers (five times a day), through fasting
(one month a year), through charity (as often as possible), and
through pilgrimage (once in one's life).
The Need for a Permanent Purpose
Disbelievers have purposes in their lives such as collecting money and
property, indulging in sex, eating, and dancing. But all these
purposes are transient and passing ones. All these purposes come and
go, go up and down. Money comes and goes. Health comes and goes.
Sexual activities cannot continue forever. All these lusts for money,
food and sex cannot answer the individual's questions: so what? Then
What?
However, Islam saves Muslims from the trouble of asking the question,
because Islam makes it clear, from the very beginning, that the
permanent purpose of the Muslim in this life is to obey Allah in order
to go to Paradise in the second life.
We should know that the only way for our salvation in this life and in
the hereafter is to know our Lord who created us, believe in Him, and
worship Him alone.
We should also know our Prophet whom Allah had sent to all mankind,
believe in Him and follow Him. We should, know the religion of truth
which our Lord has commanded us to believe in, and practice it …
Those in search of truth
Who have an open mind and heart,
Islamic Education Foundation
Welcome You.
Objectives: -
To Convey the message of Islam
To Educate Muslims about Islam
To keep in close contact with new Muslims.
Activities:
Offering Courses and presenting lectures about Islam in several
languages.
Teaching Islam and Arabic.
Teaching new Muslims to receive the Holy Quran.
Helping Non- Muslims embrace Islam and complete the required
procedures
JESUS in the QURAN
The Islamic view of Jesus lies between two extremes. The Jews , who
rejected Jesus as a Prophet of God, called him an impostor. The
Christians, on the other hand, considered him to be the son of God and
worship him as such. Islam considers Jesus to be one of the great
prophets of God and respects him as much as Ibrahim (Abraham), Moses,
and Mohammed. (Peace Be Upon Them) This is conformity with the Islamic
view of the oneness of God, the oneness of Divine guidance, and the
complementary role of the subsequent mission of God's messengers.
The essence of Islam - willing submission to the will of God - was
revealed to Adam, who was passed it on to his children. All following
revelations to Noah, Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus, and finally Mohammed
(Peace Be Upon Them) were conformity with that message, with some
elaboration to define the revelation between man and God, man and man,
man and instructions. Thus, any contradictions among revealed
religions is viewed by Islam as a man-made element introduced into
these religions. The position of Jesus in the three major religions -
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - should not be an exception.
Although the Quran does not present a detailed life-story of Jesus, it
highlights the important aspects of his birth, his mission, his
ascension to heaven, and passes judgements on the Christian beliefs
concerning him. The Quranic account of Jesus starts with the
conception of his mother, Mary, whose mother, the wife of Imran, vowed
to dedicate her child to the service of God in the temple. When Mary
became a woman, the Holy Spirit (the Archangel Gabriel) appeared to
her as a man bringing her news of a son. We read the following
dialogue in the Quran between Mary and the Angel:
"When the angel said, "Mary, god gives you a good tidings of a Word
from Him whose name is messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, -high honoured
shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God. He
shall speak to men in the cradle, and of age, and righteous he shall
be, "lord" said Mary "How shall I have a son, seeing no mortal has
touched me? "Even so, he said "God creates what He will".
When he decrees a thing He but say to it, "Be", and it is. (Al-Imran
3:45-47)
In a chapter (Surah) entitled "Maryam" (Mary), the Quran tells us how
Mary gave birth to her son, and how the Jesus accused her when she
brought the child home:
"Then she brought the child to her folk, carrying him, and they said,
"Mary, you have surely committed a monstrous thing. Sister of Aaron,
your father was not a wicked man, nor your mother a woman unchaste.
Mary pointed to the child; but they said, 'Hoe shall we speak to one
who still in the cradle, a little child. And he said, 'Lo, I am God's
servant, God has given me the Book and made me a Prophet Blessed He
has made me ,wherever/may be; and hi has enjoined me to prayer, and to
give the alms so long as I live, and likewise to cherish my mother; He
has not made me arrogant and wicked. Peace be upon me, the day I was
born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised up a live. "Maryam
19:29-33)
in the same chapter, following the above quotation, God assures
Mohammed (PBUH) and through him the whole world, that what is told
above is the TRUTH about Jesus (PBUH), although Christians might not
accept it. Jesus is NOT the son of God: He was obviously enough, the
son of Mary. The verses continue: "That is Jesus, son of Mary, in word
of truth, concerning which they are doubting. It is not for God to
take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him, He nut says to it, 'Be, and it
is. (Maryam 19:34-35)
After this strong statement about the nature of Jesus, God directed
Mohammed (PBUH) to call the Christians to worship the one God: "Surely
God is my God, and your God, so surely serve him. This is the straight
path". (Maryam 19:36)
The rejection of the very idea of God having a son is restated later
in the same chapter with even stronger words: "And they say, The All-
merciful has taken unto Himself a son. You have indeed advanced
something hideous. As if the skies are about to burst, the earth to
split asunder and its mountain to fall down in the utter ruin for that
they have attributed to the All-merciful a son; and behaves not the
All-merciful to take a son. None there in the heavens and earth but
comes to the All-merciful as a servant" (Maryam 19:88-93)
The Quran recognizes the fact that Jesus had no human father, but this
does not make him the son of God, or God himself. By this criterion,
Adam would have been more entitled more entitled to be the son of God,
because he had neither a father nor a mother, so the Quran draws
attention to the miraculous creation of both in the following verses;
" truly the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight is as Adam's likeness;
He created him of dust, then He said upon him, 'Be' and hi was. (Al-
Imran 3:59)
The Quran rejects the concept of Trinity God the Father, God the son,
God the Holy Spirit - as strongly as it rejects the concept of Jesus
as the son of God. This is because GOD IS ONE. Three cannot be one.
The Quran addresses Christians in the following verses from the Surrah
entitled "An-Nisaa" (The Women)
People of the Book, do not go beyond the bounds in your religion, and
say nought as to God but the Truth. The messiah, Jesus, son of Mary,
was only the messenger of God, and his word (Fulfilment of his word
(Fulfilment of His command, through the word "Be", for the creation of
Jesus) that he committed to Mary, and a spirit originating from Him
(was given life by God). So believe in God and His Messengers, and say
not 'Three'. Refrain, better is for you. God is only one God. Glory be
to him-that He should have a son! To Him belongs all that is in the
Heavens and in the Earth; God suffices for a guardian.
The Messiah will not disdain to be a servant of God, neither the
Angels who are close to Him. Whosoever disdains to serve Him and walks
proud, He will assuredly muster them to Him, all of them.
As for the believers, who do deeds of righteousness, we will pay them
their rewards in full, and He will give them more, of His bounty; as
for them who disdain and walks proud, then He will punish with a
severe punishment, and they shall not find for them, apart from God, a
friend or helper." (An-Nissa 4:171-173)
The denial of Jesus's divinity (and. For the matter, of Mary's
divinity) is presented in the Quran in the form of a dialogue, at the
Day of Judgement, between the Almighty Jesus. All the Messengers and
their nations will gather before God and He will ask the Messengers
how they were received by their people and what they said to them.
Among those who will be questioned is Jesus:
"And when God said, 'O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say unto men, "Take
me and my mother as gods, apart from God"? He said, 'To you be glory!
It is not mine to say what I have no right to. If I indeed said it,
you would have known it, knowing what is within my heart, though I do
not know your knowledge; you know the things unseen. I only said to
them what you did commands me: "Serve God, my God and your God." (Al-
Maida 5-116)
Given that the Quran denies the Trinity and the son ship of Jesus,
what, according to the Quran, was the real mission of Jesus? The
answer is that Jesus was a link in a long chain of Prophets and
Messengers sent by God to various nations and societies whenever they
needed guidance or deviated from his teachings of Moses and other
Messengers. As he was miraculously supported by numerous miracles to
prove that he was a Messengers from God. However, the majority of the
Jews rejected his ministry.
In another verse of the Quran, Jesus confirmed the validity of the
Torah which was revealed to Moses, and also conveyed he glad tidings
of a final Messenger who follow him: "And when Jesus son of Mary said,
'Children of Israel, I am indeed the Messenger to you, confirming the
Torah that is before me, and giving good tiding of a Messenger who
shall be the praised one."(As-Saff 61:6)
Note that "praised one" is a translation of "Ahmad" - The Prophet
Mohammed's name. Careful study of the New Testament shows that Jesus
refers to the same Prophet in John 14:16-17: "And I will give you
another Counsellor (ThProphet Mohammed). To be with you for ever, even
the Spirit of Truth."
The usual explanation of this Prophecy is that the counsellor referred
to is the Holy Spirit, but this explanation is excluded by a previous
verse in John: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your
advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counsellor will
not come to you."
The characteristics of this counsellor, as can be derived from the
prophecy, are that he will stay forever with the believers, he will
glorify Jesus; and he will speak that he hears form God. All four
characteristics apply to the Prophet Mohammed. He came six centuries
after Jesus. He came six centuries after Jesus. He came with a
universal and everlasting message, fulfilling the prophecy that the
counsellor will stay forever with the faithful. He glorified Jesus as
a great Prophet. The Quran attributes to Jesus miracles not mentioned
in the Bible's Old and New Testaments, as well as specific verses in
the Quran show how the Prophet Mohammad is rejected by Jews and
Christians out of prejudice and misunderstanding, rather that
carefully study the Bible.
It is a sad fact of history that not many are following the "straight
path" to which people were called by Jesus. He was only followed by a
few disciples inspired by God to support him. The non-believers
plotted - as they would against Mohammed, six centuries later - to
kill Jesus. But God had better plan for him and his followers, as the
Quran tells us:
"And when Jesus perceived their unbelief, he said 'Who will be my
helpers in the cause of God? The apostles said, 'we are Gods helpers.
We believe in God; so bear witness of our submission God, we believe
in that you have sent down, and we follow the Messenger. Inscribe us
therefore with those who bear witness. 'And they devised, and God
devised, and God devised, and God is the best of divisors. When God
said, 'Jesus, I will take you to Me and will raise you to Me, and I
will purify you (of the falsehoods) of those who do not believe. I
will make your followers above the unbelievers till the Resurrection
Day."(Al-Imran 3:52-55)
As the above verses indicate, Jesus was taken and raised to heaven. He
was not crucified. It was certainly the plan of the enemies of Jesus
to put him to death on the cross, but God saved him and someone else
was crucified:
"And for their unbelief, and their uttering against Mary a grave false
charge, and for their saying, 'We killed the messiah, Jesus son of
Mary, the Messiah of God"…yet they did not slay him, neither crucified
him, only a likeness of that was shown to them. Those who are at
variance concerning him are surely in doubt the following of
conjecture; and they did not kill him of certainty…no indeed; God
raised him up to Him; God is Almighty, Allwise. There is not one of
the people of the book but will assuredly believe him before his
death, and on the Resurrection Day he will be a witness against
them." (An-Nissa 4:156-159)
The Quran does not explain who was the person crucified instead of
Jesus, nor elaborate on the Second Coming of Jesus. However,
explanators of the Quran have always interpreted the last verse of the
above quotation to mean that Jesus will believe in him before he dies.
This understanding is supported by authentic sayings (Hadith) of the
Prophet Mohammed may the peace and blessings of Allah him and upon all
His Messengers.
مختصر المطوية
الإسلام دين اليسر
تتحدث المطوية عن سهولة دين الإسلام وتيسير الله لعباده ورفعه الحرج عنهم
وتذكر الأدلة من الكتاب والسنة على ذلك وتذكر أن المعوقات والمشقات فهو
إنما تكون لأمر خارج عن الدين لأنه قد يكون بسبب البيئة أو بسبب نقص
التقوى أو بسبب الجهل
Islam, the Religion of Ease
Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, is the creator of mankind and therefore
knows his nature more intricately than mankind himself. Allah,
subhanahu wata'aala, has therefore chosen for us a religion best
suited to the nature of mankind, a religion that goes neither to the
extremes of hardship nor of laxity, but instead provides a middle
path; in other words, a religion of ease. Allah, subhanahu wata'aala,
said;
"Allah intends for you ease, and does not want to make things
difficult for you" [2:185]; and "Allah does not want to place you in
difficulty" [5:6].
Such easiness is well explained in the hadeeth reported by Abu
Hurairah, radiya Allahu 'anhu, that the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe
wasallam, said, "Religion is easy..." [Bukhari], he also said; "The
best of your religion, is the easiest." [Ahmad]
The easiness of this religion was put into practise by the best of
humanity, the one who came to deliver the message, as Allah, subhanahu
wata'aala, said;
"Verily there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves,
it grieves him that you should suffer any difficulty, he is anxious
for you, for the believers he is full of pity and merciful" [10:128]
This understanding is clarified in a hadeeth in which the Prophet,
salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said; "… Allah did not send me to be
harsh, or cause harm, but He sent me to teach and make things
easy" [Muslim]. This understanding is further implemented by the mercy
sent to mankind, Muhammed, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, in the
hadeeth reported by his noble and pure wife, 'Aishah, radiya Allahu
'anhu, who said; "Whenever the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe
wasallam, has a choice between two matters, he would choose the
easiest, unless it is sinful (act)" [Bukhari].
Many hadeeths have been reported on the matter of easiness: "Allah
likes for this nation ease and hates for it hardship and
adversity." [Tabaraani].
"We have been given a privilege over other nations... .we have been
given verses that no one else has been given, the last two verses of
Surah Baqarah(chapter 2)"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall
into error. Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have
strength to bear" After each statement, Allah responded by saying, "I
did, I did, I did"" [Muslim].
To further emphasise this understanding to his companions, when once a
Bedouin stood up and started urinating in the mosque, the people
caught him; but he, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, ordered them to
leave him and to pour a bucket or a tumbler of water over the place
where he had urinated. The Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam,
then said, "You have been sent to make things easy and not to make
them difficult" [Bukhari].
An example that illustrates this point is Salah, an act so important
and vital to Islam that the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam,
said; "Between a person and disbelief is discarding prayer" [Muslim].
He also warned against leaving salah, even at the time of his death,
in his very last breaths before departing from this world.
Yet in this worship Allah has also prescribed easiness. At first, the
number of prayers was fifty in number, but they were reduced several
times until they were five. Then it was proclaimed 'O Muhammad, the
order is not changed. These five are (equal in reward) to
fifty' [Tirmidhi].
Causes of hardship
If Islam is a religion of ease, why do we find many Muslims not
practising it? Why do we find them doing very little of what they
ought to be doing, and why do even those who practise their religion
sometimes find it difficult?
There are reasons why the practice of Islam can becomes hard:
1) Lack of piety
When we speak about Islam being easy we are, in reality, speaking
about the easiness of its acts of worship and morals. Religion by
definition means commitment and an obligation to a master. Therefore,
being a religious person means to be always aware that we are slaves
to a master, Allah, subhanahu wata'aala.
From here we see the mistake of those who want 'ease' to mean 'doing
nothing', just saying "I am a Muslim", committing themselves to
nothing. It is obvious that they want it to be easy, but what exactly
do they want? They want an easy life, a life without any religious
practices.
The idle belief of 'existing only to live' has long ago been negated
by Allah, subhanahu wata'aala. He said:
"Do you think you have been created for nothing and that you will not
be resurrected and brought back to Allah again!" [23:115]. He also
said: "Thinks man that he is left aimless?" [75:86].
Islam is easy to practice; but those who do not understand the reasons
behind their existence, who do not understand the concepts of
religion, but meanwhile are striving to secure themselves in this
life; then surely they will find its practices difficult.
The easiness of Islam is felt in all of its commandments. Some people
find this or that commandment hard to follow but this does not mean
that the command is in itself hard; often it is the person who is the
cause.
For example Salah, it is an easy act of worship, as Allah, subhanahu
wata'aala, has made clear:
"And seek help in patience and prayer and truly it is (prayer)
extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashi'un (i.e. true
submitting)" [2;45].
Prayer is an easy act of worship except, of course, for those who do
not truly submit to their Lord; they will find it toilsome.
Why do they find it so? The answer is that it is not the prayer that
is difficult, but it is the hearts of these people which have changed
from good to bad, as Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, mentioned:
"Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who
deceives them. And when they stand up to pray, they stand with
laziness …" [4;142]; in another verse He subhanahu wata'aala, said;
"And that they came not to prayer except in a lazy state …" [9;54].
2) Ignorance
The rules of Islam did not come as mere do's and don'ts. Each
obligation has wisdom and motivation behind it. It should make no
difference to us if the wisdom for that particular practice is known
or not, because if it is not known to us today, then if Allah wills,
He will reveal it to future generations. What is primarily expected
from us is to fully submit and implement every command.
For example, the giving of charity, which apparently decreases the
wealth of the giver. Islam did not say "Pay charity, pay charity", as
this would not motivate people and therefore make it difficult to act
upon. Instead Allah says;
"Would you not like to give a loan to your Lord, and this loan will be
paid back to you multiplied and you will be rewarded for it." [2:245]
The Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said; "Verily, wealth
does not decrease because of charity." [Muslim]
It seems Muslims often ask why this act or matter is Halaal or Haraam.
With such an attitude they will never achieve their goal, because
behind each injunction there is an aspect of wisdom. Without
understanding this, practising Islam becomes a heavy burden. With
strong belief, we do not even have to ask whether this or that is
halaal or Haraam, but rather if it pleases Allah. Therefore we should
take the rules seeking the pleasure of Allah subhanahu wata'aala,. If
pleasing Allah subhanahu wata'aala, is, always, our aim, then
undoubtedly the practice of religion becomes easy, no matter what
apparent hardships we may encounter.
3) Inappropriate environment
It is true that sometimes we find it difficult to practise the
religion, even those who are committed to it!
The reason behind this is that we are practising our religion in an
non-religious environment. Islam is not meant to be practised while
being immersed in a Kufr (disbelieving) society. Its practice will
indeed be difficult in such an environment. Therefore, the difficulty
cannot be blamed upon Islam as a religion, but rather on the
circumstances of the society.
Returning to our example of prayer, we see that prayer by itself is
easy, but if you have to stand alone to pray amongst non-Muslims, all
of them watching you, it will suddenly become difficult. The obvious
conclusion is that the prayer in itself is not difficult, but the
environment has made it difficult.
Another example is that of a woman who wears hijaab and is happy to
cover herself. If this were an Islamic society, it would have been
difficult for her not to be covered, or for a man not to respond to
the call to prayer and pray in a mosque. Thus difficulty is not the
nature of our religion, but we are trying to be pure in a decadent and
immoral environment. These realities are not unknown to Islam, because
the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, already warned his
companions some fourteen centuries ago, and by that has also warned us
by saying, as reported by Abu Tha'laba, radiya Allahu 'anhu, "… Ahead
of you are days which will require endurance (in the practice of
religion), in which he who shows endurance will be like him who grasps
live coals. The one who acts rightly during that period will have the
reward of fifty men who act as he does."
The hearers said, "The reward of fifty of them, Messenger of Allah!"
He replied, "The reward of fifty of you." A companion said about this
difference in reward, "Now you find people helping you to do good
deeds, but then they will not find things to help them but they will
find things to resist and oppose them." [Tirmidhi].
So Islam is the religion of ease. If we accept it as a religion to
start with, then we should take it with its concepts, and practise it
in a pure environment (as opposed to a corrupted and decadent one); it
will then become an easier religion to practise.
As it is not possible to have a 100% pure society, we have to strive
to achieve this by being surrounded by good Muslims. In doing this,
the religion will loosen the burdens around it.
The easiness of Islam has even been testified by the enemies of Islam.
This was apparent in the statement of the Jews at the time of the
Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, when a man and a woman from
amongst them committed fornication. Some of them said to the others:
"Let us go to this Prophet, for he has been sent with an easy law …".
[Abu Dawood].
So may Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, make us amongst those who
"Listen to the word and follow the best thereof, whom Allah has guided
and those are men of understanding." [39;18].
Ameen.
Twelve Proofs that Muhammad is a True Prophet
Shaykh `Abdul Rahman `Abdul Khaliq
Originally published by IANA
My brothers and sisters everywhere! With this essay, I am not singling
out the adherents of Islam - to which I ascribe - but rather I am
writing this essay to every man and woman throughout the whole world.
I ask Allah that He facilitates tat this essay reaches every ear,
falls under the sight of every eye, and is understood by every
heart...
Muhammad the son of `Abdullah is Allah's Prophet and the Final
Messenger Sent by Allah to the Inhabitants of Earth.
My brothers and sisters everywhere! You should know that the
Messenger, Muhammad the son of `Abdullah (may Allah's blessings and
peace be upon him) is Allah's Messenger in reality and truth. The
evidences that show his veracity are abundant. None but an infidel,
who out of arrogance alone, could deny these signs.
Among these proofs:
1. Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) was raised
illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained like that till his
death. Among all his people, he was known as being truthful and
trustworthy. Before receiving revelation, he had no prior knowledge of
Religion or any previously sent Message. He remained like that for his
first forty years. Revelation then came to Muhammad with the Koran
that we now have between our hands. This Koran mentioned most of the
accounts found in the previous scriptures, telling us about these
events in the greatest detail as if he witnessed them. These accounts
came precisely as they were found in the Torah sent down to Moses and
in the Gospel sent down to Jesus. Neither the Jews or Christians were
able to belie him regarding anything that he said.
2. Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) also
foretold of everything that would occur to him and his community after
him, pertaining to victory, the removal of the tyrannical kingdoms of
Chosroes [the royal title for the Zoroastrian kings of Persia] and
Caesar, and the establishment of the religion of Islam throughout the
earth. These events occurred exactly as Muhammad foretold, as if he
was reading the future from an open book.
3. Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) also brought
an Arabic Koran that is the peak of eloquence and clarity. The Koran
challenged those eloquent and fluent Arabs of his time, who initially
belied him, to bring forth a single chapter like the Koran. The
eloquent Arabs of his day were unable to contest this Koran.
Indeed, till our day, none has ever dared to claim that he has been
able to compose words that equal-or even approach-the order, grace,
beauty, and splendor of this Glorious Koran.
4. The life history of this Noble Prophet was a perfect example of
being upright, merciful, compassionate, truthful, brave, generous,
distant from all evil character, and ascetic in all worldly matters,
while striving solely for the reward of the Hereafter. Moreover, in
all his actions and dealings, he was ever mindful and fearful of
Allah.
5. Allah instilled great love for Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and
peace be upon him) in the hearts of all who believed in and met him.
This love reached such a degree that any of his companions would
willingly sacrifice his (or her) self, mother or father for him.
Till today, those who believe in Muhammad honor and love him. Anyone
of those who believe in him would ransom his own family and wealth to
see him, even if but once.
6. All of history has not preserved the biography of any person in the
manner it has preserved the life of Muhammad, who is the most
influential human in history.
Nor has the entire earth known of anyone whom every morning and
evening, and many times thereafter throughout the day, is thought of
by those who believe in him. Upon remembering Muhammad, the believers
in him will greet him and ask Allah to bless him. They do such with
full hearts and true love for him.
7. Nor has there every been a man on earth whom is still followed in
all his doings by those who believe in him.
Those who believe in Muhammad, sleep in the manner he slept; purify
themselves (through ablution and ritual washing) in the manner he
purified himself; and adhere to his practice in the way they eat,
drink, and clothe themselves.
Indeed in all aspects of their lives, the believers in Muhammad adhere
to the teachings he spread among them and the path that he traveled
upon during his life.
During every generation, from his day till our time, the believers in
this Noble Prophet have fully adhered to his teachings. With some,
this has reached the degree that they desire to follow and adhere to
the Prophet's way in his personal matters regarding which Allah has
not sought of them to adhere to in worship. For example, some will
only eat those specific foods or only wear those specific garments
that the Messenger liked.
Let alone all that, all those who believe in Muhammad repeat those
praises of Allah, special prayers, and invocations that he would say
during each of his actions during day and night, like: what he would
say when he greeted people, upon entering and leaving the house,
entering and leaving the mosque, entering and leaving the bathroom,
going to sleep and awaking from sleep, observing the new crescent,
observing the new fruit on trees, eating, drinking, dressing, riding,
traveling and returning from travel, etc.
Let alone all that, all those who believe in Muhammad fully perform-
even to the minute detail-every act of worship-like prayer, fasting,
charity, and pilgrimage-as this Noble Messenger (may Allah's blessings
and peace be upon him) taught and as he himself performed.
All of this allows those who believe in him, to live their lives in
all aspects with this Noble Messenger as their example, as if he was
standing before them, for them to follow in all their doings.
8. There has never been nor will there ever be a man anywhere upon
this earth who has received such love, respect, honor, and obedience
in all matters-small and large alike-as has this Noble Prophet.
9. Since his day, in every region of the earth and during every
period, this Noble Prophet has been followed by individuals from all
races, colors and peoples. Many of those who followed him were
previously Christians, Jews, pagans, idolaters, or without any
religion. Among those who chose to follow him, were those who were
known for their sound judgment, wisdom, reflection, and foresight.
They chose to follow this Noble Prophet after they witnessed the signs
of his truthfulness and the evidences of his miracles. They did not
choose to follow Muhammad out of compulsion or coercion or because
they had adopted the ways of their fathers and mothers.
Indeed many of the followers of this Prophet (may Allah's blessings
peace be upon him), chose to follow him during the time when Islam was
weak, when there were few Muslims, and when there was severe
persecution of his followers on earth. Most people who have followed
this Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) have done
so not to acquire some material benefits. Indeed many of his followers
have suffered the greatest forms of harm and persecution as a result
of following this Prophet. Despite all this harm and persecution, this
did not turn them back from his religion.
My brethren! All of this clearly indicates to anyone possessing any
sense, that this Prophet was truly and really Allah's messenger and
that he was not just a man who claimed prophethood or spoke about
Allah without knowledge.
10. With all this, Muhammad came with a great religion in its credal
and legal make-up.
Muhammad described Allah with qualities of complete perfection, and at
the same time in a manner that is free of ascribing to Him any
imperfection. Neither the philosophers or the wise could ever describe
Allah like such. Indeed it is impossible to imagine that any human
mind could conceive of an existing being that possesses such complete
ability, knowledge, and greatness; Who has subdued the creation; Who
has encompassed everything in the universe, small or large; and Who
possesses such perfect mercy.
Nor is it in the ability of any human being to place a perfect law
based upon justice, equality, mercy and objectivity for all human
activity on earth like the laws that Muhammad brought for all spheres
of human activity - like buying and selling, marriage and divorce,
renting, testimony, custody, and all other contracts that are
necessary to uphold life and civilization on earth.
11. It is impossible that any person conceive wisdom,, morals, good
manners, nobleness of characters as what this honorable Prophet (may
Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) brought.
In a full and complete manner, Muhammad spread a teaching regarding
character and manners toward one' parents, relatives, fiends, family,
humanity, animals, plants and inanimate objects. It is impossible for
the human mind alone to grasp all of that teaching or come with a
similar teaching.
All of that unequivocally indicates that this Messenger did not bring
an) of this religion from his own accord, but that it was rather a
teaching and inspiration that he received from the One Who created the
earth and the high heavens above and created this universe in its
miraculous architecture and perfection.
12. The legal and credal make-up of the religion that the Messenger,
Muhammad, (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) brought
resembles the engineering of the heavens and the earth. All of that
indicates that He who created the heavens and the earth is the One Who
sent down this great law and upright religion.
The degree of inimitability of the Divine law that was sent down upon
Muhammad is to the same degree of inimitability of the Divine creation
of the heavens and earth. For just as humanity cannot create this
universe, in the same manner humanity cannot bring forth a law like
Allah's law that He sent down upon His servant and messenger Muhammad
(may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him).
Who is Jesus?
Without a doubt, you have often heard the claim that Jesus is God, the
second person in the "Holy trinity." However, the very Bible which is
used as a basis for knowledge about Jesus and as the basis for
doctrine within Christianity clearly belies this claim. We urge you to
consult your own Bible and verify that the following conclusions are
not drawn out of context:
1. God is All Knowing.....but Jesus was not
When speaking of the day of judgment, Jesus clearly gave evidence of a
limitation on his knowledge when he said, "but of that day and hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in Heaven, neither the
son, but the Father." Mark 13:32, and Matt 24:36. But God knows all.
His knowledge is without any limitations. That Jesus, of his own
admission, did not know when the day of judgment would be, is clear
proof that Jesus is not all-knowing, and that Jesus is therefore not
God.
2. God is All Powerful.....but Jesus was not
While Jesus performed many miracles, he himself admitted that the
power he had was not his own but was derived from God when he said,
"Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but
what he seeth the Father do..." St. John 5:19. Again he said, "I can
of mine own self do nothing: as I hear I judge: and my judgment is
just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father
which hath sent me." St. John 5:30. But God is not only all-powerful,
He is also the source of all power and authority. That Jesus, of his
own admission, could do nothing on his own is clear proof that Jesus
is not all-powerful, and that therefore Jesus is not God.
3. God does not have a God.....but Jesus did have a God.
God is the ultimate judge and refuge for all, and He does not call
upon nor pray to any others. But Jesus acknowledged that there was one
whom he worshipped and to whom he prayed when he said, "l ascend unto
my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God." St. John
20:17. He is also reported to have cried out while on the cross, "My
God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?" Matt 27:46. If Jesus were God,
then couldn't this be read, "Myself, myself why hast thou forsaken
me?" Would that not be pure nonsense? When Jesus prayed the Lord's
prayer (Luke 11:2-4), was he praying to himself? When in the garden of
Gethsemane he prayed, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup
pass from me: Nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt." Matt
26:36-39. Was Jesus praying to himself? That Jesus, of his own
admission and by his own actions, acknowledged, worshipped, and prayed
to another being as God is clear proof that Jesus himself is not God.
4. God is an invisible spirit.....but Jesus was flesh and blood
While thousands saw Jesus and heard his voice, Jesus himself said that
this could not be done with God when he said. "No man hath seen God at
any time." St. John 1:18. '"Ye have neither heard His voice at any
time nor seen His shape." St. John 5:37. He also said in St. John
4:24. "God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in
spirit and in truth." That Jesus would say that no one had seen or
heard God at any time, while his followers both saw and heard him, is
clear proof that Jesus was not God.
5. No one is greater than God and no one can direct Him but Jesus
acknowledged someone greater than himself whose will was distinct from
his own.
Perhaps the clearest indication we have that Jesus and God are not
equal, and therefore not one and the same, come again from the mouth
of Jesus himself who said in St. John 14:28, "My Father is greater
than I." When someone referred to him as good master in Matt 19:17,
Jesus responded, "Why callest thou me good? There is none good but
one, that is God..." Furthermore, Jesus drew clear distinctions
between himself and God when he said, "I proceeded forth and came from
God, neither came I of myself but He sent me." St. John 8:42. Jesus
gave clear evidence of his subordination to God, rather than his
equality with God,when he said in Luke 22:42, "not my will but thine
be done" and in St. John 5:30, "I seek not mine own will but the will
of the Father which hath sent me." That Jesus would admit that he did
not come into the world on his own initiative but was directed to do
so, that he would acknowledge another being as greater than himself,
and that he would negate his own will in deference to affirming the
will of another, give clear proof that Jesus is not the Supreme One
and therefore Jesus is not God.
Conclusion
The Church recognizes the Bible as the primary source of knowledge
about God and Jesus. But since the Bible makes it clear that Jesus is
not the Supreme Being and the Supreme Being is not Jesus, upon what
basis have you come to believe otherwise?
My brother or sister, the belief that the Supreme Being is a Trinity
is false and completely inconsistent with the words of Jesus as
presented in the Bible. God is one, not three. He is a perfect unity.
If you are interested in the truth about God and your relationship to
Him, we invite you to investigate the religion of Islam.
What is the word of God about Jesus:
A. Regarding Sonship of Jesus:
That is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of truth, concerning which they
are doubting. It is not for God to take a son unto Him. Glory be to
Him! When He decrees a thing he but says to it "Be", and it is.
(Qur'an 19:34,35).
And they say, 'The All-merciful has taken unto Himself a son.' You
have indeed advanced something hideous. The heavens are well nigh rent
of it and the earth split asunder, and the mountains well nigh fall
down crashing for that they have attributed to the All-Merciful a son;
and it behoves not the All-Merciful to take a son. None is there in
the heavens and earth but comes to the All-Merciful as a servant
(Qur'an 19:88-93).
Truly the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight, is as Adam's likeness; He
created him of dust, then said He unto him, "Be", and he was. (Qur'an
3:59).
People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say
not as to God but the Truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only
the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a
spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers. and say not,
'Three', Refrain, better is it for you. God is only One God. Glory be
on Him - that He should have a son! To Him belongs that which is in
the heavens and on the earth, God suffices for a guardian. (Qur'an
4:171)
B. Regarding Jesus being God:
And when God said. 'O Jesus son of Mary,did you say unto men, "Take me
and my mother as gods, apart from God?" He Said, 'To You be Glory! It
is not mine to say what I have no right to. If I indeed said it, You
knew it, knowing what is within my soul, and I do not know what is
within Your soul; You know the things unseen. I only said to them what
You did command me: "Serve God, my Lord and your Lord." And I was a
witness over them, while I remained among them; but when You did take
me to Yourself the Watcher over them; You are the witness of
everything. (Quran 5:116,117)
C. Regarding Crucifiction of Jesus:
And for their unbelief, and their uttering against Mary a mighty
calumny, and for their saying, 'We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of
Mary, the Messenger of God'...yet they did not slay him, neither
crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them. Those who
are at variance concerning him surely are in doubt regarding him, they
have no knowledge of him, except the following of surmise; and they
did not slay him of certainty... no indeed, God raised him up to Him;
God is Almighty, All-Wise. There is not one of the people of the Book
but will assuredly believe in him before his death, and on the
Resurrection Day he will be a witness against them. (Qur'an
4:156-159)
In The Name Of Allaah,
Most Gracious, Most Merciful
YOU MUST KNOW THIS MAN
MUHAMMAD
(May peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him)
You may be an atheist or an agnostic; or you may belong to anyone of
the religious denominations that exist in the world today. You may be
a Communist or a believer in democracy and freedom. No matter what you
are, and no matter what your religious and political beliefs, personal
and social habits happen to be - YOU MUST STILL KNOW THIS MAN!
He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this
earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid
down a moral code, initiated numberless social and political reforms,
established a dynamic and powerful society to practice and represent
his teachings, and completely revolutionized the worlds of human
thought and action for all times to come.
HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD, peace and blessings of Almighty God be upon him
and he accomplished all these wonders in the unbelievably short span
of twenty-three years.
Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him was born in
Arabia on the 20th of August, in the year 570 of the Christian era,
and when he died after 63 years, the whole of the Arabian Peninsula
had changed from paganism and idol-worship to the worship of One God;
from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion;
from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety; from
lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living; from utter moral
bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history
has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place
before or since!
The Encyclopedia Britannica calls him "the most successful of all
religious personalities of the world". Bernard Shaw said about him
that if Muhammad were alive today he would succeed in solving all
those problems which threaten to destroy human civilization in our
times. Thomas Carlysle was simply amazed as to how one man, single-
handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most
powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades. Napoleon and
Gandhi never tired of dreaming of a society along the lines
established by this man in Arabia fourteen centuries ago.
Indeed no other human being ever accomplished so much, in such diverse
fields of human thought and behavior, in so limited a space of time,
as did Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him. He
was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, a political
thinker, a military genius, an administrative colossus, a faithful
friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father -
all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in
any of these difficult departments of life.
The world has had its share of great personalities. But these were one
sided figures who distinguished themselves in but one or two fields
such as religious thought or military leadership. None of the other
great leaders of the world ever combined in himself so many different
qualities to such an amazing level of perfection as did Muhammad,
peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him.
The lives and teachings of other great personalities of the world are
shrouded in the mist of time. There is so much speculation about the
time and the place of their birth, the mode and style of their life,
the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of
their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity today to
reconstruct accurately and precisely the lives and teachings of those
men.
Not so this man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon
him. Not only was he born in the fullest blaze of recorded history,
but every detail of his private and public life, of his actions and
utterances, has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to
our day. The authenticity of the information so preserved is vouched
for not only by faithful followers but also by unbiased critics and
open-minded scholars.
At the level of ideas there is no system of thought and belief-secular
or religious, social or political-which could surpass or equal ISLAAM-
the system which Muhammad peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon
him propounded. In a fast changing world, while other systems have
undergone profound transformations, Islaam alone has remained above
all change and mutation, and retained its original form for the past
1400 years. What is more, the positive changes that are taking place
in the world of human thought and behavior, truly and consistently
reflect the healthy influence of Islam in these areas. Further, it is
not given to the best of thinkers to put their ideas completely into
practice, and to see the seeds of their labors grow and bear fruit, in
their own lifetime. Except of course, Muhammad, peace and blessings of
God Almighty be upon him, who not only preached the most wonderful
ideas but also successfully translated each one of them into practice
in his own lifetime. At the time of his death his teachings were not
mere precepts and ideas straining for fulfillment, but had become the
very core of the life of tens of thousands of perfectly trained
individuals, each one of whom was a marvelous personification of
everything that Muhammad peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon
him taught and stood for. At what other time or place and in relation
to what other political, social, religious system, philosophy or
ideology-did the world ever witness such a perfectly amazing
phenomenon?
Indeed no other system or ideology secular or religious, social or
political, ancient or modern - could ever claim the distinction of
having been put into practice in its fullness and entirety EVEN ONCE
in this world, either before or after the death of its founder. Except
of course ISLAAM, the ideology preached by Muhammad, peace and
blessings of God Almighty be upon him which was established as a
complete way of life by the teacher himself, before he departed from
this world. History bears testimony to this fact and the greatest
skeptics have no option but to concede this point.
In spite of these amazing achievements and in spite of the countless
absolutely convincing and authentic miracles performed by him and the
phenomenal success which crowned his efforts, he did not for a moment
claim to be God or God's incarnation or Son - but only a human being
who was chosen and ordained by God to be a teacher of truth to man
kind and a complete model and pattern for their actions.
He was nothing more or less than a human being. But he was a man with
a noble and exalted mission-and his unique mission was to unite
humanity on the worship of ONE AND ONLY GOD and to teach them the way
to honest and upright living in accordance with the laws and commands
of God. He always described himself as A MESSENGER AND SERVANT OF GOD,
and so indeed every single action and movement of his proclaimed him
to be.
A world which has not hesitated to raise to Divinity individuals whose
very lives and missions have been lost in legend and who historically
speaking did not accomplish half as much-or even one tenth-as was
accomplished by Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon
him should stop to take serious note of this remarkable man's claim to
be God's messenger to mankind.
Today after the lapse of some 1400 years the life and teachings of
Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him,
have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation.
Today they offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many
ills which they did when Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God
Almighty be upon him, was alive. This is our honest claim and this is
the inescapable conclusion forced upon us by a critical and unbiased
study of history.
The least YOU should do as a thinking, sensitive, concerned human
being is to stop for one brief moment and ask yourself: Could it be
that these statements, extraordinary and revolutionary as they sound,
are really true? Supposing they really are true, and you did not know
this man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him or
hear about his teachings? Or did not know him well and intimately
enough to be able to benefit from his guidance and example? Isn't it
time you responded to this tremendous challenge and made some effort
to know him? It will not cost you anything but it may well prove to be
the beginning of a completely new era in your life.
Come, let us make a new discovery of the life of this wonderful man
Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him the like of
whom never walked on this earth, and whose example and teachings can
change YOUR LIFE and OUR WORLD for the better. May God shower His
choicest blessings upon him!
Written by S.H. Pasha
HOW TO BECOME A MUSLIM
All praises be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe. May the peace and
blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad His last messenger.
The objective of this handout is to correct a false idea spread among
those willing to adopt Islam as their faith. Some people are facing
difficulties on the basis of their mistaken belief that entering into
the Islamic fold requires an announcement from the concerned person in
the presence of high ranking scholars or sheikhs or reporting this act
to courts of justice or other authorities. It is also thought that the
act of accepting Islam, should, as a condition have a certificate
issued by the authorities as an evidence to that effect.
We wish to clarify that the whole matter is very easy and that none of
the above mentioned conditions or obligations are required. For Allah;
the Almighty, is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of
all hearts. Nevertheless, those who are going to adopt Islam as their
religion are Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as this
procedure may facilitate for them many matters including the
possibility of performing Hajj and Umrah.
If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and
strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah (SWT)
for all human beings, then, one should pronounce that "Shahada" (The
testimony of faith) without further delay. The Holy Qur'an is explicit
in this regard as Allah (SWT) has stated.
"Truly, the Religion on the sight of Allah is Islam." (3:19)
In another verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah (SWT) has stated:
"And whosoever desires a religion other that Islam, never will it
accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those
who are lost." (3:85)
In addition, Islam is the only Religion prevailing over all other
religions. Allah (SWT) has stated in the Holy Qur'an;
"And to thee. We have sent the Book in truth, (This Qur'an) confirming
the scripture that came before it, and a witness over it…" (5:48)
Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon
him), said:
"Islam is based on five pillars: testifying that there is no God
worthy to be worshipped but Allah, and that Muhammad is the messenger
of Allah and His servant; performing the prayer; paying the Zakat
(obligatory charity); fasting the month of Ramadan; and perfuming
Hajj."
The Shahada can be declared as follows:
''ASH-HADU ANLAA ILAHA ILLA ALLAH WA ASH HADU ANNA MUHAMMADAN ABDUHU
WA RASUULUH."
The English translation is:
"I bear witness that there is no deity worthy to be worshipped but
Allah, and I bear witness the Muhammad is His servant and
messenger.''
However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to utter only this
testimony orally either in private or in public, but rather, one
should believe in it by heart with a firm conviction with the
teachings of Islam in all his life he will find himself a new born
person, (or new man).
This will move him to strive more and more to improve his character
and draw nearer to perfection. The light of the living faith will fill
his heart until be becomes the embodiment of that faith.
What would be next after declaring the testimony of faith (Shahada)
and then becoming a Muslim? He should know the real concept underlying
this testimony which means the Oneness of Allah and accept Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH), as the last of the Prophet, and meet its
requirements. He must behave accordingly applying this true faith to
every thing he speaks or does. What do the words of "Shahada"
signify.
The significant point which every Muslim must know very well is the
truth that there is no God (ditty) to be worshipped other than Allah,
(Glory be Him). He is the only true God, Who Alone deserves to be
worshipped, since He is the Giver of life and Sustainer and Nourisher
of mankind and all creation with His unlimited bounties. Man must
worship Allah, Who Alone is worthy of worship.
The second part of the "Sahada" i. e. "We ashhadu anna Muhammadan
abduhu wa rasuluh" means that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is the servant
and chosen messenger of Allah. No one must have two opinions about
this matter. In fact, the Muslim has to obey the commands of the
Prophet (PBUH), to believe him in what he has said, to follow his
teachings, to avoid what he has forbidden, and to worship Allah alone
according to the message revealed to him.
What is the meaning of worship? It simply means rendering sincere
service; showing reverence for Allah. In a deeper shade of meaning, it
implies total submission and complete obedience to Allah's
Commandments both in utterances and actions of man whether explicit or
implicit and whether private or public.
Worship falls into two categories:
1. Visible (manifest or outward)
2. Invisible (concealed or inward)
Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the
"Shahada" performing prayers, giving Zakat (Obligatory charity),
observing fast in the month of Ramadan, performing Hajj, recitation of
the Holy Qur'an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him,
purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.
This type of worship is associated with movement of the parts of human
body, [actions].
Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgment, in
the Hereafter, in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Divine
Decree of destiny (that good and bad are determined by Allah alone.
This type of worship does not involve movements of parts of the body
but it surely has a bearing on one's heart which subsequently affects
his way of life. (Beliefs).
It should be borne in mind that worship not dedicated to Allah alone,
will be rejected as one form of polytheism or shirk, which amount to
apostasy from the Islamic point of view.
The next step for a devotee (newly reverted to Islam) is to purify
himself by taking a bath (total ablution). He should then resolve to
comply with all the principles and rules of Islam in their entirety.
He disowns all forms of polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject
evil and be righteous. Such rejection of evil and being righteous is
one of the requisites of the motto of Islam that is, Lailaha Illal
Laah.
Allah has stated in the Holy Qur'an:
"… whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes in Allah, hath
grasped the most trustworthy Handhold, that will never
break…" (2:256)
we have to consider that when we declare from our heart that "there is
no god (ditty) worthy to be worshipped but Allah." It implies on our
part of love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islamic
legislation which are legally binding on all Muslims. It is
requirement of "there is no god worty to be worshipped but Allah," to
love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah. This
is the firmest anchor of belief which materializes the meaning of "AL-
WALA and "AL-BARA". It means that a Muslim should love and be loyal to
his Muslim brothers. He should, as a practice, dissociate himself
completely from practices of the unbelievers and refuse to be
influenced by them, both in worldly and religious matters.
We conclude with a humble prayer to Allah that He may cleanse the
hearts and souls of those who are genuine seekers of truth and may He
bless the community of believers. Ameen.
Regards
Ahmed
My email: hamad_a...@yahoo.com
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