In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate,
Now that the creation and humans have been discussed in detail, it is time to discuss the need for religion itself. In addition, the basis on which a religion is to be accepted will also be discussed. Human's Need for Religion The world has entered into a very materialistic stage. It seemed that science had conquered nafure and there was no need for religion, myths and superstitions of earlier times. However, religion has not gone away. Not only has religion not gone away but in recent times there has been a resurgence in religion throughout the world. From the texts of the Quran and Sunnah, it is clear that "religion" is something natural in humans. Allah created humans with a natural disposition that longs to know God and worship Him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Behold, my Lord commanded me that I should teach you that which you do not know and which He has taught me today... [God has stated] 'I have created My servants all having a natural inclination to the worship of Allah. But the devils come to them and turn them away from their [true] religion. And he makes unlawful what I declared lawful for them and he commands them to ascribe partners with Me for which no authority has been sent down."'r This quote clarifies that there are evil forces that may try to hide, conceal or distort this natural inclination in humans but they can never truly kill what is so deeply rooted in a person's soul. Furthermore, if they can kill this natural tendency in some humans, they will not be able to kill it in all humans. Hence, at least some humans, if not the majority, will always recognize God and that with God comes a religio set of beliefs and practices related to God. Thus, it is not by coincidence that virtually every people have had some form of religion and some concrete belief in the Ultimate Being or God. What the materialists of this world will never be able to deny is that humans are made up of a physical component as well as a nonphysical component, called the soul or spirifual side of humans. Materialists-and material comforts-can only touch upon the physical side of a human. They can do nothing to assist the vast I Recorded by Muslim. 27 Religion Now that the creation and humans have been discussed in detail, it is time to discuss the need for religion itself. In addition, the basis on which a religion is to be accepted will also be discussed. Human's Need for Religion The world has entered into a very materialistic stage. It seemed that science had conquered nature and there was no need for religion, myths and superstitions of earlier times. However, religion has not gone away. Not only has religion not gone away but in recent times there has been a resurgence in religion throughout the world. From the texts of the Quran and Sunnah, it is clear that "religion" is something natural in humans. Allah created humans with a natural disposition that longs to know God and worship Him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Behold, my Lord commanded me that I should teach you that which you do not know and which He has taught me today... [God has stated] '1 have created My servants all having a natural inclination to the worship of Allah. But the devils come to them and tum them away from their [true] religion. And he makes unlawful what I declared lawful for them and he commands them to ascribe partners with Me for which no authority has been sent down. ",1 This quote clarifies that there are evil forces that may try to hide, conceal or distort this natural inclination in humans but they can never truly kill what is so deeply rooted in a person's soul. Furthermore, if they can kill this natural tendency in some humans, they will not be able to kill it in all humans. Hence, at least some humans, if not the majority, will always recognize God and that with God comes a religion-a set of beliefs and practices related to God. Thus, it is not by coincidence that virtually every people have had some form of religion and some concrete belief in the Ultimate Being or God. What the materialists ofthis world will never be able to deny is that humans are made up of a physical component as well as a nonphysical component, called the soul or spiritual side of humans. Materialists-and material comforts-can only touch upon the physical side of a human. They can do nothing to assist the vast I Recorded by Muslim. 27 spiritual side of humans, leaving a great void in the psyche of a human. When humans experience this vacuum, they realize that something is wrong. They seek something to fill this void. Although they may turn to more material things or different types of material things (alcoholism, drugs), such things will never truly fill that void in their lives. If they can get above all of the materialistic propaganda around them today, they realize that it is God and religion that is missing from their lives and from their hearts. The famed Islamic scholar Ibn Taimiyyah once wrote, The heart can only become sound, achieve success, take pleasure, be satisfied, experience enjoyment, become pleased, attain serenity and calmness through the 'ibaadah [worship] of its Lord, having love of Him and turning to Him (in repentance). Even if it were to attain every type of pleasure from creation, it will not acquire serenity and tranquility. This is because the heart possesses an intrinsic need for its Lord, since He is its deify, Iove and pursuit and with Allah the heart aclrieves joy, pleasure, delight, amenity, serenity and tranquility.t lbn Taimiyyah's statement is supported by verses of the Quran. For example, Allah says, "Those who believe, and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest" (13:28). Allah also says, "O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life" (8:2a). It is the real lifethe only life that is worthy of living-that Allah and His Messenger are calling each and every individual to. It is the real life and salvation for the heart as it frees it from being enslaved to desires, lusts, superstitions and myths. It is the real life for the mind and it rescues it from ignorance, doubt and confusion. It is the real life for the human himself as it frees him from servitude and slavery to other humans and ideologies. It frees him to worship and serve Allah alone, the ultimate goal that his own self recognizes and yearns for. This is the source of his honor and dignity, the purpose for which he has been created. In 1 lAhmad ibn Taimiyyah,l lbn Taymiyyah's Essay on Senitude (Birnringham, United Kingdom: al-Hidaayah Publishing and Distribution, 1999), p. l2l. 28 spiritual side of humans, leaving a great void in the psyche of a human. When humans experience this vacuum, they realize that something is wrong. They seek something to fill this void. Although they may turn to more material things or different types of material things (alcoholism, drugs), such things will never truly fill that void in their lives. If they can get above all of the materialistic propaganda around them today, they realize that it is God and religion that is missing from their lives and from their hearts. The famed Islamic scholar Ibn Taimiyyah once wrote, The heart can only become sound, achieve success, take pleasure, be satisfied, experience enjoyment, become pleased, attain serenity and calmness through the 'ibaadah [worship] of its Lord, having love of Him and turning to Him (in repentance). Even if it were to attain every type of pleasure from creation, it will not acquire serenity and tranquility. This is because the heart possesses an intrinsic need for its Lord, since He is its deity, love and pursuit and with Allah the heart achieves joy, pleasure, delight, amenity, serenity and tranquility.l Ibn Taimiyyah's statement is supported by verses of the Quran. For example, Allah says, "Those who believe, and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest" (13:28). Allah also says, "0 you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life" (8:24). It is the real lifethe only life that is worthy of living-that Allah and His Messenger are calling each and every individual to. It is the real life and salvation for the heart as it frees it from being enslaved to desires, lusts, superstitions and myths. It is the real life for the mind and it rescues it from ignorance, doubt and confusion. It is the real life for the human himself as it frees him from servitude and slavery to other humans and ideologies. It frees him to worship and serve Allah alone, the ultimate goal that his own self recognizes and yearns for. This is the source of his honor and dignity, the purpose for which he has been created. In 1 [Ahmad ibn Taimiyyah,] Ibn Taymiyyah's Essay on Sen'itude (Bimlingham, United Kingdom: al-Hidaayah Publishing and Distribution, 1999), p. 121. 28 the end, it is the real life of eternal bliss and happiness, in Paradise, being pleased with the Lord and the Lord being pleased with the servant. The Tests of a True Religion Mere reflection on the history of humans demonstrates that humans have a desire to have religion. Yet there are many religions and each is presenting itself as the "true religion" that will bring solace to the individual. Thus, in this section, the author would like to present what he feels are the four tests by which one may distinguish the true religion. The first test is that the religion must have God as its original source. As stated earlier, no one can know the details about God except God. Most importantly, no one knows how He should be worshipped except Him. Although humans are able to come to many sound conclusions about God, no human could logically claim that he has somehow-independent of revelation from God-discovered the way in which God should be worshipped. Thus, if the ultimate goal in one's heart is to truly please and worship God as He should be worshipped, then one has no alternative but to turn to Him for guidance and direction. Thus, based on this first premise, any man-made religion is not a logical alternative. No matter how hard humans may try, they cannot authoritatively speak about how God is supposed to be worshipped. This test does not mean that one time God played a role in the formation of the religion. No, this test means that the entire scope of the religious teachings come from God. There are some religions that may have originated from God but, afterwards, their adherents felt free to rely upon human reasoning to adjust, modify or alter the religion. In the process, they have actually created a new religion, different from that which God had revealed. This, once again, completely defeats the purpose. What God revealed does not need any improvement or changes from humankind. Any such change or alteration means a deviation away from what God revealed. Thus, any change or alteration will only take humankind away from the true and proper way of worshipping God. Thus, the first test states that the religion originates with God. However, this is not sufficient. The second test is that the 29 the end, it is the real life of eternal bliss and happiness, in Paradise, being pleased with the Lord and the Lord being pleased with the servant. The Tests of a True Religion Mere reflection on the history of humans demonstrates that humans have a desire to have religion. Yet there are many religions and each is presenting itself as the "true religion" that will bring solace to the individual. Thus, in this section, the author would like to present what he feels are the four tests by which one may distinguish the true religion. The first test is that the religion must have God as its original source. As stated earlier, no one can know the details about God except God. Most importantly, no one knows how He should be worshipped except Him. Although humans are able to come to many sound conclusions about God, no human could logically claim that he has somehoW-independent of revelation from God-discovered the way in which God should be worshipped. Thus, ifthe ultimate goal in one's heart is to truly please and worship God as He should be worshipped, then one has no alternative but to tum to Him for guidance and direction. Thus, based on this first premise, any man-made religion is not a logical alternative. No matter how hard humans may try, they cannot authoritatively speak about how God is supposed to be worshipped. This test does not mean that one time God played a role in the formation of the religion. No, this test means that the entire scope of the religious teachings come from God. There are some religions that may have originated from God but, afterwards, their adherents felt free to rely upon human reasoning to adjust, modify or alter the religion. In the process, they have actually created a new religion, different from that which God had revealed. This, once again, completely defeats the purpose. What God revealed does not need any improvement or changes from humankind. Any such change or alteration means a deviation away from what God revealed. Thus, any change or alteration will only take humankind away from the true and proper way of worshipping God. Thus, the first test states that the religion originates with God. However, this is not sufficient. The second test is that the 29 teachings from God must be preserved in their original form. The logic behind this point should be obvious. If the original revelation came from God but was then later tampered and distorted by humans, One now has a mixture of God's religion and human interpolation. This is no longer God's pure religion. Although this may seem like an obvious premise, it is amazing to see many people who have not even considered this point blindly following scriptures or teachings that cannot be historically authenticated. The third test is that the religion is not abrogated or superseded by a later forrn of the religion. In other words, God may reveal more than one revelation or send more than one prophet, with the latter repealing or superseding the earlier. Under such circumstances, ifone is truly submitting to God, one does not have the right to choose to follow an abrogated teaching and neglect the teaching that God is now demanding to be followed. Again, this would violate the principle of submitting to God and would arrogate to the individual the right to choose what he willed to follow instead of what Allah has decreed. The above three test are straightforward and obvious. In this author's opinion, though, there is also a fourth parameter. The fourth test is that the basic beliefs of the religion have to be something fathomable by humans and not repugnant to human nature. It is inconceivable that the same God who created such order and gave hunrans the ability to understand and derive lessons from what is around them would then ask them to believe in matters that are cornpletely unfathomable to them and inconsistent with what the soul can accept as truth. Islam in the Light of These Tests Due to space limitations, it is not possible here to conrpare different religions and how they fare with respecto these tests.' Here, only Islam will be discussed. The first test is that the religion must have its original source with God. Again, this means that the beliefs and teachings of the religion must originate with God, without any claim that humans have a right to change or alter them in any way. In Islam, as opposed to many other religions, there is no priesthood. Every scholar, no matter I In the unabridged version, Islam is compared with Judaism and Christianity. 30 teachings from God must be preserved in their original form. The logic behind this point should be obvious. If the original revelation came from God but was then later tampered and distorted by humans, one now has a mixture of God's religion and human interpolation. This is no longer God's pure religion. Although this may seem like an obvious premise, it is amazing to see many people who have not even considered this point blindly following scriptures or teachings that cannot be historically authenticated. The third test is that the religion is not abrogated or superseded by a later form of the religion. In other words, God may reveal more than one revelation or send more than one prophet, with the latter repealing or superseding the earlier. Under such circumstances, if one is truly submitting to God, one does not have the right to choose to follow an abrogated teaching and neglect the teaching that God is now demanding to be followed. Again, this would violate the principle of submitting to God and would arrogate to the individual the right to choose what he willed to follow instead of what Allah has decreed. The above three test are straightforward and obvious. In this author's opinion, though, there is also a fourth parameter. The fourth test is that the basic beliefs of the religion have to be something fathomable by humans and not repugnant to human nature. It is inconceivable that the same God who created such order and gave humans the ability to understand and derive lessons from what is around them would then ask them to believe in matters that are completely unfathomable to them and inconsistent with what the soul can accept as truth. Islam in the Light of These Tests Due to space limitations, it is not possible here to compare different religions and how they fare with respect to these tests. I Here, only Islam will be discussed. The first test is that the religion must have its original source with God. Again, this means that the beliefs and teachings of the religion must originate with God, without any claim that humans have a right to change or alter them in any way. In Islam, as opposed to many other religions, there is no priesthood. Every scholar, no matter 1 In the unabridged version, Islam is compared with Judaism and Christianity. 30 how great, is simply a human who is prone to error. Hence, any ruling made by anyone must be judged in the light of the revelation from God. The Quran and Sunnah have remained the ultimate authority, no one having the right to violate thern. This is an agreed upon principle in lslan'r. The Muslim scholars understood that the religion is God's religion and it is the role of humatrs to convey faithfully and attempt to understand-but never to distort or alter. The second test discussed earlier has to do with the historical preservation of the revelation from God. This is essential in order to verify that one is accepting the truth. The history of Islam presents a different scenario than that of Judaism and Christianity. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) lived just over 1400 years ago. He is definitely the most "historical" of the various prophets. Both the Quran and the statements of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were preserved with meticulous care. The Quran, which is not a large book, was preserved in memory as well as written form from the time of the Prophet Muhammad himself. Many of the Companions of the Prophet had memorized the entire Quran and, fearing what had happened to earlier religious communities, they took the necessary steps to protect it from any form of adulteration. Soon after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the Quran was all compiled together and shortly afterwards official copies were sent to the distant lands to ensure that the text was pure. To this day, one can travel to any part of the world and pick up a copy Quran and find that it is the same throughout the world. Beyond the Quran, the statements of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were also preserved with great diligence. They were recorded, studied and passed on carefully fronr the earliest years of Islam. Even the language of the Quran and the language of the Prophet has been preserved. Such cannot be said for earlier prophets such as Moses and Jesus, whose Hebrew and Aramaic no longer exist. Thus, the revelation from God as received by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has been preserved in tact and is available to the truthseeker today. 3 l how great, is simply a human who is prone to error. Hence, any ruling made by anyone must be judged in the light of the revelation from God. The Quran and Sunnah have remained the ultimate authority, no one having the right to violate them. This is an agreed upon principle in Islam. The Muslim scholars understood that the religion is God's religion and it is the role of humans to convey faithfully and attempt to understand-but never to distort or alter. The second test discussed earlier has to do with the historical preservation of the revelation from God. This is essential in order to verify that one is accepting the truth. The history of Islam presents a different scenario than that of Judaism and Christianity. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) lived just over 1400 years ago. He is definitely the most "historical" of the various prophets. Both the Quran and the statements of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were preserved with meticulous care. The Quran, which is not a large book, was preserved in memory as well as written form from the time ofthe Prophet Muhammad himself. Many of the Companions of the Prophet had memorized the entire Quran and, fearing what had happened to earlier religious communities, they took the necessary steps to protect it from any form of adulteration. Soon after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the Quran was all compiled together and shortly afterwards official copies were sent to the distant lands to ensure that the text was pure. To this day, one can travel to any part of the world and pick up a copy Quran and find that it is the same throughout the world. Beyond the Quran, the statements of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were also preserved with great diligence. They were recorded, studied and passed on carefully from the earliest years of Islam. Even the language of the Quran and the language of the Prophet has been preserved. Such cannot be said for earlier prophets such as Moses and Jesus, whose Hebrew and Aramaic no longer exist. Thus, the revelation from God as received by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has been preserved in tact and is available to the truthseeker today. 31 The third test was related to the revelation not being superseded or abrogated. The point is that if it can be shown that God is now demanding that a new message is to be followed, then, if one is truthful to God, one has no choice but to follow the new message. This point will be discussed in more detail when discussing the concept of prophethood, as the Prophet Muhammad explicitly claimed to be the final prophet. The last parameter offered by this author has to do with whether the belief can be fathomed. Earlier in this work, brief refutations were made for materialists and Darwinians. Their claims are simply untenable. Similarly, the Christian belief about the Trinity is something that they themselves fought over for years and had council after council to try to determine what it truly meant. Some have simply declared it a "mystery." Religion should not be simply "faith-bassd't-4 leap of faith, as such. Actually, it should be first as well "knowledge-based," so that both the heart and the mind find solace in it and submit to it with a firm resolution. Such is the case with the Islamic beliefs, such as the beliefs about God, which are completely consistent with human nafure, logic and reality. 32 The third test was related to the revelation not being superseded or abrogated. The point is that if it can be shown that God is now demanding that a new message is to be followed, then, ifone is truthful to God, one has no choice but to follow the new message. This point will be discussed in more detail when discussing the concept of prophethood, as the Prophet Muhammad explicitly claimed to be the final prophet. The last parameter offered by this author has to do with whether the belief can be fathomed. Earlier in this work, brief refutations were made for materialists and Darwinians. Their claims are simply untenable. Similarly, the Christian belief about the Trinity is something that they themselves fought over for years and had council after council to try to determine what it truly meant. Some have simply declared it a "mystery." Religion should not be simply "faith-based"-a leap of faith, as such. Actually, it should be first as well "knowledge-based," so that both the heart and the mind find solace in it and submit to it with a firm resolution. Such is the case with the Islamic beliefs, such as the beliefs about God, which are completely consistent with human nature, logic and reality. 32 Prophethood Jews and Christians are familiar with the concept of prophethood. Indeed, the Muslim claim is that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon hirn) is the final in a long line of prophets that included, among others, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. The Reality of Prophethood Messengers and prophets are specific individuals whom Allah has chosen to convey His message to humankind. He reveals to them and they in turn convey that message. The messenger must convey the message faithfully and has no right to change it or distort it any manner. At the same time, after conveying, they are to be obeyed by those whom they are sent to. Allah says, "We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by Allah's Leave" (a:6a). Allah chooses whom He wills to be a messenger' This choosing of messengers is certainly not a random choice. Instead, "Allah knows best with whom to place His Message" (6:124). Thus, Atlah chose from among humankind men of specific character. Allah also says, "And We sent not [as Our Messengers] before you [O Muhammad] any but men, whom We inspired. So ask of those who know the Scripture if you know not" (16:43). This verse and others makes it clear that the messengers were humans. They were not semi-divine itr any rvay whatsoever. Allah specifically chose humans to be His messengers. The purpose of the messengers is to spread the truth from God. They rnake this truth clear and leave humans no excuse for not following it. The goal of the messengers was to present the reality-the reality that is recognizable to the souls of mankind-in a clear and unquestionable fashion. In this way, those who are willing to accept the truth will accept it while those who do not wish to accept the truth will then reject it. This fulfills the purpose of distinguishing between those who are deserving of Allah's love and mercy and those who are deserving of Allah's wrath and punishment. Thus, the messengers came with clear guidance, glad tidings and stern warning. If Allah had not sent such messengers conveying the truth, humankind would have cried and claimed that they would have followed the messenger had he cotne to them. Allah, who knows what happened, what will happen and what possibly could happen, Prophethood Jews and Christians are familiar with the concept of prophethood. Indeed, the Muslim claim is that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the final in a long line of prophets that included, among others, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. The Reality of Prophethood Messengers and prophets are specific individuals whom Allah has chosen to convey His message to humankind. He reveals to them and they in turn convey that message. The messenger must convey the message faithfully and has no right to change it or distort it any manner. At the same time, after conveying, they are to be obeyed by those whom they are sent to. Allah says, "We sent no Messenger, but to be obeyed by Allah's Leave" (4:64). Allah chooses whom He wills to be a messenger. This choosing of messengers is certainly not a random choice. Instead, "Allah knows best with whom to place His Message" (6: 124). Thus, Allah chose from among humankind men ofspecific character. Allah also says, "And We sent not [as Our Messengers] before you [0 Muhammad] any but men, whom We inspired. So ask of those who know the Scripture if you know not" (16:43). This verse and others makes it clear that the messengers were humans. They were not semi-divine in any way whatsoever. Allah specifically chose humans to be His messengers. The purpose ofthe messengers is to spread the truth from God. They make this truth clear and leave humans no excuse for not following it. The goal of the messengers was to present the reality-the reality that is recognizable to the souls of mankind-in a clear and unquestionable fashion. In this way, those who are willing to accept the truth will accept it while those who do not wish to accept the truth will then reject it. This fulfills the purpose of distinguishing between those who are deserving of Allah's love and mercy and those who are deserving of Allah's wrath and punishment. Thus, the messengers came with clear guidance, glad tidings and stem warning. If Allah had not sent such messengers conveying the truth, humankind would have cried and claimed that they would have followed the messenger had he come to them. Allah, who knows what happened, what will happen and what possibly could happen, 33 has said, "And if We had destroyed them with a torment before this [Messenger Muhammad], they would surely have said, 'Our Lord! tf only You had sent us a Messenger, we should certainly have followed Your revelationso before we were humiliated and disgraced"' (20:134). Once the messengers are sent with the clear signs, there is no longer any excuse for humankind: "Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise" (4:165). To the astute, this verse is a grave warning indeed.r The Sign of Prophethood From a study of the prophets of the past, one can deduce certain "indirect" signs of prophethood. First, the individual chosen by God must have been a person of good and respected character before Allah first revealed anything to him. It would be inconceivable, for example, that someone who never lied about the matters of this world would all of a sudden begin to propagate lies about God and claim to be receiving revelation. Second, there is excellence and virtue in what he is preaching. Similarly, the basic core of his message is consistent with earlier individuals recognized to be prophets. God's basic message concerning the reality of the universe and life is not going to change from one prophet to another. Additionally, the individual does not seek any personal benefit or payment for his conveying of the message. His goal is not a worldly one. He is conveying the message only to obey and please God. Finally, one finds that the prophet always enjoys a spiritual victory, even if he does not experience a political victory. That is, he is always content with his message, never abandons his purpose and demonstrates his resolve until his death. No one recognized as a true prophet of God has ever been known to abandon his message and beliefs. In addition to all of that, Allah provides His messengers with special signs-something out of the ordinary to demonstrate that the I Although the truth of monotheism is ingrained in human nature, by Allah's mercy though, He never punishes until after He sends a messenger and the message is made clear: "Whoever goes right, then he goes right only for the benefit of his ownself. And whoever goes astray, then he goes astray to his own loss. No one laden with burdens can bear another's burden. And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning)" (17:15). 34 has said, "And if We had destroyed them with a torment before this [Messenger Muhammad], they would surely have said, 'Our Lord! If only You had sent us a Messenger, we should certainly have followed Your revelations, before we were humiliated and disgraced'" (20:134). Once the messengers are sent with the clear signs, there is no longer any excuse for humankind: "Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise" (4:165). To the astute, this verse is a grave warning indeed. 1 The Sign of Prophethood From a study of the prophets of the past, one can deduce certain "indirect" signs of prophethood. First, the individual chosen by God must have been a person of good and respected character before Allah first revealed anything to him. It would be inconceivable, for example, that someone who never lied about the matters of this world would all of a sudden begin to propagate lies about God and claim to be receiving revelation. Second, there is excellence and virtue in what he is preaching. Similarly, the basic core of his message is consistent with earlier individuals recognized to be prophets. God's basic message concerning the reality of the universe and life is not going to change from one prophet to another. Additionally, the individual does not seek any personal benefit or payment for his conveying of the message. His goal is not a worldly one. He is conveying the message only to obey and please God. Finally, one finds that the prophet always enjoys a spiritual victory, even ifhe does not experience a political victory. That is, he is always content with his message, never abandons his purpose and demonstrates his resolve until his death. No one recognized as a true prophet of God has ever been known to abandon his message and beliefs. In addition to all of that, Allah provides His messengers with special signs-something out of the ordinary to demonstrate that the 1 Although the truth of monotheism is ingrained in human nature, by Allah's mercy though, He never punishes until after He sends a messenger and the message is made clear: "Whoever goes right, then he goes right only for the benefit of his ownself. And whoever goes astray, then he goes astray to his own loss. No one laden with burdens can bear another's burden. And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning)" (17: 15). 34 individual is truly being sent by the Lord. This is all due to Allah's complete justice, mercy and goodness. He chooses and sends messengers in such a way that only the obstinate will refuse to accept the truth of the message. Hence, not only is the content of the message completely in accord with human nature, the messengers who come with the message are sent in such a way that there is again no excuse for humans not to accept them as messengers of God. As Allah says, "Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs" (57:25). These special signs that God bestows on the messengers are referred to as "miracles." In this age of "scienceo" people today tend to be skeptical about the recorded miracles in the past. However' there is nothing inherently illogical about such occurrences. Starting with the premise that God has created this univefse, a very defensible premise (as discussed earlier), it can also be understood that God has complete control over the workings of this universe and may alter its workings at whatever time for whomever He wills. To this day one still repeatedly hears of medical miracles or miraculous recoveries from disease-things that simply cannot be "rationally explained". No one can deny these "inexplicable" events. In the past, there were such things as the parting of the Red Sea for Moses and the healing of the sick and blind by Jesus. These were all signs that further supported the claims of those prophets that they were being supported and guided by God. All of those, though, were signs that only those present could completely and truly appreciate. Thus, over time, people either began to doubt those stories and claims or the affects of those miracles began to wear off. However, as long as there were yet other prophets to come to revive the message, this was not a major issue. Thus, when Allah sent His last prophet for all of humankind until the Day of Judgment, He sent hint with a very different kind of miracle-a miracle with everlasting appeal. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessilgs of Allah be upon him) said, "There was no Prophet among the Prophets but was given miracles because of which people had had belief, but what I have been given is the Divine Revelation which Allah has revealed to me. So I hope that my followers will be more than those of any other Prophet on the Day of 3s individual is truly being sent by the Lord. This is all due to Allah's complete justice, mercy and goodness. He chooses and sends messengers in such a way that only the obstinate will refuse to accept the truth ofthe message. Hence, not only is the content ofthe message completely in accord with human nature, the messengers who come with the message are sent in such a way that there is again no excuse for humans not to accept them as messengers of God. As Allah says, "Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs" (57:25). These special signs that God bestows on the messengers are referred to as "miracles." In this age of "science," people today tend to be skeptical about the recorded miracles in the past. However, there is nothing inherently illogical about such occurrences. Starting with the premise that God has created this universe, a very defensible premise (as discussed earlier), it can also be understood that God has complete control over the workings of this universe and may alter its workings at whatever time for whomever He wills. To this day one still repeatedly hears of medical miracles or miraculous recoveries from disease-things that simply cannot be "rationally explained". No one can deny these "inexplicable" events. In the past, there were such things as the parting of the Red Sea for Moses and the healing of the sick and blind by Jesus. These were all signs that further supported the claims of those prophets that they were being supported and guided by God. All of those, though, were signs that only those present could completely and truly appreciate. Thus, over time, people either began to doubt those stories and claims or the affects of those miracles began to wear off. However, as long as there were yet other prophets to come to revive the message, this was not a major issue. Thus, when Allah sent His last prophet for all of humankind until the Day of Judgment, He sent him with a very different kind of miracle-a miracle with everlasting appeal. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "There was no Prophet among the Prophets but was given miracles because of which people had had belief, but what I have been given is the Divine Revelation which Allah has revealed to me. So I hope that my followers will be more than those of any other Prophet on the Day of 35 Resurrection."r In other words, the Prophet Muhammad's great sign and miracle was the Quran. Thus, the greatest sign that the Prophet Muhammad received is still being witnessed and experienced today.2 The Quran has issued an eternal challenge for anyone to produce something similar to it. For example, Allah says, "And if you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down [i.e., the Quran] to Our servant [Muhammad], then produce a chapter of the like thereof and call your supporters and helpers besides Allah, if you are truthful" (2:23). The Quran is miraculous in many ways. For example, the Arabs at the time of the Prophet excelled in language. However, even though they greatly opposed the Prophet for many years, they realized that they could not meet the literary eloquence of the Quran. But the Quran is much more than simply a "literary miracle." It is miraculous as well with respect to its fulfillod prophecies of future events, its scientific accuracy, its historical accuracy, its precise preservation, its magnanimous and wise laws, its affect that it had and still has in reforming and changing humans and so forth. The Prophet Muhammad himself was illiterate. Still Allah chose him to be His messenger, as his illiteracy was not a deficiency in his case. In fact, it was further evidence that this illiterate Arab living just six centuries after Jesus could not have produced this book. For example, Allah revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) the stories of the earlier prophets. The Prophet was not living in an environment wherein he would have had much access to the teachings of the Jews or Christians. However, the stories of the prophets of old are given with precise accuracy. Actually, the case is even more astonishing. Today, many people recognize that the current Bible contains statements that are historically impossible or that are anachronisms. The Quran, though, is free of all such problematic material-another sign that it is not the product of a mere mortal. In an extensive work, Fatoohi and al-Dargazelli produce many I Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 2 Indeed, as shall be denronstrated later, new aspects of its miraculous nature are continually being discovered. 36 Resurrection.,,1 In other words, the Prophet Muhammad's great sign and miracle was the Quran. Thus, the greatest sign that the Prophet Muhammad received is still being witnessed and experienced today? The Quran has issued an eternal challenge for anyone to produce something similar to it. For example, Allah says, "And if you are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down [i.e., the Quran] to OUf servant [Muhammad], then produce a chapter of the like thereof and call your supporters and helpers besides Allah, if you are truthful" (2:23). The Quran is miraculous in many ways. For example, the Arabs at the time of the Prophet excelled in language. However, even though they greatly opposed the Prophet for many years, they realized that they could not meet the literary eloquence of the Quran. But the Quran is much more than simply a "literary miracle." It is miraculous as well with respect to its fulfilled prophecies of future events, its scientific accuracy, its historical accuracy, its precise preservation, its magnanimous and wise laws, its affect that it had and still has in reforming and changing humans and so forth. The Prophet Muhammad himself was illiterate. Still Allah chose him to be His messenger, as his illiteracy was not a deficiency in his case. In fact, it was further evidence that this illiterate Arab living just six centuries after Jesus could not have produced this book. For example, Allah revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) the stories of the earlier prophets. The Prophet was not living in an environment wherein he would have had much access to the teachings of the Jews or Christians. However, the stories of the prophets of old are given with precise accuracy. Actually, the case is even more astonishing. Today, many people recognize that the current Bible contains statements that are historically impossible or that are anachronisms. The Quran, though, is free of all such problematic material-another sign that it is not the product of a mere mortal. In an extensive work, Fatoohi and al-Dargazelli produce many I Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 2 Indeed, as shall be demonstrated later, new aspects of its miraculous nature are continually being discovered. 36 examples of Biblical errors of a historical nature not found in the Quran, although the same stories and incidents are touched upon.t Humans'Need for Messengers from God The sending of messengers to humankind is one of Allah's greatest blessings. In describing the sending of the Prophet Muhammad, Allah says, "And We have not sent you [O Muhammad] except as a mercy for all that exists" ( l2: 107). Humans are actually in great need of this blessing from Allah. They are in need of a practical example to show how one should lead one's life to please Allah. They are desperately also in need of the knowledge that these messengers brought. Had Allah willed, Allah could have simply revealed His message in written form on mountainsides, for example. However, there is a great blessing and wisdorn in His sending of human messengers instead. The benefit of these messengers are twofold: (1) By sending human messengers instead of simply communicated or written word, Allah has transformed His message from the realm of the abstract to the realm of the practical. The implementation of the message by the messenger gives humans a practical implementation of the guidance. The guidance is not simply vague, general principles that anyone could understand in a variety of ways. No, the message has been given in a concrete and practical format with detailed examples for humans to follow. (2) Although messengers were humans of excellent character, they were still mere humans. In fact, they were humans who were meant to be examples for others. Hence, by their implernentation of the divine teachings, it demonstrates that these teachings are practicable and within the means of humans. No one should think of righteousness as something beyond human capacity. It is within human capacity and the actions of the prophets are a proof of that. As noted above, humans are also in desperate need for the knowledge that the messengers convey. This knowledge can be divided into two tJryes, both being essential for humans. ' See Louay Fatoohi and Shetha al-Dargazelli, Flistory Testifies to the Infallibility of the Quran: Early History of the Children of Israel (Delhi, lndia: Adam Publishers & Distributors, 1999), pp. 247 -248. 37 examples of Biblical errors of a historical nature not found in the Quran, although the same stories and incidents are touched upon.\ Humans' Need for Messengers from God The sending of messengers to humankind is one of Allah's greatest blessings. In describing the sending of the Prophet Muhammad, Allah says, "And We have not sent you [0 Muhammad] except as a mercy for all that exists" (12: 107). Humans are actually in great need of this blessing from Allah. They are in need of a practical example to show how one should lead one's life to please Allah. They are desperately also in need ofthe knowledge that these messengers brought. Had Allah willed, Allah could have simply revealed His message in written form on mountainsides, for example. However, there is a great blessing and wisdom in His sending of human messengers instead. The benefit of these messengers are twofold: (I) By sending human messengers instead of simply communicated or written word, Allah has transformed His message from the realm of the abstract to the realm of the practical. The implementation of the message by the messenger gives humans a practical implementation of the guidance. The guidance is not simply vague, general principles that anyone could understand in a variety of ways. No, the message has been given in a concrete and practical format with detailed examples for humans to follow. (2) Although messengers were humans of excellent character, they were still mere humans. In fact, they were humans who were meant to be examples for others. Hence, by their implementation of the divine teachings, it demonstrates that these teachings are practicable and within the means of humans. No one should think of righteousness as something beyond human capacity. It is within human capacity and the actions of the prophets are a proofofthat. As noted above, humans are also in desperate need for the knowledge that the messengers convey. This knowledge can be divided into two types, both being essential for humans. I See Louay Fatoohi and Shetha al-Dargazelli, History Testifies to the Infallibility ofthe Quran: Early History of the Children of Israel (Delhi, India: Adam Publishers & Distributors, 1999), pp. 247-248. 37 The first type of knowledge is that of the supernatural, or what the Islamic texts call the "unseen." These are matters beyond the realm of human experience. Humans can know about these issues only via revelation from Allah. This realm includes detailed knowledge about Allah and His attributes, the purpose of creation, how can one distinguish between good and evil, what occurs to humankind after death and in the hereafter and so forth. However, Allah's guidance is not concerned only with those issues. Allah's guidance that He revealed to His human messengers also guides humans in worldly or mundane affairs. Except for technological matters that Allah has easily put within the reach of humans, humans are just as much in need of Allah's guidance on these issues. It is Allah, the Creator, the Fashioner, alone who knows what is best for humans. Allah has said, "Should not He Who has created know? And He is the Most Kind and Courteous (to His servants), All-Aware (of everything)" (67:1$. This point needs further elaboration because it strikes at the root of secularism. which is dominating the world's thinking today. Humans have attempted to construct their own economic systems, political systems, international aws and so on. When doing so, though, they have to admit that they are attempting something that is beyond their means. Thus, the harms of what they produce many times outweigh the good, even with the best of intentions. For example, in the realm of economics, the first thing that may come to mind is the collapse of the theories of socialism and communism. One should, though, also take a closer look at capitalism and how far its reality is from what it is supposed to be, resulting in exploitation, wherein the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. In general, man-made laws, as opposed to revelation from God, are susceptible to a number of distinct problems. First, humaus are repeatedly influenced by desires. However, even if humans are able to raise themselves above any passions and desires on their part, they have to realize that there is a great deal of difference between the physical sciences and social sciences. Social scientists cannot test humans to see how they behave under all different circumstances. They are doing nothing too much more than guessing about reality. In the Quran, Allah speaks about such limited ability on the part of humankind: "They know only the outside appearance of the life of the 38 The first type of knowledge is that of the supernatural, or what the Islamic texts call the "unseen." These are matters beyond the realm of human experience. Humans can know about these issues only via revelation from Allah. This realm includes detailed knowledge about Allah and His attributes, the purpose of creation, how can one distinguish between good and evil, what occurs to humankind after death and in the hereafter and so forth. However, Allah's guidance is not concerned only with those issues. Allah's guidance that He revealed to His human messengers also guides humans in worldly or mundane affairs. Except for technological matters that Allah has easily put within the reach of humans, humans are just as much in need of Allah's guidance on these issues. It is Allah, the Creator, the Fashioner, alone who knows what is best for humans. Allah has said, "Should not He Who has created know? And He is the Most Kind and Courteous (to His servants), All-Aware (of everything)" (67:14). This point needs further elaboration because it strikes at the root of secularism, which is dominating the world's thinking today. Humans have attempted to construct their own economic systems, political systems, international laws and so on. When doing so, though, they have to admit that they are attempting something that is beyond their means. Thus, the ham1s of what they produce many times outweigh the good, even with the best of intentions. For example, in the realm of economics, the first thing that may come to mind is the collapse ofthe theories ofsocialism and communism. One should, though, also take a closer look at capitalism and how far its reality is from what it is supposed to be, resulting in exploitation, wherein the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. In general, man-made laws, as opposed to revelation from God, are susceptible to a number of distinct problems. First, humans are repeatedly influenced by desires. However, even if humans are able to raise themselves above any passions and desires on their part, they have to realize that there is a great deal of difference between the physical sciences and social sciences. Social scientists cannot test humans to see how they behave under all different circumstances. They are doing nothing too much more than guessing about reality. In the Quran, Allah speaks about such limited ability on the part of humankind: "They know only the outside appearance ofthe life ofthe 38 world" (30:7). If such is admitted, it demonstrates that humans are in need of guidance and knowledge from their Creator, who had graciously sent such guidance through his prophets. Finally, secular laws cannot inspire humans like divine revelation can. There can be no effective moral influence in such laws. In other words, except for the use of force, there is nothing in man-made laws to drive a person to comply with such laws. However, adherence to the laws promulgated by the prophets is driven by a desire to please God and to avoid His wrath. In sum, there is no escaping the fact that humans are gravely in need of the knowledge vouchsafed via the prophets and they are also in need of the exarnple that the prophets established. The Principles of the Messengers' Call It has been narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that Allah had sent 124,Q00 prophets.r Allah stated that He sent a messenger to every nation (Quran 16:36). Even though so many prophets and messengers were sent, they were actually all along the same path. Indeed, Allah tells the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that He is guiding the Prophet to the same religion as his predecessors. Allah says, "He (Allah) has ordained for you the same religion which He ordained for Noah, and that which We have inspired in you (O Muhammad), and that wlrich We ordained for Abraham, Moses and Jesus. .." (42:13). Thus, a Muslim believes in all of those different prophets and messengers and, with respect to belief in them and honoring them, does not differentiate between any among them. God sent all of them. They were all believing in the same essential truths and calling to similar paths. Hence, one has no right to say that he will believe and respect some of them and reject, belie or disrespect others. In the first place, this would be disrespectful to God, who sent each and every one of them. lt would also be illogical since they all came with essentially the same message and were, as the Prophet described, brothers to one another. Hence, they all must be believed in and given the proper respect. Thus, Allah says, "Say (O Muslims), 'We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent 39 I Recorded bv Ahnrad. world" (30:7). If such is admitted, it demonstrates that humans are in need of guidance and knowledge from their Creator, who had graciously sent such guidance through his prophets. Finally, secular laws cannot inspire humans like divine revelation can. There can be no effective moral influence in such laws. In other words, except for the use of force, there is nothing in man-made laws to drive a person to comply with such laws. However, adherence to the laws promulgated by the prophets is driven by a desire to please God and to avoid His wrath. In sum, there is no escaping the fact that humans are gravely in need of the knowledge vouchsafed via the prophets and they are also in need ofthe example that the prophets established. The Principles of the Messengers' Call It has been narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that Allah had sent 124,000 prophets.] Allah stated that He sent a messenger to every nation (Quran 16:36). Even though so many prophets and messengers were sent, they were actually all along the same path. Indeed, Allah tells the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that He is guiding the Prophet to the same religion as his predecessors. Allah says, "He (Allah) has ordained for you the same religion which He ordained for Noah, and that which We have inspired in you (0 Muhammad), and that which We ordained for Abraham, Moses and Jesus... " (42:13). Thus, a Muslim believes in all ofthose different prophets and messengers and, with respect to belief in them and honoring them, does not differentiate between any among them. God sent all of them. They were all believing in the same essential truths and calling to similar paths. Hence, one has no right to say that he will believe and respect some ofthem and reject, belie or disrespect others. In the first place, this would be disrespectful to God, who sent each and every one of them. It would also be illogical since they all came with essentially the same message and were, as the Prophet described, brothers to one another. Hence, they all must be believed in and given the proper respect. Thus, Allah says, "Say (0 Muslims), 'We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent I Recorded by Ahmad. 39 down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and to the twelve sons of Jacob, and that which has been given to Moses and Jesus, and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)"' (2:136).In sum, since they were all sent by the one and only God and since the truth of this existence is one and not changing, it is the case that their messages were essential one and the same. Studying the Quran, one can see the basic principles of all of the messengers' call. Their message revolved around the following three points: (l) Calling people to God, explaining with clear proofs that there is none worthy of worship except Him and inviting them to submit to Him alone and to renounce any and all false gods: Allah says, "And verily, We have sent among every nation a Messenger (proclaiming): 'Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid all false deities"' (16:36). (2) Showing that there is a specific path of conduct leading to God's pleasure and the purifying of one's soul that each individual is obliged to adhere to: Every people were guided to a straight path. Allah says, "To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way" (5:a8). However, all of the prophets brought the same basic path containing the same general laws, such as cornmandment o pray, prohibition of polytheism, prohibition of adultery, prohibition of murder and so forth. This does not mean that there were no differences whatsoever concerning their particular practices. In general, their practices were similar but God sent many prophets to specific peoples with specific laws for their time and place. This is part of Allah's mercy and wisdom. However, this variation in some of their practices does not imply any contradiction concerning their basic message or even the basic nature of their paths. (3) Explaining the fates of individuals when they decide to accept and worship Allah and when they decide to refuse to submit to or worship Allah: On this point, the messengers taught humankind about life after death, resurrection, final judgment and reward or punishment from Allah. The details of these matters can only be known from Allah and Allah never punished any people until the messenger had made these points clear to them. Thus, all the messengers actually came with glad tidings for those who wish to 40 down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and to the twelve sons of Jacob, and that which has been given to Moses and Jesus, and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)'" (2: 136). In sum, since they were all sent by the one and only God and since the truth of this existence is one and not changing, it is the case that their messages were essential one and the same. Studying the Quran, one can see the basic principles of all of the messengers' call. Their message revolved around the following three points: (I) Calling people to God, explaining with clear proofs that there is none worthy of worship except Him and inviting them to submit to Him alone and to renounce any and all false gods: Allah says, "And verily, We have sent among every nation a Messenger (proclaiming): 'Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid all false deities'" (16:36). (2) Showing that there is a specific path of conduct leading to God's pleasure and the purifying of one's soul that each individual is obliged to adhere to: Every people were guided to a straight path. Allah says, "To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way" (5:48). However, all of the prophets brought the same basic path containing the same general laws, such as commandment to pray, prohibition of polytheism, prohibition of adultery, prohibition of murder and so forth. This does not mean that there were no differences whatsoever concerning their particular practices. In general, their practices were similar but God sent many prophets to specific peoples with specific laws for their time and place. This is part of Allah's mercy and wisdom. However, this variation in some of their practices does not imply any contradiction concerning their basic message or even the basic nature oftheir paths. (3) Explaining the fates of individuals when they decide to accept and worship Allah and when they decide to refuse to submit to or worship Allah: On this point, the messengers taught humankind about life after death, resurrection, final judgment and reward or punishment from Allah. The details of these matters can only be known from Allah and Allah never punished any people until the messenger had made these points clear to them. Thus, all the messengers actually came with glad tidings for those who wish to 40 accept faith and stern warnings of a ominous end for those who wislt to reject it. Allah says, "And We send not the Messengers but as givers of glad tidings and as warners. So whosoever believes and does righteous good deeds, upon such shall ceme no fear, nor shall they grieve. But those who reject Our proofs, the torment will touch them for their disbelief' (6:48-a9). The above are the three basic points around which all the messages revolved. The prophets strove to convey their messages, fulfilled their trusts and conveyed the messages clearly. After their coming, there is no longer any room left for debate or excuse. The prophets fulfilled their missions and now the matter is left to the individual. The Foretelling of the Prophet Muhammad in Earlier Scriptures The previous section showed that the basic message of all of the prophets were the same. In addition, it was definitely the role of some, if not all, of the earlier prophets to foretell the coming of the Prophet Muhammad. For example, Allah says in the Quran, "Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e., Muhammad) whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel..." (7 :157). Based on these and other verses of the Quran, Muslim scholars realized that there must exist some evidence of the coming of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in what is left of the original scriptures of the Jews and Christians. Indeed, Muslim scholars argue that many verses can be found that seem to point directly to the Prophet Muhammad. (Actually, a number of books have been written on this topic.) For the sake of brevity, only a couple of examples will be discussed. The first of these passages comes from the Old Testament. Moses is speaking and says, And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him (Deuteronomy l8: l7-19, King James Version). 4l accept faith and stem warnings of a ominous end for those who wish to reject it. Allah says, "And We send not the Messengers but as givers of glad tidings and as warners. So whosoever believes and does righteous good deeds, upon such shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve. But those who reject Our proofs, the torment will touch them for their disbelief' (6:48-49). The above are the three basic points around which all the messages revolved. The prophets strove to convey their messages, fulfilled their trusts and conveyed the messages clearly. After their coming, there is no longer any room left for debate or excuse. The prophets fulfilled their missions and now the matter is left to the individual. The Foretelling of the Prophet Muhammad in Earlier Scriptures The previous section showed that the basic message of all of the prophets were the same. In addition, it was definitely the role of some, if not all, of the earlier prophets to foretell the coming of the Prophet Muhammad. For example, Allah says in the Quran, "Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e., Muhammad) whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel..." (7: 157). Based on these and other verses of the Quran, Muslim scholars realized that there must exist some evidence ofthe coming of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in what is left of the original scriptures of the Jews and Christians. Indeed, Muslim scholars argue that many verses can be found that seem to point directly to the Prophet Muhammad. (Actually, a number of books have been written on this topic.) For the sake of brevity, only a couple of examples will be discussed. The first of these passages comes from the Old Testament. Moses is speaking and says, And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him (Deuteronomy 18:17-19, King James Version). 41 Perhaps the first question that needs to be answered is who are the brethren of the Israelites. According to the Hebrew Dictionary of the Bible, the term brethren refers to a "personification of a group of tribes who were regarded as near kinsmen of Israelites."r A group that fits that description very well were the descendants of Ishrnael, the son of Abraham and the half-brother of Isaac. It is from Ishmael that the Arabs, and Muhammad in particular, are descended. Secondly, the coming prophet is described as being "like unto thee," that is, similar to Moses. Now there are Christians who claim that this passage is a reference to Jesus. Given that Christians do not consider Jesus simply a prophet, this is highly unlikely. Nevertheless, Jamal Badawi has constructed a table that demonstrates how similar Moses and Muhammad were (and how dissimilar Jesus was to them). It demonstrates that with respect to birth, family life, nature of death, career, forced emigration, results of encounters with enemies, nature of teachings and acceptance of leadership by his own people, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was much more similar to Moses than Jesus ever wasmay peace be upon all of them.2 The verses above then continue by saying, "and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." This is an absolutely accurate description of the Prophet Muhammad in relation to the Quran. The words were put into his mouth via direct revelation from Gabriel, wherein Muhammad repeated verbatim what was revealed to him and he commanded all that the revelation contained. In the New Testament, one can find the following passages in the Gospel of John, "If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever" (John 14:15-16). John 16:7-8 and John 16:12-13 also speak about a future Comforter and the Spirit of Truth to come who could not come while Jesus was present. Who is this who is to come after Christ and that cannot come while Christ is present? The Christians interpret these passages as I Quoted in Jamal Badawi, Muhammad in the Bible (Halifax, Canada: Islamic Information Foundation, n.d.), p. 40. 2 Badawi, p.41. 42 Perhaps the first question that needs to be answered is who are the brethren of the Israelites. According to the Hebrew Dictionary ofthe Bible, the term brethren refers to a "personification of a group of tribes who were regarded as near kinsmen ofIsraelites."! A group that fits that description very well were the descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abraham and the half-brother of Isaac. It is from Ishmael that the Arabs, and Muhammad in particular, are descended. Secondly, the coming prophet is described as being "like unto thee," that is, similar to Moses. Now there are Christians who claim that this passage is a reference to Jesus. Given that Christians do not consider Jesus simply a prophet, this is highly unlikely. Nevertheless, Jamal Badawi has constructed a table that demonstrates how similar Moses and Muhammad were (and how dissimilar Jesus was to them). It demonstrates that with respect to birth, family life, nature of death, career, forced emigration, results of encounters with enemies, nature of teachings and acceptance of leadership by his own people, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was much more similar to Moses than Jesus ever wasmay peace be upon all ofthem.2 The verses above then continue by saying, "and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." This is an absolutely accurate description of the Prophet Muhammad in relation to the Quran. The words were put into his mouth via direct revelation from Gabriel, wherein Muhammad repeated verbatim what was revealed to him and he commanded all that the revelation contained. In the New Testament, one can find the following passages in the Gospel ofJohn, "If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever" (John 14:15-16). John 16:7-8 and John 16: 12-13 also speak about a future Comforter and the Spirit of Truth to come who could not come while Jesus was present. Who is this who is to come after Christ and that cannot come while Christ is present? The Christians interpret these passages as I Quoted in Jamal Badawi, Muhammad in the Bible (Halifax, Canada: Islamic Information Foundation, n.d.), p. 40. 2 Badawi, p. 41. 42 referring to the Holy Ghost. But Christian theology states that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are all part of the trinity, together as one being. If this is the case, how is the one present and the other is not present? Such is completely incompatible with Christian theology. Furthermore, a portion in John 16:12-13 which states, "he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come," is nothing but another beautiful description of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and how he received and passed on the revelation from God. One last set of verses will be presented that this author believes require virtually no comment other than saying that a great prophet was still expected: "Attd this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, Iam not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias?r And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No" (John l:19-21, King James Version). Who was that Prophet that John and the Jews were expecting? These brief examples rvill have to suffice and the interested reader may consult more in-depth works. However, if these signs do point to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as Muslim scholars maintain, then, in sincerity to the Prophet who originally made the statement, one has to follow the prophet he pointed to. The Final Message After so many prophets sent by Allah, Allah sent the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was bom around 570 years after the birth of Jesus Christ. He was born in Mecca, in the Arabian Peninsula. The people of Mecca were devoted to idol-worship. In Mecca, there was a building built by the prophets Abraham and lshmael. This structure, known as the Kabah, was dedicated to the worship of Allah, the only true God. The Arab polytheists, though, filled it with their idols. Muhammad lived among them but never took part in idol-worship. He was known for his honesty and had the nickname, "the trustworthy." I In Matthew l7:12 Jesus is recorded as stating that Elias had already come. 43 referring to the Holy Ghost. But Christian theology states that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are all part of the trinity, together as one being. If this is the case, how is the one present and the other is not present? Such is completely incompatible with Christian theology. Furthermore, a portion in John 16:12-13 which states, "he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come," is nothing but another beautiful description of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and how he received and passed on the revelation from God. One last set of verses will be presented that this author believes require virtually no comment other than saying that a great prophet was still expected: "And this is the record ofJohn, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias?l And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No" (John I :19-21, King James Version). Who was that Prophet that John and the Jews were expecting? These brief examples will have to suffice and the interested reader may consult more in-depth works. However, if these signs do point to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as Muslim scholars maintain, then, in sincerity to the Prophet who originally made the statement, one has to follow the prophet he pointed to. The Final Message After so many prophets sent by Allah, Allah sent the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was born around 570 years after the birth of Jesus Christ. He was born in Mecca, in the Arabian Peninsula. The people of Mecca were devoted to idol-worship. In Mecca, there was a building built by the prophets Abraham and Ishmael. This structure, known as the Kabah, was dedicated to the worship of Allah, the only true God. The Arab polytheists, though, filled it with their idols. Muhammad lived among them but never took part in idol-worship. He was known for his honesty and had the nickname, "the trustworthy." I In Matthew 17: 12 Jesus is recorded as stating that Elias had already come. 43 At the age of forty, Muhammad received his first revelation. Although this was at first startling to him, he then understood the mission he had from God. The polytheistic Arabs quickly rejected his message that none is to be worshipped except God. Although he was known as "the trustworthy," they belied him and soon after started a massive campaign to persecute those who believed in Muhammad. After thirteen years of preaching in Mecca, the Prophet himself was forced to leave to the city of Madinah, where he already had some followers. The people of Madinah made him the leader of the city. The disbelievers of Mecca did not rest and attempted to militantly squash the new faith. However, what was originally a small band of Muslims grew in number and were able to withstand the onslaught of the disbelievers. Within ten years, the Prophet himself led an army back to Mecca and conquered it in a bloodless victory. Thus, Islam became victorious in Arabia and began spreading throughout the world. Allah had sent numerous prophets throughout the centuries. However, He had determined that He should send this final messenger, Muhammad, with a final message. This final messenger would be the messenger for all of humankind from his time until the Day of Reckoning. There was to be no later revelation and no later prophet to bring any changes to this revelation. Hence, this one had to differ from the previous in some ways. First, since no one could come later to correct any rnistakes or distortions, the revelation received by the last prophet had to be preserved in its pristine purity. Second, the nature of the "sign" of the last prophet would have to be different as well. This is because this sign would have to affect not only the people who were alive during the time of the prophet but also all those who would come later. Third, this final prophet could not simply be sent for one community among humankind-each then having their own final prophet and then differing with one another. This final prophet had to be sent for all of humankind, putting an end to the succession of prophets and being suitable for the world as a whole. Fourth, the laws and teachings of this message had to be fixed in matters that need to be fixed for all of humankind until the 44 At the age of forty, Muhammad received his first revelation. Although this was at first startling to him, he then understood the mission he had from God. The polytheistic Arabs quickly rejected his message that none is to be worshipped except God. Although he was known as "the trustworthy," they belied him and soon after started a massive campaign to persecute those who believed in Muhammad. After thirteen years of preaching in Mecca, the Prophet himself was forced to leave to the city of Madinah, where he already had some followers. The people of Madinah made him the leader of the city. The disbelievers of Mecca did not rest and attempted to militantly squash the new faith. However, what was originally a small band of Muslims grew in number and were able to withstand the onslaught of the disbelievers. Within ten years, the Prophet himself led an army back to Mecca and conquered it in a bloodless victory. Thus, Islam became victorious in Arabia and began spreading throughout the world. Allah had sent numerous prophets throughout the centuries. However, He had determined that He should send this final messenger, Muhammad, with a final message. This final messenger would be the messenger for all of humankind from his time until the Day of Reckoning. There was to be no later revelation and no later prophet to bring any changes to this revelation. Hence, this one had to differ from the previous in some ways. First, since no one could come later to correct any mistakes or distortions, the revelation received by the last prophet had to be preserved in its pristine purity. Second, the nature of the "sign" of the last prophet would have to be different as well. This is because this sign would have to affect not only the people who were alive during the time of the prophet but also all those who would come later. Third, this final prophet could not simply be sent for one community among humankind-each then having their own final prophet and then differing with one another. This final prophet had to be sent for all of humankind, putting an end to the succession of prophets and being suitable for the world as a whole. Fourth, the laws and teachings of this message had to be fixed in matters that need to be fixed for all of humankind until the 44 Day of Judgment and guiding yet flexible or accommodating in those the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything" (33:40). The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) himself said, "I have been sentto all of the creation and the prophets have been sealed by me."l Again, he said, "The Children of Israel were led by the prophets; whenever a prophet died, a prophet succeeded (him). Lo! There will be no prophet after me"Z Thus, there finally came the Prophet who explicitly declared that he is the final prophet. No prophet shall come after him. The truth of his message and his own honesty are well established. If one comes to the conclusion that he is to be believed or that the Quran is true, then it is also to be believed on this point of finality as well. Furthermore, no one has the right to accept the other prophets while rejecting the Prophet Muhammad. No one has the right to say that Muhammad was truthful but, "I choose to still follow Jesus or Moses instead." Logically speaking, one should not expect this to be acceptable to Allah. Allah has sent His final messenger to be believed in and followed, superseding and canceling what is left of the teachings of earlier prophets. In the Quran, Allah describes such an attitude: "And when it is said to them, 'Believe in what Allatr has sent down,' they say, 'We believe in what was sent down to us.' And they disbelieve in that which came after it, while it is the truth confirming what is with them" (2:91). The Prophet said, "[I swear] by [God], the One in whose hand is my soul, there will be none of my addressed people, be he Jerv or Christian, who hears of me and dies without believing in that with which I was sent except that he will be from the inhabitants of the Hell-fire."3 The Prophet even told one of his companions, "If my brother Moses were alive today, he would have no option but to follow me."4 In sum, the signs pointing to the Prophet beforehand are there. The Prophet's own honesty is unquestionable. The preservation of his scripture is established. All the indicators point to his I Recorded by Muslinr. 2Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 3 Recorded by Muslim. a Recorded by Ahmad and al-Daarimi. 46 the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything" (33:40). The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) himself said, "I have been sent to all of the creation and the prophets have been sealed by me."] Again, he said, "The Children of Israel were led by the prophets; whenever a prophet died, a prophet succeeded (him). Lo! There will be no prophet after me"z Thus, there finally came the Prophet who explicitly declared that he is the final prophet. No prophet shall come after him. The truth of his message and his own honesty are well established. If one comes to the conclusion that he is to be believed or that the Quran is true, then it is also to be believed on this point of finality as well. Furthermore, no one has the right to accept the other prophets while rejecting the Prophet Muhammad. No one has the right to say that Muhammad was truthful but, "I choose to still follow Jesus or Moses instead." Logically speaking, one should not expect this to be acceptable to Allah. Allah has sent His final messenger to be believed in and followed, superseding and canceling what is left ofthe teachings of earlier prophets. In the Quran, Allah describes such an attitude: "And when it is said to them, 'Believe in what Allah has sent down,' they say, 'We believe in what was sent down to us.' And they disbelieve in that which came after it, while it is the truth confirming what is with them" (2:91). The Prophet said, "[I swear] by [God], the One in whose hand is my soul, there will be none of my addressed people, be he Jew or Christian, who hears of me and dies without believing in that with which I was sent except that he will be from the inhabitants of the Hell-fire.") The Prophet even told one of his companions, "If my brother Moses were alive today, he would have no option but to follow me.,,4 In sum, the signs pointing to the Prophet beforehand are there. The Prophet's own honesty is unquestionable. The preservation of his scripture is established. All the indicators point to his I Recorded by Muslim. 2Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 3 Recorded by Muslim. 4 Recorded by Ahmad and al-Daarimi. 46 prophethood. As a prophet, his word must be believed in. He has declared himself the last prophet and said that all of humankind must now choose to follow him. This is the choice facing every one of humankind and it is hoped that they will make the correct and logical decision. 47 prophethood. As a prophet, his word must be believed in. He has declared himself the last prophet and said that all of humankind must now choose to follow him. This is the choice facing every one of humankind and it is hoped that they will make the correct and logical decision. 47 Islam and T'Faith" The Definition of Islam The word islam comes from the verb which means, "He resigned, or submitted, himself."r So, ls/aru is the way or act of submitting and resigning oneself. Hence, a "muslim" is one who submits. As a technical term, the word Islam has at least two distinguishable usages: (l) It is a term used for the true religion of God since the time of the creation of humans; and (2) it is a term used today for the religion brought by the last prophet, Prophet Muhammad. fslam: The Religion of All of the Prophets In a religious sense, islam is used to mean, "the true submission and obedience to God alone." In this sense, then, it was the religion of all of the true prophets of God. In fact, it was the religion of all of their followers as well. In other words, every true believer from the time of Adam to the last believer on earth practices Islam and is a Muslim. Furthermore, it is the only religion that Allah ever coffrmanded humankind to follow. Islam, therefore, is the only religion that has ever been acceptable to Allah. Allah says, "Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam (submission to Him)" (3:19). Allah also says, "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers" (3:85). Throughout the Quran, Allah makes it clear that the religion and practice of all the prophets was that of Islam. For example, Allah quotes Noah as saying, after explaining the faith to the people, "But if you turn away [from accepting my doctrine to worship none but Allah], then no reward have I asked of you, my reward is only from Allah, and I have been commanded to be one of the Muslims" (10:71). Abraham was also a Muslim. Abraham is often called in the West, "the father of monotheism." Without any doubt Abraham was a pure monotheist and one who truly submitted to God (that is, a true Muslirn). However, he was in no way the originator of monotheism. ' E, W. Lane, Arabic-English Lexicon (Cambridge, England: The Islamic Texts Society, 1984), vol.l, p. 1413. 48 Islam and "Faith" The Definition of Islam The word islam comes from the verb which means, "He resigned, or submitted, himself." I So, islam is the way or act of submitting and resigning oneself. Hence, a "muslim" is one who submits. As a technical term, the word Islam has at least two distinguishable usages: (1) It is a term used for the true religion of God since the time ofthe creation of humans; and (2) it is a term used today for the religion brought by the last prophet, Prophet Muhammad. Islam: The Religion of All of the Prophets In a religious sense, islam is used to mean, "the true submission and obedience to God alone." In this sense, then, it was the religion of all of the true prophets of God. In fact, it was the religion of all of their followers as well. In other words, every true believer from the time of Adam to the last believer on earth practices Islam and is a Muslim. Furthermore, it is the only religion that Allah ever commanded humankind to follow. Islam, therefore, is the only religion that has ever been acceptable to Allah. Allah says, "Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam (submission to Him)" (3: 19). Allah also says, "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers" (3:85). Throughout the Quran, Allah makes it clear that the religion and practice of all the prophets was that of Islam. For example, Allah quotes Noah as saying, after explaining the faith to the people, "But if you tum away [from accepting my doctrine to worship none but Allah], then no reward have I asked of you, my reward is only from Allah, and I have been commanded to be one of the Muslims" (10:71). Abraham was also a Muslim. Abraham is often called in the West, "the father of monotheism." Without any doubt Abraham was a pure monotheist and one who truly submitted to God (that is, a true Muslim). However, he was in no way the originator of monotheism. I E. W. Lane, Arabic-English Lexicon (Cambridge, England: The Islamic Texts Society, 1984), vol.1, p. 1413. 48 Monotheism was the religion of Adam and was the religion of all true believers, such as Noah, between the time of Adam and Abraham. Belief in Allah alone as God and submission to Him has always been the pillar of the true religion of God. Moses was also a Muslim, receiving the revelation from Allah, submitting completely to Hirn alone and commanding his people to do the same. Moses, for example, would have never rejected the prophethood of one of his fellow prophets, Jesus, as the Jews have done. Jesus was another prophet of God who followed the religion of Islam or submitting to Allah alone. He taught this religion to his disciples. Jesus was human, like all the other prophets. and never claimed for himself any divine or semi-divine status. In fact, Allah makes it clear in the Quran that Jesus never asked anyone to worship him (see Quran 5:116-118). Thus, the brotherhood of Islam and the bond of true faith stretches all the way from Adam until the end of time, spanning all localities and peoples. The true believers love one another and support one another. It is truly a blessed and unique brotherhood. In particular, the true Muslims throughout all the ages believe in all of the prophets. They support all of them and defend their honor as well. This role of defending the honor of the prophets has truly fallen upon the shoulders of the followers of the Prophet Muhammad in particular today. The peoples of other faiths seem to have no qualms speaking badly about or even ridiculing their own prophets, not to speak of prophets that they reject. It seems as though it is only the followers of Muhammad today who are willing to stand and defend the honor of those noble prophets and believers. One would never hear a pious Muslim ever speak badly about Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Jesus or any of the prophets. Instead, the Muslim respects, honors and loves them all in the manner they deserve, Islam: The Religion of the Prophet Muhammad Before the tinre of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), one could say that there were many "Islams." That is' each people had their prophets, followed their teachings and were on the path of Islan-r. At the same time, if a new prophet in the same line of prophets came to them, they had no choice but to follow that new prophet. As was discussed earlier, the one who refuses to accept 49 Monotheism was the religion of Adam and was the religion of all true believers, such as Noah, between the time of Adam and Abraham. Belief in Allah alone as God and submission to Him has always been the pillar ofthe true religion of God. Moses was also a Muslim, receiving the revelation from Allah, submitting completely to Him alone and commanding his people to do the same. Moses, for example, would have never rejected the prophethood of one of his fellow prophets, Jesus, as the Jews have done. Jesus was another prophet of God who followed the religion of Islam or submitting to Allah alone. He taught this religion to his disciples. Jesus was human, like all the other prophets, and never claimed for himself any divine or semi-divine status. In fact, Allah makes it clear in the Quran that Jesus never asked anyone to worship him (see Quran 5:116-118). Thus, the brotherhood of Islam and the bond of true faith stretches all the way from Adam until the end of time, spanning all localities and peoples. The true believers love one another and support one another. It is truly a blessed and unique brotherhood. In particular, the true Muslims throughout all the ages believe in all of the prophets. They support all ofthem and defend their honor as well. This role of defending the honor of the prophets has truly fallen upon the shoulders of the followers of the Prophet Muhammad in particular today. The peoples of other faiths seem to have no qualms speaking badly about or even ridiculing their own prophets, not to speak of prophets that they reject. It seems as though it is only the followers of Muhammad today who are willing to stand and defend the honor of those noble prophets and believers. One would never hear a pious Muslim ever speak badly about Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Jesus or any of the prophets. Instead, the Muslim respects, honors and loves them all in the manner they deserve. Islam: The Religion of the Prophet Muhammad Before the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), one could say that there were many "Islams." That is, each people had their prophets, followed their teachings and were on the path of Islam. At the same time, if a new prophet in the same line of prophets came to them, they had no choice but to follow that new prophet. As was discussed earlier, the one who refuses to accept 49 Allah's later prophet is not truly submitting to Allah. If he is not truly submitting to Allah, then he is not a "Muslim." Therefore, after the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) there is only one acceptable manner of worshipping and submitting to God: The path of the Prophet Muhammad. That is the only path that today can truly be called "submitting oneself to the will of Allah." Anyone who knowingly rejects the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), no matter how many other prophets he believes in, is no longer submitting to God and is not a Muslirn. It is interesting to note that the only religion that has kept the name "submission to Allah" or Islam is that of the final Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The other well-known religions are all named after individuals, peoples or places. According to Microsoft Encarta, the term Judaism did not even exist in pre-modern Hebrew. It is in reference to Judah. Christianity is, of course, named after Christ as Buddhism is named after Buddha. Hinduism has to do with the place, Hindustan. But, by Allah's wisdom and mercy, the name of the only true religion of submission to Allah-the religion of all the prophets-has been preserved and kept only in reference to the mission of the final prophet who was sent for all of humanity. In sum, today, the only option left to be on the path of lslam and follow the way of all of the earlier prophets is by following the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet said regarding Moses, "If my brother Moses were alive today, he would have no option but to follow me."l The invitation is open for everyone to follow the way of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). In a beautiful statement, the Prophet explained in a parable the nature of his call to all of humankind. The Prophet explained that some angels came to him while he was sleeping. Some of the angels said, "He is sleeping [therefore leave him]." The others answered, "His eyes sleep but his heart is alert." They said, "Your companion is like this" and they propounded a similitude. They said, "His similitude is like a person who builds a house and provides a table spread filled with 50 I Recorded by Ahmad and al-Daarimi. Allah's later prophet is not truly submitting to Allah. If he is not truly submitting to Allah, then he is not a "Muslim." Therefore, after the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) there is only one acceptable manner of worshipping and submitting to God: The path of the Prophet Muhammad. That is the only path that today can truly be called "submitting oneself to the will of Allah." Anyone who knowingly rejects the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), no matter how many other prophets he believes in, is no longer submitting to God and is not a Muslim. It is interesting to note that the only religion that has kept the name "submission to Allah" or Islam is that of the final Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The other well-known religions are all named after individuals, peoples or places. According to Microsoft Encarta, the term Judaism did not even exist in pre-modern Hebrew. It is in reference to Judah. Christianity is, of course, named after Christ as Buddhism is named after Buddha. Hinduism has to do with the place, Hindustan. But, by Allah's wisdom and mercy, the name of the only true religion of submission to Allah-the religion of all the prophets-has been preserved and kept only in reference to the mission of the final prophet who was sent for all of humanity. In sum, today, the only option left to be on the path of Islam and follow the way of all of the earlier prophets is by following the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet said regarding Moses, "If my brother Moses were alive today, he would have no option but to follow me." I The invitation is open for everyone to follow the way of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). In a beautiful statement, the Prophet explained in a parable the nature of his call to all of humankind. The Prophet explained that some angels came to him while he was sleeping. Some of the angels said, "He is sleeping [therefore leave him]." The others answered, "His eyes sleep but his heart is alert." They said, "Your companion is like this" and they propounded a similitude. They said, "His similitude is like a person who builds a house and provides a table spread filled with I Recorded by Ahmad and al-Daarimi. 50 provisions and calls the other people to it. Those who respond to his call enter the house and eat from the table spread. Those who do not respond to his call do not enter the house nor do they eat frorn the table spread." Some of the angels said, "Give him its interpretation." Others replied, "He is sleeping." They were answered by others who said, "His eyes sleep but his heart is alert." So they explained the parable to him, saying, "The house is Paradise and the one inviting is Muhammad (peace be upon him). Whoever obeys Muhammad (peace be upon him) has verily obeyed Allah. Whoever disobeys Muhammad (peace be upon him) has verily disobeyed Allah. And Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a separator of humanity."' It is as simple as this: The invitation is out there and each individual will face the consequence of his decision of accepting or rej ecting the invitation. The Islamic Concept of "Faith" In addition to outward submission to Allah, one tnust also have faith in one's heart. One issue concerning faith is what one is supposed to believe in or, in other terms, the articles of faith. The Prophet once explained faith by saying, "It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day and to believe in the divine decree, [both] the good and the evil thereof." Here the Prophet mentioned the primary articles of faith. These articles are six in number as follows: (1) Belief in Allah: Belief in Allah is the cornerstone of Islamic faith. This article of faith has been explained throughout this work and needs no further elaboration here. (2) Belief in the Angels: Angels are a type of creation of Allah that is, in general, unseen by man. They have been created from light but they do have forms and bodies. They are servants of Allah and have no aspect of divinity to them whatsoever. They submit to His command completely and never stray from fulfilling His orders. The fact that there are some types of beings beyond the realm of human experience should not be shocking as even today on earth humans are still finding previously unknown species of animals. (3) Belief in the Books revealed by Allah: Belief in Allah's books refers to the revelations that Allah sent down to His messengers I Rccorded by al-Bukhari, 51 provisions and calls the other people to it. Those who respond to his call enter the house and eat from the table spread. Those who do not respond to his call do not enter the house nor do they eat from the table spread." Some of the angels said, "Give him its interpretation." Others replied, "He is sleeping." They were answered by others who said, "His eyes sleep but his heart is alert." So they explained the parable to him, saying, "The house is Paradise and the one inviting is Muhammad (peace be upon him). Whoever obeys Muhammad (peace be upon him) has verily obeyed Allah. Whoever disobeys Muhammad (peace be upon him) has verily disobeyed Allah. And Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a separator of humanity." I It is as simple as this: The invitation is out there and each individual will face the consequence of his decision of accepting or rejecting the invitation. The Islamic Concept of "Faith" In addition to outward submission to Allah, one must also have faith in one's heart. One issue concerning faith is what one is supposed to believe in or, in other terms, the articles of faith. The Prophet once explained faith by saying, "It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day and to believe in the divine decree, [both] the good and the evil thereof." Here the Prophet mentioned the primary articles of faith. These articles are six in number as follows: (1) Belief in Allah: Belief in Allah is the cornerstone of Islamic faith. This article of faith has been explained throughout this work and needs no further elaboration here. (2) Belief in the Angels: Angels are a type of creation of Allah that is, in general, unseen by man. They have been created from light but they do have forms and bodies. They are servants of Allah and have no aspect of divinity to them whatsoever. They submit to His command completely and never stray from fulfilling His orders. The fact that there are some types of beings beyond the realm of human experience should not be shocking as even today on earth humans are still finding previously unknown species of animals. (3) Belief in the Books revealed by Allah: Belief in Allah's books refers to the revelations that Allah sent down to His messengers I Recorded by al-Bukhari. 51 as a mercy and guidance to lead mankind to success in this life and happiness in the Hereafter. The Quran refers to a number of such books: the scrolls of Abraham, the Torah of Moses, the Psalms of David and the Gospel of Jesus. (It must be recalled that the original revelations that these prophets received are not the same as the books that go under such names today. They were not preserved properly.) Belief in the books also includes belief in the Quran as the final revelation. It is very important to realize that it is considered the height of arrogance and a form of disbelief for an individual to declare for himself the right to believe in portions of what Allah revealed and reject other portions of it. Thus, Allah says, "Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest? Then what is the recompense of those who do so among you, except disgrace in the life of this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they shall be consigned to the most grievous torment. And Allah is not unaware of what you do" (2:85). (4) Belief in the Messengers: This concept has also been discussed in detail earlier and needs no further elaboration. (5) Belief in the Last Day and the Resurrection: "The Last Day" is called such because there will be no new day after it, as the people of Paradise shall be in their abode as will the people of Hell. Its other names include "The Day of Resurrection," and "The Day of Judgment," This is the greatest day that humankind shall pass through. Indeed, it will be the gravest and most fearful day. A person's new life will be decided on that day. It will mark a new beginning for each soul. This new step may lead to eternal bliss or eternal damnation. Belief in the Last Day implies belief in everything that the Quran or the Prophet (peace be upon him) has stated about the events of that Day and thereafter. There are some general aspects (resurrection, judgment and reward, Paradise and Hell) as well as more detailed aspects that the Quran or the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon hinr) mentioned. The more one has knowledge of that Day and its surrounding events, the greater the affect this belief will have on him. Hence, the Quran and Sunnah provide great detail as to the events of that Day and time. 52 as a mercy and guidance to lead mankind to success in this life and happiness in the Hereafter. The Quran refers to a number of such books: the scrolls of Abraham, the Torah of Moses, the Psalms of David and the Gospel of Jesus. (It must be recalled that the original revelations that these prophets received are not the same as the books that go under such names today. They were not preserved properly.) Belief in the books also includes belief in the Quran as the final revelation. It is very important to realize that it is considered the height of arrogance and a form of disbelief for an individual to declare for himself the right to believe in portions of what Allah revealed and reject other portions of it. Thus, Allah says, "Then do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the rest? Then what is the recompense of those who do so among you, except disgrace in the life of this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they shall be consigned to the most grievous torment. And Allah is not unaware of what you do" (2:85). (4) Belief in the Messengers: This concept has also been discussed in detail earlier and needs no further elaboration. (5) Belief in the Last Day and the Resurrection: "The Last Day" is called such because there will be no new day after it, as the people of Paradise shall be in their abode as will the people of Hell. Its other names include "The Day of Resurrection," and "The Day of Judgment." This is the greatest day that humankind shall pass through. Indeed, it will be the gravest and most fearful day. A person's new life will be decided on that day. It will mark a new beginning for each soul. This new step may lead to eternal bliss or eternal damnation. Belief in the Last Day implies belief in everything that the Quran or the Prophet (peace be upon him) has stated about the events of that Day and thereafter. There are some general aspects (resurrection, judgment and reward, Paradise and Hell) as well as more detailed aspects that the Quran or the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) mentioned. The more one has knowledge of that Day and its surrounding events, the greater the affect this belief will have on him. Hence, the Quran and Sunnah provide great detail as to the events ofthat Day and time. 52 It is important to realize that no one can say for certain who will be in Paradise or Hell.' Nobody knows what will happen to any individual. A righteous person today may change and become impious tomorrow, leading himself to Hell. The greatest enemy of Islam and disbeliever may repent in the future and become the most pious of people, leading himself to Heaven. In fact, there are some who may never hear about Islam or have only been offered a very distorted picture of Islam. Only God knows what will happen to such people in the Hereafter. However, some things are certain: God alone will be the judge on the Day of Judgment, God will never wrong any soul even the slightest amount and if a person is a true Muslim and believer, Allah will be pleased with him. (6) Belief in the Divine Decree (al-Qadar): This refers to belief in the fact that nothing can occur in this creation except by the will and permission of Allah. There is no power that can go against His witl. He has control over all things. This does not mean, though, that Islam is fatalistic. Humans have been given a type of free will. However, Allah, with His perfect knowledge, has foreknowledge of what humans will do. He has knowledge of what they will do and He wills it and decrees it but He does not cause them to make their life choices. The above are the six articles of faith in the Muslim religion. There is an important second issue related to "faith": What does o'faith" really mean for a person and what are its implications? First, faith, meaning true and definitive belief in something, should lead to a corresponding submission to what one believes in. Otherwise, it is simply an acceptance of a fact but it is not the Islamic concept of "faith" A person's beliefs are the most important aspect of his being. They are, in general, the driving forces behind his way of life and personal choices. The true and effective beliefs never remain at an abstract level but their influence is manifested on a day-to-day practical level. In other words, there is no true "faith" without that having a strong influence upon a person's acts. A person cannot claim, "I have belief in my heart," yet, at the same time, that person never actually does deeds colTesponding to what he claims to believe I Unless, of course, such has been explicitly stated in the Quran or the Sunnah53 It is important to realize that no one can say for certain who will be in Paradise or Hell. I Nobody knows what will happen to any individual. A righteous person today may change and become impious tomorrow, leading himself to Hell. The greatest enemy of Islam and disbeliever may repent in the future and become the most pious of people, leading himself to Heaven. In fact, there are some who may never hear about Islam or have only been offered a very distorted picture of Islam. Only God knows what will happen to such people in the Hereafter. However, some things are certain: God alone will be the judge on the Day of Judgment, God will never wrong any soul even the slightest amount and if a person is a true Muslim and believer, Allah will be pleased with him. (6) Belief in the Divine Decree (al-Qadar): This refers to belief in the fact that nothing can occur in this creation except by the will and permission of Allah. There is no power that can go against His will. He has control over all things. This does not mean, though, that Islam is fatalistic. Humans have been given a type of free will. However, Allah, with His perfect knowledge, has foreknowledge of what humans will do. He has knowledge of what they will do and He wills it and decrees it but He does not cause them to make their life choices. The above are the six articles of faith in the Muslim religion. There is an important second issue related to "faith": What does "faith" really mean for a person and what are its implications? First, faith, meaning true and definitive beliefin something, should lead to a corresponding submission to what one believes in. Otherwise, it is simply an acceptance of a fact but it is not the Islamic concept of "faith" A person's beliefs are the most important aspect of his being. They are, in general, the driving forces behind his way of life and personal choices. The true and effective beliefs never remain at an abstract level but their influence is manifested on a day-to-day practical level. In other words, there is no true "faith" without that having a strong influence upon a person's acts. A person cannot claim, "I have belief in my heart," yet, at the same time, that person never actually does deeds corresponding to what he claims to believe 1 Unless, of course, such has been explicitly stated in the Quran or the Sunnah. 53 in. This person's actions are belying his claim of "faith in the heart." Thus, from an Islamic perspective, true faith in the heart demands that the individual submits to God in his actions. 54 in. This person's actions are belying his claim of "faith in the heart." Thus, from an Islamic perspective, true faith in the heart demands that the individual submits to God in his actions. 54 The Ritual Acts of Worship in Islam The Scope of Worship The Islamic term for worship implies "servitude" to the Lord. To worship God is actually the only goal for which all of humankind has been created. Indeed, the noblest and greatest that anyone could ever be is being a true servant and worshipper of God. Al-Miqreezee notes that the proper form of worship entails four aspects: "Worship" is not restricted to the ritual acts of worship or acts that one may consider "religious" or "spiritual." The goal is to become as complete a servant of Allah as one can. The correct concept of servitude is very comprehensive. "Worship" or ibaadah is a concept comprising every word or deed, internal or manifest, that Allah loves and approves. Hence, worship permeates every part of a person. It touches upon his internal characteristics as well as his outward actions. In sum, worship is inclusive of: (a) One's relationship with the Lord; (b) One's relationship with his own soul and its rights upon him; (c) One's relationship with society as a whole; (d) One's relationship with one's relatives, spouse, children and others who have special rights upon a person; (e) One's relationship with the animals that Allah has placed in this creation; (f) One's relationship with the environment and all the resources that Allah has created which are supposed to be used in a responsible and ethical manner. Allah, though, did not leave humans clueless as to how they are going to be able to grow, persevere and continue in these acts of worship. Instead, Allah ordained for humans specific ritual acts of worship. These deeds are acts of worship in and of themselves but they are also acts that aid the individual in continuing along the path of worshipping Allah alone. The most important of these acts are what is known as the "five pillars of Islam." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated, "Islam is built upon five fpillars]: testifying that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the prayers, giving the zakat, making the pilgrimage to the House and fasting the month of Ramadhaau."l I Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. f,f, The Ritual Acts of Worship in Islam The Scope of Worship The Islamic term for worship implies "servitude" to the Lord. To worship God is actually the only goal for which all of humankind has been created. Indeed, the noblest and greatest that anyone could ever be is being a true servant and worshipper of God. AI-Miqreezee notes that the proper form of worship entails four aspects: "Worship" is not restricted to the ritual acts of worship or acts that one may consider "religious" or "spiritual." The goal is to become as complete a servant of Allah as one can. The correct concept ofservitude is very comprehensive. "Worship" or ibaadah is a concept comprising every word or deed, internal or manifest, that Allah loves and approves. Hence, worship permeates every part of a person. It touches upon his internal characteristics as well as his outward actions. In sum, worship is inclusive of: (a) One's relationship with the Lord; (b) One's relationship with his own soul and its rights upon him; (c) One's relationship with society as a whole; (d) One's relationship with one's relatives, spouse, children and others who have special rights upon a person; (e) One's relationship with the animals that Allah has placed in this creation; (f) One's relationship with the environment and all the resources that Allah has created which are supposed to be used in a responsible and ethical manner. Allah, though, did not leave humans clueless as to how they are going to be able to grow, persevere and continue in these acts of worship. Instead, Allah ordained for humans specific ritual acts of worship. These deeds are acts of worship in and of themselves but they are also acts that aid the individual in continuing along the path of worshipping Allah alone. The most important ofthese acts are what is known as the "five pillars of Islam." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated, "Islam is built upon five [pillars]: testifying that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the prayers, giving the zakat, making the pilgrimage to the House and fasting the month ofRamadhaan.'" I Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 55 The first pillar is the proclamation of faith. This first pillar demonstrates that submission is not something that one claims is in the heart with no public affirmation. The submission to God is not meant to be a private submission. It is a public submission, as it is the driving force behind the outward deeds one performs. Thus, with full conviction, belief, sincerity and honesty one proclaims: There is none worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. In reality, without this pillar, the remaining acts will become meaningless. The other acts must be built upon having faith. One cannot do an act to please God properly without first having belief in God and in His Messenger. This faith then drives coresponding acts. The first act that this faith should lead one to is the proclamation and declaration of that faith, Hence, it is the starting point for all of the other foundations. The other four pillars are discussed below: The Prayers The second pillar is "to establish the prayers." This pillar does not simply mean to pray whenever or however one wills to pray. There are formal, ritualistic prayers that every Muslim.
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