What is Islaam
Islam
(or Islaam) is the name of the religion, or more properly the ‘way of
life’, which God (Allaah) has revealed and which was practiced by all of
the Prophets and Messengers of Allaah that He sent to mankind. Even the
name stands out unique among other religions in that it means a state
of being; it does not refer to any particular person, such as
Christianity, Buddhism or Zoroastrianism; a tribe like Judaism; or a
nation like Hinduism. The root Arabic word from which Islam is derived
implies peace, safety, salutation, protection, blamelessness,
wholesomeness, submission, acceptance, surrender, and salvation. Islam
specifically means being in the state of submission to Allaah,
worshipping Him Alone, and reverently accepting and obeying His Law.
Through this submission, the peace, security, and wholesome well-being
implied in its literal meaning is achieved. Hence, a Muslim or Muslimah
is a person (male or female) in that state of submission. A person’s
Islam weakens through sins, ignorance, and wrong-doing, and becomes
nullified in totality by associating partners with Allaah or
disbelieving in Him.
2. What are Muslims?
The
Arabic word “Muslim” literally means “someone who is in a state of
Islaam (submission to the will and law of Allaah)”. The message of
Islaam is meant for the entire world, and anyone who accepts this
message becomes a Muslim. Some people mistakenly believe that Islaam is
just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth.
In actuality, over 80% of the world's Muslims are not Arabs! Even though
most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and
atheists. If one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in
the Muslim World - from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia -
it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races,
ethnic groups, cultures and nationalities. Islaam has always been a
universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that some
of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only Arabs,
but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans. Being a Muslim entails
complete acceptance and active obedience to the revealed teachings and
laws of Allaah the Exalted. A Muslim is a person who freely accepts
basing his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty God. In the
past, even though you do not see it as much today, the word
“Mohammedans” was often used as a label for Muslims. This label is a
misnomer, and is the result of either willful distortion or sheer
ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans
were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet Muhammad
in the same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is absolutely not
true, since one is not considered a Muslim if he worships anyone or
anything besides Allaah the Exalted.
3. Who is Allaah?
Often
one hears the Arabic word “Allaah” being used in discussions regarding
Islaam. The word “Allaah” is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God,
and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians and Jews. As a
matter of fact, the word Allaah was in use far before the word God ever
came into existence, since English is a relatively new language. If one
were to pick up an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the
word “Allaah” being use where the word “God” is used in English. For
instance, Arabic speaking Christians say that Jesus is, according to
their canon belief, the Son of Allaah. In addition, the Arabic word for
Almighty God, “Allaah”, is quite similar to the word for God in other
Semitic languages. For example, the Hebrew word for God is “Elah”. For
various reasons, some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims
worship a different God than the God of Moses and Abraham and Jesus.
This is certainly not the case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islaam
calls all people to the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses,
Jesus and all the other prophets, peace be upon them.
4. Who is Muhammad?
The
last and final prophet whom God sent to humanity was the Prophet
Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him. At the age
of forty, he received the revelation from Allaah. He then spent the
remaining portion of his life explaining, and living the teachings of
Islaam, the religion that Allaah revealed to him. The Prophet Muhammad,
may the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him, is the greatest of
all prophets for many reasons, but primarily because he was chosen by
Allaah to be the last prophet - whose mission to guide humanity would
continue until the Last Day - and because he has been sent as a mercy to
all of mankind. The result of his mission has brought more people into
the pure belief in One God than any other prophet. Since the beginning
of time, Allaah sent prophets to the earth, each one to his own specific
nation. The Prophet Muhammad, however, was sent as the final Messenger
to all of humanity.
Even
though other religious communities have claimed to believe in One God,
over time, some corrupted ideas entered into their beliefs and practices
leading them away from the pure sincere monotheism of the prophets.
Some took their prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God.
Some even believed that their prophets were the manifestations of God,
or “God Incarnate” or the “Son of God”. All of these misconceptions lead
to the worship of created beings instead of the Creator, and
contributed to the idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God
may be approached through intermediaries. In order to guard against
these falsehoods, the Prophet Muhammad, may the Peace and Blessings of
Allaah be upon him, always emphasized that he was only a human-being
with the mission of preaching and obeying Allaah's message. He taught
Muslims to refer to him as “the Messenger of God and His Slave”. Through
his life and teachings, Allaah made Muhammad, may the Peace and
Blessings of Allaah be upon him, the perfect example for all people - he
was the exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher,
neighbor, husband, father and friend. Unlike other prophets and
messengers, the Prophet Muhammad, may the Peace and Blessings of Allaah
be upon him, lived in the full light of history, and all his sayings and
acts were meticulously recorded and collected. Muslims don't need to
have mere ‘faith’ that he existed, or that his teachings are preserved -
they know it to be a fact. Allaah took it upon Himself to protect the
message revealed to Muhammad from distortion or from being forgotten or
lost. This was necessary because Allaah promised that Muhammad, may the
Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him, was to be the final Messenger
to mankind. All of Allaah's Messengers preached the message of Islaam -
i.e. submission to the law of God and the worship of God alone – but
Muhammad, may the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him, is the last
prophet of Islaam who brought the final and complete message which was
never to be changed until the Last Day.
5. What are the Teachings of Islaam?
The
foundation of the Islaamic faith is belief in absolute Monotheism (the
Oneness of God). This means to believe that there is only one Creator
and Sustainer of everything in the Universe, and that nothing is divine
or worthy of being worshipped except for Him. Truly, believing in the
Oneness of God means much more than simply believing that there is “One
God” - as opposed to two, three or four. There are a number of religions
that claim belief in “One God” and believe that ultimately there is
only one Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, but true monotheism is
to believe that only the One True Deity is to be worshipped in
accordance to the revelation He sent to His Messenger. Islaam also
rejects the use of all intermediaries between God and Man, and insists
that people approach God directly and reserve all worship for Him alone.
Muslims believe that Almighty God is Compassionate, Loving and
Merciful.
A
common misconception is the claim that God cannot forgive His creatures
directly. By over-emphasizing the burden and penalty of sin, as well as
claiming that God cannot forgive humans directly, people often despair
of the Mercy of God. Once they become convinced that they cannot
approach God directly, they turn to false gods for help, such as heroes,
political leaders, saviors, saints, and angels. We often find that the
people who worship, pray to, or seek intercession from these false
deities, do not consider them to be a ‘god’. They claim belief in One
Supreme God, but claim that they pray to and worship others beside God
only to get closer to Him. In Islaam, there is a clear distinction
between the Creator and the created. There is no ambiguity or mystery in
issues of divinity: anything that is created does not deserve to be
worshipped; only Allaah, the Creator, is worthy of being worshipped.
Some religions falsely believe that God has become part of His creation,
and this has led people to believe that they can worship something
created in order to reach their Creator.
Muslims
believe that even though God is Unique and Exalted beyond speculative
comprehension, He definitely has no partners, associates, peers,
antagonists or offspring. According to Muslim belief, Allaah “neither
begets, nor was He begotten” - neither literally, allegorically,
metaphorically, physically or metaphysically. He is Absolutely Unique
and Eternal. He is in control of everything and is perfectly capable of
bestowing His infinite Mercy and Forgiveness to whomever He chooses.
That is why Allaah is also called the All-Powerful and Most-Merciful.
Allaah has created the Universe for man, and as such wants the best for
all human beings. Muslims see everything in the Universe as a sign of
the Creatorship and Benevolence of Almighty God. Also, the belief in the
Oneness of Allaah is not merely a metaphysical concept. It is a dynamic
belief that affects ones view of humanity, society and all aspects of
practical life. As a logical corollary to the Islaamic belief in the
Oneness of Allaah, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity.
6. What is the Qur'aan?
The
Qur'aan is the final revelation of Allaah to all of mankind, which was
spoken by Allaah the Exalted Himself and conveyed through the Arch-Angel
Gabriel in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad, in sound, word and meaning.
The Qur'aan, (sometimes incorrectly spelled Koran), was then relayed to
the Prophet's companions, and they diligently memorized it verbatim and
meticulously complied it into written form. The Holy Qur'aan has been
continually recited by the companions of the Prophet and their
successors until the present day. In short, the Qur'aan is the revealed
book of Divine scripture from Allaah to all humanity for their guidance
and salvation.
Today
the Qur'aan is still memorized and taught by millions of people. The
language of the Qur'aan, Arabic, is still a living language to millions
of people. Unlike the scriptures of some other religions, the Qur'aan is
still read in its original language by countless millions of people.
The Qur'aan is a living miracle in the Arabic language, and it is known
to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact, as well as the
unique knowledge that it contains. The Qur'aan was revealed in a series
of revelations to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. In
contrast to many other religious books, the Qur'aan was always believed
to be the exact Word of Allaah. The Qur'aan was recited publicly in
front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of
the Prophet Muhammad, and thereafter. The entire Qur'aan was also
completely written down in the lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous
companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Qur'aan word-for-word as
it was revealed. The Qur'aan was always in the hands of the common
believers: it was always thought to be God's word; and, due to
wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved. Never was any part
of it altered or decreed by any religious council. The teachings of the
Qur'aan comprise a universal scripture addressed to all of mankind and
not to any particular tribe or ‘chosen people’. The message that it
brings is nothing new but the same message of all of the prophets:
'submit to Allaah the One God and worship Him alone and follow Allaah's
Messengers for success in this life and salvation in the hereafter'. As
such, Allaah's revelation in the Qur'aan focuses on teaching human
beings the importance of believing in the Oneness of Allaah, and framing
their lives around the guidance which He has sent, which is articulated
in the Islamic Law. The Qur'aan contains the stories of the previous
prophets, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, peace be upon all of
them, as well as commands and prohibitions from God. In our modern
times, in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair
and social and political alienation, the Qur'aanic teachings offer
solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping
the world today.
7. How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the Life Hereafter?
In
the Holy Qur'aan, Allaah teaches human beings that they were created in
order to glorify and worship Him, and that the basis of all true
worship is God-consciousness. All of Allaah's creatures worship him
naturally and only the humans have the free will to worship Allaah their
Creator or to reject Him. This is a great test, but also a great honor.
Since the teachings of Islaam encompass all aspects of life and ethics,
God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islaam makes it
clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God
alone and in accordance to His Divine Scripture and Law. As such,
worship in Islaam is not limited to religious rituals, and for this
reason it is more properly known as ‘way of life’ than a religion. The
teachings of Islaam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and
qualities such as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are
strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islaam condemns pride and
self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human
righteousness.
The
Islaamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced
in that human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are
seen as equally capable of both good and evil; it is their choice.
Islaam teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given
people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is their deeds and
actions. However, since human beings have also been created innately
weak and regularly fall into sin, they are in need of continually
seeking guidance and repentance, which is, in itself , also a form of
worship loved by Allaah. The nature of the human being as created by God
in His Majesty and Wisdom, is not inherently ‘corrupt’ or in need of
repair. The avenue of repentance is always open to all. Almighty God
knew that humans were going to make mistakes, so the real test is
whether they seek repentance for their sins and try to avoid them, or if
they prefer a life of heedlessness and sin, knowing well that it is not
pleasing to God. The true balance of an Islaamic life is established by
having a healthy fear of Allaah's rightful punishment for crimes and
sins, as well as a sincere belief that Allaah, in His infinite Mercy,
takes pleasure in bestowing His reward for our good deeds and sincere
worship to Him. A life without fear of Allaah leads to sin and
disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that God will
not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In the light of this
fact, Islaam teaches that only the misguided despair of the Mercy of
their Lord, and only wicked criminals are devoid of the fear of Allaah
their Creator and Judge. The Holy Qur'aan as revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad, peace be upon him, also contains a great deal of teachings
about life in the hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Muslims believe
that all human beings will ultimately be judged by Allaah, the Absolute
Sovereign King and Judge, for their beliefs and actions in their earthly
lives. In judging human beings, Allaah the Exalted will be both
Absolutely Just, by only punishing the truly guilty and rebellious
unrepentant criminals, and Absolutely Merciful for those people who He,
in His wisdom, judges worthy of mercy. None will be judged for that
which was beyond their capacity, or for that which they did not actually
do. It is sufficient to say that Islaam teaches that life is a test
designed by Allaah, the Creator, Almighty and Most Wise; and that all
human beings will be accountable before Allaah for what they did with
their lives. A sincere belief in the life of the hereafter is the key to
leading a well-balanced and moral life. Otherwise, life is viewed as an
end in itself, which causes people to become more selfish,
materialistic and immoral by their blind pursuit of pleasure even at the
expense of reason and ethics.
