Seven Common Questions about Islam (part 2 of 2)

 

 

5.      What are the Teachings of Islam? The foundation of the Islamic 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.  Islam 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 Islam, 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 Allah, 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, Allah “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 Allah is also called the All-Powerful and Most-Merciful.  Allah 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 Allah 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 Islamic belief in the Oneness of Allah, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity. 6.      What is the Quran? The Quran is the final revelation of Allah to all of mankind, which was spoken by Allah the Exalted Himself and conveyed through the Arch-Angel Gabriel in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad, in sound, word and meaning.  The Quran, (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 Quran has been continually recited by the companions of the Prophet and their successors until the present day.  In short, the Quran is the revealed book of Divine scripture from Allah to all humanity for their guidance and salvation. Today the Quran is still memorized and taught by millions of people.  The language of the Quran, Arabic, is still a living language to millions of people.  Unlike the scriptures of some other religions, the Quran is still read in its original language by countless millions of people.  The Quran 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 Quran 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 Quran was always believed to be the exact Word of Allah.  The Quran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and thereafter.  The entire Quran was also completely written down in the lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Quran word-for-word as it was revealed.  The Quran 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 Quran 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 Allah the One God and worship Him alone and follow Allah’s Messengers for success in this life and salvation in the hereafter’.  As such, Allah’s revelation in the Quran focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Oneness of Allah, and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent, which is articulated in the Islamic Law.  The Quran 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 Quranic 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 Quran, Allah 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 Allah’s creatures worship him naturally and only the humans have the free will to worship Allah their Creator or to reject Him.  This is a great test, but also a great honor.  Since the teachings of Islam encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs.  Islam 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 Islam 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 Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and qualities such as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged.  Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islamic 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.  Islam 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 Allah.  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 Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of Allah’s rightful punishment for crimes and sins, as well as a sincere belief that Allah, in His infinite Mercy, takes pleasure in bestowing His reward for our good deeds and sincere worship to Him.  A life without fear of Allah 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, Islam teaches that only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord, and only wicked criminals are devoid of the fear of Allah their Creator and Judge.  The Holy Quran 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 Allah, the Absolute Sovereign King and Judge, for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives.  In judging human beings, Allah 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 Islam teaches that life is a test designed by Allah, the Creator, Almighty and Most Wise; and that all human beings will be accountable before Allah 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.

A Brief Introduction to Islam (part 2 of 2)

 

The Quran The Arabic world “Al-Quran” literally means “the recitation”.  When used in regards to Islam, the word Quran means God’s final message to mankind, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.  The Quran, sometimes spelled Koran, is the literal the word of God – as it clearly says time and time again.  Unlike other sacred scriptures, the Quran has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning in a living language.  The Quran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact.  God’s final revelation to mankind, the Quran, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Quran, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn’t something decreed by a religious council many years after being written.  Also, the Quran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad.  The entire Quran was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Quran word-for-word as it was revealed.  So, unlike other scriptures, the Quran 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. In regards to the teachings of the Quran – it is a universal scripture addressed to all of mankind, and not addressed only to a particular tribe or “chosen people”.  The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets – submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone.  As such, God’s revelation in the Quran focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Oneness of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent.  Additionally, the Quran contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from God.  In modern times where so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and “political correctness”, the Quranic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today.  In short, the Quran is the book of guidance par excellence. The Prophet Muhammad Unlike the founders of many religious, the final prophet of Islam is a real documented and historical figure.  He lived in the full light of history, and the most minute details of his life are known.  Not only do Muslims have the complete text of God’s words that were revealed to Muhammad, but they have also preserved his sayings and teachings in what is called “hadeeth” literature.  This having been said, it should be understood that Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad was only a man chosen by God, and that he is not divine in any way.  In order to avoid the misguided wish to deify him, the Prophet Muhammad taught Muslims to refer to him as “God’s Messenger and His Slave”.  The mission of the last and final prophet of God was to simply teach that “there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God”, as well as being a living example of God’s revelation.  In simple terms, God sent the revelation to Muhammad, who in turn taught it, preached it, lived it and put it into practice. In this way, Muhammad was more than just a “prophet” in the sense of many of the Biblical prophets, since he was also a statesman and ruler.  He was a man who lived a humble life in the service of God, and established an all-encompassing religion and way of life by showing what it means to be an ideal friend, husband, teacher, ruler, warrior and judge.  For this reason, Muslims follow him not for his own sake, but in obedience to God, because Muhammad not only showed us how to deal with our fellow human beings, but more importantly, showed us how to relate to and worship God; worship Him in the only way pleasing to Him. Like other prophets, Muhammad faced a great deal of opposition and persecution during his mission.  However, he was always patient and just, and he treated his enemies well.  The results of his mission were very successful, and even though his mission started in one of the most backward and remotes places on earth, within a hundred years of the death of Muhammad, Islam had spread from Spain to China.  The Prophet Muhammad was the greatest of all of God’s prophets, not because he had new doctrines or greater miracles, but because it was him who was chosen to bear the last revelation which would come to humanity from God, one suitable for all places, times, and people, everlasting and unchanging until the Last Day. The Islamic Way of Life In the Holy Quran, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness.  Since the teachings of Islam encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs.  Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law.  As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals. The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged.  Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced.  Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand.  God has given people free-will, and the measure of one’s faith is one’s deeds and actions.  However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin.  This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently “corrupt” or in need of repair.  This is why the avenue of repentance is always open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy.  A life without fear of God 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 light of this, Islam teaches that only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Quran, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about the life in the hereafter and the Day of Judgment.  Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives.  In judging human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of. Sufficient is it to say that Islam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God.  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 human beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral. Islam for a Better Life Islam teaches that true happiness can only be obtained by living a life full of God-consciousness and being satisfied with what God has given us.  Additionally, true “freedom” is freedom from being controlled by our base human desires and being ruled by man-made ideologies.  This stands in stark contrast to the view of many people in the modern world, who consider “freedom” to be the ability to satisfy all of their desires without inhibition.  The clear and comprehensive guidance of Islam gives human-beings a well-defined purpose and direction in life.  In addition to being members of the human-brotherhood of Islam, its well-balanced and practical teachings are a source of spiritual comfort, guidance and morality.  A direct and clear relationship with Almighty God, as well as the sense of purpose and belonging that ones feels as a Muslim, frees a person from the many worries of everyday life. In short, the Islamic way of life is pure and wholesome.  It builds self-discipline and self-control through regular prayer and fasting, and frees human-beings from superstition and all sorts of racial, ethnic and national prejudices.  By accepting to live a God-conscious life, and realizing that the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of God is their consciousness of Him, a person’s true human dignity is realized.