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ISLAM IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT RELIGION
"In the name Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate"
The existence of man and of the entire universe is not a mere accident or the product of a chance. This universe, and every thing that is in it, manifests and points to the realization of an All-Powerful Creator. Therefore, it is man's duty to know his master Creator, Allah.
This means that there must be a Creator (God) behind our existence. Indeed, Allah (The Only True God) has told us about Him-self through the divine guidance He sent to human beings. Humanity has received this divine guidance through messengers who chosen by Allah to convey His message to human beings and to be living examples for their people. These messengers were sent to man to tell him who his Creator is, what the purpose of his existence is and what will happen to him after death, etc. They all brought the same message, Monotheism: the worship of Allah alone. However, they differed only in the canonical teachings (Law) that were presented to their peoples.
This message was preached by all Prophets of Allah. However, earlier messeges werw lost or distorted by later generations. As a result, the pure message was polluted with myths, superstitions, idolatry and irrational philosophical ideologies. But Allah, the Compassionate, didn't leave man to go astray. Indeed, He sent prophets to re-instate the original message and call man back to the right path. The last of those Prophets was Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him who presented Allah's guidance and final form: Islam, for all time and for all peoples.
Islam is an Arabic word that denotes submission and obedience. As a religion, Islam stands for complete submission and obedience to Allah. The other literal meaning of the word Islam is "peace", and this signifies that one can only achieve real peace of mind and heart and peace in society at large through submission and obedience to Allah.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAMWorship in Islam is an all inclusive term for all that Allah loves, private and public, sayings and actions, in accordance with His teachings. Islam considers every virtuous action which is performed with a view to carrying out the commandments of Allah and in order to seek His pleasure as an act of worship for which man will be rewarded. The specific acts of worship, termed the Five Pillars of Islam, stand as the framework of the spiritual life on which the structure of Islam rests. They include the following:
1. The Declaration of Monotheism.
Monotheism is the corner-stone of Islam. A man joins the fold of Islam by believing and declaring the profession of Monotheism: There is no god (worship) but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger. It is acceptance or denial of this belief that differentiates a Muslim from a non-Muslim.
2. Prayers.
Daily prayers are offered five times a day as a duty towards Allah. Prayers are performed at the following times: dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and nightfall. A Muslim may pray almost anywhere though Muslim males are enjoined to pray in congregation in a mosque. Prayer is symbolic of equality, for the poor and the rich, the ruler and the ruled, the black and the white. All stand together united in a row, shoulder to shoulder and prostrate themselves before Allah. Prayer strengthens the belief in Allah and elevates man to a higher morality. It also helps to purify the heart and prevent temptation towards wrong-doing and evil.
3. Zakah (alms/Charity).
Every Muslim whose net annual savings are above a certain specified minimum must pay an annual amount of 2,5% of his savings to the poor and needy. Zakah purifies one's accrued wealth. It fosters in the Muslim the quality of sacrifice, and rids him of selfishness and greed. Zakah, also helps reduce resentment and envy between poor and rich members of the society.
4. Fasting During the Month of Ramadhan.
Fasting is observed by Muslim once every year during the month of Ramadhan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar. Fasting teaches sincerity and implants devotion. Fasting means abstention form food, drink and sexual acts from dawn to sunset. It develops in the fasting person a sound social conscience, patience, self-restraint, will-power and an awareness of how the needy members of the society lead their lives. It has been medically proved that fasting also helps maintain good health.
5. Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah).
Hajj is an act of worship which is to be performed at least once in a lifetime, if one can afford it both financially and physically. During this time, Muslims meet from all corner of the world in an international congregation responding to the call of Allah. It creates and refresher the faith that all Muslims are equal, irrespective of their geographical, cultural or racial origins.
THE SIX PILLARS OF FAITH IN ISLAMThe Muslim believes in the following articles of faith:
1. He believes in the Oneness of God Allah. Supreme and Eternal, Merciful and Compassionate, Creator and Provider of everything.
2. He believes in all messengers of Allah with no discrimination between them. Every nation has had a messenger (or more) sent by Allah to convey His message, and to exemplify it for Mankind. The Qur'an mentions the names of twenty five of them and indicates that there have been many others. Those twenty five include Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, John, Jesus and finally, Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all. Every messenger was sent to a specific nation but Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent for all Mankind. This special status of Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) as the seal and last of all the messengers puts the Muslim in the position whereby honouring Muhammad implies honouring all those messengers who came before him. Evidences or proofs that Prophet Muhammad is an apostle of Allah are more than a thousand, are mentioned in his biography. The greatest is the Qur'an (the word of Allah), which couldn't have been conveyed but by a messenger. The Biblical version even in their present forms clearly mention the advent of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). See Deut 18: 18, 18: 15, 33: 2-3, Isaiah 29: 12, Songs of Solomon 5: 16, John 16: 12-14 and John 14: 15-16.
3. A Muslim believes in all the scriptures of Allah, but in their original form. These scriptures form the enlightenment which the messengers received to show their respective peoples the right path of Allah. In the Qur'an, a special reference is made to the books of Abraham (suhuf), to the Torah (Law) of Moses, the Zabur (psalms) of David an the Injeel (Gospel) of Jesus. But long before the birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), those revealed books were either lost or corrupted. Allah revealed the Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the final revelation and guidance for all mankind for all times.
4. The Muslim believe in the existence of angles as part of the unseen world. Angels are purely spiritual and splendid beings whose nature requires no food, drink or sleep. They carry out specific duties as signed to them by Allah.
5. A Muslim believes in the Day of Judgement. The Qur'an teaches that life is but a test for man to see whether or not he will follow the commands of Allah. Accordingly, one should prepare himself with good deeds for the eternal life after death. People will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement to stand before Allah for a just reckoning of their worldly deeds and actions. People with good records will be generously rewarded and warmly welcomed to the Heavens of Allah, and those with bad records will be punished and cast into hell. Through belief in Allah and in the Day of Judgement, Islam firmly implants in man's heart a consciousness of Allah's presence impelling man and society at large to obey Him sincerely without any external human pressure.
6. A Muslim believes that whatever happens in this world is ordered and predestinated by Allah. Allah is the Most Wise, so whatever He does has a meaningful purpose although at times, we may fail to understand it fully.
MUSLIM, THE MODERATE NATIONThe chief characteristic of the Islamic concept of life is that it does not recognize a conflict or a separation between spiritual and mundane life. Also, it does not recognize extremes: ritualism, secularism or materialism. For a Muslim, all aspects of life, the spiritual and the material, the state and the religion are interrelated because everything belongs to Allah and Allah alone. Islam provides definite guidelines for all people to follow in all walks of life: individual, social, moral, governmental, political economical, spiritual, etc. Because of this approach of moderation, the Qur'an calls the Muslims a "Moderate Nation".
SOURCES OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGSThe Islamic way of life is based on the teachings of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The Qur'an is the basic source of Islamic teaching and law. It is the word of Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by the angel Gabriel. The entire Qur'an was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) in parts over a period of 23 years during his prophethood. Whenever a portion of it was revealed, it was written by his faithful scribes (companions) according to his instructions on palm leaves, parchments, bones, etc. Whenever, there were tens of thousands of the Prophet's companions who committed the Qur'an to memory.
After the death of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the first Caliph Abu Bakr ordered the collection of the whole Qur'an in one volume. It was preserved until the third Caliph Uthman who prepared several copies and sent them to different Muslim territories. From that time onwards (about fourteen hundred years ago), the same version has been in use in its exact words, order and language with no single addition or deletion. Briefly stated the Qur'an is the only remaining authentic divine revelation available to Mankind today that is distinguished by its clear historical accounts, unchallengeable accuracy, unquestionable and indisputable authenticity and complete preservation in it's exact language of revelation.
The Sunnah is the teachings, sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), meticulously collected and reported by his companions (may Allah reward them all). It explains and elaborates the Qur'anic verses.
ISLAM IS THE RELIGION OF EQUALITYThere is no discrimination in Islam between on the basis of colour, tribe, race, nationality, etc. Since all humans descend from one father and one mother, Adam and Eve. Islam teaches that the standard is righteousness. A verse of the Glorious Qur'an reads: The most honoured in the sight of Allah is. (he who is) most righteous. (Glorious Qur'an Translation, Al Hujurat: 13)
ISLAM IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHTEverybody is born in a state of "fitrah" (i.e., one's inclination to worship One God – pure Monotheism). To accept Islam is not to turn one's back on all the previous Messages and Prophets, peace be upon them all. In fact, it is a reversion to the original Monotheism in which we are all created. As such, Islam is your "Birthright." However, the parents or the community convert the child to other faiths or to atheism.
CRITERIA FOR TRUTHAre you following a correct belief? The Criteria for true faith are simply listed as follows:
1. Rational Teachings: Man is a rational being, hence, he should use both reason and intellect to distinguish truth from falsehood.
2. Perfection: Since Allah is perfect, His revelation must be perfect without flaw and totally free of any contradiction or error.
3. No Mystery: The revelation must not be associated with any myth or superstition because Allah's knowledge is the absolute truth man can ever have.
4. Scientific: Since Divine Revelation is the absolute truth, it can always withstand the challenge of any kind of knowledge including human discoveries in the field of science.
5. Prophecy: Allah is the All-Knower, thus, prophecy in His revelation will be fulfilled.
6. Inimitable: True revelation from Allah is in infallible living miracle that cannot be imitated by any being.
7. Worship of One God: True revelation should teach the worship of One God Who has no partner, sharer, associate or helper in His Divinity (i.e., Creatorship, Lordship, Sovereignty or in any of His Divine Attributes).
8. Simple, Clear and Just: True revelation must be simple, clear and just to be readily understood by anyone because all humans are equal in the sight of Allah. His blessings are open to anyone who has the will to obey Him.
To conclude, Islam is not a new religion. It is, in essence, the same message and guidance which Allah revealed to all His messengers but only re-expressed in its comprehensive, complete and final form. It is a continuation and culmination of all the preceding religions because as we know their origin is one and the same.
Allah. A verse of the Glorious Qur'an reads: This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam is your religion. (Al-Maidah: 3).
In addition, Islam being the final message from Allah that culminates, supersedes and seals all the previous religions, makes it an obligation on every person who clearly hears its Message to accept it and follow it. Another verse of the Glorious Qur'an says: If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost all spiritual good. (Ali-Imran: 85).
Now, Allah has shown you the right path and at the same time conferred upon you freedom of choice and will whether or not you accept the message of Islam. May the light of truth shine in our hearts and minds. May it lead us to peace and certitude in this life and eternal bliss in the Hereafter.
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