Is the Pilgrimage a Pagan Rite?

Some non-Muslims think or are made to believe that the pilgrimage to Ka’bah is purely a pagan rite or one form of idol-worship, that it was being practiced by the Arab idolaters before Islam and that Islam borrowed it from them.

This assumption is further aided by the fact that the Ka’bah itself had been a temple housing no less than three hundred and sixty idols. Nevertheless, this is a pure conjecture belying facts and figures. For it was not the idolaters of Makkah, but Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham – ‘alaihi assalam), who had initiated and established the holy pilgrimage thereof ages ago.

On the contrary, it was these very idolaters, the degenerate descendants of Abraham and Ishmael (‘alaihima assalam) who had defiled Allah’s Holy Ka’bah into a huge pantheon. It was these rank idolaters who had injected pagan rites into the purely Islamic pilgrimage laid down by Prophet Abraham (AS), one of the greatest worshippers of Allah.

All honor is due to Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), the seal of the prophets and the last of Ibrahim’s Line of Prophethood, who first swept clean the Holy Ka’bah from its heathen idols. It was he again who restored the original pilgrimage to its pristine purity.

The Muslims are, in fact, the true followers of the Religion of Prophet Ibrahim (AS), the grandfather of Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), where pilgrimage to Makkah is a notable heritage as well as an important fixture of the religion. How different could these facts be from the Non-Muslims’ random conjecture?

Building the House and Proclaiming the Hajj:

This is how Allah declared to Prophet Ibrahim (AS) regarding his Sacred House after showing him the site thereof: ” And Remember when We showed Ibrahim (Abraham) the site of the Holy House (the Ka’bah) at Makkah saying: Associate not anything in worship with Me, [La Ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah - Islamic Monotheism], and sanctify My House for those who circumambulate it, and those who stand up for prayer, and those who bow and submit themselves with humility and obedience to Allah), and make prostration in prayer.” [Qur'an 22:26]

Ibrahim (AS) is being himself ordained in this verse to keep perfectly away from idolatry. He is being told, as well, to sanctify the House of God from all kinds of impurities, especially from that of idol-worship. Then follows the two-fold purpose for which that House was being built: First, is its being the center of Tawaf for those who compass it round, and second is its being the prayer-place for those who pray therein their daily prayers.

This is as much as to say that the Tawaf and the pilgrimage do depend upon the house of God, as much as do the prayers. For this reason all those who pray the entire world over do turn in the one direction of the Ka’bah at Makkah.

After being ordained to build and sanctify God’s Ka’bah, Prophet Ibrahim (AS) receives in the next verse the command to proclaim the pilgrimage to the Ka’bah, in this manner: “And proclaim to mankind the Hajj. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant wide mountain highway to perform Hajj.” [Qur'an 22:27]

That definitely proves that it was Ibrahim (AS) who built the Ka’bah, and that it was also he who proclaimed the pilgrimage, facts that should equally refute the oft-repeated allegation put forth that pilgrimage was some pagan rite invented by the heathen idolaters, and retained by Islam.

Highlight of Pilgrimage:

Initiated by Ibrahim (AS) and reflected by the Seal of the Prophets, pilgrimage to the House of God is a unique experience to every true Muslim. For a “Muslim” is essentially the one who shifts from the false to the true religion – from disbelief to belief in God and from multi-god to One-God worship.

This trait made Ibrahim (AS) a “Perfect” Muslim when he entered the Pantheon at Babylon, and smashed the idols therein to pieces. Allah entrusted him with building His House at Makkah, and tasked him to proclaim the pilgrimage to it.

Henceforth, pilgrimage to the House of God becomes the most predominant trait of being a Muslim. A haven of absolute freedom, and a sanctuary of perfect peace and security, this Holy Mosque is the only spot on earth set up by Allah for one and all the people alike, without any distinction. It is the House of God wherein all men are equal, none being entitled to own it exclusively.

This is told in these words of Allah: “…And from Al-Masjid-al-Haram at Makkah which We have made open to all men, the dweller in it and the visitor from the country…. “[Qur'an 22:25]

The message of this Surah 22, verses 26-27 named “The pilgrimage” itself, is describing the construction of the Ka’bah and its sanctification, its being the focal point of Tawaf as well as the center of prayers. Thus, the incumbency of pilgrimage to this “first house of One-God worship”, etc.

Verses 28-37, do contain the basic elements of the monotheistic religion of Prophet Ibrahim (AS), wherein one of the main objectives emphasized is the need to celebrate the Name of Allah Alone over the animal – whether ordinarily slaughtered, or offered as sacrifices to Allah, as against those offered to the idolaters’ idols, as evidenced particularly by verses 28, 30, 34, 36 and 37.

“Avoiding the abomination of idols”, and “neglecting the word that is false” (telling and witnessing falsehood), these two cardinal sins, have been specially prohibited in Verse 30. But the crowning message of unparalleled importance is the commandment: “Hunafa’ Lillah (i.e. to worship none but Allah), not associating partners (in worship, etc.) unto Him…”, which is the soul and the heart of Monotheism (One-God worship), and the annihilator of all polytheism (multi-god worship).

This last, but not the least message, is the essence of pilgrimage, as also the topmost concern and happiness of every Muslim. The Makkan idolaters too, used to perform the pilgrimage, calling themselves thereby as “Haneefs” (followers of Abraham). And therefore, Muslims are being told to perform the pilgrimage, and call themselves as “Haneefs” but with this difference: “Being true in faith to Allah, and never assigning partners to Him”. Thus the sublime truths, the essence of the creed: “There is no deity save God”, seem to be beyond the comprehension of idol-worshippers, all over the world, and in all ages.

The Five-time Prayers:

This performance of the pilgrimage — a colossal feat of monotheism, is closely knit around the Ka’bah and its surrounding environment. It occurs only once a year, but far more important and surpassing is the performance of prayers in Islam, which are equally connected with the Ka’bah.

Prayers are an obligatory duty upon every Muslim. This is why every Muslim anywhere around the world turns towards Allah, facing in the direction of the Ka’bah five times daily.

Of course, the Ka’bah is for outward direction to face in one’s prayers, though inwardly, one faces his entire heart, to the Lord of the Worlds Himself. In this manner, Muslims are so intimately related to the Ka’bah through their pilgrimage and prayers, till the last moment of their lives.

Not only this, but every Muslim is made to face the direction of the Ka’bah when breathing his last. Nay, even after death he is buried in his last resting place, i.e. in the grave, so that he faces the same direction of the Ka’bah.

Prayers and Sacrifice:

Both the pilgrimage and the prayers are equally connected with the Ka’bah. And offering an animal and the prayers are major Hajj ceremonies, where both the prayer and sacrifice are special tokens of the single worship of Allah, with both being jointly dedicated to Him.

It is a most sublime dedication the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) was asked to offer in the following words: “Say [O Muhammad]: ‘Verily, my Salat (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists), He has no partner, And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims).” [Al-Qur'an 6: 162-163]

And this forms the only straight path, that is the religion of our father Ibrahim (AS), which is referred to in the preceding verse: “Say [O Muhammad] “Truly, my Lord has guided me to a Straight path, a right religion, and the religion of Ibrahim. ” [Al-Qur'an 6:161]

International Gathering:

On the whole, the Hajj is a unique annual gathering of its own kind. Herein, true Muslims from all over the world; come together on the basis of One-God worship, that is pure monotheism and true Islam. Forgetting their mutual differences of caste, color and social status, they assemble in this international city of Makkah to glorify the One Lord of all creation.

Incidentally, they get a rare opportunity here to discuss together all sorts of communal, religious, economic, social and political problems on an all-world scale, after which no better or more beneficial gathering could be imagined. Such a high, all-embracing congregation has been held every year in the House of Allah for thousands of years now. All these manifold benefits are hinted at in the words: “…That they may witness things that are of benefit to them..” [Al-Qur'an 22:28]

Pilgrimage, therefore, is never a pagan rite, but rather the fulfillment of an incumbent duty concerning One-God worship!

Invitation to Non-muslims:

This is the legacy left behind by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) for all posterity to accept and follow, and no people of any country or nation, are an exception to that posterity.

Instead of regarding the pilgrimage duty as a pagan rite, people ought to reflect upon their own age-old idolatry, and accept and follow the religion of our father Ibrahim (AS).

The hour has come for these very people to proclaim of their own accord: “There is no god worthy of worship except Allah!”. May they perform the pilgrimage to the House of Allah in Makkah! and may they offer their prayers regularly facing towards that same House.

Islam Is True Freedom

Of the cultural and habitual activities of social life and the customs of people in general, there are very few things that Islam has prohibited, compared to all of the good and beneficial things which we have been allowed to eat, drink, wear and participate in. Allah (SWT) has permitted everything that is good and wholesome, and has forbidden only those things that would bring us harm.

And even though sometimes we may not perceive the harm in something, we must admit that The Creator knows His creation better than we know ourselves. As The Almighty said in His Glorious Qur’an: “You may love a thing that is not good for you, and you may dislike a thing that is good for you.” (2: 216)

The point is, Islam is not as the proponents of mind control and human exploitation would have you believe, restrictive and prohibitive, taking all the fun out of life. This is their deception in an effort to maintain their position of influence in worldly affairs.

Oftentimes, the oppressive elements that wish to have control over society, paint a false picture of Islam because they are afraid of losing their influence over the people at large.

They realize that when people accept Islam as the source of guidance and influence in their lives, submitting only to the will of the Creator, that these individuals free themselves from subservience to any human being and they refuse to be oppressed, exploited or dictated to by those who desire misguidance over guidance, and prefer falsehood to truth.

These so-called political leaders and monopolizers of industry, media and resources try to depict Islam as an enemy “threatening freedom and democracy and our way of life”, they say. This is trash!

The only people threatened by Islam are those who would pull the wool over the eyes of the public, deceiving them into believing that they have the public interest at heart, when in reality all they have in mind is maintaining their own power and influence in society, and exploiting whomever will allow themselves to be exploited.

But the Muslim doesn’t go for it! We refuse to be oppressed, exploited, taken advantage of, fooled, tricked or otherwise bamboozled. And we refuse to be the slave of anyone less than the real Master of the Universe — the Creator and Sustainer of all things, the Giver and Taker of life, the One God, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, and far above any imperfection which the unbelievers in Allah ascribe to Him.

Now to someone with ill intentions and evil designs on fairness, justice and equality, this is a ‘dangerous attitude’ – ‘fundamentalist, subversive’ they say.

But this attitude only subverts a bully. The one who in reality does not want to see true freedom of choice placed in the hands of the people, but one who wants to dictate his idea of what should be the status quo, which keeps him rich and comfortable, at the expense of justice to the common person like you and me.

The only people who do not want to see Islam take root in so-called western society, or anywhere in the world for that matter, are those who have something to lose which doesn’t belong to them in the first place: hypnotic control of people’s lives, people who have become slaves to fashion and passion, and have become blind to reality.

Too many people are living or trying to live in a fantasy world, eclipsed from the fact that this life is temporary, and full of attractions and distractions from the mission of the human being, which is to fulfill his and her purpose for having been created in the first place: to obey the Creator by worshipping Him alone, not allowing any human being, any concept, any style or anything else to enslave him or misguide him from the path to success in this temporary life, and the permanent, eternal life of the Hereafter.

Islam removes the blinders, opens deaf ears, and gives a voice to the speechless. Islam is only an enemy to the enemies of God. The oppressive, exploitative, greedy, uncaring misers who don’t wish to see themselves as equal to you and me; ordinary folks who just want to uphold true liberty and justice for all. Not just the rich, not just the descendents of the conquerors, not just one race or lineage or isolated segment of the society.

When the prayer of the Muslims (the salah) is performed, the worshippers stand in straight lines, shoulder to shoulder, foot to foot; the rich beside the poor; the dark complexioned beside the fair; the formally educated beside the unlettered; no distinction of race, economic status, education or any incidental factor sets one above another.

The leader in front of them all, is to be one who has distinguished himself in the knowledge of the Qur’an, and the rest of the revelation exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). There is no greater model for equality and humanity and brotherhood than the Salah – the prayer prescribed to develop the highest (traits) in human character and morality. And when properly approached, restrains the lustful soul from every sin and every wicked deed.

This salah is a transformer of hardened hearts, a regulator of moral behavior, and a source of tranquility and normality in a hectic world. Salah, from the Arabic word silah meaning connection, is the most sublime and direct link between the human being and our God, The Most High.

It is the means by which we seek guidance, strength and prosperity, and thus is the second essential principle of Islam, only preceded by the declaration of faith, by which one opens the covenant with God saying: ‘I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah – the One True God – and that Muhammad is His slave/servant and messenger.’

This is the key to freedom. Freedom from the burdens of competition in material superiority, freedom from abuse and being taken advantage of, freedom from subjugating oneself in disgrace and humiliation to another human being, and freedom from worshipping and being a slave to anything that has no right to be worshipped; like a political ideology, a trend in popular culture, one’s own base desires, or any other created thing. This is true freedom.

This is Islam – the way of life based on absolute truth, guidance, wisdom, intelligence, equality, justice and mutual cooperation among all people regardless of the superficial differences which the exploiters exploit, creating false divisions between us, the people of the earth.

No, Islam is not a threat to freedom, nor to human or civil rights, nor to the principles of mutual consultation in the affairs of society. Islam is an easy way of life, allowing all that is good, pure and beneficial, and only restricting what is harmful to the individual and the society.

Sometimes we have difficulty as human beings in acknowledging that we do not know everything, including all that is good for us and that which isn’t. We put our desire as our criterion: what we personally enjoy must be good, and what we don’t care for – it doesn’t matter as much whether it’s considered permissible or not. But as Allah – The Powerful and Magnificent informed us in another Qur’anic verse: “You may like a thing that is not good for you, and you may dislike something, but Allah brings about much good by way of it.” (4: 19]

So, when we reach the level of understanding wherein we realize that the One who created us knows us better than we know ourselves, then perhaps we’ll be prepared to be guided to the truth in all matters. Am I talking sense here? I’m talking Islam. And if this makes sense to you, then bear witness for yourself to the truth, the knowledge of which was completed for us when Allah (SWT) perfected this religion and completed His favor upon us, by selecting and approving for humanity Islam as a religion, a creed and a complete way of life.

Allah Himself is pleased with this way of life for us, His creation, and we can find pleasure in this as well, if we allow ourselves to follow the Master Plan designed specially for us. Let Allah (SWT) be the Guide and you make the decision. The Qur’an says: “There is no compulsion in (accepting) religion.” (2: 256) No one can twist your arm and make you bear witness to the truth. However, each of us is compelled to decide, and every decision bears its consequences.

We can accept the glorious gift of guidance from God, and be rewarded with untold, everlasting pleasures, or we can refuse the gift, try to pile up the transitory, (un-lasting) pseudo-pleasures of this life, and spend eternity regretting that we didn’t accept guidance when it was offered so graciously to us.

There’s an old proverb the meaning of which is: you’d better take advantage of a good opportunity while you have the chance, because if you refuse it, you’ll be wanting it sometime down the road, but it will no longer be available.

The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: “How are you going to be when the son of Mary returns and judges by the Qur’an (i.e. not by the Gospel)? [In Muslim's transmission "How will you be when Ibn Maryam descends upon you and will be your imam?" Waleed ibn Muslim said "I said to Ibn Abu Dhi'b that Al-Awza'i told us from Az-Zuhri from Naf'i from Abu Hurairah "...and there will be an Imam from amongst you." Ibn Abu Dhi'b said "Do you know what '...leads from amongst you' is?" I said "Inform me" and he said "He will lead you according to the Book of your Lord the Blessed and Most High and the sunnah of your Prophet (SAWS)." Abu Dharr Al-Harawi said: "Jowzaqi reporting from some of the earlier (scholars) said "The meaning of '...and an Imam from amongst you' is that he (Jesus) will rule according to the Qur'an not by the Injeel (Bible)." Ibn Teen said of the Prophet's (SAWS) statement, "...and an Imam from amongst you" is that "the Muhammadan law, shall remain till the Day of Resurrection and in every generation (century) there shall be a group of people with knowledge." - Ed.]

A Quick Introduction to Islam 2/2

The Quran:

The Arabic word “Al-Qur’an” literally means “the recitation”. When used in regards to Islam, the word Qur’an means God’s final message to mankind that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The Qu’ran, sometimes spelled Koran, is the literal word of God – as it clearly says time and time again. Unlike other sacred scriptures, the Qur’an has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning in a living language.

The Qu’ran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is known to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. God’s final revelation to mankind was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Qur’an, 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 Qu’ran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Qur’an was also completely written down in the lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous Companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Qur’an word-for-word as it was revealed. So unlike other scriptures, the Qur’an 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 Qur’an – it is a universal scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not 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 Qur’an focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent.

Additionally, the Qur’an 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 in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and “political correctness”, the Qur’anic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today. In short, the Qur’an is the book of guidance par excellence.

The Prophet Muhammad:

Unlike the other prophets, Muhammad, the final Prophet 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 saying and teachings in what is called “hadith” 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 that 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, he 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 the remotest 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 the results of his mission have brought more human beings into the pure and proper belief in the One True God than any other Prophet.

The Islamic Way of Life:

In the Holy Qur’an, 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 Islamic 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 because 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 Qur’an, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about 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.

Islam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral. 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 one 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.

 

A Quick Introduction to Islam 1/2

Islam and Muslims:

The word “Islam” is an Arabic word which means “submission to the will of God”. This word comes from the same root as the Arabic word “salam”, which means “peace”. As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to God and live according to His divinely revealed law. The most important truth that God revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, thus all human beings should submit to Him.

The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Being a Muslim entails willful submission and active obedience to God, and living in accordance with His message.

Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in England and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeria, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from many various races, ethnic groups and nationalities.

It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs – there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World! So even though it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, anyone who submits completely to God and worships Him alone is a Muslim.

Continuity of the Message:

Islam is not a new religion because “submission to the will of God”, i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of God. For this reason, Islam is the true “natural religion”, and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of God’s Prophets and Messengers.

Muslims believe that all of God’s Prophets, which include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the Final Prophet of Islam (in the general sense i.e, submission to God / Monotheism). By revealing His final message to Muhammad, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, God finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and greatest Prophets.

The way of Islam is the same as the way of the Prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Qur’an portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to God and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all Prophets and Messengers were “Muslims”, i.e. those who submitted to God’s will, and they preached “Islam”, i.e. submission to the will of Almighty God.

The Oneness of God:

The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in the Oneness of Almighty God – the God of Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus. Islam teaches that a pure belief in One God is intuitive in human beings and thus fulfills the natural inclination of the soul.
As such, Islam’s concept of God is straightforward, unambiguous and easy to understand. Islam teaches that the hearts, minds and souls of human beings are fitting receptacles for clear divine revelation, and that God’s revelations to man are not clouded by self-contradictory mysteries or irrational ideas.

As such, Islam teaches that even though God cannot be fully comprehended and grasped by our finite human minds, He also does not expect us to accept absurd or demonstrably false beliefs about Him. According to the teachings of Islam, Almighty God is absolutely One and His Oneness should never be compromised by associating partners with Him – neither in worship nor in belief. Due to this, Muslims are required to maintain a direct relationship with God, and therefore all intermediaries are absolutely forbidden. From the Islamic standpoint, believing in the Oneness of God means to realize that all prayer and worship should be exclusively for God, and that He alone deserves such titles as “Lord” and “Savior”. Some religions, even though they believe in “One God”, do not make all of their worship and prayers for Him alone. Also, they give the title of “Lord” to beings that are not All-Knowing, All-Powerful and Un-Changing – even according to their own scriptures.

Suffice it to say that according to Islam, it is not enough that people believe that “God is One”, but they must actualize this belief by proper conduct. In short, in the Islamic concept of God, which is completely based on Divine Revelation, there is no ambiguity in divinity – God is God and man is man.

Since God is the only Creator and continual Sustainer of the Universe, He is transcendent above His creation – the Creator and the creature never mix. Islam teaches that God has a unique nature and that He is free from gender, human weaknesses and beyond anything which human beings can imagine.

The Qur’an teaches that the signs and proofs of God’s wisdom, power and existence are evident in the world around us. As such, God calls on man to ponder over the creation in order to build a better understanding of his Creator. Muslims believe that God is Loving, Compassionate and Merciful, and that He is concerned with the daily affairs of human beings. In this, Islam strikes a unique balance between false religious and philosophical extremes.

Some religions and philosophies portray God as just an impersonal “Higher Power” who is uninterested, or unaware, of the life of each individual human. Other religions tend to give God human qualities and teach that He is present in His creation, by being incarnate in someone, something – or even everything!

In Islam, however, Almighty God has clarified the truth by letting mankind know that He is “Compassionate”, “Merciful”, “Loving” and the “Answerer of Prayers”. But He as also emphasized strongly that “there is nothing like unto Him”, and that He is high above time, space and His creation.

Finally, it should be mentioned that the God that Muslims worship is the same God that Jews and Christians worship – because there is only one God. It is unfortunate that some people mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians, and that “Allah” is just the “god of the Arabs”. This myth, which has been propagated by the enemies of Islam, is completely false since the word “Allah” is simply the Arabic name for Almighty God. It is the same word for God which is used by Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians.

However, it should be clarified that even though Muslims worship the same God as Jews and Christian, their concept of Him differs somewhat from the beliefs of other religions – mainly because it is based completely on Divine Revelation from God. For example, Muslims reject the Christian belief that God is a Trinity, not only becaue the Qur’an rejects it, but also because if this was God’s true nature, He would have clearly revealed it to Abraham, Noah, Jesus and all of the other Prophets.

(To be concluded)

 Source: www.load-islam.com