Islamic Reflections...

Questions about Islaam!

1) What is Islaam?

The word Islaam is an Arabic word that means “submitting and surrendering your will to Almighty God.” Unlike names used for other religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism (named after Jesus Christ, Gautama Buddha, and the Judaic and Hindu tribes respectively), the name of Islaam  was part of the revelation and carries a  deep spiritual meaning-only submitting one’s will to Almighty God can one obtain true peace in this life and the next. Islaam teaches that the message of all the prophets was  the same i.e believe in One God Only, our Creator and worship Him Alone, but the messages were lost or corrupted and this explains the differences and similarities between the religions of the world.

2) Who are Muslims

Muslims are those who submit themselves to Almighty God and through this attain peace.

Muslims believe in Abraham, Noah, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, Jesus (Peace be upon them all).  The final revelation was sent from Almighty God through the final  and seal of all Prophets, Prophet Muhammed (pbuh)  as a Mercy to humanity. The message of Islaam is meant for the entire world and anyone who accepts the message becomes a Muslim.

3) Who is Allaah?

Allaah (swt) is the supreme deity that is believed in by the major religions in the world today, and not some unique Arab deity or idol. The name ” Allaah” pronounced “Al”-”Laa” consists of 2 parts. “All” which is the definitive article in Arabic and “ilah” which means an object to which subservience, love, reverence and obedience is shown. Being a combination of these 2 parts, “Allah” signifies the One and Only God, the One to whom subservience, love, reverence and obedience is shown.

4) Who was Muhammad (sallalahu alaihi wa salam)?

Prophet Muhammad (saw) was the Last and Final Prophet that God sent to humanity.

The Prophet always emphasised that he was only human and he was just being tasked with the preaching of God’s message. He taught people to refer to him as “The Messenger and Slave of  Allaah”.

Prophet Muhammad (saw) explained, interpreted and lived the the teachings of Islaam. To Muslims, Prophet Muhammad is the supreme example for all people, he was an exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbour, husband, father, friend.

Thus from the Qur’aan and the teachings of prophet Muhammad (saw), there is guidance  for humanity to cover all aspects of life.

5) What are the teachings of Islaam?

The call of Islaam is to worship One God, who is the Sole Creator, owner and regulator of the Universe. Everything has been created by Allaah and belongs to Allaah .

Muslims believe that Allaah is the Most Compassionate, Most Kind, The All Hearing and Seeing, The Self Sufficient, The Ever Living, The Most Just and Most Wise.

There is a clear distinction between the Creator and the Creation. Anything that is created does not deserve of worship. Only the Creator.

Therefore in Islaam lies freedom from the  enslavement and worship of created things, whether worthless idols, money, other humans, saints, status, fame and power. It is the worship of these created things that leads to corruption.

6) What is the Qur’aan?

The  Qur’aan is a book of guidance and direction for the whole of mankind. It is the Words of Allaah (swt), which  were conveyed in Arabic to the prophet Muhamamd saw and were relayed to the Prophet’s companions who memorised it verbatim. It was completely written down in the lifetime of the Prophet (saw).  So unlike other Scriptures the Qur’aan was always known as the Word of God unlike other Scriptures that were decreed by various religious councils many years after the life the Prophets.

The message it brings is the same message of all the Prophets: Submit to Almighty God and worship Him Only.

The Qur’aan is one of the Major Miracles of  Islaam. Unlike other religions that they talk about miracles that you have not seen.

The miracle of Islaam is still present here today as it was revealed (unaltered), and as promised by God (in the Qur’aan). It was with this Miracle that Islaam spread within 100  years of  Prophet Muhammad’s death.  Today Islaam is continuing to win hearts and minds, through the miraculous Qur’aan.

The Qur’aan’s unique eloquence, the rhetoric, the unique structure and internal arrangement mesmerised the people. What made it more incredible was that Prophet Muhammad (saw) was illiterate and uneducated. Almighty God challenges mankind to disprove its authenticity by producing anything like it and although people have tried, they have been unable to rival it.

7) The purpose of life

In the Holy Qur’aan Allaah (swt)  teaches the human beings, that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all worship is God-consciousness.

God does not need man’s worship. But if man is left without guidance he would worship something, be it money, people, idols even his own self. Things that are transient and do not lead to true happiness and peace. Since the teachings of Islaam encompass all aspects of life and ethics, this worship of Almighty God can occur in all human affairs if they are done for the sake of God only and thus worship is not limited in religious rituals only.

The true balance of an Islaamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as having a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy.

A life without fear of God leads to sin, and believing that we have sinned so much that we do not deserve Allaah’s forgiveness leads to despair.

In light of this Islaam teaches that only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord.

The Holy Qur’aan contains a great deal about the life in the hereafter and the Day of Judgement. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will be ultimately be judged by God, who is going to be Merciful and Just and people will only be judges according to what they were capable of.

Salvation is not attained just by simply believing or by being the chosen people.

Salvation is attained by sincere belief, righteous actions and finally the Mercy of God.

Islaam teaches us that this life is a test and that we will be accountable before God.

The Islamic awareness society U.K