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Islam At a
Glance
Islam is an
Arabic word which means peace, purity, and acceptance. As a religion,
Islam calls for complete acceptance of the teachings and guidance of Allah
(God).
Islam is not a new religion.
It is, in essence, the same message and guidance which God revealed to all His
previous messengers.
"Say: We believe
in Allah and that which was revealed to us, and that which was revealed to
Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes and that which was given
to Moses and Jesus and to the Prophets from their Lord; we make no distinction
between any of them, and to Him we submit".
Qur'an 3:83
Oneness of God - Muslims use the Arabic
word "Allah" for the English word "God." Allah is the name of the One and Only
God (Creator). He is the Creator of all human beings and He is the only one, who
provides to all creation in the Universe. He is the God for the Christians, the
Jews, the Muslims, the Buddhists, the Hindus, the atheists, and others. However,
Faith alone is not enough. Belief in one God requires that we look upon all
humanity as one family under the universal omnipotence of God the Creator and
Nourisher of all. Islam rejects the idea that there is a "chosen people"
making pure intention, faith in God, and good deeds the only way to heaven. Thus
a direct relationship is established with God, open to all alike, without any
discrimination or intercession.
Muhammad
was chosen by God to deliver His Message of Peace,
namely Islam. He is the very last Prophet of God to mankind. He is the final
Messenger of God. His message was and is still to the Christians, the Jews and
the rest of mankind. He was sent to those religious people to inform them about
the true mission of Jesus Moses, David, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. "Muhammadanism"
is a misnomer for Islam and offends its very spirit since the Prophet Muhammad
was a messenger of God, and not a divine being worshipped by Muslims.
The Qur'an - The Qur'an is the last
revealed word of God and the basic source of Islamic teachings and laws. It
deals with a variety of subjects including the basic beliefs of Islam, morality,
worship, knowledge, wisdom, God-and-man relationship, and relations among human
beings. Comprehensive teachings on which sound systems of social justice,
politics, economics, legislation, jurisprudence, law and international relations
can be built from an important part of the Holy Qur'an. The Qur'an that we have
now is the same Qur'an, which revealed to Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)
about 1400 years ago. The original and complete text of the Qur'an is in Arabic
and translations of its meaning in most known languages are available in major
libraries, and bookstores.
Hadith, the teachings, sayings, and
actions of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), accurately reported and
collected by his devoted companions, explain and elaborate the Qur'anic verses.
Man, A Free Agent - Man is the
highest creation of God and he has a free will to make his own decisions. God
has shown him the right path, and the life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon
him) provides a perfect example for achieving success and salvation. Islam
stands for the sanctity of human personality and confers equal rights on all
without distinction of race, nationality or sex. The law of God applies equally
to the prince and pauper, the ruler and the ruled, the saint and the sinner.
Man's Accountability to God - Man's
life is not limited to the short span of earthly existence. On the day of
judgement the entire human race will be resurrected; everyone will appear before
the Almighty Allah and face the consequences of his deeds in this life. Thus,
life in the Hereafter is a continuation of the earthly life. Belief in man's
accountability to God gives a sense and meaning to life and differentiates human
beings from animals and inanimate objects. It serves as a reminder against
crime, corruption, immorality, and injustice.
Reference:
Islam at a glance
Brochure from
Islamic Teaching Center Plainfield, IN
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