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The spiritual thought of Muslims is established on the words and spiritual system founded by the prophet Muhammad and taught by the Quran, the basic philosophy of which is absolute
submission to an exceptional and personal god, Allah |
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Islam's Unstoppable Essence to Prominence
Introduction
Islam is a global religion. It retains significant importance and influence in a world characterized by varied beliefs and practices. With millions of supporters all over the globe, Islam plays a vital role in shaping civilization, politics, and culture at large. Let's delve into the blog post to explore the current scenario, directions, and the influence of Islam as a religion in more detail.
Islamic Faith and Prophets
Islam revolves around "submission to the will of God." Muslims believe the Qur'an is the divine word revealed to the last prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him). According to Islamic instructions, Allah (the Arabic name for God) sent messengers and prophets throughout the narrative to communicate God's unity and accountability in the afterlife. It is a fundamental doctrine of Islam to believe in all the prior prophets, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ismael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Jesus, among others, pursuing peace for them all.
The Most Concise Definition of God
Allah (SWT) says in The Holy Quran in Sura Ikhlas (Chapter No 112 ayat 1-4), "Say: He is Allah,[Who is] One."
Allah, the Indefinite, Absolute. He does not produce, nor is He produced. There is no one like Him. The term 'Assamad' is challenging to translate but signifies 'absolute existence,' a quality exclusive to Allah (swt), as all other existence is temporal or conditional. It also signifies that Allah (swt) is not reliant on anyone or anything, whereas all individuals and things depend on Him.
Surah Ikhlas – the benchmark of theology
For Muslims, Chapter 112 of the Glorious Qur'an, also known as Surah Ikhlas, serves as a comprehensive and definitive definition of Almighty Allah and is considered the gold standard for theological understanding.
The Surah is used as a reference point for the study of God. Anyone who claims to be divine must pass this test. With the unique qualities of Allah presented in this chapter, It is possible to refute those who profess to be divine by these verses.
What name do we use for the Supreme Creator?
The term 'Allah' is preferred by Muslims when referring to the Supreme Creator, instead of the English word 'God.' Unlike 'God,' the Arabic term 'Allah' is pure and unique, and cannot be altered.
God does not assume human form: Some argue that God takes a human form but does not become human; in that case, He should lack human qualities. However, 'God-men' exhibit human needs. Glorifying God in a mortal state is a rational misconception and is repelled in all its forms. The Qur'an denies anthropomorphism, stating, 'There is nothing whatever like unto Him' (Qur'an 42:11).
God does not engage in ungodly acts
God's attributes prevent evil, as He is the source of justice, mercy, and truth. God cannot lie, be unfair, err, omit, or have human declines. The Qur'an assures that 'Allah is never unfair in the smallest degree' (Qur'an 4:40). While God can perform unjustly, doing so would cause Him to cease to be God.
God does not make mistakes
The Qur'an declares, '.my Lord never errs' (Qur'an 20:52).
God does not experience forgetfulness
While God owns the ability to forget if He so wishes, He refrains from it because forgetting is an act inconsistent with divinity, bearing traces of human limitations and flaws.
The Qur'an's words:
"My Lord never errs, nor forgets."(Qur'an 20:52).
Allah Selects Messengers
Allah (swt) does not personally descend to deliver the instruction manual. Instead, He chooses a human from among humanity to convey His message and communicate with them through revelations. These individuals are known as messengers and prophets of God.
Individuals are Deaf, Dumb, or Blind
Allah declares deaf .dumb and blind to those individuals who can hear and speak but don't come to the right path. They hear the instructions and guidelines of Allah SWT but ignore the message and do not say the truth in their tongues. They are deaf and blind. They have sight but can’t see the existence of God around them.
Attributes of God
. Every attribute of Allah SWT is unique and complete. The only need to put a firm belief. For to Him belong The Most Beautiful Names" (Qur'an 17:110). Allah repeats his message in Surah Al-A'raf (7:180), Surah Taha (20:8), and Surah Al-Hashr (59:24). Allah has ninety-nine distinct and beautiful Attributes such as Ar-Rahman (Most Gracious), Ar-Raheem (Most Merciful), and Al-Hakeem (All Wise), among others. It should be remembered that Allah can be called by any name, but it is crucial to avoid creating a mental image of Allah SWT. Each attribute of Allah is unique and exclusive to Him. Allah's attributes must be unique. For example, God is the creator of the universe and this is a unique quality that only Allah has. Nobody is the creator of the universe except Allah SWT. Numerous attributes, such as "Ar-Raheem" (the Most Merciful), "Ar-Rahman" (the Most Gracious), and "Al-Hakeem" (the Most Wise), uniquely point to Almighty Allah.
Attributes of God must not oppose one another. All attributes should converge to describe the same God. Since there is only one God, all attributes should align to describe the same God. Dividing the Creator and the Cherisher into separate gods is absurd because these attributes collectively belong to the same God.
Some polytheistic believers argue that the presence of multiple gods is not illogical. It should be clarified to them that in a scenario with multiple gods, they would inevitably clash, each striving to impose their will over the others, as evident in the legend of polytheistic and pantheistic religions. If a 'God' is defeated or unable to overpower others, they cannot be believed as the true God. Polytheistic religions often propose the existence of numerous gods, each god has a distinct role, like a Sun-God or Rain-God. This means that one 'God' lacks the competence for specific actions and remains ignorant of the powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities of the other gods. An ignorant and incapable God is unbelievable. If multiple gods existed, it would lead to uncertainty, disorder, anarchy, and collapse in the universe. However, the universe exhibits complete harmony.
The Glorious Qur'an emphasizes, "If there were, in the paradises And the earth, other gods Besides Allah, there would Have been disorder in both! But praise to Allah, The Lord of the Throne: (High is He) above What they attribute to Him!" (Qur'an 21:22). It is further stated that if there were multiple gods, they would have challenged ownership over their creations. The Qur'an states, "No son did Allah have, Nor is there any god Along with Him: (if there were Many gods), behold, each god Would have taken away What he had made, And some would have Lorded it over others! Glory to Allah! (He is unrestricted) From the things They attribute to Him!" (Qur'an 23:91). Therefore, the existence of one Real, Unique, Supreme, Almighty Allah is the only rational concept of God.
Tawheed
Tawheed is the first and ultimate belief which is required by Islam(Monotheism) means believing in one God. Muslims should have a firm belief that there is no god but Allah SWT and testify this by saying:
اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَّآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَہٗ لَاشَرِيْكَ لَہٗ وَاَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهٗ وَرَسُولُہٗ
Translation
"I bear witness that no one is worthy of worship but Allah, the One alone, without a partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger."
Definition and Categorization
Tawheed originated from the Arabic word Ahada, which means to make one or insist on existing one. In short, Tawheed means attesting that no one deserves worship except Allah. Tawheed is all the prophets. The first responsibility of every prophet sent from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him) to Khatam-ul-Nabieen Hazrat Muhammad Rasulullah (peace be upon him) was to explain the belief of monotheism and protect from polytheism. Monotheism is the way to enter Paradise. It is the first condition. Therefore, the most effort should be made to understand and explain it. And what would be a greater happiness than that you help to fix someone's belief in Tawheed?
Tawheed can be organized into three separate parts
- Tawheed- ar -Rububiyyah
- Tawheed-al-Asmaa-wa-Sifaat
- Tawheed -al -Ibadah
Tawheed -ar -Rububiyyah
Scholars have separated Tawheed into three levels. In Arabic, Rabubiyyah is used for the one who creates and sustains. The word Lordship is derived from Rabb and Tawheed Rabubiyyah, which means that Allah is the Almighty and the Creator, Owner, Sustainer of everything in the universe, and the One who defines the destiny of all the happenings of the universe.
Tawheed -al -Asmaa - wa -Sifaat
Without worshiping Allah and fulfilling the attributes of Allah, a person cannot fully follow the belief of Tawheed.
Asmaa is the plural of Ism, which means name. The blessed names of Allah Ta'ala are called Asmaa al-Hasana. Safaat is the plural of Sifat, which signifies quality. To believe ultimately in the Names and Attributes of Allah Ta'ala is called faith on Tawheed-al-Asmaa -wa -Sifaat.
The succeeding category, 'Tawheed al Asmaa was Sifaat,' entails maintaining the unity of Allah's names and attributes. This feature can be subdivided into five aspects:
- Allah should be referred to by the descriptions provided by Him and His Prophet, refraining from ascribing meanings to His names and attributes other than their prominent ones.
- Allah should be invoked without bestowing upon Him new names or attributes.
- We must avoid attributing to God the attributes of His created beings. For instance, the Bible portrays God as repenting for His thoughts, akin to human beings when they recognize their errors. This contradicts the principle of Tawheed, for God does not commit errors and, thus, never needs to repent.
- The Qur'an outlines the fundamental principle concerning Allah's attributes in Surah Ash-Shur: "There is nothing Whatever like unto Him, And He is the One That hears and sees (all things)." Hearing and seeing are human faculties. However, when attributed to the Divine being, they transcend human comparison in their nature, in contrast to humans who require ears and eyes, and possess limited sight and hearing in terms of space, time, and capacity.
- Attributing a human with attributes of God is also contrary to the principle of Tawheed. For example, labeling a person as having no beginning or end (eternal).
Tawheed - al - Ibadah
Tawheed al-Ibadah is the most significant part of Tawheed. Tawhud al-Ibadah is also called Tawheed Al-Wohyt. Tawheed Al-Wohyt means that Allah is the only God. Only Allah is the Holy One worthy of all verbal and physical worship. Allah refers to the one who deserves all kinds of worship. Who is considered as the reliever of need and the remover of difficulties? Whom anyone can ask for help at any time. Who is eternal and eternal, who lives forever? And death will never come to Him. And He is capable of everything. Everyone needs Him. But He does not need anyone.
Shirk?
What is Shirk? What is the definition of Shirk? Shirk is the contrary to monotheism. Shirk refers to the attributes of worship, rights, and powers of Allah. Or praising and praising other than Allah as Allah is praised and praised, or surrendering in the love of someone other than Allah, worshiping other than Allah to attain nearness to Allah, all this is defined as Shirk, because Allah Blessed and Exalted are His attributes, worship, rights, and powers in Lordship and Divinity, Oneness and solitude.
Shirk is the greatest sin unforgivable by Allah
Declaring a prophet or a saint as his consort and co-equal by making him a partner in the attributes and powers of Allah, the Most High, is the worst act and the greatest injustice. It is the greatest shirk. But polytheism is a sin that cannot be forgiven without repentance and reformation. Jannah has been forbidden to the one who dies of polytheism and his eternal abode will be hell because one of the most disliked acts in the sight of Allah is polytheism.
Shirk leads to hellfire
The Qur'an warns in Surah Ma'idah: "They do blaspheme who say: 'Allah is Christ the son Of Mary.' But said Christ: 'O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord, And your Lord. Whoever binds other gods with Allah – Allah will forbid him the Garden, and the Fire Will be his place. There will for the sinners Be no one to help." (Qur'an 5:72).
The basis of religion rests on the acceptance of Divine guidance. Denying this guidance carries serious outcomes for society. Despite great progress in science and technology, true peace remains inaccessible. All 'isms' have fallen short in delivering the much-anticipated redemption.
The important question we must address is the correct 'instruction manual' needed to govern our individual and collective lives.
The Global Reach of Islam
Islam guides every aspect of the lives including personal, social, economic, and political affairs of over 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide.
Growth Trends
Islam is not just thriving in numbers; it's developing in the hearts and minds of people. The faith showed a rapid growth. Behind this growth are countless individuals who have adopted Islam for various reasons.
People from all walks of life find relief, purpose, and a sense of belonging in Islam. It's not just about numbers; it's about the stories of transformation, faith, and community that continue to shape the global Muslim population.
The Cultural and Political Influence of Islam
Islam's impact extends far beyond its place of worship. It's a force that has shaped cultures, art, and politics for centuries.
Cultural Contributions
Islamic skills, architecture, and books have contributed to global culture. Assess the intricately arranged mosques, the hypnotic script of the Quran, and the fascinating beauty of Persian rugs. Each of these artistic presentations tells a story of affection and creativity.
One remarkable facet of Islamic culture is its assortment. From the rich customs of the Ottomans to the lively colors of South Asian art, Islamic culture is a tapestry woven by numerous individuals over centuries. It's a testament to the originality and skill To humanize these impacts, let's explore the personal stories and experiences of people from distinct environments who have arrived together beneath the flag of Islam within these realms
Interfaith Connections
In an increasingly interconnected world, enabling optimistic interfaith connections will be crucial. Muslims, like followers of other theologies, need to engage in dialogue and collaborate with people of diverse faiths.
Prospects
Social Activism
Muslims around the world are increasingly engaged in social and environmental activism. Many are driven by their faith's instructions to address issues like poverty, climate change, and social justice.
Technology and Education
Progress in technology and education offers Muslims new avenues for connecting with their faith and accessing religious knowledge. Online platforms, apps, and educational programs are making it easier for individuals to learn about and practice Islam.
Bridging Cultural Divides
Islam's rich cultural diversity can serve as a bridge between people of different backgrounds. Muslims are well-positioned to foster cultural compassion and stimulate tolerance.
Conclusion
In an era of increased globalization, understanding the global presence of Islam is more important. By examining the latest figures, trends, and potential, we can respect the reach and effect of this diverse and vibrant religion. As the world continues to change, Islam remains a global force to be considered, shaping our shared future in many ways, and leaving an outstanding mark on the lives of numerous individuals across the globe.The future of Islam, like the faith itself, is a vibrant and developing journey, shaped by the diverse experiences, stories, and aspirations of individuals who continue to adopt its teachings and importance. As we look ahead, we must determine the human aspect within this global religion, where individuals, families, and communities find meaning, purpose, and relationship in their faith.
May Allah direct all of us to the Truth.
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