Basic Beliefs of Islam

Chapter 5 : What Does the Word Islam Mean?

Islam is an Arabic word. Arabic language has substantially large vocabular y in which one word has many different meanings. The word Islam has also different meanings such as;

We can interrelate these different meanings to give one simple and precise interpretation of Islam.

Islam means

Total submission to the will of Allah Subhanahu taala with full commitment in absolute obedience to His laws. This purity of soul and mind will bring perfect peace in this world and in the life hereafter.

This means that mankind can not achieve perfect peace in this world without total submission to Allah Subhanahu taala.

Today we find that there is no peace in the world. United Nations, and other such big organizations are making efforts to acquire peace but they have failed in their endeavors. The reason is very simple i.e., peace can never be achieved without total submission to Allah Taala subhanahu.

Thus Islam guarantees permanent peace, happiness and tranquillity which mankind is looking for. So Islam is the only answer of our very basic problem. If all the human beings sincerely and wholeheartedly embrace Islam, then the world will become a paradise.

Who are Muslims?

The meaning of Muslim is one who thoughtfully and willfully submits himself to the will of Allah. Those who intellectually and firmly believe in Islam and sincerely practice its teachings are referred as Muslims.

There are many Muslims in the world who are Muslims just because they are bor n in a Muslim family, bear a Muslim name, and follow some Islamic traditions in marriage and burial ceremonies. But they live as others live and do whatever suits them to seek worldly pleasure.

They show some superficial emotional feelings for the Prophet (sws) and Imams but do not follow their teachings. Islam considers such people as Muslim in this world for the convenience of the true Muslims but will not recognize them Muslim after their death. For being a Muslim, Quran strongly demands complete obedience and fulfillment of basic commitment of total submission as endorsed in shahadah.

"It is not fitting for a believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His messenger, to have any option about their decision. If anyone disobeys Allah and His messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong path." (33:36) A born Muslim has no advantage over a born non- Muslim.

Quran has made it very clear that no other religion except Islam will be accepted by Allah Taala on the Day of Judgment.

And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. (3:85) Does it mean that all non-Muslims are basically unfit and not eligible for Jannat by vir tue of their birth? And that all Muslims have a reserved seat in Jannat just because they were born in a Muslim family.

If this is true, then all non-Muslims would plead on the Day of Judgment: "O, God, You are Just and Impartial: what is our fault if we are a non-Muslim. We were born in a non-Muslim family by Your will and not by our choice. We learned and practiced the religion of our father because it was taught by our parents. This is why we were Hindu, or Christian or Jews and died as non-Muslims".

This appeal will take a solid ground if we assume a fittingly parallel case where the neighbor of any non-Muslim is a Muslim just because he was born in a Muslim family. If that Muslim is considered eligible to enter Jannat just because he was brought up in an Islamic environment and died as a Muslim. Then a question would arise:

For what reason that non-Muslim is being punished and his Muslim neighbor is being rewarded when they both have simply followed the religion of their respective fathers. Generally a child embraces the religion of his forefathers. i.e., a Hindu is Hindu because his father was Hindu, a Christian is Christian because his parents were Christians, and also a Muslim is Muslim because his father and mother were Muslims.

So why a non-Muslim should be punished and a Muslim should get reward when initially they all have no contribution in choosing the right or wrong religion.This is a question which has confused many people. Apparently it seems to be a valid question, but this argument is based on a misconception.

We have a very wrong conception that all those who are born in a Muslim family are Muslims and those who are born in a non-Muslim family are basically unable to be a Muslim. This is not true. The fact is that, whether a person is a born Muslim or non-Muslim by birth, he has an inborn capability to identify the truth. Quran has made it clear that every person has been taught the basic truths before his birth so that he should not give any such excuse that he was born in a Non-Muslim family or he was completely unaware of the whole situation.

The verses 172 and 173 of the Surah Aaraf cer tify that every person is born with some kind of innate knowledge with which he can verify the truth and falsehood.

"And ( Remember) when your Lord brought forth the children of Adam, from their loins- their descendants and made them testify of themselves, (saying): Am I not your Lord ?

They said: Yes, verily, We do testify : lest (so that) you should say on the Day of Judgment: " Verily, we have been unaware of this." (7:172) "or you can say: " our fathers before us have taken false gods, and we are their descendants after them. Will You destroy us on account of that which they followed" (7: 173) Muslim scholars quoting the Holy Prophet (as) and Imams(as) have described the scene of this covenant in different books. The full account of this story is as follows.

The event which Quran is referring in the above two verses, has occurred sometimes in the distant past i.e., before the bir th of man. Allah Subhanahu Taala gathered all human beings, who are from the lineage of Adam, in the form of minute particles and asked them to testify their faith in Him. All human beings in that state confirmed that they know the truth by saying : "We bear witness that You are our Lord".

This testimony was then induced in every soul. Any soul which takes birth whether in a Muslim or a non- Muslim family comes with this inborn knowledge which is enough for him to achieve the truth and reject the falsehood.So, all human beings, whether born in a Muslim or nom-Muslim family, are equally equipped to achieve the truth and are therefore equally responsible for what they believe irrespective of their personal background.

On Islamic standard, a person is not qualified to be called as Muslim just because he is bor n in a Muslim family. It is only for the sake of convenience in social dealings that Islam recognizes every born Muslim as Muslims. But the basic criteria of being a Muslim is the same for everyone whether he is a born Muslim or born non-Muslim.

The basic criterion for any person to be called as a Muslim is that he has intellectually recognized the basic concepts of Islam and he consciously observes the Islamic laws .

This means that a Muslim is one whose faith is based on his research and deep understanding of Islam. He has not inherited his faith from his father but he has realized the truth and has accepted it because of its merits.

With this definition in mind, we find no difference between a person who is born in a Muslim or a non-Muslim family. Everyone whether born in a Muslim or a non-Muslim family is required the same amount of efforts to achieve the truth.

On the Day of Judgment, each person will be judged fairly on the basis of his sincere effor ts and thoughts. Thus many Muslims who were Muslims just by vir tue of their birth and not by their research and understanding will find themselves among the non-Muslims.

The basic criterion of Islam is Shahadah. A person becomes Muslim when he pronounce the shadah, which says :

"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger".

The word witness implies that he has thoughtfully accepted Islam and not just by blind following. The pre-requisite condition of a proper witness is a thorough knowledge. The problem lies that many Muslims just pronounce shahadah without understanding its meanings and requirements. If we simply analyze the word witness used in Shadah then the error in understanding can easily be identified.

The question of who is suitable to serve as a witness is not difficult to answer. All of us know very well that a witness is always based on evidence.

For instance, a person appears in cour t as witness in a murder case. The Judge will ask him to give evidence in support of his statement. If he fails to do so then the Judge will ask him the grounds on which he suspects that Mr. XYZ to have committed the murder. Now he replies that he doesn't know any thing about the murder except what his father has told him.

The Judge will further ask him; Did his father see the accused person involved in murder. He replies; No, I think my father has learned this from his father.

What will be the judgment of the court?

Obviously the court will reject his statement. In fact, he is liable to punishment for contempt of court. A witness who testifies untruthfully is guilty of the crime of perjury and can be severely punished.

Thus, all those Muslims who claim to be a Muslim without any solid evidence in suppor t of their faith i.e., without any research and deep knowledge by which they can testify their beliefs, are not true Muslims.

On the Day of Judgment, if non-Muslims will be charged with not having accepted the truth then Muslims will also be cer tainly questioned about how they have accepted the truth. This is why acquisition of knowledge in Islam is compulsory (wajib) for every male and female Muslim. But most of us take it for granted The Divine word Islam holds full contents of its teachings. It demands from its followers - peace, purity, submission and obedience. Thus, Muslims are those who make a strong commitment for total submission to the Will of Allah Subhanahu taala by obeying His laws.

Every material thing in the universe is made up of atoms. It is an empirical belief of all scientists that all atoms, that means everything in universe, strictly obey laws of nature. Ignorant scientists do not believe in the existence of Allah and call His laws as laws of nature. Thus, the whole universe is regarded in the state of Islam.

"Have they not observed things that Allah has created, How their (very) shadows turn round, from the right and the left, prostrating themselves to Allah, and that in the humblest manner?" (16:48)

"And to Allah prostrate all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, of the moving (living) creatures and the angels, and they are not proud [i.e they worship their lord with humility]" (16:49)

In His whole creation, Allah taala has given only two kinds of His creatures, namely men and jinaat, freedom of choice in respect of submission to His will. Allah has equipped men with intelligence to take the right decision. Those who choose to submit to His will and obey His laws are known as Muslims.

How the people of different backgrounds can be expected to embrace Islam ?

Quran has the answer to this question.

So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) Allah's handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not. (30:30)

So Quran tells us that all mankind have the recognition of Allah imprinted on their souls, a part of their very nature with which they are created. Every child is born with a natural belief in Allah and an inborn inclination to worship Him alone in a way Islam has educated its followers. This is known as nature or Fitrah.

The Holy Prophet (sws) said:

"Each child is born in a state of Fitrah, then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or Zoroastrian" So it is not difficult for man to turn back towards his real nature, if he makes reasonable efforts. The concern to put reasonable efforts is the major criteria of ultimate fate of all mankind.