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Articles of Faith New Muslims

Worship, Humanity and Individual Liberties

The idea of servitude has become distasteful to the modern secular mindset which concerns itself with individual liberties. Some might say that humanity has no need to worship, and that doing so compromises freedom.

They forget, however, that absolute freedom is neither possible nor even desirable for all members of a society, and that is why every social order has its laws and restrictions.

Human Nature

Studies in human psychology confirm that man is a worshipper by instinct, that worship is instilled in him as part of his nature, and that he tends to direct it to whatever he considers worthy – other human beings, revered customs or superstitions, materialist ideologies, or his own personal inclinations.

An object of worship is that to which one devotes the greatest portion of his thought and effort. So one either worships God or he worships something other than Him – along with Him or instead of Him. The worship of God alone is liberating in that it frees one from servitude to all else.

Many people misunderstand the concept of worship, assuming that it is merely the practice of certain rituals. But in reality it includes everything done seeking the acceptance of the one worshipped.

Worship Means Obedience

According to Islam, the worship of God means willing obedience to His orders and prohibitions which, besides prayer and other religious obligations, include the fulfillment of promises and agreements, honesty and precision in work, teaching and counseling, encouraging righteousness, assisting others, opposing injustice and so on.

Worship is the right of the Creator upon His Creation. It is based on the perception that everything was brought into existence by God and is dependent upon Him in whose hand is life and death, benefit and harm, and the outcome of every matter.

Accountability

Further, it is based on the knowledge that man is an accountable being in need of God’s continuing guidance and acceptance. Islam confirms that although it is His divine right, God does not gain anything from the worship of His servants, nor is He harmed by their refusal.

He ordains worship for the benefit of the worshipper himself, and this benefit is obtained by him or her in both this life and the next.

When a believer understands that our Creator and Sustainer deserves to be worshipped, he wants to do so because of his gratitude and love for his Lord and because it is inherently right and correct.

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Source: The article is excerpted from the book Clear Your Doubts about Islam, Compiled by Saheeh international.

 

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New Muslims Pillars of Islam

What Are the Individual and Social Effects of Worship?

By Abdul-Rahman Al Sheha

Worship is obligatory upon every Muslim who is mentally sane and has reached the age of puberty. Performing the five pillars of Islam is a means to enter Jannah (Paradise) after receiving the Mercy of Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) once said to a Bedouin who came and asked:

What Are the Individual and Social Effects of Worship

Worship builds ties of brotherhood, cooperation, bonding, and security between the individuals.

“‘O Messenger of Allah, tell me what Allah has obligated upon me in terms of the prayer.’ He replied, ‘The five (daily) prayers, except if you wish to perform some voluntary ones.’ He asked, ‘Tell me what Allah has obligated upon me in terms of the fasting.’ He replied, ‘The month of Ramadan, except if you wish to perform some voluntary ones.’ He said, ‘Tell me what Allah has obligated upon me in terms of Zakah.’ (The narrator) said ‘So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) informed him of the legislations of Islam.’ The Bedouin said, ‘By Him who has honored you, I will not do any voluntary acts, and I will not leave anything of what Allah has ordered me.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘He has succeeded (or, ‘He will enter Jannah’) if he is saying the truth.’” (Al-Bukhari)

Individual Effects of Worship

1- The believers will achieve happiness and success in the life of this world as well as the Hereafter. Allah (Exalted be He) says:

Indeed whosoever purifies himself shall achieve success, (as well as he who) remembers (glorifies) the Name of his Lord, and prays. (Al-A`la 87:14-15)

2- Physical and spiritual strength which results when one amiably and privately converses with Allah. Allah says:

Truly, Allah is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are muhsinoon (good-doers). (An-Nahl 16:128)

3- The Help of Allah and establishing His believing slaves’ authority on the earth. Allah says:

Verily, Allah will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty. Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they) order the establishment of the Salah, the paying of the Zakah, and they enjoin all good, and forbid all evil (i.e. they make the Qur`an as the law of their country in all the spheres of life). And with Allah rests the end of (all) matters (of creatures). (Al-Hajj 22:40-41)

Social Effects of Worship

4- The building of ties of brotherhood, cooperation, bonding, and security between the individuals in an Islamic society. Allah says:

The believers, men and women, are awliya’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin all good, and forbid from all evil; they establish the Salaah and give the Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. (At-Tawbah 9:71)

5- The guidance of Allah and the success which is only granted by Him:

O you who believe! If you obey and fear Allah, He will grant you Furqaan (a criterion to judge between right and wrong),and will expiate for you your sins, and forgive you. (Al-Anfal 8:29)

6- An abundance of provision from Allah and way out of hardship. Allah says:

And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. (At-Talaq 65:2-3)

7- A multiplication of reward and expiation of sins. Allah says:

And whosoever believes in Allah and performs righteous good deeds, He will remit from him his sins, and will admit him to Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) to dwell therein forever, that will be the great success. (At-Taghabun 64:9)

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The article is an excerpt from the author’s “How to Become a Muslim”.

 

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Categories
Divine Unity New Muslims

What Is the Purpose of Our Creation?

Non-believers are unable to provide any convincing reason for the existence of this universe or of human life. People who believe there is a Creator assume that creation occurred by His will.

But in a world where everything is shown to have a purpose, it is natural for a human being to wonder about the purpose of his own creation.

One is surely justified in expecting the Creator who put us on this earth to inform us why He did so and what He expects of us.

The Qur’an informs us that He did just that. It says God created us for a test here on earth, conveying His words:

Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned? (Al-Mu’minun 23:115-116)

A non-believer might decide that the objective of his life will be to collect wealth, obtain position or pursue pleasure to the greatest extent possible.

But none of this will benefit him in the long run. According to His final scripture, God created man to test him with certain responsibilities:

That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them – as to which of them are best in conduct. (Al-Kahf 8:7)

He did not intend life on this earth to necessarily be comfortable or satisfying but merely a trial of limited duration, the punishment and rewards of which will be due in the Hereafter.

As mentioned previously, most of creation is «Muslim» in that it is programmed to obey the physical laws set by God, and (his is why the universe functions with balanced equilibrium.

Man, however, was given a free will and the ability to either obey or disobey. But God will not allow His universal balance lo be upset indefinitely by defiant, corrupt and sinful people, so He only grants human beings a measure of freedom in a temporary world.

This Life & the Next

The scheme of birth, development, decline and death provides each with the opportunity to prove to himself without a doubt what he will deserve on the Day of Judgment, which God created for the manifestation of His ultimate justice.

This life is very meaningful and purposeful to the believing Muslim because he realizes that it will determine his outcome and permanent position in the next life. He lives to earn the approval of his Creator in preparation for the final return to Him.

We all recognize that people make things to perform specific functions for them, in other words, to serve them. God has made us to serve Him, but with one major difference; it is not for the benefit of the Creator Himself but for the benefit of us, His creation. The purpose of our existence is thus stated in the Qur’an:

I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56)

Why We Choose to Worship God?

But man’s worship of God is not automatic like the vast majority of created beings but by his own choice and effort, and this is what entitles him to honor and reward.

«How should one worship God in order to fulfill that purpose?» This question can undoubtedly best be answered by Him. God has provided every element of His creation, living and inanimate, with guidance.

We can thus expect that He would provide us with guidance as well. His revelation instructs humanity what to do, what to avoid, and the reason for it. It informs man what is expected of him, how to accomplish it, and the results of continual positive effort.

Through Prophet Muhammad, God revealed to man the ways of worship suitable to his physical and psychological nature and individual talents, and in harmony with his particular role on the earth. These, in combination, are what enable Him to fulfill the purpose of His creation.

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Source: The article is excerpted from the book Clear Your Doubts about Islam, Compiled by Saheeh international.

 

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Divine Unity New Muslims

How Do You Know There Is Life after Death?

We live in a world that demands logic and proof and is not content with only belief. Someone might wonder how a rational, practical minded person could believe in life after death. People tend to assume that anyone who believes in the Hereafter does so on the basis of blind faith.

But in fact, belief in the Hereafter is completely logical. And it is the only way the injustices of this world can be reconciled with a just and all powerful Creator.

We know that in addition to physical pleasures and comforts there are certain ideal conditions that human beings instinctively desire and strive to attain, such as love, respect, security and contentment.

Though many people are able to acquire a portion of these objectives here on earth, there remains one that is largely unobtainable – and that is justice. Most people hold the conviction that life is not fair: that they have often been misunderstood or not appreciated, that in some way they have been harmed, cheated or oppressed.

Daily newscasts disclose the killing, torture, displacement and starvation of countless innocent people by powerful tyrants and nations, lives ruined by the vicious or careless acts of others or by natural disasters, and the poor and helpless being subjected to theft and deception. Seldom is even partial justice ever restored. Yet, every human being desires justice. Even if he does not seek it for others, he certainly wants justice for himself.

So why has the Creator instilled in man a longing for something he cannot experience in this world?

The answer is that this life is only one portion of his existence and that the logical conclusion which restores the equilibrium found in all creation is in the Hereafter. It is there that every person will be fully and precisely compensated for his good and evil deeds. This is the perfect and absolute justice which God has promised all people.

A Journey of Preparation

The present life is a trial in preparation for the next realm of existence. The explanation given by the Qur’an about the necessity of life after death is what the moral consciousness of man demands. If there was no life after death, the belief in God would be meaningless, or it would be a belief in some kind of indifferent and negligent deity who, after having created the human race, is no longer concerned with its welfare.

But certainly, God is just. He will indeed punish the tyrants who have killed thousands and caused suffering to their families, corrupted institutions and societies, enslaved people and nations, robbed, deprived and plundered.

And what about I hose who patiently endured so much injustice and hardship, suffered to uphold truth, saved lives or sacrificed in order to assist many people? What earthly compensations could possibly restore the balance for them?

This can only take place in an eternal life where every individual affected in the least by someone’s actions will testify for or against him, and where the innermost thoughts and intentions, known completely to God, will be judged precisely and perfectly. Since man’s term of life in this world is limited and because numerous individuals are affected by one’s actions, adequate rewards and punishments are impossible in the present life.

“His” Creation

The Qur’an states categorically that the Day of Resurrection must come and that God will then decree the fate of each soul according to its record of deeds.

Additionally, God has stated in the Qur’an that the present creation is in itself a clear proof that He is able to create and re-create as He wills, whatever He wills, however He wills and whenever He wills, for God originates and repeats creation with equal ease. Consider these words revealed to His final Prophet:

Say, ‘Travel through the land and observe how He began creation. Then Allah will produce the final creation’. (Al-`Ankabut 29:20)

Did We fail in the first creation? But they are in confusion over a new creation. (Qaf 50:15)

Is not He who created the heavens and the earth able to create the likes of them? Yes, and He is the Knowing Creator. (Ya-Sin 36:81)

Do they not see that Allah, who created the heavens and earth and did not fail in their creation, is able to give life to the dead? (Al-Ahqaf 46:33)

Does man not remember that We created him before, while he was nothing. (Maryam 19:67)

And you have already known the first creation, so will you not remember? (Al-Waqi`ah 56:62)

Have they not considered how Allah begins creation and then repeats it? Indeed that, for Allah, is easy. (Al-`Ankabut 29:19)

And it is He who begins creation; then He repeats it, and that is easier for Him. (Ar-Rum 30:27)

As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. (That is) a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it. (Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:104)

In fact, the material of creation is already in existence, merely to be developed once again at His command. Observable evidence of this ongoing process is now being presented regularly by astronomers and specialists in other fields of modern science.

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Source: The article is excerpted from the book Clear Your Doubts about Islam, Compiled by Saheeh international.

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Categories
ABC's of Islam New Muslims

Who Do Muslims Worship: God or Allah?

One of the biggest misconceptions about Islam concerns the name “Allah”. Some people believe that Muslims worship a different God than Christians, Jews and others, and some missionary organizations distribute literature in English in which they say such things as: “Allah is the god of the Muslims” and “Muhammad told people to believe in the god, Allah”.

God Allah

“Allah” is the only word in the Arabic language equivalent to “God”

They thus imply and reinforce the idea that “Allah” is some sort of false deity.

This is totally incorrect because “Allah” is the same word that Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews use for God. If you pick up an Arabic Bible, you will find the word «Allah» wherever «God» is used in English.

“Allah” is also the proper name of God. Therefore, Muslims use the name “Allah” even when they speak other languages.

The Creator, the Sustainer

“Allah” is a special word. It indicates the only entity in existence who truly possesses the qualities of divinity and lordship, the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens and earth. It is the name of the only being worthy of worship, the one upon whom all creation is dependent at every moment.

(He is) the Creator of the heavens and the earth: He has made for you pairs from among yourselves, and pairs among cattle: by this means does He multiply you: there is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things). (Ash-Shura 42:11)

O men! Here is a parable set forth! listen to it! Those on whom, besides Allah, ye call, cannot create (even) a fly, if they all gathered together for the purpose! and if the fly should snatch away anything from them, they would have no power to release it from the fly. Feeble are those who petition and those whom they petition! (Al-Hajj 22:73)

This name belongs to God alone and no one else. “Allah” is the only word in the Arabic language equivalent to “God” with a capital “G”. It is also a unique word grammatically since it cannot be made plural or given a masculine or feminine gender. This is consistent with the Islamic concept of God. In English and other languages the word “god” can be used in various forms such as “God”, “gods” or “goddess”, all with different connotations and meanings.

The One and Only “God”

The only difference between “god” (meaning a false god or any object of worship) and “God” (meaning the one true God) is a capital “G”.

Thus, a more accurate translation of “Allah” might be “the one and only true God”.

But there is another important point, which is that Islam is particularly concerned with the correct concept of God.

Someone can have an erroneous concept of Him whether he uses the name “Allah” or the word “God”.

Followers of previous religions gradually deviated from the original pure belief in God due to the fact that their scriptures were not adequately protected from loss and alteration. None of these are still available for study in their original form or language.

But this is not true of the last divinely revealed message, the Qur’an.

No son did Allah beget, nor is there any god along with Him: (if there were many gods), behold, each god would have taken away what he had created, and some would have lorded it over others! Glory to Allah! (He is free) from the (sort of) things they attribute to Him! (Al-Mu’minun 23:91)

Hence, the accurate concept of God can be found therein.

Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him. (Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4)

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Source: The article is excerpted from the book Clear Your Doubts about Islam, Compiled by Saheeh international.

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