the natural path of islam (peace through submission) to
Likewise for sleeping,
For over one billion people in the world Islam is a
religion and complete way of life. But more than that,
Islam is a state of mind and being. "Islam" is an Arabic
word that means "peace through the submission to
God". And "muslim" means "anyone or anything that
submits itself to the will of God". Now, if you were to
observe nature you will find that everything is submitting
to the laws that God has established. The planets, stars,
trees, and animals perform their God-given duties with
perfect obedience and, as a result, are in a state of
peace through their submission. Therefore they are all
muslims adhering to the principle of islam.
Applying this principle to human beings, some choose to
submit their will to God and some choose not to. Hence,
some are muslims and some are not. But understand
that one does not have to practice the "religion" Islam to
be considered a muslim. Remember, "muslim" can be a
general term that refers to anyone or anything that
submits its will to God. Therefore, an isolated tribal
civilization not having any exposure to "mainstream"
religion, though submitting themselves to God in the
best way they know how, may be muslims if they are
worshipping God in a way that pleases Him. Such a
people may refer to God as "the Great Spirit" or "the
Supreme Being" and live a righteous life in service and
submission to Him. Frederick Mathewson Denny wrote
in his book entitled An Introduction to Islam, "All true
religion is 'surrender' to God and, thus, islam in the
generic sense.'" Additionally, every newborn baby is a
muslim (see the definition above) because of an
unwilling submission to God. The baby is completely
humble and innocent since it is a natural creation of God
in its purest state - the state of peace (or islam).
Islam - The Religion of Responsibility
As a baby grows older it develops an intellectual
awareness and free will, both of which are gifts of God
that are unique to the human being. But along with
these gifts comes responsibility due to the fact that we
are now aware of right and wrong and are no longer
forced to submit to God. The choice is now completely
ours and we will be held accountable for all the choices
we make. Some are influenced by their environment,
family, and/or own desires and are subsequently led off
family, this is viewed as worship.
indulge in unnatural things. These things may include
crime, drug use, racism, false worship, and/or the
complete denial of the existence of God.
Islam - The Religion of Purpose
The purpose of Islam the "religion" and "way of life" is
to bring the human being back to the natural state that
it was originally created in: that of humility, piety,
peace, and submission. The difference in submission
now is that the human will is consciously choosing to
be a Muslim, and the human intellect realizes the
whole purpose of creation - to worship and please God
in every activity and aspect of life. Consequently, a
Muslim is always engaged in good thoughts, words,
and actions in an attempt to please his or her Creator
and live a peaceful life here on Earth and ultimately in
the Hereafter. Islam gives purpose and meaning to life.
It gives the Muslim an identity and an awareness of his
or her position in this vast universe. To know that
everything you think, do, and say is serving a purpose,
fulfilling an obligation, and pleasing your Creator and
Sustainer is greatest feeling that one can have in this
life!
Islam - The Religion of Balance
This being the case, one may think that Islam is a
religion of extremism or asceticism - that Muslims
isolate themselves in mosques to pray all day and
meditate on religious issues. However this is not the
teaching of Islam. Muslims do integrate themselves
into society and seek the bounties of God through
worldly careers and recreational activities as long as
they are within the bounds of the Islamic law. God says
in The Holy Qur'an:
"But seek, with the (wealth) which God has bestowed
on thee, the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget thy
portion in this world: but do thou good, as God has
been good to thee, and seek not (occasions for)
mischief in the land: for God loves not those who do
mischief." (28:77)
The Muslim believes that the Earth and all of creation
were created by God to serve the human being as a
means to achieve the purpose of life, which is the
worship of God. Therefore, if a person works and earns
money lawfully in an effort to provide for his or her
eating, or exercising if it helps the person in ultimately
fulfilling their duties to God. Worship not only includes
formal and ritual acts of devotion but any act, routine or
otherwise, that is pleasing to God. And the key to
worship in a Muslim's daily life is the remembrance of
God no matter what activity is being undertaken.
Islam - The Religion of Discipline
In order to keep the remembrance of God amidst all the
distractions of daily life the human being needs a
reminder. And this reminder comes in the form of prayer,
fasting, charity, and the like. Five prayers a day at
certain times keep the Muslims aware of who they are
and keeps them "in check" while living in a
predominantly secular society. Fasting during the
daylight hours in the month of Ramadan brings a sense
of gratitude for the nourishment that is usually taken for
granted. The constant hunger also helps the person
practice self-restraint against carnal desires. Charity
ushers in a balanced society economically and paves
the way for brotherly love and unity in the cause of
pleasing God. Charity may also manifest itself in the
giving of oneself to good deeds in helping others.
Prophet Muhammad once said, "When you smile in your
brother's face it counts to you as a charity" (Tirmizi).
Once a person makes the declaration of faith
(shahadah) and becomes a Muslim, he or she takes on
these and other responsibilities in an effort to remain on
the straight path of righteousness and success. Islam is
a disciplined religion because it teaches personal
responsibility and complete submission to God. A
Muslim must work for the pleasure of his or her Creator
and hope for His mercy and acceptance. It may be a
struggle at times but the wise person only welcomes
struggle because it is a means by which the human will
can be purified and by which the human spirit can move
closer to its Creator. Besides, hard work results in a
stronger, more dignified individual who is grateful and
deserving, not lazy and complacent. The struggle (jihad)
that Muslims may endure in trying to submit themselves
is also a test of their true faith. It's not a test for God to
know because He knows all; it's a test for the individual
to know whether he or she is a true servant of God.
Islam is a disciplined way of life that inspires people to
be productive citizens working in the higher cause of
their Creator.
Islam - The Religion of Simplicity
Islam is a religion that does not complicate the human
being's relationship with God. There is no priesthood in
Islam and no need for intermediaries to reach God. The
concept of God is clear, logical, and simple. There is
One unseen god whose name is Allah. He is Eternal,
Merciful, Just, All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and the
Creator of all that exists. He has no sons, daughters, or
partners in His lordship. Our praise and worship are
devoted solely to Him and Him alone. The Holy Qur'an,
which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad over 1300
years ago, is the preserved word of God. It is the
instruction book for all humans to know how to worship
God and live life in the most excellent way. It contains
the originally revealed Arabic scripture which has never
been tampered with or changed by humans. As a result,
its teachings are clear and simple and can even be
understood by a child!
Formal acts of worship in Islam are both practical and
simple. In the daily prayers, the Muslim brings the
highest part of the body (the head) to the lowest point
(the ground) as a symbol of complete humility and
submission (the Biblical prophets prayed the same way
- see Joshua 5:14 and I Kings 18:42). Through fasting
the Muslim denies the body of the physical needs in
order to concentrate on the spiritual needs. In the
pilgrimage to Mecca, the Muslim dawns a simple dress
and embarks on a struggling journey that is meant to
purify the soul and bring one as close to God as
possible in this life, spiritually speaking. Each practice
appropriately conforms to the innate human desire to
submit to the Supreme Creator in simplicity and ease of
understanding.
Islam - The Religion of God
Muslims believe in all the revealed books of God: the
Torah (Moses), the Psalms (David), the Gospels
(Jesus), and the Qur'an (Muhammad). The message in
all of them is the same: submission to the One God in
peace, unity, and righteousness. The Holy Qur'an is
simply a summation and correction of all the scriptures
that came before it since they were tampered with and
changed by humans over time. What Muslims reject are
the altered versions that exist today because they
contain only a fragment of the original message. Human
perversion of these original scriptures made it
necessary for the Qur'an to come. And it has remained
in its original form to this very day:
"We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and
Islam the
We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)" (The Holy
Qur'an 15:9)
religion of God
"This is a Glorious Qur'an, inscribed in a Tablet
Preserved!" (The Holy Qur'an 85:21-22)
Now, since islam is the religion of nature, it has existed
ever since the beginning of creation. And if we believe
in the One God and in one human race, then we have
to believe that there is one way of worship that is
acceptable to Him. It is the Muslim position that God
sent all the prophets to teach the same religion:
submission to God (islam). However, the Holy Qur'an is
the only revealed scripture that has remained free from
human tampering.
The Muslims invite everyone to read the actual words
of God and realize His will and the light of universal
truth through Islam. A light which by the hand of man
has been all but snuffed out in the scriptures revealed
to the prophets before Muhammad.
The Religion of Nature
Responsibility
Purpose
For More Info:
Balance
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