CONTENT:
In a world
of more than 7 billion people, where resides 4300 religions, is
Islam any different from the rest of the world's religions?
Amidst the barren lands of Arabia, that had never seen civilization before, religion was taught through an ummyi (one who cannot read or write) named Muhammad (PBUH) that changed the course of world history, created a civilization that overtook the mightiest of empires and kingdoms and is today, the fastest-growing religion of the 21st century.
According to The New York Times, 25000 Americans convert to Islam every year. According to The Guardian, about 5000 British people convert to Islam every year and most of them are women. So, what makes Islam unique? Does it appeal more to human reasoning and intellect? Let us explore some of the most fundamental aspects of Islam, that makes it unique among the rest of the world religions.
The concept of God
The uniqueness in the concept of God is the foremost belief that sets Islam apart from almost every other religion. God is not incarnated into any human form, be it a prophet, a messenger or any saint. God is not represented by any image or shape. The belief is simple, There is no god, but the One True God.
By "no god", it rejects the idea of associating or worshipping any created being instead of, or along with the Creator. There lies only One Supreme Entity, that caused the creation of the universe, and the things beyond. He is the All-Knowing, All-Seeing, the All-Merciful, the Exalted, the Originator of all creations. The best of the qualities are attributed to Him in the highest form. And Islam says that it is this Highest Creator that alone deserves to be worshipped.
So, is this God, specific to Muslims only? A general understanding is that "Allah" is the God of Muslims. However, the word "Allah" is derived from two words, i.e. "al" which means "The" and "Ilah" which mean "God". Allah is the Arabic word for The God, implying the Only One God. Judaism believes in a similar concept of One God and calls Him by the name Yahweh. As long as any religion believes in One God, who is the Sole Creator of the universe, without ascribing any image, shape and form to Him, believes in the same God that Islam teaches to believe in.
So, why do Muslims prefer calling God "Allah"? Not only is it because the Qur'an uses the same word, but this word also holds some good arguments and reasons that'd appeal to every individual. Unlike the masculine and feminine gender that exists for the word "god" i.e. god and goddess, the word "Allah" is free of any gender. Similarly, a plural of the word "god" i.e. "gods" exists in the English language, however, since "Allah" in itself means "the One God", its plural becomes meaningless and no such word exists in the Arabic language. Chapter 112 of the Qur'an is a short chapter, that defines this concept of God.
Say, "He is Allah , [who is] One, Allah , the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent." [Qur'an 112]
The Holy Qur'an
The Qur'an is one such religious scripture whose source is well known and has been reliably transmitted by people whose exact historical records are still available to us. This makes Muslims rely confidently upon the Qur'an they have today, as the exact book that was revealed to Prophet Muhammad, and through this Book, Muslims believe and follow the teachings of Islam in its purest form. The oldest existing manuscript of the Qur'an discovered is kept in the University of Birmingham and dated between 568-645 CE. This manuscript is the same as the copy of the Qur'an found in any Muslim household today. In fact, the Qur'an has been preserved like no other book in human history. Its preservation lies, not only through the written mode but through oral mode as well.
Muslims from the time of the Prophet till this day, memorize the Qur'an. A majority of the Muslim population is non-Arab. However, memorizing the entire Qur'an, from cover to cover seems no more to be an extraordinary task. In fact, what seems extraordinary is the ease with which kids, as young as six years old memorize the entire Qur'an. Surprisingly, the Qur'an way back, bore witness to both these wonders i.e. the preservation as well as the memorization. The Qur'anic verse mentioned below is from chapter 15, wherein Allah Himself takes up the responsibility of the preservation of the Qur'an for its message to reach all of mankind, and across all ages.
"Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian." [Qur'an 15:9]
Similarly, the Qur'anic verse cited below talks about how Allah has made the Qur'an easy for remembrance. One cannot overlook the fact, that while Islam, in its initial days faced severe opposition and hatred, yet made the claim with utmost confidence that its recitation shall be persevered for mankind and that it shall be easy for all to memorize.
"And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?" [Qur'an 54:22]
The Qur'an contains not only spiritual guidance but also laws and regulations that deal with social, political, economic and military aspects. Several dozen countries in the 21st century, including non Arab countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey etc. abide by the laws of the Qur'an revealed 1400 years ago. It was for this reason that in 1935, the Supreme Court of the United States honoured Prophet Muhammad as one of the greatest lawgivers in history.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
The list would definitely be incomplete without the mention of the man that lives in the hearts of billions of his followers. Muhammad (s.a.w) was orphaned in his childhood. He grew up in a society that was the most uncivilized, inhuman and barbaric. The most unimaginable evil practices then prevailed in this society.
Amidst all this, the Prophet lived
and exemplified the best of character and the most humble behaviour. In
fact, prior to his prophethood, it was this very character that earned him
the title of al-Amin (the trustworthy) and as-Sadiq (the
truthful). He singlehandedly stood against the whole community and
their evil practices, was boycotted, lynched, attempts were made on his life
but eventually, in a span of 23 years, changed the course of world
history.
In one of the most famous books of the 20th century, written by Michael H. Hart The 100: A ranking of the most influential persons in history, the first person on the list was Muhammad, the prophet of Islam. In fact, he is one the rarest examples, or probably the only example of a man to be successful on religious, political, economic, social, military as well as administrative levels. He not only transformed the religious beliefs of the society but their way of trading and dealing with wealth, their manner of property distribution, their dressing, what they ate, how they lived and every other aspect of their lives, be it major or minor.
Unlike the rest of the world rulers, Prophet Muhammad did not live a lavish life, but a life with minimum resources. He suffered hunger, poverty, heat, life threats, was exiled but continued to remain steadfast on his mission. His life continues to inspire millions every year. Muslims today, do not have any image or portrait of their prophet, as he never allowed his people to build one. Yet, they hold this man in the highest level of respect and utmost love.
Who would have known a man, better than his wife? And Aisha, the wife of Prophet Muhammad was asked, "What did the Prophet do in his house?" She replied, "He used to keep himself busy serving his family with household chores, and when it was time for prayer, he would go out for it." [Recorded by Imam Bukhari]. Such was the simplicity of the Prophet of God (peace be upon him).
Rationality & understanding of the intellect
While religion may seem like a matter of mere faith and belief that does not allow you to be reasonable and question the practices, Islam speaks the opposite. The Qur'an time and again, emphasizes to look around and reflect upon the signs of our Creator. In fact, it promotes the use of our intellect and understanding over blind faith. Islam does not demand one to follow his or her faith for the sole reason that they were born into it. Instead, the argument of following one's forefathers blindly is refuted in the following verse of the Qur'an
But when they are told, "Follow what God has revealed," they say, "Rather we will follow that which we found our fathers doing." Even if their fathers understood nothing, nor were they guided? [Qur'an 2:170]
Atheism today has gained quite some trend, especially among the youth. Past decades have seen the theories about the universe being self-created and even to the extent that the idea of the universe being created from nothing seems "logical". The Qur'an way back addressed these arguments and also adds, that even those who preach it are not certain about their own ideas. Allah says in the Qur'an,
"Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they are not certain." [Qur'an 52:35-36]
If one reads the Qur'an and let it speak to you, the Qur'an will eventually let you think and reflect. There is a reason why during the initial days of Islam, when the Arabs rejected the message, they accused the prophet of magic and sorcery. This speaks for itself, the overwhelming impact that the Qur'an had on their hearts and minds. The Qur'an points out the signs of Allah in nature and all around us and asks us to reflect upon them. The Qur'an says,
"Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding." [Qur'an 3:190]
Another example of a similar verse is found in the 30th chapter, wherein the Qur'an says, "And of His Signs is that He has created mates for you from your own kind that you may find peace in them and He has set between you love and mercy. Surely there are Signs in this for those who reflect." [Qur'an 30:21]
However, we generally shed off such thoughts, only to get ourselves occupied with our present lives. This attitude of turning away from such reminders is strongly disliked in the Qur'an when it says "Do they not then reflect on the Quran? Or are there locks upon their hearts?" [Qur'an 47:24]
The Qur'an has parables and lessons to make us ponder and reflect upon the creation and as well as the Creator. Its aim is to let us use our intellect and know the purpose of our existence. It not only dives our mind into the spiritual realms but also into a very logical and rational understanding of the faith, its do's and the dont's.
"Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not use reason." [Qur'an 8:22]
The notion of Justice
Islam lays special emphasis on justice, be it in this world or in the next life. The Qur'an outlines the right to inheritance for women, property ownership laws for orphans, the rights of widows, measures towards abolishing slavery and equal treatment for all, irrespective of race, caste, creed or colour. The Qur'an repeatedly addresses mankind as the Children of Adam implying that we are all offsprings from the same ancestor, thereby constituting a brotherhood.
Islam does not believe in the cycle of birth or attaining enlightenment by uniting with god or blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. The belief is plain and simple- All creations shall die and return to their Creator. Our deeds, good and bad, shall be taken into account and we alone shall all be answerable for all the right and the wrong that we did in this world. No family ties, lineage or caste shall matter when we stand before our God. In fact, Prophet Muhammad demonstrated the same when he called out to his own beloved daughter Fatima and said,
"O Fatima bin Muhammad! Ask me anything from my wealth, but I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment." [Sahih al Bukhari 51:16]
Similarly, any harm or pain that we cause to the other person in this life, shall not be forgiven until the person we wronged, forgives us. Every individual shall be forgiven and/or punished and/or rewarded according to their own deeds and,
"Allah is not unjust in the least degree." [Qur'an 4:40]
The Qur'an comforts those who do good deeds by calling out that even the smallest acts of goodness, that we may consider insignificant shall not go wasted and will be recognized and rewarded.
"And be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good." [Qur'an 11:115]
On the other hand, it also warns those who do wrong in this life and are never thinking about death or meeting their Lord. To them, the Qur'an says that all the injustice they cause in this world does not go unnoticed by Allah.
"And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror]." [Qur'an 14:42]
Previous messengers & prophets
The belief of Islam does not limit itself to its own prophet and scripture. In fact, the Qur'an says that prophets and messengers were sent to mankind, to all places and in all ages. All came with the same message to believe and worship the One God, belief in the Final Day of Judgment and therefore do good deeds. This is the crux of the message that all the prophets, messengers and all scriptures hold.
The Qur'an mentions several other prophets as well as messengers other than Prophet Muhammad, and surprisingly some get more frequent mention than the final prophet of Islam. Jesus Christ is mentioned as one of the mightiest messengers of God and the Qur'an even bears witness that his birth was miraculous, thereby the Qur'an defends the pious character of his mother Mary. The Qur'an also testifies the miracles that Prophet Jesus performed with the permission of God i.e. curing the blind, healing the sick, giving life etc.
Prophet Moses is yet another example, whose stories, his mission and his struggles are mentioned extensively in the Qur'an. Islam emerged in a land thousands of miles apart from the places where these great men lived and all these events occurred centuries apart. And yet, the Qur'an mentions them in detail, upholds their message and makes the belief in all prophets, messengers and their scripture as one of the mandatory parts of faith. Prophet Muhammad himself would say,
"Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of mary. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one." [Sahih-al-Bukhari 55:652]
These are a handful of the countless principles that makes Islam unique and the fastest growing religion of the 21st century. Islam explains the purpose of life with full clarity and practicality. No person is given preference to the other except by their deeds. The best of men are those with the best character. Islam is contained and defined not by the actions of the Muslims, but by the guidance in the Qur'an and its implementation by the Prophet of Islam.
Ahmed Deedat, one of the most influential figures of the 20th century once said, "Islam will win, with or without you. But without Islam, you will definitely lose."
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