Islam - A new religion?

Islam is often misunderstood to be a new religion, whose founder is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This "new religion" was born in 7th century Arabia and soon spread across the globe. This belief is commonly found in textbooks and among those not very familiar with Islam. 

So is Islam a new religion? If not, is it an extension of an older religion? Or a revised version? We shall proceed to answer these questions in stages, understanding the fundamental beliefs and how it relates to other religion. 

Concept of God

Islam does not introduce people to a new god, with new features and new qualities. Islam dedicates itself only to the worship of our Creator, who created us, created the universe and all that it contains. This Creator is Unseen and is known through all the good qualities known to man, in the highest degree. For example, He is the Most Merciful, the Most Just, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing. 

Islam strictly adheres to representing this Creator through any creations i.e. worshipping of idols, saints, nature etc. How He looks like or in which form He exists, we do not know nor do we need to know in this life. 

The most commonly used word in Islam, to refer to this One Creator is "Allah". The word is derived from two words i.e. "al" which means "The" and "ilah" which means "God". Therefore, Allah means "The God", implying the One God or the Only God. 

Any religion that worships a God without attributing any image, shape or form to Him, worships the same God that Muslims do. For example, the Jews worship One God and call Him "Yahweh". The Arabs, before the advent of Islam, also believed in the Highest Creator and called Him, Allah, however, they also had many smaller deities and gods that they worshipped alongside Allah. This was the practice that Islam came to bring an end to. 

So in conclusion, Islam did not bring into the picture, a new god to pray to, but filtered the practice of worshipping other things alongside or beside our Creator. Islam commanded to direct all acts of worship towards your Creator. 

Prophets, messengers and revelations

Religions often in general either reject the other religions or stay mute over them. Islam however mentions extensively the past events, that in fact, answers why we have so many religions today. 

The Qur'an mentions that God had sent prophets and messengers to people at all times and in all places ensuring that the message of God reaches all humans i.e. glad tidings for those who do good, while warnings and reminders to those who do wrong. This message from the Creator was conveyed to the people through prophets and messengers, whom God chose from amongst them. A few are mentioned by name in the Qur'an which includes Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Jesus, peace be upon them all. 

A messenger is the one on whom God reveals a scripture/book that contains all the teachings. On the other hand, a prophet is sent to bring people back to the same religion when they have deviated from it. The most fundamental principles of the religion of all the messengers and prophets have always been the same, which is to worship our Creator and that after we die, we shall be resurrected before Him, and will be taken into account for all our deeds. 

Every tribe/community/nation received the same message through a prophet or a messenger, upon which some believed while the others rejected. However, over time, people deviated from religion and corrupted their religious books with innovations for their own comfort. It was then, that either a prophet was sent to revive the same law or another messenger was sent to deliver a new law. 

The final messenger and prophet to be sent for mankind was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Since he was the final man to shoulder this responsibility, his message was not only meant for his people or nation, but for all the coming generations in the entire world. It was for this reason that Allah s.w.t preserved the message of Islam in Qur'an, which has not only been transmitted through written form but has also been memorized in its entirety by Muslims, generation after generation. 

Faith in Islam

Having discussed the above, we shall now be able to understand, what Islam is, and what Faith is, in the very own definition of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. The incident has been recorded in various historical sources and deemed to be highly authentic. It was one of the occasions when the prophet sat with his followers and a man asked him "What is Islam?". The Prophet replied,

"To worship Allah Alone and none else, to offer prayers perfectly to pay the compulsory charity (Zakat) and to observe fasts during the month of Ramadan."

He then asked him, "What is Imaan(faith)?"

The Prophet replied,

'Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, (the) meeting with Him, His Apostles, and to believe in Resurrection." 

This definition sums up the entire principles and foundation of Islam and what constitutes to be a Muslim. It gives the identity to a Muslim that is irrespective of their opinions and far away from the definition of any sect.