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Towards Understanding Islam
THE ARTICLES OF FAITH
Before we proceed further, it would be
advisable to recapitulate the former discussions and sum up their substance. We
can summaries them as follows:
1. Although Islam consists of submission and obedience to Allah Lord of the
universe, yet as the only authentic and reliable source of knowing Him and His
Will and Law is the teaching of the true prophet, we may define Islam as that
religion which stands for complete faith in the teachings of the prophet and
unflinching obedience to his ways of life. Consequently, one who ignores the
medium of the prophet and claims to follow God directly is not a ‘Muslim’.
2. In the earlier epochs there had been separate prophets for different nations,
and the history of prophethood shows that even in one and the same nation
several prophets appeared one after the other. In that age Islam was name of
that religion which was taught to a nation by its own prophet or prophet. Though
the nature and substance of Islam was the same in every age and country, the
modes of worship, codes of law, and other detailed rules and regulations of life
were a bit different according to the local and particular conditions of every
people. It was not, therefore, necessary for any nation to follow another
nation’s prophet and its responsibility was confined only to following the
guidance given by its own prophet.
3. This period of poly-prophetism came to an end with the advent of Muhammad
(peace is upon him). The teachings of Islam were made complete through him; one
basic law formulated for the whole whole world and he was made a prophet unto
the entire humanity. His prophethood was not meant for any particular nation or
country or period; his message is for all peoples and for all ages. The earlier
codes were abrogated by the advent of Muhammad (peace be upon him) who gave the
world a complete code of life. Now, neither any prophet is to appear in the
future nor is any new religious code going to be revealed till the Last Day.
Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) teachings are meant for all the children of Adam,
the entire human race. Now Islam consists in following Muhammad, viz. To
acknowledge his prophethood, to believe in all that he has asked to his believe
in, to follow him in letter and spirit, and to submit to all his commands and
injunction of God. This is Islam.
This automatically brings us to the question: What has Muhammad (peace be upon
him) asked us to believe in? What are the articles of Islamic faith? Now we
shall try to discuss these articles and see how simple, how true, how lovable
and how valuable they are and to what high pinnacle they raise the status of Man
in this world and the life to come!
TAWHEED: FAITH IN THE UNITY OF GOD
The most fundamental and the most important teaching of Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) is faith in the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is faith in
the unity of God. This is expressed in the primary kalima of Islam as La ilaha
illallah "There is no deity but Allah". This beautiful phrase in the bedrock of
Islam, its foundation and its essence. It is the expression of this belief which
differentiates a true Muslim from a kafir (unbeliever), a Mushrik (one who
associates others with God in His divinity), or a Dahriya (atheist). The
acceptance or denial of this phrase produces a world of difference between man
and man. The believers in it become one single community and those who do not
believe in it form the opposite group. For the believers there is unhampered
progress and resounding success in this world and in the hereafter, while
failure and ignominy are the ultimate lot of those who refuse to believe in it.
But the difference which occurs between the believers and the unbelievers is not
the result of mere chanting of a few words. Evidently the mere utterance of mere
chanting of a few words. Evidently the mere utterance of a phrase or two cannot
bring about such a mighty difference. The real force lies in the conscious
acceptance of this doctrine and its stipulations and complete adherence to it in
practical life. Unless you know the real meaning of the phrase "there is no
deity but Allah" and the bearing of its acceptance on human life, you cannot
realize the real importance of this doctrine. It would never become effective
unless these essentials are achieved. Mere repeating of the word ‘food’ cannot
dull the edge of hunger; mere chanting of a medical prescription cannot heal the
disease. In the same way if the Kalima is re0peated without any understanding of
its meanings and dictates, it cannot work the revolution which its meanings and
dictates, it cannot work the revolution which it is meant to bring about. The
revolution in thought and life can occur only if a person grasps the full
meaning of the doctrine, realizes its significance, reposes true belief in it,
and accepts and follows it in letter and spirit. Unless this grasp of the Kalima
is developed it cannot become fully effective. We avoid fire because we have a
realization that it burns; we keep away from poison because we believe that its
use kills a man. Similarly, if the real meanings of Tawheed are fully grasped,
it should necessarily make us avoid, in belief as well as in action, every form
and shade of disbelief, atheism, and polytheism. This is the natural dictate of
belief in the Unity of God.
The Meaning of the ‘Kalima’
In the Arabic language the word ilah means ‘one who is worshipped’, i.e. a being
which on account of its greatness and power be considered worthy to be
worshipped, to be bowed to in humility and submission. Anything or any being
possessing power too great to be comprehended by man is also called ilah. The
conception of ilah also includes the possession of infinite powers: that may
astonish others. It also conveys the sense that others are dependent upon ilah
and that he is not dependent upon anyone else. The word ilah also carries a
sense of concealment and mystery, that is, ilah would be a being unseen and
unperceptible. The word khuda in Persian, deva in Hindi, and god in English
bear, more or less, similar signification. Other languages of the world also
contain words with a like sense.
The word Allah, on the other hand, is the essential personal name of God. La
ilaha illallah would literally mean "There is no ilah other than the One Great
being known by the name "Allah". It means that in the whole of the universe,
there is absolutely no being worthy to be worshipped other than Allah, that it
is only to Him that heads should bow in submission and adoration, that He is the
only Being possessing all powers, that all powers, that all are in need of His
favor, and that all are obliged to solicit His help. He is concealed from our
senses, and our intellect fails to perceive what He is.
Having known the meanings of these worlds, let us now find out their real
significance.
From the most ancient known history of man as well as from the oldest relics of
antiquity that we have been able to obtain, it appears that in every age man had
recognized some deity or deities and had worshipped them. Even in the present
age every nation on the face of the earth, from the most primitive to the most
civilized, dose believe in and worship some deity. It shows that the idea of
having a deity and of worshipping him is ingrained in human nature. There is do
so.
But the question is: What that thing is and why man feels impelled to do to do
so? The answer to this question can be discovered if we try to look into the
position of man in this huge universe. A perusal of man and his nature from this
view-point shows that he is not omnipotent. Neither he is self-sufficient and
self-existing nor are his powers without limitations. In fact, he is weak,
frail, needy, and destitute. He is dependent upon a multitude of forces and
without their assistance he cannot make a headway. There are countless things
necessary to maintain his existence, but all of them are not essentially and
totally within his powers. Sometimes they come to his possession in a simple and
natural way, and at times he finds himself deprived of them. There are many
important and valuable things which he endeavors to get, but sometimes he
succeeds in getting them, while sometimes he does not, for it is not completely
in his own power to obtain them. There are many important and valuable things
which he endeavors to get, but sometimes he succeeds in getting them, while
sometimes he dose not, for it is not completely in his won power to obtain them.
There are many things injurious to him; chances bring his hops to a sudden end;
disease, worries, and calamities, always threaten him and mar his way to
happiness. He attempts to get rid of them, and success and failure both visit
him in this quest. There are many things whose greatness and grandeur overawe
him mountains and rivers, gigantic animals and ferocious beasts. He experiences
earthquakes, storms, and other natural calamities. He observes clouds over his
head and sees them becoming thick and dark, with peals of thunder, flashes of
lightning and continuous fall of heavy rain. He sees the sun, the moon, and the
stars in their constant motion. He reflects how great, powerful, and grand these
bodies are, and, in contrast to them, how frail and insignificant he himself is!
The vast phenomena, on the one hand, and the consciousness of his own frailty,
on the other, impress him with a deep sense of his own weakness, humbleness, and
helplessness. And it is quite natural that the preliminary idea of divinity
coincides with this sense. He thinks of those hands which are wielding these
great forces. The sense of their powerfulness makes him seek their help. He
tries to please them so that they may be beneficent to him, and he dreads them
and tries to escape their wrath so that he may not may not be destroyed by them.
In the most primitive stage of ignorance, man thinks that the great objects of
nature whose grandeur and glory are visible, and which appear to be injurious or
beneficent to him, hold in themselves the real power and authority, and
therefore, they are diving. Thus he worship trees, and numerous other objects.
This is the worst form of ignorance.
When his ignorance dissipates to some extent and some glimmers of light and
knowledge appear on his intellectual horizon, he comes to know that these great
and powerful objects are in themselves quite helpless and dependent and are in
no way better placed than man rather they are still more dependent and helpless.
The biggest and the strongest animal dies like a tiny germ, and loses all his
power; great rivers rise and fall and become dry; the high mountains are blasted
and shattered by man himself; the productiveness of the earth is not under
earth’s own control-water makes it prosperous and lack of water makes it barren.
Even water is not independent. It depends on air which brings the clouds. Air
too is powerless and its usefulness depends on other causes. The moon, the sun,
and the stares also are bound up by a powerful law outside whose dictates they
cannot make the slightest movement. After these considerations his mind turns to
the possibility of some great mysterious power of divine nature which controls
the objects he sees and which may be the repositories of all authority. These
reflection give rise to belief in mysterious powers behind the natural
phenomena, numberless gods are supposed to be governing various parts and
aspects of nature such as air, light, water, etc, and some suggestive material
forms or symbols are constructed to represent them. And he begins to worship
those forms and symbols. This too is a form of ignorance, and reality remains
hidden from the human eye even at this stage of intellectual and cultural
pilgrimage.
As man progresses still further in knowledge and learning, and as he reflects
more and more deeply on the fundamental problems of life and existence, he finds
an all-powerful law and an all-encompassing control in the universe. What a
complete regularity control in the universe. What a complete regularity is
observed in sunrise and sunset, in winds and rains, in the motions of stars and
the changes of seasons! How in a wonderfully harmonious way countless different
forces are working jointly, and what a highly potent and supremely wise Law it
is, according to which all the various causes in the universe are made to work
together at an appointed time to produce an appointed event! Observing this
uniformity, regularity, and complete obedience to a firm law in all fields of
believe that there must be a deity greater than all others, exercising supreme
authority. For, if there were separate, independent deities, the whole machinery
of the universe would be upset. He calls this greatest deity by different names,
such as ‘Allah’ ‘Permeshwar,’ ‘God,’ Khuda-I-Khudaigan,’ etc. but as the
darkness of ignorance still persists, he continues worshipping minor deities
along with the Supreme One. He imagines that the Divine Kingdom of God may not
be different form earthly kingdoms. Just as a ruler has many ministers, trusted
associates, governors, and other responsible officers, so the minor are like so
many responsible officers, under the Great God who could not be approached
without pleasing and propitiating the officers under Him. So they must also be
worshipped and appealed to for help, and should in no case be offended. Can be
made to the Great God.
The more man increases in knowledge, the greater become his dissatisfaction with
the multiplicity of deities. So the number of minor deities begins to decrease.
More enlightened men bring each one of them under the searchlight of scrutiny
and ultimately find that none of these man-made deities has any divine
character; they themselves are creatures like man, rather more helpless. They
are thus dropped out by one until only one God remains. But the concept of one
God still contains some remnants of the elements of ignorance. Some people
imaging that has a body as man have, and is settled in a particular place. Some
believe that God came down to the earth in human form; others think that God
after settling the affairs of the universe has retired and is now taking rest.
Some believe that it is necessary to approach God through the media of saints
and spirits, and nothing can be achieved without their intercession. Some
imagine God to have a certain form or image and they regard it necessary to keep
that before them for the purposes of worship. Such distorted notions of godhead
have persisted and lingered, and many of them are prevalent among different
people even in the present age.
Tawheed is the highest conception of godhead, the knowledge of which God has
sent to mankind in all ages through His prophets. It was this knowledge with
which, in the beginning, Adam had been revealed to Noah, Abraham, Moses and
Jesus (God’s blessings be upon them all). It was this very knowledge which
Muhammad (God’s blessings be upon him) brought to mankind. It is The Knowledge,
pure and absolute, without the least shade of ignorance. Man because he guilty
of shirk, idol-worship and kufr, only because he turned away from the teachings
of the prophets and depended upon his own faulty reasoning, false perceptions or
biased interpretations. Tawheed dispels all the clouds of ignorance and
illumines the horizon with the light of reality. Let us see what significant
realities this concept of Tawheed-this little phrase: ‘la ilaha illallah’-points
out: what truth it conveys and what beliefs it fosters. This we can grasp if we
ponder over the following points.
First of all we are faced with the question of divinity. We are face to face
with a grand, limitless universe. Man’s mind fails to discern its beginning and
visualize its end. It is moving on in its chartered course from time immemorial
and is continuing its journey in the vast vista of the future. Creatures beyond
number have appeared in it-and go on appearing every day. The phenomena are so
bewildering that a thinking mind finds itself aghast and wonderstruck. Man is
unable to understand and grasp the reality by his unaided vision. He cannot
believe that all this has appeared just by chance or accident. The universe is
not a fortuitous mass of matter. It is not a jumble of uncoordinated objects. It
is not a conglomeration of thing chaotic and meaningless. All this cannot be
without a Creator, a Designer, a Controller, a Governor. But who con create and
control this majestic universe? Only He can do so master of all; who is infinite
and eternal; who is all-powerful, all wise, omnipotent, and omniscient; who is
all-knowing and all-seeing. He must have supreme authority over all that exists
in the universe. He must possess limitless powers, must be the lord of the
universe and all that it contains, must be free from every flaw and weakness and
none may have the power to interfere with His work. Only such a being can be the
Creator, the Controller and the Governor of the universe.
Secondly, it is essential that all these divine attributes and powers must vest
in one being-it is virtually impossible for two or more personalities having all
the powers and attributes equally to co-exist. They are bound to collide.
Therefore there must be one and only one Supreme Being having control over all
others. You cannot think of two governors for the same province or two supreme
commanders of the same army! Similarly, the distribution of these powers among
different deities, for instance, that one of them is all knowledge, the other
all providence and still another life-giver-and each having independent domain
in his own field-is unthinkable. The universe is an indivisible whole and each
one of such deities will be dependent upon others in bound to occur. And if this
happens, the world is destined to go to pieces. These attributes are also
untransferable. It is not possible that a certain attribute might be present in
a certain deity at one time and at another time it be found in another deity. A
divine being who is incapable of remaining alive himself cannot give life to
others. The one who cannot protect his own divine power is definitely unsuited
to govern the vast limitless universe. Thus the greater you reflect upon the
problem, the firmer would be your conviction that all these divine powers and
attributes must exist in one end the same Being alone. Thus polytheism is a form
of ignorance and cannot stand rational scrutiny. It is a practical
impossibility. The facts of life and nature do not fit into that explanation.
They automatically bring man to Reality, i.e. Tawheed (the Unity of God).
Now keeping in view this correct and perfect conception of God, cast a searching
glance at this vast universe. Exert yourself to the utmost and say if you find
among all the objects that your see, among all the things that you perceive,
among all that you can think, feel, or imagine-all that your knowledge can
comprehend-anyone possessing these attributes. The sum, the moon, the stars,
animals, birds or fishes, matter, any man or a group of men-does any of them
possess these attributes? Certainly none! For everything in the universe is
created, is controlled and regulated, is dependent on others, is mortal and
transitory, is not elf-acting and self-propelling-its slightest movements are
controlled by an inexorable law and it cannot deviate from that law. Their
helpless condition proves that the attire of divinity cannot fit their body.
They do not possess the slightest trace of divinity and have absolutely nothing
to do with it. They are simply without the godly powers and it is a travesty of
truth and a folly of the highest magnitude to attribute to them the divine
status. This is the meaning of ‘La ilaha,’ i.e. there is no god ; no human and
material object possesses the divine power and authority deserving worship and
obedience.
But this not the end of our quest. We have found that divinity does not vest in
any material or human element of the universe, and that none of them possesses
even the slightest trace of it. This very inquiry leads us to the conclusion
that there is a Supreme Being, over and above all that our unwary eyes see in
the universe, who possesses the Divine attributes who is the Will behind all
phenomena, the Creator of this grand universe, the Controller of its superb Law,
the Governor of its serene rhythm, the Administrator of all its working: He is
Allah, the Lord of Universe and has none as associate in His Divinity. This is
what "illallah" (but Allah) means.
This knowledge is superior to all other kinds of know ledge and the greater You
exert, the deeper will be your conviction that this is the starting-point of all
knowledge. In every filed of inquiry-may it be that of physics chemistry,
astronomy, geology, biology, zoology, economics, politics, sociology, or
humanities, you will find that the deeper you probe, the clearer become the
indications of the truth of La ilaha illallah, in every field of knowledge and
inquiry. It is this concept which opens up the doors of knowledge with the light
of reality. And if you deny or disregard this reality, you will fins that at
every step you meet disillusionment, for the denial of this primary truth robs
everything in the universe of its real meaning and true significance. The
universe becomes meaningless and the vistas of progress get blurred and
confused.
The Effects of Tawheed on Human Life
Now let us study effects which the belief in La ilaha illallah brings forth upon
the life of a man and see why he should always be a success in life, here and in
the hereafter.
A believer in this Kalima can never be narrow-minded or shriveled in outlook. He
believes in a God who is Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Master of the
East and the West and Sustainer of the entire universe. After this belief he
does not regard anything in the world as a stranger to himself. He looks upon
everything in the universe as belonging to the same Lord whom he himself belongs
to. He is not partisan in his thinking and behavior. His sympathy, love, and
service do not remain confined to any particular sphere or group. His vision is
enlarged, his intellectual horizon widens, and his outlook become liberal and as
boundless as is the Kingdom of God. How can this width of vision and breadth of
mind be achieved by an atheist, a polytheist, or one who believes in a deity
supposed to possess limited and defective powers like a man?
This belief produces in man the highest degree of self-respect and self-esteem.
The believer knows that Allah alone is the possessor of all power, and that none
besides Him can benefit or harm a person, or provide for his need, or give and
take away life, or wield authority or influence. This conviction makes him
indifferent to, and independent and fearless of, all powers other than those of
God. He never bows his head in homage to any of God’s creatures, nor does he
stretch his hand before anyone else. He is not overawed by anybody’s greatness.
This quality or attitude of mind cannot be produced by any other belief. For it
is necessary that those who associate other beings with God, or who deny God,
should bow in homage to some creatures, regard them able to benefit or harm
them, and repose all their hopes in them.
Along with self-respect this belief also generates in man a sense of modesty and
humbleness. It makes him unostentatious and unpretending and unpretending. A
believer never becomes proud, haughty or arrogant. The boisterous pride of
power, wealth and worth can have no room in his heart, because he knows that
whatever he possesses has been given to him by God, and can take away just as He
can give. In contrast to this, an unbeliever, when he achieves some worldly
merit, becomes proud and conceited because he believes that his merit is due to
his own worth. In the same way pride and self conceit are a necessary outcome
and concomitant of shirk (association of others with God in His divinity),
because a mushrik believes that he has a particular relation with the deities
which does exist between them and other people.
This belief makes man virtuous and upright. He has the conviction that theirs is
no other means of success and salvation for him except purity of soul and
righteousness of behavior. He has perfect faith in God who is above all need, is
related to none, is absolutely just, and none has any hand or influence in the
exercise of His divine powers. This belief creates in him the consciousness
that, unless he lives rightly and acts justly, he cannot succeed. No influence
or underhand activity can save him from ruin. As against this, the kefirs and
the mushriks always live on false hopes. Some of them believe that God’s son has
atoned for their sins; some think that they are God’s favorites, and will not be
punished, others believe that their saints will intercede with God on their
believe that their deities and believe that by so bribing the deities they have
acquired a license for all frivolities and ill-deeds s and depending upon their
deities, they do not live pure and good lives. As to the atheists, they do not
believe that there is any Being having power over them, to whom they would be
responsible for their good or bad action; therefore they consider themselves
altogether independent to act in whatever way they like in this world. Their own
fancies become their gods and they live like slaves of their wishes and desires.
The believer does not become despondent and broken-hearted under any
circumstances. He has firm faith in God who is the Master of all the treasures
of the earth and the heavens, whose grace and bounty have no limit and whose
powers are infinite. This faith imparts to his heart extraordinary consolation,
fills it with satisfaction and keeps it filled with hope. In this world he might
meet with rejection from all doors, nothing herein might serve his ends,. All
means might, one after another, desert him; but faith in and dependence on God
never leave him; and upon their strength he goes on struggling. Such a profound
confidence can result from no other belief than belief in one God. Mushirks,
kafirs, and atheists have small hearts; they depends upon limited powers;
therefore in hours of trouble they are soon overwhelmed by despair and,
frequently, they commit suicide.
This belief produces in man a very strong degree of determination, patient
perseverance, and trust in God. When he makes up his mind and devotes his
resources to fulfill the Divine Commands in order to secure God’s pleasure, he
is sure he has the support and backing of the Lord of the universe, this
certainty makes him firm and strong like a mountain, and no amount of
difficulties, impediments, and hostile opposition can make him give up his
resolution. Shirk, Kufr, and atheism have no such effect.
On account of man's interference and interpolation, many things have been
inserted in those books, which are against reality, revolting to reason, and
affronting to every instinct of justice. There are thing which are cruel and
unjust and vitiate man's beliefs and action. Furthermore, unfortunately, things
have been inserted that are obscene, indecent, potently immoral. The Qur'an is
free from all such rubbish. It contains nothing against reason, and nothing that
can be proved wrong. None of its injunctions is unjust; nothing in it is
misleading. Of indecency and immorality not a trace can be found in it. From the
beginning to the end the whole Book is full of wisdom and truth. It contains the
best of philosophy ad the choicest of law for human civilization. It points out
the right path and guides man to success and salvation. It is on account of
these special features of the Qur'an that all the peoples of the world have been
direct to have faith in it, to give up all other Books, and to follow it alone,
because it contains all that is essential for living in accordance with God's
pleasure, and after it there remains absolutely no need for any other divine
Book.
The study of the differenced between the Qur'an and other divine Books makes one
easily understand that the nature of faith in the Qur'an and that of belief in
the former Books is not similar.
Faith in the former divine Books should be limited to the confirmation that they
were all from God, were true, and had been sent down to fulfill, in their time,
the same purpose for which the Qur'an has been sent. On the other hand, belief
in the Qur'an should be of the nature that it is purely and absolutely God's own
words, that it is perfectly true, that every word of it is preserved, that
everything mentioned therein is right, that it is the bounden duty of man to
carry out in his life each and every command of it; and that whatever be against
it must be rejected.
Belief in God's Angels
The Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) has further
instructed us to have faith in the existence of God's angels. This is the second
article of Islamic faith and is very important, because it absolves the concept
of Tawhid from all impurities and frees it from the danger of every conceivable
shadow of shirk (polytheism).
The polytheists have associated two kind of creatures with God: (a) Those which
have material existence and are perceptible to the human eye, such as the sun,
moon, stars, fire, water, animals, great men. (b) Those who have no material
existence and are not perceptible to the human eye: the unseen beings who are
believed to be engaged in the administration of the universe; for instance, one
controls the air, another imparts light, another brings rains, and so on and so
forth.
The alleged deities of the first kind have material existence and are before
man's eye. The falsity of their claim has been fully exposed by the Kalimah --
La ilaha illallah. This is sufficient to dispose of the idea that they enjoy any
share in divinity or deserve any reverence at all. The second kind of things,
being immaterial, are hidden from the human eye and are mysterious; the
polytheists are more inclined to pin their faith in them. They consider them to
be deities, gods and God's children. They make their images and render offerings
to them. In order to purify belief in the Unity of God, and to clear it from the
admixture of this second kind of unseen creatures, this particular article of
faith has been expounded.
Muhammad has informed us that these imperceptible spiritual beings, whom people
believe to be deities of gods or God's children, are really His angels. They
have no share in God's divinity; they cannot deviate from His commands even by
the slightest fraction of an inch. God employs them to administer His Kingdom,
and they carry out His orders exactly and accurately. They have no authority to
do anything of their own accord; they cannot present to God any scheme conceived
by themselves, they are not even authorized to intercede with God for any man.
To worship them and to solicit their help is degrading and debasing for man.
For, on the very first day of man's creation, God had made them prostrate
themselves before Adam, granted to him greater knowledge than they possessed,
and bestowed on Adam His own vicegerency on this earth in preference to them.
What debasement can, therefore, be greater for man than prostrating himself
before those who had prostrated themselves before him!
Muhammad forbade us to worship angels, and to associate them with God in His
divinity. He also informed us that they were the chosen creatures of God, free
from sin, from their very nature unable to disobey God, and ever engaged in
carrying out His orders. Moreover, he informed us that these angels of God
surround us from all sides, are attached to us, and are always in our company.
They observe and note all our actions, good or bad. They preserve a complete
record of every man's life. After death, when we shall be brought before God,
they will present a full report of our life's work on earth, wherein we shall
find everything correctly recorded, not a single movement left out, however
insignificant and however carefully concealed it may be.
We have not been informed of the intrinsic nature of the angels. Only some of
their virtues or attributes have been mentioned to us, and we have been asked to
believe in their existence. We have no other means of knowing their nature,
their attributes and their qualities. It would therefore, be sheer folly on our
part to attribute any form or quality to them of our own accord. We must believe
in them exactly as we have been asked to do. To deny their existence is kufr
for, first, we have no reason for such a denial, and, second, our denial of them
would be tantamount to attributing untruth to Muhammad. We believe in their
existence only because God's true Messenger has informed us of it.
Faith in the Books of God
The third article of faith which Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon
him) has commanded us to believe is faith in the Books of God; Books which He
has sent down to mankind through His Prophets.
God had revealed His Books to His Prophets before Muhammad and these books were
sent down in the same way as He sent down the Qur'an to Muhammad. We have been
informed of the names of some of these books: Books of Abraham, the Torah of
Moses, Zabur (Psalms) of David, and the Injil (Gospel) of Jesus Christ. We have
not been informed of the names of Books which were given to other Prophets.
Therefore, with regard to other existing religious books, we are not in a
position to say with certainty whether they were originally revealed books or
not.
But we tacitly believe that whatever Books were sent down by God are all true.
Of the Books we have been told, the Books of Abraham are extinct and not
traceable in existing world literature. David's Zabur, the Torah and the Injil
exist with the Jews and the Christians, but the Qur'an informs us that people
have changed and added to these books, and God's words have mixed up with texts
of their own making. This corruption and pollution of the Books has been so
large and so evident that even the Jews and the Christians themselves admit that
they do not possess their original texts, and have only their translations,
which have been altered over many centuries and are still being changed. On
studying these Books we find many passages and accounts which evidently cannot
be from God. God's words and those of man are mixed together in these books, and
we have no means of knowing which portions are from God and which from man.
We have been commanded to believe in previously revealed Books only in the sense
of admitting that, before the Qur'an, God had also sent down books through His
Prophets, that they were all from one and the same God, the same God Who sent
the Qur'an and that the sending of the Qur'an as a Divine Book is not a new and
strange event, but only confirms, restates and completes those divine
instructions which people had mutilated or lost in antiquity.(4)
(4) Even a cursory study of the first books of the Old Testament and the four
Gospels of the New Testament reveals that they are the productions of men and in
these writings some parts of the original Psalms of David and the Gospels of
Christ have been incorporated. The first five books of the Old Testament do not
constitute the original Torah, but parts of the Torah have been mixed up with
other narrative written by human beings and the original guidance of the Lord is
lost. Similarly, the four Gospels of Christ are not the original Gospels as they
came from the Prophet Christ (peace be upon him). They are in fact, the
life-histories of Christ compiled by four different persons on the basis of
knowledge and hearsay, and certain parts of the original Gospel also fell into
them. But the original and the fictitious, the Divine and the human, are so
intermingled that the grain cannot be separated from the chaff. The fact is that
the original Word of God is preserved neither with the Jews nor with the
Christians. The Qur'an, on the other hand, is fully preserved and not a syllable
has been changed or left out of it.
The Qur'an is the last of the Divine Books sent down by God and there are some
very pertinent differences between it and the previous Books. These differences
may briefly be stated as follows:
1. The original texts of most of the former Divine Books were lost altogether,
and only translations exist today. The Quran, on the other hand, exists exactly
as it was revealed to the Prophet; not a word -- nay, not a syllable of it --
has been changed. It is available in its original text and the word of God has
been preserved for all time.
2. In the former Divine Books man mixed his words with God's, but in the Quran
we find only the words of God -- and in their pristine purity. This is admitted
even by the opponents of Islam.
3. In respect of no other sacred Book possessed by different peoples can it be
said on the basis of authentic historical evidence that it really belongs to the
same Prophet to whom it is attributed. In the case of some of them it is not
even known in what age and to which Prophet they were revealed. As for the Quran,
the evidence that it was revealed to Muhammad is so voluminous, so convincing,
so strong and so compelling that even the fiercest critics of Islam cannot cast
doubt on it. This evidence is so detailed that even the occasion and place of
the revelation of many verses and injunctions of the Quran can be known with
certainty.
4. The former Divine Books were sent down in languages which died long ago. No
nation or community now speaks those languages and there are only a few people
who claim to understand them. Thus, even if the Books existed today in their
original and unadulterated form, it would be virtually impossible in our age to
correctly understand and interpret their injunctions and put them into practice
in their required form. The language of the Quran, on the other hand, is a
living language; millions of people speak it, and millions more know and
understand it. It is being taught and learnt in nearly every university of the
world; every man can learn it, and he who has not time to learn it can find men
everywhere who know this language and can explain to him the meaning of the
Quran.
5. Each one of the existing sacred Books found among different nations of the
world has been addressed to a particular people. Each one contains a number of
commands which seem to have been meant for a particular period of history and
which meet the needs of that age only. They are neither needed today, nor can
they now be smoothly and properly put into practice. It is evident from this
that these Books were particularly meant for that particular people and not for
the world. Furthermore, they were not sent to be followed permanently by even
the people they were intended for; they were meant to be acted upon only for a
certain period. In contrast to this, the Quran is addressed to all mankind; not
a single injunction of it can be suspected as having been addressed to a
particular people. In the same manner, all the commands and injunctions in the
Quran can be acted upon at any place and in any age. This proves that the Quran
is meant for the whole world, and is an eternal code for human life.
6. There is no denying the fact that the previous divine Books also enshrined
good and virtue; they also taught the principles of morality and truthfulness
and presented the mode of living which was to God's pleasure. But none of them
was comprehensive enough to embrace all that is necessary for a virtuous human
life. Some of them excelled in one respect, others in some other. It is the
Qur'an and the Qur'an alone which enshrined not only all that was good in the
former Books but also perfects the way of Allah and presents it in its entirety
and outlines that code of life which comprehends all that is necessary for man
on this earth.
7. On account of man's interpolations, many things have been inserted in those
Books which are against reality, revolting to reason and an affront to every
instinct of justice. There are things which are cruel and unjust, and vitiate
man's beliefs and actions. Furthermore, things have unfortunately been inserted
that are obscene, indecent and highly immoral. The Qur'an is free of all such
rubbish. It contains nothing against reason, and nothing that can be proved
wrong. None of its injunctions is unjust; nothing in it is misleading. Of
indecency and immorality not a trace can be found. From the beginning to the end
the Book is full of wisdom and truth. It contains the best of philosophy and the
choicest of law for human civilization. It points out the right path and guides
man to success and salvation.
It is on account of these special features of the Qur'an that all the peoples of
the world have been directed to have faith in it, to give up all other Books and
to follow it alone.
The study of the difference between the Qur'an and other divine Books makes one
easily understand that the nature of faith in the Qur'an and of belief in the
former Books are not similar.
Faith in the earlier divine Books should be limited to the confirmation that
they were all from God, were true and were sent down to fulfill, in their time,
the same purpose for which the Qur'an has been sent. On the other hand, belief
in the Qur'an should be of the nature that it is purely and absolutely God's own
words, that it is perfectly true, that every word of it is preserved, that
everything mentioned therein is right, that it is the bounden duty of man to
carry out in his life each and every command of it and that whatever be against
it must be rejected.
FAITH IN GOD'S PROPHETS
In the last chapter we discussed that God's Messengers had been raised among
every people, and that they all brought essentially that very
religion-Islam-which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) propagated. In this
respect all the Messengers of God belong to the same category and stand on a
stand on a par with each other. If a man confirms and believes in one of them,
he must and ought to confirm all. The reason is quite simple. Suppose ten men
make one and the same statement; if you admit one of them to be true, you ipso
facto admit the remaining nine of them as true, and if you belie anyone of them,
by implication you belie all of them. It is for this reason that in Islam it is
necessary to have implicit in anyone of the prophet would be a Kafir, though he
might profess faith in all the other Prophets.
It occurs in traditions that the total number of all the prophets sent to
different peoples at different times is 124,000. If you consider the life of the
world since it was first inhabited and the number of different peoples and
nations that have passed on it, this number will not appear too great. We have
to believe positively in those of the prophets whose names have been mentioned
in the Qur'an Regarding the rest we are instructed to believe that all Prophets
sent by God for the guidance of mankind were true. Thus we believe in all the
prophets raised in India, China, Iran, Egypt, Africa, Europe, and other
countries of the world, but we are not in a position to be definite about a
particular person outside the list of prophets named in the Qur'an, whether or
not he was a Prophet, for we have not been told anything definite about him. Nor
are we permitted to say anything against the holy men of other religions. It is
quite possible that some of them might have been God's Prophets that some of
them might have been God's Prophets, and their followers corrupted their
teachings after their demise, just as the followers of Moses and Jesus (God's
blessings be upon them) have done. Therefore, whenever we express any opinion
about them, it would be about the tenets and rituals of their religions; as for
the founders of those religions, we will remain scrupulously silent, lest we
should become guilty of irreverence towards a Prophet.
As for the fact of being Prophets of God and having been deputed by Him for
teaching the same straight path of 'Islam,' there is no difference between
Muhammad and other Prophets (God's blessings be upon them all), we have been
ordered to believe in all of them alike. But in spite of their equality in this
respect, there are the following three differences between Muhammad and other
Prophets (God's blessings be upon them all):
1. The Prophets of the past had come to certain people for certain periods of
time, while Muhammad (God's blessings be upon him) has been sent for the whole
world and for all times to come.
2. The teachings of those Prophets have either disappeared altogether from the
world, or whatever of them remains is not pure, and is found intermingled with
many erroneous and fictitious statements. For this reason even if anyone wishes
to follow their teachings, he cannot do so. In contrast to this, the teachings
of Muhammad (God's blessings be upon him), his biography, his discoursed, his
ways of living, his morals, habits, and virtues, in short, all the details of
his life and work, are preserved. Muhammad (God's blessings be upon him),
therefore, is the only one of the whole line of Prophets who is a living
personality, and in whose footsteps it is possible. To follow correctly and
confidently.
3. The guidance imparted through the Prophets of the past was not complete and
all- embracing. Every Prophet was followed by another who effected alterations
and additions in the teachings and injunctions of his predecessors and, in this
way, the chain of reforms and progress continued. That is why the teachings of
the earlier Prophets, after the lapse of a certain period of time, were lost in
oblivion. Obviously there was no need of preserving former teachings when
amended and improved guidance had taken their place. At last the most perfect
code of guidance was imparted to mankind through Muhammad (God's blessings be
upon him) and all previous codes were automatically abrogated, for it is futile
and imprudent to follow an incomplete code while the complete code exists. He
who follows Muhammad (God's blessings be upon him) follows all the Prophet, for
whatever was good and eternally workable in their teaching has been embodied in
his teachings. Whoever, therefore, rejects and refuses to follow Muhammad's
teachings and chooses to follow some other Prophet, only deprives himself of
that vast amount of useful and valuable instruction and guidance in Muhammad's
teachings, which never existed in the books of the earlier Prophets and which
was revealed only through the Last of the Prophets.
That is why it is now incumbent upon each and every human being to have faith in
Muhammad (peace be upon him) and follow him alone. To become a true Muslim (a
follower of the Prophet's way of life) it is necessary to have complete faith in
Muhammad (peace be upon him) and to affirm that:
a. He is a true Prophet of God;
b. His teachings are absolutely perfect, free from any defect or error;
c. He is the Last Prophet of God. After him no Prophet will appear among any
people till the Day of Judgment, nor is any such personage going to appear in
whom it would be essential for a Muslim to believe
BELIEF IN LIFE AFTER DEATH
The fifth article of Islamic Faith is belief in life after death. Prophet
Muhammad (peace is upon him) has directed us to believe in resurrection after
death and in the Day of Judgment. The essential ingredients of this belief, as
the life of this world and of all that is in it will come to an end on an
appointed day. Everything will be annihilated. That day is called Qayamah, i.e.
the Last Day. That all the human beings who had lived in the world since its
inception will then be restored to life and will be presented before God who
will sit in court on that day. This is called Hashr: Resurrection.
That the entire record of every man and woman of all their doings and
misdoings-will be presented before God for final judgment.
That God shall finally adjudge the reward of every person. He shall weigh
everyone's good and bad deeds. One who excels in goodness will be rewarded a
goodly reward; one whose evils and wrongs overweigh his good deeds, will be
punished.
That the reward and punishment will be administered judiciously. Those who
emerge successful in this judgment will go to paradise and the doors of eternal
bliss will be opened upon them; those who are condemned and deserve punishment
will be sent to Hell-the abode of fire and torture.
These are the essential constituents of belief in life after death.
The Need of this Belief
Belief in the life after death has always been a part and parcel of the
teachings of the Prophets. Every Prophet asked his followers to believe in it,
in the same way as the last of the Prophets, Muhammad (peace be upon him ), has
asked us to do. This has always been an essential condition of being a Muslim.
All Prophets have categorically declared that one who disbelieves in it, or
casts doubts on it, is a Kafir. This is so, because denial of life after death
makes all other beliefs meaningless. This denial also destroys the very sanction
for good life and man is driven to a life of ignorance and disbelief. A little
reflection would make this quite clear.
In your everyday life, whenever you are asked to do anything, you immediately
think: what is the utility of doing it and what harm is involved in doing it?
This is the very nature of man. He instinctively regards a useless action as
totally unnecessary. You will never be willing to waste your time and energy in
useless, wasteful, and unproductive jobs. Similarly, you won't be very eager to
avoid a thing that is harmless. And the general rule is that the deeper your
conviction about the utility of a thing, the firmer would be your response to
it; and the more doubtful you are about its efficacy, the more wavering and
shaky would be your attitude. After all, why does a child put his hand in fire?
-Because he is not sure that fire burns. Why does he evade studying? -Because he
does not fully grasp the importance and benefits of education and does not
believe in what his elders try to impress upon his mind.
Now think of the man who does not believe in the Day of Judgment. Would he not
consider belief in God and a life in accordance with His code of no consequence?
What value will he attach to a life in pursuit of His pleasure? To him neither
obedience to God is of any advantage, nor disobedience to Him of any harm. How,
the injunctions of God, Him Prophet, and His Book? What incentive would remain
there for him to undergo trials and sacrifices and to avoid worldly pleasures?
And if a man does not follow the code of God and lives according to his own
likes and dislikes, or what use is his belief in the existence of God, if any
such belief he has?
That is not all. If you reflect still deeper, you will come to the conclusion
that belief in life after death is the greatest deciding factor in the life of a
man. Its acceptance or rejection determines the very course of his life and
behavior.
A man who has in view the success or failure of this world alone will be
concerned with the benefits and harms that accrue to him in this life only. He
will not be prepared to undertake any good act if he has no hope of gaining
thereby some worldly interest, nor will he be keen to avoid any wrong act if
that is not injurious to his interests in this world.
But a man who believes in the next world as well and has a firm conviction of
the final consequences of his acts would look upon all world look upon all
worldly gains and losses as temporary and transitory and would not stake his
eternal bliss for a transitory and would his eternal bliss for a transitory
gain. He will look upon things in their wider perspective and will always keep
the everlasting benefit or harm in view. He will do the good, however costly it
may be to him in terms of worldly gains, or however costly it may be to him in
terms of worldly gains, or however injurious it may be to his immediate
interests; and he will avoid the wrong, however charming it may look. He will
judge the things from the viewpoint of their eternal consequences and would not
submit to his whims and caprices.
Thus there is a radical difference between the beliefs, approaches, and lives of
the two persons. One's idea of a good act is limited to its beneficence in this
brief temporary life as a gain in the shape of money, property, public applause
and similar other things which give him position, power, reputation, and worldly
happiness. Such things become his objectives in life. Fulfillment of his own
wishes and self-aggrandizement become the be-all and end-all of his life. And he
does not deter even from cruel and unjust means in their achievement. Similarly,
his conception of a wrong act is that which may involve a risk of injury to his
interests in this world like loss of property and life, spoiling of health,
besmirching of reputation, or some other unpleasant consequence. In contrast to
this man, the believer's concept of good and evil would be quite different. To
him all that pleases God is good and all that invokes His displeasure and wrath
is evil. A good act, according to him, will remain good even if it brings no
benefit to him in this world, or even entails loss of some worldly possession or
injury to his personal interests. He will be confident that God will reward him
in the eternal life and that would be the real success. similarly, he will not
fall a prey to evil deeds merely for some worldly gain, for he knows that even
if he escapes punishment in his short worldly life, in would be the loser and
would not be able to escape punishment by the court of God. He does not believe
in the relativity of morals but sticks to the absolute standards revealed by God
and lives according to them irrespective of gain or injury in this word.
Thus it is the belief or disbelief in life after death which makes man adopt
different courses in life. For one who does not believe in the Day of Judgment
it is absolutely impossible to fashion his life as suggested by Islam. Islam
says: "In the way of God give zakat (charity) to the poor." His answer is: "No,
zakat will diminish my wealth ; I will, instead, take interest on my money." And
in its collection he would not hesitate to get attached each and everything
belonging to the debtors, though they be poor or hunger-stricken. Islam says:
"Always speak the truth and shun lying, though you may gain ever so much by
lying and lose ever so much by speaking the truth." But his reply would be: "
Well, what shall I do with a truth which is of no use to me here, and which
instead brings loss to me ; and why should I avoid lying where it can bring
benefit to me without any risk, even that of a bad name?" He visits a lonely
place and finds a precious metal lying there; in such a situation Islam says:
"This is not your property, do not take it" ; but he would say: "This is a thing
I have come by without any cost or trouble ; why should I not have it? There is
no one to see this pick-up, who might report it to the police or give evidence
against me in a court of law, to give me a bad name among the people. Why should
I not make use of this valuable?" Someone secretly keeps a deposit with this
man, and after that that he dies. Islam says: "Be honest with the property
deposited with you and give it over to the heirs of the deceased." He says:
"Why? There is no evidence of his property being with me; his children also have
no knowledge about it. When I can appropriate it without any difficulty, without
any fear of legal claim, or stain on my reputation, why should I not do so?" In
short, at every step in life, Islam will direct him to walk in a course of
behavior; but he will take recourse to the opposite direction. For Islam
Measures and values everything from the viewpoint of its everlasting
consequence; while such a person always has in view only the immediate and
earthly outcome. Now, you can understand why a man cannot be a Muslim without
belief in the Day of Judgment. To be a Muslim is a very great thing; the fact is
that one cannot even become a good man without this belief, for the denial of
the Day of Judgment degrades man from humanity to a place even lower than that
of the lowest of animals.
Life After Death : A Rational Vindication
So far we have discussed the need and importance of belief in the Day of
Judgment. Now let us consider how far the constituents of the belief are
rationally understandable. The fact is that whatever Muhammad (peace be upon
him) has told us about lift after death is clearly borne out by reason. Although
our belief in the that Day is based upon our implicit in the Messenger of God,
rational reflection not only confirms this belief but also reveals that
Muhammad's (peace be upon him) teachings in this respect are much more
reasonable and understandable than all other the following viewpoints are found
in the world.
1. A section of the people says that there is nothing left of man after death,
and that after this life-ending event, there is no other life. According to
these people, this belief has no reality. They say that there is no possibility
of it and such a belief is quite unscientific. This is the approach and bring in
western science in their support.
2. Another section of the people maintains that man, in order to bear the
consequences of his deeds, is repeatedly regenerated in this very world. If he
lives a bad life, in the next generation he will assume the shape of an animal,
like a dog or a cat, etc, or some tree or some lower kind of man. If his acts
have been good, he will be reborn as a man into a higher class. This viewpoint
is found in some Eastern religions.
3. There is a third viewpoint which calls for belief in the Day of Judgment, the
Resurrection, man's presence in the Divine Court, and the administration of
reward and punishment. This is the common belief of all the Prophets.
Now let us consider these viewpoints one by one. The first section, which
arrogates to itself the authority and support of science, alleges that there is
no reality in life after death. They say that they have never seen anybody
coming back after his death. There is not a single case of revival. We see that
after death a man is reduced to dust. Therefore death is the end of life and
there is no life after death: But just think over this reasoning: is this really
a scientific argument? Is the claim really founded on reason? If they have not
seen any case of revival after death, they can only say that they do not know
what will happen after death. But, instead of remaining within this limit, they
declare that nothing will happen after death at the same time alleging that they
speak out of knowledge! In fact they merely generalize on ignorance. Science
tells us noting negative or positive in this respect and their assertion that
life after death has no existence is totally unfounded. Their claim is not
dissimilar to the claim of an ignoramus who has not seen an airplane and on that
"knowledge" proclaims that aeroplanes have no existence at all! If anybody has
not seen a thing, it does not mean that that thing has no existence. No man, not
even the entire humanity, if it has not seen a thing, can claim that such a
thing does not, or cannot, exist. This claim is illusionary and is out and out
unscientific. No reasonable man can give it any weight.
Now look to belief of the second group. According to them, a human being is a
human being because in his previous animal form he had done good deeds; and an
animal is an animal because previously as a human being he had behaved badly. In
other worlds to be a man or animal is the consequence of one's deed's in one's
former form. One may well ask: "Which of them existed first, man or animal?" If
they say man preceded animal, then they will have to accept that he must have
been an animal before that, and given a human form for its good deeds. If they
say it was animal they will have to concede that must have been a man before
that who transformed into an animal for his bad deeds. This puts us into a
vicious circle and the advocates of this belief cannot settle any from for the
first creature, for every generation implies a preceding generation so that the
succeeding generation may be considered as the consequence of the former. This
is simply absurd.
Now consider the third viewpoint. Its first proposition is: "This world will one
day come to an end.
God will destroy and annihilate the universe, and in its place will evolve
another higher and far superior cosmos."
This statement is undeniably true. No doubt can be cast upon its veracity. The
more we reflect on the nature of the cosmos, the more clearly it is proved that
the existing system is not permanent and everlasting, for all the forces working
in it are limited in their nature, and it becomes a certainty that one day they
will be completely exhausted. That is why the scientists agree that one day the
sun will become cold and will give up all its energy, the stars will collide
with one another, and the whole system of the universe will be upset and
destroyed. Moreover, if evolution is true in the case of the constituents of
this universe, why it may not be true for the whole of it? To think of the
universe becoming totally non-existent is more improbable than that it will pass
into another evolutionary stage and another order of things will emerge in a
much more improved and ideal order.
The second proposition of this belief is that "man will again be given life". Is
it impossible? If so, how did the present life of man become possible? It is
evident that God Who created man in this world can do so in the next. Not only
is it a possibility, it is also a possibility, it is also a positive necessity,
as will be show later.
The third proposition is that "the record of all the actions of man in this
world is preserved and be presented on the Day of Resurrection". The proof of
the truth of this proposition is provided here in these days by science itself.
It was first understood that the sounds which we make produce slight waves in
the air and die out. Now, it has been discovered that the sound leaves its
impression on its surrounding objects and can be reproduced. Gramophone records
are made on the same principle. From this it can be understood that the record
of every movement of man is being impressed on all things which come into
contact with the waves produced by the movements. This shows that the record of
our entire deed is completely preserved and can be reproduced.
The fourth proposition is that "on the Day of Resurrection, God will hold His
Court and with just judgment, reward or punish man for his good and bad deeds."
What is unreasonable about it? Reason itself demands that God should hold His
court and pronounce just judgment. We see here that a man does a good deed and
thereby gains nothing in this world. We see another man who does a bad deed and
does and does not suffer for it here. Not only this, we see thousands of cases
of a good act bringing trouble on the doer, and of a bad deed and not suffer for
it here. Not only this we see thousands of cases of a good act bringing trouble
on the doer and of the guilty person. When we notice these events happening
every day our reason and sense of justice demand that a time must come when the
man who dose good must be rewarded and the one who does evil must be punished.
The present order of things as you can see yourself is subject to physical law
according to which it is quite natural that a man who has got the means to do
evil can do so if he chooses and it is not necessary that its evil consequences
should react upon him wholly or partly. If you have a tin of petrol and a
match-bow you can set fire to the house of your opponent and you can escape
every consequence of this deed if the worldly forces are in your favor. Does it
mean that such an offence has got no consequence at all? Certainly not! It means
only that its physical result has appeared and the moral result is reserved. Do
you really think it reasonable that it should never appear? If you say it should
the question is where? Certainly not in this world because in the physical world
only physical world only physical consequences of this higher category can
appear only if there comes into existence another other of things wherein
rational and moral laws reign supreme and occupy the governing poison and where
the physical laws are made subject to them. That is the next world which as we
have said before is the next evolutionary stage of the universe. It is
evolutionary in this sense that it will be governed by moral laws rather than by
physical laws. The rational consequences of man's action, which are reserved
wholly or partly in this world, will appear therein. Man's status will be
determined by his rational and moral worth adjudged in accordance with his
conduct in this life of test and trial. There you will not find a worthy man
serving under a fool or a morally superior man in a position inferior to a
wretch, as is the case in this world.
The last proposition of this is the existence of Paradise and Hell, which is
also not impossible. If God can make the sun, the moon the stars and the earth,
why should He not be able to make Paradise and Hell? When He holds His Court and
pronounces His judgment rewarding the meritorious and punishing the guilty there
must be a place where the meritorious might enjoy their reward honor, happiness
and gratification of all kinds and another place where the condemned might feel
debasement pain and misery.
After considering all these questions no reasonable person can escape the
conclusion that the belief in life after death is the most acceptable to reason
and common sense, and that there is nothing in it which can be said to be
unreasonable or impossible. Moreover, when a true Prophet like Muhammad (peace
be upon him) has stated this to be a fact and it involves nothing but what is
good for us wisdom lies in believing it implicitly and not in rejecting it
without any sound reasons.
The above are the five articles of Faith which from the foundation for the
superstructure of Islam. Their gist is contained in the short sentence know as
Kalima-e-tayyibah. When you declare La ilaha illallah (there is no deity but
Allah) you give up all false deities and profess that you are a creature of the
One God and when you add to these words Muhammad-ur-Rasulullah, (Muhammad is
Allah's Messenger) you confirm and admit the Prophethood of Muhammad (God's
blessings be upon him). With the admission of his Prophethood it becomes
obligatory that should believe in the divine nature and attributes of God, in
His angels in His Revealed Books, and in life after death and earnestly follow
that method of obeying God and worshipping Him which Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) has asked us to follow. Herein lies the road to success and salvation. |
