The Basis of Islamic Creed.
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious,
the Most Merciful;
All the praise and Thanks is due to Allāh,
the Lord of al-‘ālameen. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except
Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam is His Messenger.
The basis of the Islamic creed is bearing
witness to the phrase, "Lā illaha illAllāh, - There is no
true deity deserving worship but Allāh.” The
testimony to this belief, called tawhid, is the axis around which all Islam
revolves. Moreover, it is the first of the two testimonies by which a person
becomes a Muslim. Striving for the realization of that oneness, or tawhid, is the core of Islamic creed.
Many non-Muslims refer the term Allāh, the
Arabic name of God, as a some distant and strange deity worshipped by the
Arabs. Some due to their ignorant even think it to be some pagan “moon-god”.
However, in Arabic, the word Allāh means the One True God. Even, Arabic
speaking Jews and Christians refer to the Supreme Being as Allāh.
Western philosophers, Eastern mystics as
well as today’s scientists attempt to reach God in their own way. Mystics teach
of a God who is found through spiritual experiences, a God who is part of the
world and resides within His creation. The philosophers seek God though pure
reason and often speak of a God as a detached Watch-Maker with no interest in
His creation. A group of philosophers teach agnosticism, an ideology that holds
that one can neither prove nor disprove God's existence. Practically speaking,
an agnostic asserts he must be able to perceive God directly in order to have
faith.
Allāh Subhānahu wa ta‘ala has said:
“And those who are devoid of knowledge
say: ‘Why does not Allāh speak unto us or why is not a (miraculous) sign shown
to us?’ So said the people before them words of similar import. Their hearts
are all alike.” [Al-Baqarah,
2:118]
The argument is nothing new; people in the
past and present have raised the same objection.
According to Islām, the correct way of
finding God is through the preserved teachings of the prophets. Islam maintains
that the prophets were sent by God Himself throughout the ages to guide human
beings to Him. God says in the Holy Qurān that the correct path to belief is to
reflect upon His signs, which point to Him:
“Indeed, We have made all the signs
manifest unto people who are endowed with inner certainty.” [Al-Baqarah, 2:118]
Mention of God’s handiwork occurs often in
the Qurān as the locus of divine revelation. Anyone who sees the natural world
in all its wonder with open eyes and an open heart will see the unmistakable
signs of the Creator.
“Say: Go all over the earth and behold
how (wondrously) He has created (man) in the first instance: and thus, too,
will God bring into being your second life – for, verily, God has power to will
anything.” [As-Sajadah,
30:20)
God’s handiwork is also present within the
individual:
“And on earth there are signs (of God’s
existence, visible) to all who are endowed with inner certainty, just as (there
are signs thereof) within your own selves: can you not, then see?” [Adh-Dhariyat, 51:20-21]
The Four Matters of Belief in Allāh
(God).
The Islamic Belief in God consists of four
matters as follows: Belief
in God’s existence. God is the Supreme Lord. God Alone is entitled to worship
and God is known by His Most Beautiful Names and Attributes.
1. Belief in God’s Existence
God’s existence does not require proof by
scientific, mathematical, or philosophical arguments. His existence is not a
‘discovery’ to be made by the scientific method or a mathematical theorem to be
proven. Simply said, mere common sense bears witness to God’s existence. From a
ship one learns of the ship-builder, from the cosmos one learns of its Creator.
God’s existence is also known by answers to prayers, miracles of prophets and
the teaching in all revealed scriptures.
In Islam, a human being is not seen as
sinful creature to which the message of Heaven is sent to heal the wound of
original sin, but as a being that still carries his primordial nature
(al-fitrah), an imprint on his soul that lies deeply buried under layers of
negligence. Humans are not born sinful, but forgetful as God has said:
“Am I not your Lord? They said: ‘Yes, we
bear witness.’” [Al-Araf,
7:172]
In this verse, the “they” refers to all
human beings, male and female. The ‘yes’ confirms the affirmation of God’s
oneness by us in our precosmic state. Islamic doctrine holds that men and women
still carry the echo of this ‘yes’ deep down within their souls. The call of
Islam is directed to this primordial nature, which uttered ‘yes’ even before
they inhabited the earth. Knowledge that this universe has a Creator is
something instinctive in Islam and therefore it requires no proof. Scientists,
such as Andrew Newberg and Eugene D’Aquili, both affiliated with the University
of Pennsylvania and pioneers in the neurological research of religion, say “We
are wired for God.”[“Why God Won’t Go Away”. Science and the Biology of Belief,
p. 107.]
The Holy Quran rhetorically asks:
“Can there be any doubt about God, the
Creator of the heavens and the earth?” [Ibrāhim, 14:10[
One might ask, ‘if belief in God is
natural, then why do some people lack this belief?’ The answer is simple. Every
human being has an innate belief in a Creator, but this belief is not a result
of learning or personal deductive thinking. With the passage of time, outside
influences effect this innate belief and confuse the person. So, one’s
environment and upbringing veil the primordial nature from the truth. The
Prophet of Islam (Peace and blessing of Allāh be upon him), said:
“Every child is born in a state of
fitrah (a natural belief in God), and then his parents make him a Jew, a
Christian, or a Magian.” [Recorded
by Sahih Muslim]
Often these veils are lifted when a human
being is faced with a spiritual crisis and left helpless and vulnerable.
2. Allāh (God) is the Supreme Lord
God is the only Lord of heaven and earth.
He is the Lord of the physical universe and the Lawgiver for human life. He is
the Master of the physical world and Ruler of the affairs of men. God is the
Lord of every man, woman, and child. Historically, only a few have denied the
existence of the Lord, which means that throughout the ages people have, for
most part, believed in One God, a Supreme Being, a supernatural Creator. That
God is the Lord specifically contains the following meanings:
First, Allāh is the sole Lord and Ruler of
the physical world. Lord means He is the Creator, Controller, and Owner of the
Kingdom of the heaven and the earth; they belong exclusively to Him. He alone
brought existence out of non-existence, and all existence depends on Him for
its conservation and continuance. He did not create the universe and leave it
to pursue its own course according to fixed laws, thereafter ceasing to take
any further interest in it. The power of the Living God is required at every
moment to sustain all creatures. Creation has no Lord besides Him.
“Say (O Muhammad): ‘Who provides for you
from the sky and the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings out
the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who
disposes the affairs?’ They will say: ‘God.’ Say: ‘Will you not then be afraid
of God’s punishment (for setting up rivals with Him)?’” [Yunus, 10:31]
He is the ever-ruling King and the Savior,
the Loving God, full of wisdom. No one can change His decisions. Angels, prophets,
human beings, and the animal and plant kingdoms are under His control.
Second, Allāh is the only Ruler of the
affairs of men. God is the supreme Lawgiver, [1] the Absolute Judge, the
Legislator, and He distinguishes right from wrong. Just like the physical world
submits to its Lord, human beings must submit to the moral and religious
teaching of their Lord, the Lord who sets right apart from wrong for them. In
other words, God alone has the authority to make laws, determine acts of
worship, decide morals, and set standards of human interaction and behavior.
His is the command:
“Surely, His is the creation and the
command; blessed be God, the Lord of the worlds.”(Al-‘Araf, 7:54)
3. Allāh (God) Alone Is Entitled To
Worship
Islam lays much greater emphasis on how
belief in Allāh translates into righteous, obedient life and good morals rather
than proving His existence through theological intricacies. Hence, the Islamic
motto is that the primary message preached by the prophets was surrender to
God’s will and His worship and not so much the proof of God’s existence:
“And We never send any Messenger before
you (O Muhammad) without having revealed to Him: none has the right to be
worshipped but I, therefore you shall worship Me (Alone).”(Al-Anbiya, 21:25)
Allāh has the exclusive right to be
worshipped inwardly and outwardly, by one’s heart and limbs. Not only can no
one be worshipped apart from Him, absolutely no one else can be worshipped
along with Him. He has no partners or associates in worship. Worship, in its
comprehensive sense and in all its aspects, is for Him alone.
“There is no true god worthy of worship
but He, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.”(Al-Baqarah, 2:163)
Allāh’s right to be worshipped cannot be
over emphasized. It is the essential meaning of Islam’s testimony of faith: Lā ilah illAllāh. A person becomes Muslim by
testifying to the divine right to worship. It is the crux of Islamic belief in
God, even all of Islam. It was the central message of all prophets and
messengers sent by Allāh - the message of Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, the
Hebrew prophets, Jesus, and Muhammad, Peace are upon them. For instance, Moses
declared:
“Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one
Lord.”(Deuteronomy 6:4)
Jesus (‘alaihissalam) repeated the same
message 1500 years later when he said:
“The first of all the commandments is,
‘Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord.’” [Mark 12:29)
And reminded Satan:
“Away from me, Satan! For it is written:
Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”(Matthew 4:10)
Finally, the call of Muhammad (Sallallāhu
`alayhi wasallam) some 600 years after Jesus reverberated across the hills of
Makkah:
“And your God is One God: there is no
god but Him.”(Al-Baqarah,
2:163)
They all declared clearly: “Worship Allāh! You have no other god
but Him.”(Al-‘Araf, 7:59, 65, 73,
85; Hud, 11:50, 61, 84; Al-Mu’minun, 23:23)
Worship in Islam consists of every act,
belief, statement, or sentiment of the heart which Allāh approves and loves;
everything that brings a person closer to His Creator. It includes ‘external’
worship like the daily ritual prayers, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage as well
as ‘internal’ worship such as faith in the six articles of faith, reverence,
adoration, love, gratitude, and reliance. Allāh is entitled to worship by the
body, soul, and heart, and this worship remains incomplete unless it is done
out of four essential elements: reverential fear of Allāh, divine love and
adoration, hope in divine reward, and extreme humility.
One of the greatest acts of worship is
prayer, invoking the Divine Being for aid. Islam specifies that prayer should
only be directed to Allāh. He is deemed in total control of every man’s destiny
and able to grant his needs and remove distress. Allāh, in Islam, reserves the
right of prayer for Himself:
“And do not invoke, along with Allāh,
anything that can neither benefit you nor harm you, for behold, if you do it,
you will surely be among the evildoers!” [Yunus,
10:106]
Giving anyone else - prophets, angels,
Jesus, Mary, idols, or nature- a portion of one's worship, which is essentially
due only to Allāh , such as prayer, is called syirik and is the most enormous
of sins in Islam. Shirk is the only unforgivable sin if not repented from, and
it denies the very purpose of creation.
4. Allāh (God) is Known By His Most
Beautiful Names and Attributes
Allāh is known in Islam by His beautiful
Names and Attributes as they appear in revealed Islamic texts without the
corruption or denial of their obvious meanings, picturing them, or thinking of
them in human terms.
“And the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allāh,
so call on Him by them.”(Al-‘Araf,
7:180)
“Had We sent down this Qur'an on a
mountain, verily, thou wouldst have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder
for fear of Allāh. Such are the similitude’s which We propound to men that they
may reflect.
Allāh is He, than Whom there is no other
Allāh: Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He, Most Gracious, Most
Merciful.
Allāh is He, than Whom there is no other
Allāh: the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the
Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the
Irresistible, and the Supreme: Glory to Allāh. (High is He) above the partners
they attribute to Him.
He is Allāh, the Creator, the Evolver,
the Bestower of Forms (or Colours). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names:
whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory:
and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”(Al-Hasyar,
59: 21-24)
Therefore, it is inappropriate to use
First Cause, Author, Substance, Pure Ego, Absolute, Pure Idea, Logical Concept,
Unknown, Unconscious, Ego, Idea, or Big Guy as divine Names. They simply lack
beauty and that’s not how Allāh has described Himself. Instead, Names of Allāh
indicate His majestic beauty and perfection. Allāh does not forget, sleep, or
get tired. He is not unjust, and has no son, mother, father, brother,
associate, or helper. He was not born, and does not give birth. He stands in
need of none as He is perfect. He does not become human to “understand” our
suffering.
Allāh is The Almighty(al-Qawee), The
One Incomparable(al-‘Ahad), The Acceptor of Repentance(Al-Tawwaab), The
Compassionate(Raheem), The Ever-Living(Al-Hayy), The All-Sustaining(Al-Qayyum),
The all-Knowing(Al-‘Aleem), The All-Hearing(Al-Samee’), The All-Seeing(Al-Baseer),
The Pardoner(al-‘Afuw), The Helper(al-Naseer), The Healer of the Sick
(al-Shaafee).
The two most frequently invoked Names are
“The Compassionate” and “The Merciful.” All but one of the chapters of Muslim
scripture begins with the phrase, “In the Name of Allāh, the Most-Merciful, and
the Most Gracious.” The phrase is used, one might say, by Muslims more commonly
than the names Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are heard in Christian invocations.
Muslims begin in the Name of Allāh and remind themselves of Allāh’s Compassion
and Mercy every time they eat, drink, write a letter, or perform anything of
importance.
Forgiveness is an important dimension of
human relationship with Allāh. Human beings are realized to be weak and prone
to sin, but Allāh in His tender mercy is willing to forgive. The Prophet
Muhammad (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Allāh’s mercy outweighs His wrath.” (Recorded by Sahih Al-Bukhari)
Along with the divine names “The
Compassionate” and “The Merciful,” the names “The Forgiver” (Al-Ghafur), “The
Oft-Forgiving” (Al-Ghaffār), “The Acceptor of Repentance” (At-Tawwāb) and “The
Pardoner” (Al-Afuw) are among the most used in Muslim prayers.
And Allāh Almighty Knows best.
Footnotes:
[1) God’s existence proven by the
existence of a supreme Lawgiver is called the ‘ethical’ argument by Western
theologians.
[Adapted
from the articles on Belief in God, via Islam Religion]
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