A brief introduction to the religion of Islam.
In the name of the Gracious, Merciful God!
Praise be to our Creator, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing - the Lord of the worlds. He is holy and free from all imperfection. Peace and blessings to all God's Messengers and all those who follow their path with a pure heart until the Day of Judgment.
Every day we hear more and more about Islam and Muslims on TV and radio, read on the pages of newspapers and magazines, but often people write and talk about Islam who have no true understanding of this religion. They attribute to it what is not and cannot be in it, and are silent about what this religion is based on, where it gets its true origin, what its basic principles and essence are. So why are we, people who consider ourselves intelligent, unwilling to make any effort to formulate our own view on this issue?
The purpose of writing this article is not only to talk about the origins of this religion, which is at the same time a way of thinking and life for one fifth of the world's population, but also, if the Almighty pleases, to encourage the mind and heart to search for the Truth and its place in this world.
We wish everyone to follow the true path and Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
Analysis of the word "Allah"
The name (الله) “Allah” belongs only to the Almighty, therefore, the transformation of this word into a verb and its roots are unknown among the Arabs. Some linguists believe that this is a whole word that cannot be transformed. This was reported by Qurtubi, referring to a group of scholars, including al-Shafi'i, Khytabi, the Imam of the Two Holy Mosques, Ghazali and others. Sibawayh believes that the letters "ا" and "ل" are the root letters of this word, and not an article. Al-Khitabi said: “Isn’t it clear that one cannot cry “يا الرحمن” - (O Merciful), but one can say: “يا الله” - (O Allah). But when calling “يا” the article is not used”, meaning that such a construction is impossible in Arabic, the particle “al” must be added, that is, you cannot say “ya Rahman”, but say “ya rRahman”.
There is an opinion that the word “الله” is derived from the word “اله” (deity). Al-Razi reports that some believe that the name “الله” “Allah” is not Arabic, but borrowed from Hebrew, but he says that this opinion is weak.” The Arabs used to call everything sublime “لاه”, so at sunrise they said “لاهت الشمس” - the sun has risen. Another possible root for the word “الله” is “اله”, to worship something. Based on this opinion, “الله” means a specific deity, the article “ال” is used here for exaltation and reverence.
God's Self-Sufficiency
Allah is the one ruler of all affairs and besides Him there are no other Gods or equals to Him. If a person is looking for God in His other creations, then it will be enough for a person to compare the criteria of his search with the criteria that Allah Almighty Himself reported in the Quran in Surah “Ikhlas” (“Purification of Faith”). If all 4 criteria fall under those listed in the sura, then this is God, Whom Allah Almighty is. The Lord says in this surah: “ Say: “He is Allah the One, Allah the Self-sufficient. He did not beget and was not begotten, and there is no one equal to Him ."
Allah is the only God. His beautiful names and qualities are perfect, His deeds are holy and without blemish, and there is no one like Him or similar to Him. He is self-sufficient, and all the inhabitants of heaven and earth are in great need of Him and pray to Him for help, because all His attributes are perfect.
He is omniscient and His knowledge is unlimited. He is patient and His patience is endless. He is merciful, and His mercy embraces every thing. The same applies to all divine qualities. The perfection of Allah is also manifested in the fact that He does not give birth and was not born, and therefore does not need anyone or anything. His names, qualities and deeds are superior to the names, qualities and deeds of creation. He is Great and All-Good! Thus, this surah in its entirety preaches the doctrine that Allah alone possesses the divine names and attributes of God .
What does Islam call people to?
Islam calls upon man to believe with all his heart in the unity of God, and for this faith to be expressed by pronouncing the following testimony, which is the main slogan and symbol of Islam:
“I testify that there is no god but One God (Allah) and I testify that Muhammad is the last messenger of God.”
This testimony expresses the essence of Monotheism. This is the basis of all foundations in Islam.
Let's break it down piece by piece. So, the first part, which reads: “there is no deity,” expresses the denial (renunciation) of any false deity, and the second part, which reads: “except the One God (Allah),” expresses the affirmation and recognition of the Only God, Worthy of Worship. And who could be more worthy of being worshiped, surrendered and grateful than our Creator?
So, the testimony that there is no deity except the One God is the recognition by the tongue with complete confidence in the heart that no one is worthy of worship except the One Creator, and by this a person becomes submissive to God, which translated into the language of the Koran (Arabic) sounds – “Muslim” (in Russian – “Muslim”).
However, the true essence of Islam is not just a purely theoretical belief. Islam is not only a certain appearance, Friday congregational prayer, fasting in the month of Ramadan and the words “As-Salamu Alaikum” as a sign of greeting. Islam is not a part of life, Islam is life itself. The norms of Islam are not intended for monks who have renounced everything worldly, but, on the contrary, for people living a full, rich life with all its vicissitudes. That moral sublimity and perfection, which, as a rule, one tries to find in cells, hermitages, and monasteries, Islam prescribes to practice in everyday hectic life.
The norms of Islam are not limited only to the rules for performing religious duties, like the rules for performing daily prayers five times a day, etc., but they cover all aspects of the life of both an individual and society as a whole, starting from the principles of hygiene, eating, raising children, education , trade, relations between relatives and neighbors, husband and wife, ending with legal law and state building. Worthy fulfillment of all these aspects of life, according to the standards prescribed by Allah, is worship of the Almighty Creator.
That is why the true essence of Islam does not lie in a purely theoretical faith. It requires, as a sign of truthfulness and sincerity, to live in accordance with this faith and do good deeds. That is why the Koran, for example, says:
And those who believe and do righteous deeds will be the inhabitants of Paradise. They will be there forever.
(2:82)
The basis of all righteous deeds is the sincere intention to do everything for the sake of the Almighty, and not for the sake of show or personal interests.
“They give food to the poor, orphans and captives, although they themselves need it.
They say: “We feed you only for the sake of the Face of Allah and do not want any reward or gratitude from you!”
(76:8-9)
“Say: “Verily, my prayer and my worship, my life and my death are dedicated to Allah, the Lord of the worlds,
Who has no partners. This is what I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims (to surrender).”
Say: “Will I really seek another Lord besides Allah, while He is the Lord of every thing?” Each soul acquires sins only to its own detriment. No soul shall bear another's burden. Then you must return to your Lord, and He will tell you about what you differed on.
He is the One who made you successors on earth and raised some of you above others in degrees, to test you with what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in punishment. Verily, He is Forgiving, Merciful.”
(6:162-165)
Immediately after monotheism in Islam comes the importance of doing good to parents, relatives and other people.
The Quran is full of such instructions. Here are some of them:
“They ask you how they should spend [their wealth]. Say: “Whatever you spend [your] good deed on, first of all you should [take care that] there is something left for parents, close relatives, orphans, the poor, and travelers. And whatever good you do, Allah knows about it."
(2:215)
“Worship Allah and do not associate partners with Him. Do good to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, neighbors from among your relatives and neighbors who are not your relatives, nearby companions, strangers and slaves whom your right hands have taken possession of. Truly, Allah does not love the proud and boastful,
who are stingy, tell people to be stingy and hide what Allah has given them out of His mercy. We have prepared a humiliating torment for the disbelievers.”
(4:36-37)
In addition, Islam calls for justice and piety and prohibits tyranny and abomination:
“O you who believe! Be steadfast for the sake of Allah, testifying impartially, and do not let the hatred of people push you to injustice. Be fair, for this is closer to fear of God. Fear Allah, because Allah knows what you do.
Allah promised those who believed and did righteous deeds forgiveness and a great reward.
And those who did not believe and considered Our signs to be lies will be the inhabitants of Hell.”
(5:8-10).
“Truly, Allah commands to maintain justice, do good and give gifts to relatives. He prohibits abominations, reprehensible acts and outrages. He exhorts you, that perhaps you may remember edification.”
(16:90)
Islam has many other humane and spiritual teachings that permeate all aspects of human life and, in fact, serve only for the benefit of the individual, family and society.
And when some Muslims deviate from these instructions (especially from the most basic of them) due to ignorance, misunderstanding or deliberately, they take full responsibility for their actions only on themselves. But religion itself has nothing to do with this.
Allah in the Quran
Allah is the greatest name of God because all His essential qualities are included in Him. As Allah Almighty said:
“ He is Allah, and there is no god but Him, Knower of the unseen and the manifest. He is the Gracious, the Merciful. He is Allah, and there is no deity but Him, the Sovereign, the Holy, the Most Pure, the Protector, the Guardian, the Mighty, the Mighty, the Proud. Exalted is Allah and is far from what they associate as partners. He is Allah, the Creator, the Creator, the Giver of Form. He has the most beautiful names. That which is in heaven and on earth glorifies Him. He is the Mighty, the Wise " (Sura Al-Hashr, verses 22-24).
The rest of His names indicate His specific qualities. The Almighty said about this:
“ Allah has the most beautiful names. Therefore, call upon Him through them” (Sura 7, verse 180). Allah Almighty also said: “Say: “Call on Allah or call on the Merciful! No matter how you call upon Him, He has the most beautiful names” (Surah Al-Isra, verse 110).
Two Sahihs contain a hadith from Abu Hurayrah in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “ Truly Allah has ninety-nine names - one hundred minus one. Whoever counted them entered Paradise .” In the version from Tirmidhi and ibn Majah, the Prophet ﷺ listed the names of Allah.
A Muslim must study and reflect on the Qur'an and build his relationship with God on the basis of love for Allah, hope for His forgiveness and mercy, and fear of possible punishment for committing sins. A believer must balance on the basis of these three components and learn how to earn Allah's love, His forgiveness and pleasure, study the beautiful names of Allah and follow them in his life.
What is the relationship of Allah to Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ is neither God nor the son of God in Islam, but is one of the most revered prophets and messengers of God among Muslims. Jesus in Islam is called Isa son of Mary (Jesus son of Mary). Based on the criteria of divinity inherent only in God, given in the surah of the Holy Quran “Ikhlas” - Jesus was born and was not self-sufficient, and was similar to other people, that is, he was a man.
In the Koran, one of the largest suras is dedicated to Jesus and his family, called “The Family of Imran,” which reports on the divine mission entrusted to Jesus as a prophet.
Who is Muhammad ﷺ?
Muhammad ﷺ is the last messenger of the One God to humanity.
The Koran says:
And we sent you only to all people as a messenger and warner...
(34:28)
And it is also said:
We sent you only as a mercy for the worlds.
(21:107)
Muhammad ﷺ was born in Arabia in Mecca in 570 AD. Islam began his mission of preaching religion at the age of forty and left this world at the age of 63.
Encyclopedia Britannica confirms: "...a number of details from early sources confirm that he was an honest and upright man who won the respect and loyalty of others who were also honest and upright men." (volume 12).
Edward Gibbon and Simon Oakley, speaking about the preaching of Islam, wrote: “I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD AND MAHOMET HIS PROPHET” - this is the simple and unchanging preaching in Islam.
“The intellectual image of the Deity was never degraded in any image of an idol; the honor of the Prophet never exceeded the measure of human virtues; and his life instructions kept the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion.” "History of the Saransk Empire", London 1870, p. 54.
Muhammad ﷺ was no more and no less than a man. But he was a man with a noble mission, destined to unite humanity to worship the ONE and ONLY GOD and teach honesty and openness in living, guided by the instructions of God. He always considered himself “a servant and messenger of God,” and, of course, his actions corresponded to this.
Thus, during this short 23-year period of his mission, he completely freed the Arabian Peninsula from paganism and idolatry and directed it towards the worship of the One God; from tribal enmity and wars - to national solidarity and cohesion; from drunkenness and debauchery - to sobriety and piety; from loneliness and anarchy - to an ordered life; from complete lack of spirituality - to the highest level of morality.
Mahatma Gandhi, noting the character of Muhammad ﷺ, says in Young India: “I wanted to know the best of those who today have undeniable power over the hearts of millions of people. I became more than sure that it was not the sword that won Islam a place in life in those days. It was the adamant simplicity, the supreme self-sacrifice of the Prophet, the careful performance of his duties, his great devotion to his friends and followers, his courage, his fearlessness, his absolute faith in God and his own mission. With this, and not with a sword, he paved the way for himself.
When I closed the 2nd volume of the biography of the Prophet, I felt sorry that I could not read more about his great life.”
However, the faith of Muslims is not limited only to faith in the last messenger of God, but also faith in all previous prophets and messengers of the One God, since all prophets came from one God and pursued the same goal, which was to lead humanity to faith, love and submission to the One God. Thus, accepting some of them and rejecting others is the same as rejecting them all.
Muslims are the only people on earth who consider faith in all prophets to be one of the components of faith.
The Qur'an mentions many of God's prophets and messengers:
“Say: “We believe in One God and in what was revealed to us (Muhammad), and what was revealed to Ibrahim (Abraham), and Ishmael, and Isaac (Isaac), and Ya’qub (Jacob), and the tribes, and that which was given to Musa (Moses), and 'Isa (Jesus), and the prophets from their Lord. We do not discriminate between any of them, and to Him we surrender (submit)."
(3:84)
Thus, in addition to the testimony of the Unity of God is the testimony of the recognition of the Messengers of God, mentioning the last of them. So the full certificate of acceptance of Islam reads:
“I bear witness that there is no god but One God (Allah) and I bear witness that Muhammad is the (last) messenger and servant of God.”
