In the Name of Allāh
The Beneficent, The Merciful.
Peace and blessings on Mohammad.
DEDICATED TO
Allāh–the Glorious and the High,
Lord of the worlds
AND TO
Mohammad–who brought the world
to our feet and eternity to our arms.
*
ALL ARE MUSLIMS
Allāh God the Glorious and the High reveals: “And I have not created the jinn and the men except that they should serve Me”–(Qur’an 51:56).
Whether one calls oneself a Hindu, Jew, Christian, Buddhist, Bahai, atheist or other, every person is a Muslim. A Muslim is one who submits to the Law or Will of Allah God. There are two orders of Muslims: (1) Muslims by Compulsion (2) Muslims by Choice. As explained in the following:
The sun and the moon and the planets all follow prescribed paths in their own orbit, and traverse within a given time. When two parts hydrogen combine with one part oxygen water is formed–they cannot form any other compound. Thus they are submitting to, or are being obedient to the law accorded them.
The seed of a plant must go through various stages between its germination and fruition. Each part must manifest in its’ proper sequence –i.e. it must develop root and stems before it can sprout leaves; and must blossom and flower before it can bear fruit –it cannot bear fruit before growing flowers; nor grow leaves before sprouting limbs. Thus, they are following or are being obedient to the laws accorded them.
In fact all things in nature exist on laws. From the microscopic atom to the gigantic sphere, everything in creation is under the governance of some principle: “Glorify the name of thy Lord, the Most High! Who creates, then makes complete, And Who measures, then guides”–(Qur’an 87:1-3; Also 25:2; 54:49).
Similarly, we ourselves are subjected to laws to which we have no choice but to submit to, for example:
-when sperm is united with ovum conception results
-we are subjected to hunger, thirst, and death
-if we eat anything sugary we have no choice but to taste sweetness, and if we eat anything acid we have no choice but to taste sourness (unless we have a defect in taste)
-when something is detonated we have no choice but to hear an explosion (unless we have a defect in hearing)
-if we look at the sky, unless we have a defect of the eye, we have no choice but to see blue –we cannot force our eyes to show us a different color than is present. In short we cannot dictate to our senses
In these regards we are compelled to obey the Laws of Allah. As such we are all Muslims by compulsion –submitting to Allah God without choice. We are Muslims by choice in that we are given a free will to choose between right and wrong, to live a life of good or evil; to believe in Allah or not. It is because of this freedom to choose that we will be called on to account for our deeds.
Even Jesus declared that he was a MUSLIM and he taught ISLAM (See Jesus-a Muslim taught Islam).
ISLAM IS OLD AS THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH
“Muslim” (one who submits to God) and “Islam” (peace and submission to God) date back to the beginning of creation. Only that “Muslim” and “Islam” were not yet named/known as such. The following makes this point clear:
“Then He (Allāh) directed Himself to the heaven and it was a vapour, so He said to it and to the Earth: Come both, willingly or unwillingly. They both said: We come willingly”–(Qur’an 41:11).
We ‘come willingly’ or we submit to your command–Islam– and by submitting to God’s command they are Muslims.
Thus, “Muslim” and “Islam” are integral and are as old as the heavens and the earth –Muslim and Islam are primeval. (As noted in the preceding presentation, all creations conform to the laws of Allāh God)
Islam is the only religion (way of life) chosen by Allāh God, for us to follow. All other religions were named after a person or place or some other, for example:
–Judaism was named after Judah;
–Buddhism after Buddha;
–Christianity after Jesus Christ;
–Zoroastrianism after Zoroaster,
–Baha’ism after Baha’ullah,
–Sikhism from the Sanskrit word “Sisya,” which means “disciple;”
–Hinduism after the Indus valley or Indus river, (the name of the Hindu religion is actually Sanatana Dharma which is said to mean Old/Ancient Religion).
As all Prophets were sent by the same One God, the religion from God could not be partial to any person, place or thing. The name of His religion should reflect our service to Him. Such is the religion of Islam. This is borne out by the fact that in no revealed scripture is it stated the name of a religion to follow except in the Qur’an:
“This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor to you and chosen for you Islam as a religion”–Qur’an 5:3).
All Revelations prior to the Qur’an is a way of life for that period of time and for that particular people to whom it was enjoined. God’s favor to us was “completed” and His “religion” for us to follow was ‘perfected” through the Prophet Mohammad, who was sent to the Arabs –who were the only people who had not yet received a Divine messenger– and to the world to unite all mankind under one set of Divine Law–Qur’an/Shari’ah
While Islam claims to have Allāh’s God’s final revelation to mankind, it does not deny salvation in other creeds.
Islam teaches that Allāh God raised prophets among all peoples. Thus Islam recognises that all Divinely inspired religions have truth; and that there are righteous followers of those prophets/messengers.
Whereas the righteous of other religions who do not know of Islam will receive heavenly bliss, Allāh pleases; those who reject Islam will not be accepted. For no religion can be shown to be superior to or equal with Islam.
That Jews, Christians and Sabians who believe in Allāh would have their reward–(Qur’an 2:62), refers to those who followed their prophets prior to the advent of Islam; and to these later religionists who died without knowing about Islam –as they could not be charged as having rejected Islam– and followed their Scriptures.
Jews and Christians who follow the Prophet Mohammad would be rewarded twice–(Qur’an 28:54).
Allāh God having perfected religion through the Prophet Mohammad, He calls on mankind to worship Him under His chosen religion Islam, and under His universal name Allāh, and to follow His Qur’an which is the law for all people and for all time to the Day of Judgment.
This law or way of life (which Allāh has named Islam) was enjoined on all prophets before the Prophet Mohammad, as He revealed in Qur’an 42:13: “He has made plain to you the religion which He enjoined upon Noah and which We have revealed to thee (Mohammad), and which We enjoined on Abraham and Moses and Jesus.”
Allāh is a just God. And while Allāh’s God’s answer can also be a “no”, meaning we do not get what we ask for, He answers the prayers of all His servants, whether that servant is a Hindu, Jew, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Bahai, Sikh, or…
However, we have to answer to Him for our rejection of Islam. Islam is the natural religion of man: “Surely the (true) religion with Allah is Islam”–(Qur’an 3:18). “So set thy face for religion, being upright, the nature made by Allah in which He has created men. There is no altering Allah’s creation. That is the right religion –but most people know not”-(Qur’an 30:30)
As Islam is superior to all other religions, whoever rejects Islam/Mohammad is going to Hell–(cf. Qur’an 3:82, 84; 9:84, 113. Muslim, Vol. 1, # 284).
“In what Message after this (Qur’an) will they then believe?”-(Qur’an 7:185; 39:23; 77:50).