THE RIGHT BOOK, THE RIGHT WAY - GOD'S WAY

Al-Quran

The Divine Word

The Guiding Light, The Right Book!

Islam:

God’s Way, The Right Way, The Only Way!

(Part 1 of 2)

(M. Javed Naseem)

ذٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
“This is the Book; in it is guidance sure,

without doubt, to those who fear Allah.”

(al-Quran 2:2)

أَفَلاَ يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلْقُرْآنَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَآ
“Do they not then earnestly seek to understand

the Quran, or are their hearts locked up by them?”

(al-Quran 47:24)

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was the ‘walking Quran’, a personification of Islam. He showed the path, set the standards and walked the walk to prove that Islam was the right way – the way Allah prescribed for mankind through the Holy Quran. He practiced this Deen and advised every believer to practice the same. That’s the only guarantee to salvation.

“Verily, I have left amongst you that which will

never lead you astray, the Book of Allah, which

if you hold fast, you shall never go astray”.

-- Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.)

(From the ‘Last Sermon of Hajj’ of the Prophet , s.a.w.)

And that’s the Book in which, without any doubt, there is guidance and mercy for the mankind. But we can benefit from this guidance of Allah and His mercy only through applying the Quranic guidelines to our practical lives. So, we should study it carefully and follow it sincerely.

يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُمْ مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ

وَشِفَآءٌ لِّمَا فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“O mankind! There has come to you a direction

from your Lord and a healing for the (diseases)

in your hearts, and for those who believe,

a Guidance and a Mercy.”

(al-Quran 10:57)

Unbelievable! The sacred Word of Allah contains not only the direction, the guidance but also the cure for our spiritual diseases, plus the endless Mercy from our Creator, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficent. Shouldn’t we then profit from it?

أَفَلاَ يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلْقُرْآنَ
“Do they not consider the Quran (with care)?”

(Or: “Why do they not study the Quran carefully?”)

(al-Quran 4:82)

For a society plagued by

Social, cultural, financial,

Religious and political evils,

Islam Is The Solution!

Every nation has its term or tenure. It started from Adam and will finish with Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), as he’s the last and final Messenger of God. There shall be no more messenger or prophet. Therefore, we are the last of all nations (e.g., nation of Moses, nation of Jesus, etc.). Our tenure lasts till the End of the world or till the Resurrection Day or D/Day.

During the time of Prophet Moses, people were asked to follow Torah and Moses for their salvation. Then his term ended and came Prophet Jesus, the son of Mary. The believers of the world were asked to follow him and the Gospel for their salvation. Then his term ended and came Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). The believers of the world were asked to follow him and the Quran for their salvation. He was the last prophet (messenger); he brought the last book containing Allah’s word – the Quran. And we are going through the last phase of this planet Earth, approaching its D/Day. In other words we have this last chance to win the mercy of our Lord Almighty and seek salvation. Disputing would take you nowhere! You can’t go back to the past. If there’s any future for the mankind, it’s in Islam and the Quran. All previous Scriptures and Prophets, along with their rituals, have been superseded and replaced by the Quran and its holder – the last Prophet.

But one thing was common among all of them and that stayed the same – the ‘Deen’ (the system of life). And the only ‘Deen’ acceptable to God is Islam. Islam is not new. It was the ‘Deen’ (or religion, if you like) of all the prophets and messengers of God. It’s the only Deen God prescribed for mankind. Man, in every era, corrupted it and altered it to suit his easy life, and gave it different names. It started from Paradise and was spread in the earth by Allah’s messengers. It’s the Deen of Truth.

هُوَ ٱلَّذِيۤ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلْحَقِّ

لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُشْرِكُونَ
“It is He Who has sent His Messenger with guidance

and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all

religions, even though the Pagans may detest (it).”

(al-Quran 9:33)

قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ هُوَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَأُمِرْنَا لِنُسْلِمَ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَالَمِينَ

“… Say: Allah's guidance is the (only) guidance,

and we have been directed to submit ourselves

to the Lord of the worlds.”

(al-Quran 6:71)

The biggest contribution of Islam to the modern world and humanity is the equality, dignity, respect and honor it bestows upon all human beings that accept it as a system of life. It guarantees them a social system based on justice and fairness. It makes them a part of the universal community, international brotherhood, with no discrimination of any sort whatsoever. It’s a great feat. No other system in the world has ever achieved it.

"The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims

is o­ne of the outstanding achievements of Islam and in the

contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need

for the propagation of this Islamic virtue..."

-- A. J. Toynbee

(‘Civilization O­n Trial’, New York, p. 205)

"Sense of justice is o­ne of the most wonderful ideals of Islam,

because as I read in the Quran, I find those dynamic principles

of life, not mystic but practical ethics for the daily conduct of

life suited to the whole world."

-- Sarojini  Naidu

(Lectures o­n "The Ideals of Islam", from ‘Speeches And Writings

of Sarojini Naidu’, Madras, 1918, p. 167)

IT IS ISLAM

From The Beginning Till The End!

As I mentioned earlier, Islam was prescribed by our Creator, the Lord Almighty, for the mankind, and it’s the only ‘Way of Life’ acceptable to Him.

وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ ٱلإِسْلاَمِ دِيناً فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ

وَهُوَ فِى ٱلآخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَاسِرِينَ

“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam

(submission to Allah), never will it be accepted

of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the

ranks of the losers.”

(al-Quran 3:85)

It can’t be said more simply, more vigorously and more clearly than the above verse that it is Islam or else. There is absolutely no ambiguity, no confusion, no misunderstanding or no chance of misinterpretation of this verse. It is as clear as sunshine and is self-explanatory. Islam is the way!

وَلاَ تُؤْمِنُوۤاْ إِلاَّ لِمَنْ تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْهُدَىٰ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ
"And believe no one unless he follows your religion.

Say: "True guidance is the Guidance of Allah. …”

(al-Quran 3:73)

For those who deny this fact, there’s the invitation, suggestion and even the command of Allah to correct their belief and follow the right Faith. If you study the Quran with open mind and clean heart, you’ll find the answers to your questions. You’ll get the guidance you are looking for!

يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُمْ مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ

وَشِفَآءٌ لِّمَا فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“O mankind! There has come to you a direction

from your Lord and a healing for the (diseases)

in your hearts, and for those who believe,

a Guidance and a Mercy.”

(al-Quran 10:57)

فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَاى

فَلاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
“… And if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance

from Me, whosoever follows My guidance, on them

shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”

(al-Quran 2:38)

هَـٰذَا بَيَانٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةٌ لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
“Here is a plain statement to men, a guidance

and instruction to those who fear Allah!”

(al-Quran 3:138)

A very clear message from the Almighty prompting us to follow it, implement it and protect our souls from the Hellfire with the help of it.

يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ لاَ يَضُرُّكُمْ

مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا ٱهْتَدَيْتُمْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعاً

فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
“O you who believe! Guard your own souls!

If you follow (right) guidance, no hurt can come

to you from those who stray. The goal of you all

is to Allah. It is He that will show you the truth

of all that you do.”

(al-Quran 5:105)

يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ

وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنْتُمْ مُّسْلِمُونَ

“O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be

feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.”

(al-Quran 3:102)

"I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high

estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the o­nly

religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating

capacity to the changing phase of existence which can

make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him - the

wonderful man and in my opinion far from being an

anti-Christ, he must be called the ‘Savior of Humanity’.

I believe that if a man like him were to assume the

dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in

solving its problems in a way that would bring it the

much needed peace and happiness. I have prophesied

about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable

to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be

acceptable to the Europe of today."

-- George Bernard Shaw

(‘The Genuine Islam’)

ISLAM WAS IN THE HEAVEN

(Before The Creation of Adam)

Prophet Jesus (Isa), the son of Mary, showed great respect for Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and always referred to him as the ‘Messenger of God’ in the Bible (The Gospel of Barnabas). Here’s what he told his disciples about the creation of Adam:

“Then God gave his soul to man, while all the holy angels sang: “Blessed be your holy name, O God our Lord”. Adam, having sprung upon his feet, saw in the air a writing that shone like the sun; which said:

“La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad ar-Rasool Allah”

(“There is only One God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God”).

“Whereupon Adam opened his mouth and said: “I thank you, O Lord my God, that you have deigned to create me; but tell me, I pray you, what means the message of these words: Muhammad is Messenger of God. Have there been other men before me?”

Then said God: “Be you welcome, O my servant Adam. I tell you that you are the first man whom I have created. And he, whom you have seen (mentioned) is your son, who shall come into the world many years hence, and shall be my Messenger, for whom I have created all things; who shall give light to the world when he shall come; whose soul was set in a celestial splendour, sixty thousand years before I made any thing.”

                                                          -- (From the book: God’s Prescription – Al-Quran,

                                                             Chapter: ‘Jesus Talks About Muhammad, s.a.w.’)

"I am not a Muslim in the usual sense, though I hope

I am a "Muslim" as "one surrendered to God," but I

believe that embedded in the Quran and other expressions

of the Islamic vision are vast stores of divine truth from

which I and other occidentals have still much to learn,

and Islam is certainly a strong contender for the supplying

of the basic framework of the o­ne religion of the future."

-- Montgomery Watt

(‘Islam And Christianity Today’, London, 1983)

“I believe in o­ne God and Mohammed the Apostle of God”,

is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The

intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded

by any visible idol; the honors of the prophet have never

transgressed the measure of human virtue, and his living

precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples

within the bounds of reason and religion."

-- Edward Gibbon & Simon Oakley

(‘History of The Saracen Empire’, London, 1870, P. 54)

"The doctrine of brotherhood of Islam extends to all

human beings, no matter what color, race or creed.

Islam is the o­nly religion which has been able to

realize this doctrine in practice. Muslims, wherever in

the world they are, will recognize each other as brothers."

-- R. L. Mellema

(Anthropologist, Writer and Scholar from Holland)

(End of Part-I/2)

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