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Religion of Islam (Submission):Truth vs Conjecture |
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One of the prevalent myths in the western world is that Muhammad was the founder of Islam. Even the majority of people who call themselves Muslims think that the prophet Muhammad instituted the practices of Islam. They thus show their ignorance of the Quran. It is a fact that Islam is called the “religion of Abraham” (Millat Ibrahim) throughout the Quran (2:130, 135; 3:95; 4:125 etc.) Furthermore, God informs us in the Quran that all religious practices of Islam were established with Abraham, long before the Quran’s revelation (2:128, 21:73, 22:78). These practices included the Contact prayers (Salat), the obligatory charity (Zakat), the fasting of Ramadan, and the Hajj pilgrimage. For example, God made a covenant with the Children of Israel that He would be with them so long as they observe the Contact prayers and the obligatory charity (5:12). Luqman advised his son to observe the Contact prayers (31:17). Moses and Aaron (and the Children of Israel) were asked to turn their homes in Egypt into synagogues, and to maintain the Contact prayers until God delivers them from the tyranny of Pharaoh |
(10:87). Thus all the messengers who came after Abraham observed the practices given to him by God. This included the prophet Muhammad who was also enjoined to follow Abraham (16:123). Another proof of divine preservation of the Islamic practices given to Abraham is the universal acceptance of such practices. There is no dispute concerning the number of units (Rak`ahs) in all five daily Contact prayers assigned by God. The Quran’s mathematical code confirms the number of units in the five prayers 2, 4, 4, 3 and 4, respectively. The number 24434 is a multiple of 19. The Quran deals only with practices that were distorted. For example, the ablution must be in four steps (5:6). The tone of voice during contact prayers should be in a moderate tone (17:110). We learn from the Quran that Islam is not simply the name of a religion. It is a description. It is the total submission and devotion to God alone (16:52). It is the only religion approved by God (3:19). One does not become a Muslim automatically if his or her birth certificate indicates so. A person’s |
name, his parents’ religious background, his race or language is no guarantee for him to be a Muslim acceptable to God either. Being a Muslim is a matter between the person and God the Almighty who knows our innermost thoughts and intentions. It is a matter of how a person accepts God as the only deity, submits to His will, and lives a righteous life accordingly. Unfortunately, the majority of Muslims today have distorted the teachings of Muhammad, just like the Jews and Christians distorted the teachings of Moses and Jesus, respectively. Instead of following the guidance of the Quran, they insist on following the innovations and corrupted practices attributed to Muhammad. On the day of Judgment the messenger will say that his people have deserted the Quran (25:30). Jesus will disown his wrongful followers who idolized him. Our aim should be to purge these innovations by upholding the Quran alone, and not falling into idolizing anybody or anything beside God. This is the only way to present the true religion of Submission to the world. |