Basic Questions of Islam

Lord and Creator

• Allah is the Lord who has raised me and the whole worlds with His favor.
• The evidence for this is in the Quranic verse: "All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds." (Surat al-Fātihah: 2)

Religion

• The religion is Islam, which is about submitting to Allah through monotheism.
• Islam involves yielding to Allah through obedience and dissociating oneself from Shirk (polytheism) and its people.
• The evidence for this is in the Quranic verse: "The true religion with Allah is Islam..." (Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 19)

Prophet

• The prophet is Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
• The evidence for this is in the Quranic verse: "Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah..." (Surat al-Fat-h: 29)

Tawhīd (Monotheism)

• The words of Tawhīd are "Lā ilāha illallāh", which means none is worthy of worship except Allah.
• The evidence for this is in the Quranic verse: "Then know [O Prophet] that none has the right to be worshiped except Allah..." (Surat Muhammad: 19)
• Tawhīd is the core of Islam, emphasizing the oneness of Allah.

Allah's Location

• Allah is above the Throne and above all creation.
• This is mentioned in Surat Taha: 5, where Allah says, "The Most Compassionate rose over the Throne."
• Allah is also described as the Vanquisher over His slaves, and He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware (Surat al-An‘ām: 18).

The Meaning of the Testimony of Faith

• The testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah means that Allah sent him as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner.
• It implies that one must:
  • Obey his commands
  • Believe his reports
  • Refrain from disobeying him
  • Worship Allah only in compliance with his Sharia, which requires following the Sunnah and abandoning religious innovations
• This is supported by Surat an-Nisā’: 80, where Allah says, "Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah."
• The Quran also states that Muhammad's words are a revelation sent down to him, and not his own desires (Surat an-Najm: 3-4).
• Muhammad is an excellent example for those who look forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remember Allah much (Surat al-Ahzāb: 21).