Understanding Islam: Peace, Submission, and Unity

• Islam originates from the Arabic word "Salama," signifying peace, submission, and obedience.

Islam in Religious Sense

• Submission to God's will and obedience to His law.
• All phenomena, excluding humans, are governed by God's laws, existing in a state of Islam by obeying God.
• Becoming a Muslim, submitting to God, ensures peace and harmony.
• Achieving inner peace requires submission and obedience to Allah, establishing societal peace.

Distinguishing Qualities of Islam: Unity in Injunctions

• Qur'an and Hadith indicate all religions share the principle of worshipping Allah alone.

• Prophets were sent to mankind, each message superseding the last, from Noah to Muhammad (PBUH).

• Muhammad (PBUH) is seen as the final prophet, completing the structure of faith.

• Jesus (u) will return near the Final Hour to establish justice and rule by Islam, not introduce a new religion.

• Islam is not a new religion but a continuation of divine revelations, emphasizing guidance over competition among religions and is seen as a complete way of life.

Everlasting Religion

• Islam has superseded all prior religions and is Allah's choice for humanity.
• Allah does not accept other religions from His slaves.
• The Quran confirms previous scriptures and acts as a witness over them.

Comprehensive and Complete Religion

• Islam has completed and perfected prior legislations.
• Prior religions were time and nation-specific vs Islam, which is universal and eternal.
• Islam perfects aspects limited in previous faiths, adapting suitable elements for all times and people.
• Muslims are described as the best of people, enjoining good and forbidding evil, believing in Allah.
• The scripture states If Jews and Christians believed, it would be better for them.
• Islam addresses spiritual, physical, and social life, integrating the material without separating it from the spiritual.

Universal Religion

• Islam is a worldwide religion for all humanity, regardless of race or class.
• Equality is based on shared beliefs, not color, language, location, or lineage.
• Believing in Allah as the only true Lord and Muhammad (PBUH) as the final messenger makes an individual a Muslim, irrespective of ethnicity or race.
• Muhammad (SAW) was sent as a bearer of good news and a warner to all humanity, whereas previous messengers were sent to specific nations.

Perfect Religion

• Islamic laws are divine and unchangeable, unlike human laws which are subject to errors, external influences, and continuous revision.
• Human-made systems are unstable as capitalist legislations might not suit a communist society, necessitating laws to consider society's goals.
• Divine origin ensures suitability for all conditions and rectification of affairs.
• No one has the right to change, add, or omit its legislation.

Applicable Religion Until the Day of Judgement

• Islamic texts are general, applicable for all times and places, with unalterable principles.
• Principles encompass belief in Allah, angels, books, messengers, the Last Day, and predestination.
• Also includes practices such as prayer, charity (Zakaah), fasting, and pilgrimage (Hajj)
• Every new issue is to be judged by the Qur'an and Sunnah.
• If ruling is unclear, scholars derive text-based rulings considering Muslim interests and contemporary conditions.

Religion of Equality

• Islam is egalitarian with impartial legislation for all without discrimination between rich and poor, ruler and ruled and everyone is equal under Sharia law.
• During Muhammad's time, even a noble woman faced justice for theft without special privilege.
• Any attempt to intercede was rejected, emphasizing equal application of law: Even if Muhammad's daughter Fatimah stole, he would cut off her hand.

Unchangeable Religion

• Islamic sources are intact, unaltered by addition, omission, or substitution, primarily based on the Quran and Sunnah.
• The Quran remains in its original form as revealed to Muhammad (PBUH), unchanged in letters, verses, and chapters.
• Islam as ad-deen means a code, law or system from Allah vs mazhab, which means passage or path made by man

Tawheed: Faith in The Unity of God

• Faith in the oneness of God is most fundamental in Islam, expressed in the Kalima: "La ilaha illallah".
• The Kalima is Islam's bedrock, distinguishing Muslims from non-believers, polytheists, or atheists, uniting believers.
• Tawheed, mentioned in the Quran, emphasizes worshipping Allah alone: "None has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah), so worship Me (Alone)."
• Messengers proclaimed: "Worship Allah and avoid Taghut" ie false gods.
• Prophets like Noah (AS) preached: "Worship Allah! You have no other Ilah (God) but Him."
• Similar messages were delivered by Prophets Hud, Salih, and Shu'aib to their respective peoples.
• The Kalima begins with negation "La", rejecting false gods before affirming Allah's oneness.
• Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) urged his people: "Worship Allah and fear Him."
• Hazrat Messiah Isa (AS) (Jesus) said: "Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.”
• Final message of Allah's oneness was sent, emphasizing its high importance.

The Meaning of the ‘Kalima'

• In Arabic, "ilah" means 'one who is worshipped', implying worthiness of worship due to greatness and power, demanding humility and submission, including the possession of infinite powers.
• The term suggests dependence on ilah and its independence and carries a sense of concealment and mystery Khuda in Persian, deva in Hindi, and god in English share similar meanings.
• "Allah" is the personal name of God, meaning "There is no ilah other than the One Great being known by the name Allah."
• It means only Allah is worthy of worship in the universe, requiring submission and adoration, possessing all powers, and beings are in need of His favor.
• Humans can't perceive God with senses or intellect.

Tawheed as Conception of Godhead

• It is the knowledge of Unity sent to mankind through prophets.

• All divine powers must reside in one being because if two or more were equal, they would collide.

• There must be one Supreme Being with control over all.

• Dividing powers among deities is impossible, as universe operates as an indivisible whole.

• Divine attributes are non-transferable.

• A being unable to sustain itself cannot give life or protect divine power cannot govern the universe.

Polytheism

• It is born of ignorance that cannot withstand scrutiny.
• Rational facts of life point to automatically to Tawheed, the Unity of God
• Searching the universe, sun, moon, stars, animals doesn't reveal anything with divine attributes
• Everything created is regulated, mortal, and dependent, adhering to law.
• “La ilaha” means no human possesses the divine power deserving of obedience.
• Allah, the Lord of the Universe, has no associate in His Divinity.

Gaining Knowledge

• Knowledge is superior, deepening conviction in it as the starting-point of all knowledge.
• Inquiry in physics to humanities will show La ilaha illallah
• This concept unlocks the light of reality but denying robs everything as meaningless and confusing.

Three Types of Tawheed

• Tawheed-ar-Rububiyya is a confession, creating all things.

• The Creator of all is Allah, the Organizer, Planner, Life and death-giver.

• Category is based on Allah alone who caused existence, maintaining creation without need.

• The deity is the sole Lord without challenge to His sovereignty.

• Rububiyah, describes this creator quality derived from Rabb

• Verse one of Surah Al-Fatihah says “All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds" which proves it

• Every power is from God, who gave all things the power to move and change.

• Tawheed-al-Uluhiyya is a confession saying, “I testify, that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone.”

• Ibadah or worship is for Allah alone through angel, messenger, or saint.

• Actions must follow Messenger Muhammad from the Qur'an and Sunnah

• Noble Qur'an says, men should worship none but Allah, for those who they invoke have not created anything, but are themselves created.

• Tawheed-al-Asma was-Sifat: A confession confirming names and qualities and also states there is nothing like unto Him as He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.

• Similarly Allah is said to have two hands with no similarity and "The Most Beneficent (Allah) Istawa (rose over) the (Mighty) Throne."

• Shirk or unforgivable sin says what to do by saying what happens if you join Mohammad and you do not join the worshippers.

• Said to Mohammad the good deads will be wasted and also says that god will not forgive parters with him but what less than that will be.

• Reference from Quran show is an unforgiveing sin, even if you ask to seek reprentencae.

• Question arises: why Shirk unforgivable sin? It is to associate someone other than Allah (SWT) in those aspects unique to Him.

• So God says that at the end of judgement I will take back my works of deed and be wasted.

• The intrinsic nature shows of a God but some go againist its nature

• Types of shirk include Major and minor.

Major Shirk

• Means ascribing only to the power of Allah, and names of God.
• Can take the form of beliefs with there that that someone with will assist him in his work or the messenger
• Some may associate Allah (SWT) in love they may love a human.

Minor Shirk

• Includes everything that makes people do it in a type that may not be a shirk.
• Emotional attachment to the means that do not come from Allah, say hands.

Effects of Taweel on Human Life

• Makes one narrow but be a believer of God
• Produces the human of highest degree.
• Along with makes self respect in modesty
• Good person virtureus
• Beliver does not become despodent and broken hardted
• Strong degree.