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| Introduction To Islam | Basis Of Islam | Excerpts From the Holy Quran | Iman
| Elaborate Formula Of Faith | Islamic Life- View
| Fundamentals Devotional Practices
| Basic Features Of Islamic Socio- Political System |
INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM
ISLAM is an Arabic word. It denotes resignation, submission, surrender to the will, the service, the commands of ALLAH (GOD). In essence, ISLAM is a life style. It directs, guides, controls and governs human behavior from the cradle to the grave, from dawn to dusk and from dusk to dawn. ISLAM comprises comprehensive guidelines of Dos and Don'ts for every person child or adult, male or female, young or old, irrespective of his/her country, region, race, tribe, language, colour whatever. ISLAM encompasses the whole sphere of human activity_ secular or religious, individual or collective, personal, national or international, civil or military, physical or mental, temporal or spiritual, economic or ethical, private or public, political or commercial, domestic or market, celebatic or marital, earning-related or spending-related, spoken, written or symbolic whatever. ISLAM is a complete code defining the parameters of a person's relations with his/her parents, children, spouses, kith and kin, employers, employees, friends, foes, neighbours, the rich, the poor, the needy, the weaker, the older, the state, the society, the animal whoever. ISLAM controls a person's feelings, emotions, passions, thoughts, imaginations and guides him/her in matters of love, hate, grief, shock, gain, loss, pain, pleasure, anger, revenge, ambition, competition, praise, blame et all. ISLAM has its own complete civil and criminal laws defining rights and liabilities and crime and punishment. ISLAM is the divinely ordained one universal life style for all human beings on the earth. Under the Islamic life style nobody is absolutely free, either in private or in public, to behave, as he or she likes. All likes and dislikes and omissions and commissions have to lie within well-defined limits. ISLAM is, in a way, the antithesis of unbridled Liberalism. ALLAH is the goal of the Islamic life style. MUHAMMAD (peace be upon him) is the leader to be followed to achieve the goal. The holy book QURAN is the guidebook for the journey to the goal.
go to topThe basis of ISLAM is the belief that the existence of human beings on the earth is not the outcome of any accident but it is the part of a divine scheme under which the human race has been created with a purpose, ALLAH created the universe. He also created good and evil. He also created the human race. He appointed his Messengers from time to time in each and every part of the world. The Messengers explained to the people of their time and place what was good and what was evil and exhorted them to do good ward off evil. From Adam to Muhammad (peace be upon him) ALLAH appointed 1, 24000(one Lac twenty four thousand) Messengers to explain to the human race how to live on this earth. The Message of each and every messenger was Islam of its time and place. The Divine Message revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the archangel Gabriel is contained in the holy book QURAN. The divine message contained in the holy book QURAN superseded all earlier divine messages contained in other holy books. The QURAN is now the sole and only criterion of good and evil for the entire human race forever and ever till eternity. Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the final Messenger of ALLAH and the authentic reports of his words and deeds are the only guidance in all matters of life for all people for all time till eternity. True success and happiness lies in Islamic life style. All other life styles lead to eventual failure and grief. go to top
ALLAH bears witness that there is no god but He, and so do the angels and men of learning standing firm on justice. There is no god but he, the Mighty, the Wise. The only true faith in Allah's sight is ISLAM.
(3: 18-19)
The essence of ISLAM is IMAN (FAITH). Iman is the belief of the heart i.e. intellectual conviction and assent that everything Muhammad (Peace be upon him) taught and conveyed was true, is true and shall forever remain true. He who has Iman is called Mumin (Faithful). In order to be a Muslim (follower of Islam) one has to be a Mumin. To follow Islam without Iman is hypocrisy and has no worth in Allah's sight. FUNDAMENTALS OF IMAN (FAITH)
Every Mumin (Faithful) must firmly believe in and be fully convinced of the truth of the following facts: 1. ALLAH (GOD): Important aspects of this belief are:ALLAH is the Owner of sovereignty. The sovereignty of every monarch, president, any individual or body of individuals, parliament or the people as a whole must play a subservient role to Allah's sovereignty. The Laws revealed by ALLAH to Muhammad (Peace be upon him) for the mankind are supreme and binding on all and any law made in derogation to those Laws is null and void.ALLAH is One He alone is to be worshipped. He has no mother, no father, no wife, no son, no daughter, and no relation whatever. He is Omniscient, Omnipotent. He is not dependent on anybody, anything, everything, everybody is dependent on Him. He created the entire universe and everything in it. He is the Lord of all creations. He gives life and causes death. He gives provisions to all creatures. He neither eats, nor drinks nor sleeps. He has no beginning, no end. He is not a substance, not an element, not a body. He is not inherent in a body or dwelling in a place. He has no hands, legs, eyes, ears, nose, mouth etc. He does not take the shape or form of anybody or thing. He sees everything, hears everything, and knows everything. He has power over everything. He does what he likes etc. etc. 2. BELIEF IN THE ANGELS: Important aspects of this belief are: ALLAH has created angels. They are countless in number. They execute the orders of ALLAH and praise Him day and night. They strictly and completely obey the will of ALLAH. They do not do and cannot do anything by their own will or pleasure. There are four Archangels: Jibril, the messenger who brought messages from ALLAH to his prophets and apostles 2. Israfil who will sound the trumpet at the day of resurrection; 3: Mikail who arranges rain and sustenance to all the creatures and 4. Izrail: the angel of death. Two other important angels are Ridwan, the guardian of heaven, and Malik, the superintendent of Hell, Munkar and Nakir are two angels who visit every person after his/her death to examine his/her belief during his/her lifetime. Two Recording Angels (Kiramin Katibin) constantly observe every person and note down all his/her good or bad words, deeds and acts to be produced on the Day of Judgment. The angels are created of light and are neither male nor female and have no personal requirements food, drink, sex etc.It is a major sin to worship the angel(s) or make supplication to them. 3. BELIEF IN THE SCRIPTURES: Important aspects of this belief are: ALLAH sent down his messengers from
time to time in every part of the world through His apostles for the guidance of
mankind. Those messages were inspired, revealed and recorded in sacred books.
Some of such Books are Gospel, Pentateud and the Psalms. The last such Book is
Qur'an All the pre- Qur'anic divine Books have undergone so many alterations and
corruptions that their existing editions and copies are not credible. Now the
only inspired, revealed and sacred Book for the guidance of mankind is the Holy
Qur'an, which has repealed all earlier Books. Allah's revelations have closed
and no new divine Book is to be inspired or revealed. The Holy Qur'an has to be
obeyed and followed by the whole mankind in all matters
whatever. 4. BELIEF IN APOSTLES: Important matters of this belief are: From time to time and in every part
of the world ALLAH appointed some men as His prophets or apostles for the
guidance of mankind. All prophets and apostles were human beings and slaves of
ALLAH. The angel Jibril brought the message of ALLAH to His prophets and
apostles. The number of apostles and prophets is 1,24000 (one lac twenty four
thousand). Most important apostles are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses [to whom
Pentateuch or Torah was revealed], David [to whom the Psalms or Zabur was
revealed], Jesus [to whom Gospel or Injil was revealed] and Muhammad (peace be
upon him) [to whom Qur'an was revealed]. All prophets and apostles were men of
unimpeachable integrity and moral character. Muhammad is the last, the seal of
prophets/apostles. There will be no new prophet or apostle till eternity.
Muhammad is to be obeyed and followed by the whole mankind forever in all
matters whatever.It is a major sin to worship prophet (s)/apostle (s) or make
supplication to them. 5. BELIEF IN THE LAST DAY: It is to be believed that a day will come when all creatures in heaven
and on earth will die or annihilated. ALLAH alone will be existing on that
day. 6. BELIEF IN THE PREDESTINATION OF GOOD AND EVIL BY ALLAH:
It is to be believed that before creating
any living being, substance, element, thing, object etc. etc. Allah determined a
proportion or measure for him/her/it. Whatever happens in the universe is in
accordance with the said predetermined proportion or measure. 7. REBIRTH AFTER DEATH: It
is to be believed that after the Last Day ALLAH will bring all creatures to life
again and all human beings who had ever existed on earth will also be brought to
life and a accounts of their words, deeds and acts on earth will be taken and
reward for good and punishment for evil will be given.The above-mentioned
beliefs have been couched into the following two formulas and it is beneficial
for a Muslim to reiterate the same frequently to strengthen his/her Iman
(faith):
I believe in ALLAH and His angels and His scriptures and His apostles and the Last Day and the predestination of good and evil by ALLAH and rebirth after death.
I belief in ALLAH as He is by His Names and by His Attributes
and I accept all His commands.
1. Formula of Excellence.
LAAA ILAAHA ILLALLAHU MUHAMMADUR RASULULLAH
There is no God but ALLAH and Muhammad is Allah's apostle.
2. Formula of Testification.
3. Formula of Glorification.
4.Formula of Monotheism.
5. Formula of Praise.
6. Formula of Repelling Disbelief.
7. Formula of Pardon.
FUNDAMENTAL DEVOTIONAL PRACTICES
go to top 1.PRAYERBASIC FEATURES OF ISLAMIC SOCIO- POLITICAL SYSTEM
go to top 1. SUPREMACY OF ALLAH'S COMMANDS IN ALL MATTERS3 UNIVERSAL STATE AS AGAINST NATION- STATES.
go to top In Islam the whole world is one unit and as the kingdom of ALLAH and all the people inhabiting the world belong to one family being the children of Adam and slavers of ALLAH. The division of this world into nation- states and division of the people of the world into the nationals of particular nation- states is man made and artificial. Islam creates a confraternity of its followers and its nationalism is one with internationalism. All believers in Islam are brothers irrespective of the part of the world to which they belong and they believe in ALLAH who is the Lord of the whole world and they follow prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who is ALLAH'S messenger for the entire mankind and they seek guidance from the holy Quran which contains divine guidance for all human beings and their sacred Law is Universal Law. In Islamic socio- political system all the regions of the world which join it get mingled into one single state to be governed by one ruler with one law. Territorial and regional pride and prejudice have no place in Islam.4 ENJOINING THE RIGHT AND FORBIDDING THE WRONG
go to top Islam has comprehensively defined the right conduct and has pointed out the wrong conduct in all matters in every sphere of life. In Islam all human activities have been divided into right and good, on the one hand, and wrong and the evil, on the other hand. What is right and good has to be propagated and promoted for the creation of a healthy, progress and truly welfare society. What is wrong and evil how to be eradicated to save the individual and society from disaster and ruin. Islam has, therefore, made it compulsory for the state as well as for every individual and groups of individuals to incessantly enjoin the right and forbid the wrong.