Islam is not a proper name; it simply means submission and peace. There are many aspects of being a muslim or submitter to God. There are at least three spheres of divine law. Submitting oneself to those laws is the only way of attaining peace and eternal happiness. These laws are:
1. Natural Realm: Physical Laws
The universe is God's 3-d book written in the language of natural law. All heavenly bodies, including our bodies, and their constituent sub atomic particles follow the physical law imposed by their Creator. Any person who studies God's law (ayaat) in the physical universe and follows the rules within, is rewarded by God with technology to enjoy the worldly life. A person who prefers ignorance or defies God's law in nature is automatically punished in accordance to that law.
For instance, building a house without considering the law of gravity and natural
events such as earthquakes and floods may result in severe punishment. In other words, a muslim has to learn and obey God's law in nature. Those who do NOT CONTRADICT or DEFY God's ayaat in the universe are rewarded according to God's law.
2. Social Realm: Imperatives of Community Life
Another aspect of being muslim is in the realm of society. Humans, as self-interested rational utility-maximizers, SIRUM, have to follow certain rules and impose on him/herself certain limits. For instance, if this rational human being thinks that living with other humans would increase the utility, or would make his life more comfortable and secure he will chose to live in a town instead of on top of a mountain. When a human decides to co-operate or compromise with others, he intellectually and empirically knows that he should respect the lives, property and the rights of others. Otherwise, he will be IN CONTRADICTION with the
mandate of his choice, that is being a member of a community. Thus, he will be punished either by civil war, or by aggression of others, by chaos or by law enforcement officers paid by those whose ancestors have sufficiently suffered the consequences of CONTRADICTING the laws of ecology and community life.
A person who is civilized and respects the rights of others is muslim in this regard and he/she will be rewarded by prestige, position, etc. The verses in the Scriptures regarding not to kill, not to steal, not to covet the neighbor, not to lie, etc. are not something new or unknown to us. In fact, a SIRUM does not need those commandments. Obviously, at least the seven of those commandments (from 4 to 10) are discoverable by any SIRUM who lives in a community. The commandments were just a reminder for the rational humans and perhaps a guide or warning for those with irrational tendencies.
People who adhere to secular
or atheistic belief system are muslims in this respect; they usually follow the last seven commandments and they are rewarded by having a society with a working legal, political, economic and social system. Those who chose to establish hegemony, those who chose to oppress others for their ethnic and religious differences are punished by chaos, insecurity, corruption and continuos wars.
The social divine law is logically inherent in the fabric of a community of individuals. In other words, individuals or subgroups have to respect some obvious rational rules in order to increase utility in the community.
With the increase in the world population, the advancement of mass communication and transportation, national borders have lost their function and interdependence of nations has increased. International trade, therefore, will inevitably change the political landscape of the world dramatically. Therefore, the 21st century
will most likely continue to unite many national interests with those of the entire human population. A nation can no longer tolerate human rights violation or environmental pollution in another corner of the globe, since their own economic interest will most probably be at stake.
3. Intellectual Realm: Knowledge of God and Eternal Happiness
Why do we need a message from God? What is the relevancy of revelations? Here comes the third realm where being muslim is imperative. Being a muslim, that is surrendering to God and conforming to His law, cannot be completed without being muslim in heart or in mind. Real happiness and reward is attained only if we complete our submission to natural and social laws with our submission to God through our mind and ACCEPT God as the only Lord and Master of the Day of Judgment.
This last aspect of submission is what really brings the ultimate freedom and
happiness, and together with the other spheres of submission removes all worries and solves all problems.
In summary, we can only attain happiness both in this world and hereafter, if we submit our person to God while submitting our actions to His laws in nature and in our community.
Islam in the Quran
Islam is not a proper name, nor it is the religion founded by Muhammad as it is falsely claimed. Islam is the paradigm of all those who submit themselves to God. The Quran teaches us that all believers wer e named by God with the word submitters (muslims). (22:78). Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus and their followers were all described with the same word, submitters (muslims) (10:72; 2:128; 10:84; 27:31; 5:111; 72:14). Since all messengers delivered the message in the language of their people, they described their submission to God , not in Arabic word, "Islam" or "muslim," but
in their own language (14:4). All heavenly bodies are submitters to God (41:11). The shadows submit to God's law, even of the disbeliever's body (13:15). Everything in the universe has submitted to the God's law/religion; submission to God (islam) is the universal religion (3:83).
Islam:
- Requires objective evidence besides personal experience (3:86; 2:111; 21:24; 74:30).
- Demands intellectual inquiry before subscribing to an assertion (17:36).
- Unifies ethnic groups (49:13).
- Offers peace among nations (2:62; 2:135-136, 208).
- Promises justice to everyone, regardless of their creed or ethnicity (5:8).
- Promotes peace and reality (60:8,9).
- Rejects clergymen and intermediaries between God and people (2:48; 9:31-34).
- Encourages the distribution of wealth (59:7).
- Condemns non-productive economy (2:275; 5:90; 3:130).
- In public affairs, requires consultation to people (42:38).
- Promotes utmost respect to individuals (5:32).
- Values women (3:195; 4:124; 16:97).
- Asks us to be in harmony with nature and environment (30:41).
saiyed shahbazi
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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Recommended:
http://www.ikhwanweb.com
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org
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