The Meaning of Islam

Q1 What is Islam?
Islam enjoys the unique distinction of having no exclusive association with any particular person or people or country. Nor is it the product of any human mind. It is a universal religion and it's objective is to create and cultivate in man the quality and attitude of Islam. Islam, in fact, is an attributive title. Anyone who possesses this attribute, whatever race, community, country or group he belongs to, is a Muslim. According to the Qur'an (the Holy Book of the Muslims), among every people and in all ages there have been good and righteous people who possessed this attribute - and all of them were and are Muslims.

Q2 What does 'Islam' mean?
Islam is an Arabic word and connotes submission, surrender and obedience. As a religion, Islam stands for complete submission and obedience to Allah.

Q3 What is the nature of Islam?
Everyone can see that we live in an orderly universe, where everything is assigned a place in a grand scheme. Even in the human world the laws of nature are paramount. This powerful, all-pervasive law, which governs all that comprises the universe, from the tiniest specks of dust to the magnificent galaxies of the heavens, is the law of God, the Creator and Ruler of the universe. As the whole of creation obeys the law of God, the whole universe, therefore, literally follows the religion of Islam - for Islam signifies nothing but obedience and submission to Allah, the Lord of the Universe. The sun, the moon, the earth and all other heavenly bodies are thus ' Muslim'. Let us now examine the situation from, a different angle. Man is so constituted that there are two distinct spheres of his activity. One is the sphere in which he finds himself totally regulated by Divine Law. Like other creatures, he is completely caught in the grip of the physical laws of nature and is bound to follow them. But there is another sphere of his activity. He has been endowed with reason and intellect. He has the power to think and form judgments, to choose and reject, to approve and spurn. He is free to adopt whatever course of life he chooses. In short, man has been bestowed with free will. Both these aspects co-exist side by side in man's life. In the first he, like all other creatures, is a born Muslim, invariably obeying the injunctions of God, and is bound to remain one. As far as the second aspect is con-cerned, he is free to become or not to become a Muslim. It is the way a person exercises this freedom, which divides mankind into two groups: believers and non-believers.

Q4 What is the nature of disbelief?
In contrast to the man described above, there is the man who, although a born Muslim and unconsciously remaining one throughout his life, does not exercise his faculties of reason, intellect and intuition to recognize his Lord and Creator and misuses his freedom of choice by choosing to deny Him. Such a man becomes an unbeliever - in the language of Islam a Kafir. Kufr is a form of ignorance, or, rather, it is ignorance. What ignorance can be greater than to be ignorant of God, the Creator, the Lord of the Universe? A man observes the vast panorama of nature, the superb mechanism that is ceaselessly working, the grand design that is manifest in every aspect of creation - he observes this vast machine, but he does not know anything of its Maker and Director. Not only that: Kufr is a tyranny, the worst of all tyrannies, and what is tyranny? It is an unjust use of force or power. It is when you compel a thing to act unjustly or against its true nature, its real will and its inherent attitude. We have seen that all that is in the universe is obedient to God - the Creator. To obey, to live in accordance with His Will and His law, or to put it more precisely, to be a Muslim, is ingrained in the nature of things. God has given man power over these things, but it is incumbent that they should be used for the fulfillment of His will and not otherwise. Anyone who disobeys God and resorts to Kufr perpetrates the greatest injustice, for he uses his powers of body and mind to rebel against the course of nature and becomes an instrument in the drama of disobedience. Kufr is not mere tyranny - it is rebellion, ingratitude and infidelity. After all, what is the reality of man? Where does his power and authority come from? Is he himself the creator of his mind, his heart, his soul and other organs of his body - or have they been created by God? Has he himself created the universe and all that is in it - or has God created it? Such a man will meet with failures in all the affairs of his life. His morality, his civic and social life, his struggle for livelihood and his family life, in short, his entire existence, will be unsatisfactory.

Q5 What is the blessing of Islam?
A Muslim will always choose the right path in every field of knowledge and action. The person who knows God with all his attributes knows the beginning as well as the ultimate end of reality. He can never be led astray, for his first step is on the right path, and he is sure of the direction and destination of his journey in life. He will never think of himself as the master of all these objects, boasting to be the conqueror of nature, arrogating to himself godly and sovereign powers and nourishing the ambition of subverting the world. The life of a Muslim will always be filled with goodness, piety, righteousness and truthfulness. He will live in the belief that God alone is the Master of all. Think of the moral excellence of the man who lives with this mental attitude - his will be a life of purity and piety, love and altruism. He will be highly honored and respected. How can humiliation ever visit a person who is not prepared to bow his head before anyone except God the Almighty, the sovereign of the universe? No one can be more powerful than he can - for he fears none but God and seeks blessings from none but Him. He will be the wealthiest. No one in the world can be more richer or independent than he can - for he will live a life of austerity and contentment. He will be neither a sensualist, nor indulgent nor greedy. He will be most revered, popular and beloved. No one can be more lovable than he can - for he lives a life of charity and benevolence. He will be just to everyone, discharge his duties honestly, and work for the good of others. People's hearts will be naturally drawn towards him. No one can be more trustworthy than he - for he will not betray his trust, nor will he stray from righteousness - he will be true to his word, straightforward and honest in his dealings.