The True Religion of God

THE TRUE RELIGION
of GOD

by
Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
2nd Edition

CONTENTS

Which Is The Religion of God? 4
The Religion's Name 6
God and Creation 11
The Message of False Religions 17
Universality of God's Religion 20
Recognition of God 23
The Signs of God 26
Conclusion 31


WHICH IS THE TRUE RELIGION OF GOD?

Each person is born in a circumstance which is not of his own choosing. The religion of his family or the ideology of the state is thrust upon him from the very beginning of his existence in this world. By the time he reaches his teens, he is usually fully brain-washed into believing that the beliefs of his particular society are the correct beliefs that everyone should have. However, when some people mature and are exposed to other belief-systems, they begin to question the validity of their own beliefs. The seekers of truth often reach a point of confusion upon realizing that each and every religion, sect, ideology and philosophy claims to be the one only correct way for man. Indeed, they all contain some valid and reasonable points, and they all encourage people to do good. So, which one is right? They cannot all be right since each claims that all the others are wrong. How then does the seeker of truth choose the right way?

God gave us all minds and intellects to enable us to make this crucial decision. It is the most important decision in the life of a human being. Upon it depends his future. Consequently, each and everyone of us must examine dispassionately the evidence presented and choose what appears to be right until further evidence arises.
Like every other religion or philosophy, Islam also claims to be the one and only true way to



God. In this respect it is no different from other systems. This booklet intends to provide some evidence for the validity of that claim. However, it must always be kept in mind that one can only determine the true path by putting aside emotions and prejudices, which often blind us to reality. Then, and only then, will we be able to use our God- given intelligence and make a rational and correct decision.

There are several arguments which may be advanced to support Islam's claim to be the true religion of God. The following are only three of the most obvious. The first argument is based on the divine origin of the name of the religion and the comprehensiveness of its meaning. The second deals with the unique and uncomplicated teachings concerning the relationship between God, man, and creation. The third argument derives from the fact that Islam is universally attainable by all men atall times. These are three basic components of what logic and reason dictate necessary for a religion to be considered the true religion of God. The following pages will develop these concepts in some detail.


THE RELIGION'S NAME

The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word "Islam" itself means. The Arabic word "Islam" means the submission or surrender of one's will to the only true God, known in Arabic as "Allah". One who submits his will to God is termed in Arabic a "Muslim". The religion of Islam is not named after a person or a people, nor was it decided upon by later generations of man, as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, Marxism after Karl Marx, Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam (submission to the will of God) is the religion which was given to Adam, the first man and the first prophet of God, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. Furtherits name was chosen by God Himself and clearly mentioned in the final scripture which He revealed to man. In the final revelation, the Qur'an, Allah states the following

Hence, Islam does not claim to be a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammed into Arabia in the seventh century, but rather to be a re-expression in its final form of the true religion of Almighty God, Allah, as it was originally revealed to Adam and subsequent prophets.

At this point we might comment briefly on two other religions that claim to be the true path. Nowhere in the Bible will you find God revealing to Prophet Moses* people or their descendants that their religion is called Judaism, or to the followers of Christ that their religion is called Christianity. In other words, the names Judaism' and 'Christianity' had no divine origin or approval. It was not until long after his ascension that the name Christianity was given to Jesus' religion.


What, then, was Jesus' religion in actual fact, as distinct from its name?* His religion was reflected in his teachings, which he urged his followers to accept as guiding principles in their relationship with God. In Islam, Jesus is a prophet sent by Allah and his Arabic name is Eesa. Like the prophets before him, he called upon the people to surrender their will to the will of God (which is what Islam stands for). For example, in the New Testament it is stated that Jesus taught his followers to pray to God as follows:
" Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
Luke 11:2/Matthew 6:9-10

This concept was emphasized by Jesus in a number of his statements recorded in the Gospels. He taught, for example, that only those who submitted would inherit paradise.
" None of those who call me 'Lord' will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."
Matthew 7:21

Jesus also pointed out that he himself submitted to the will of God.
" I cannot do anything of myself. I judge as I hear and my judgement is honest because I am not seeking my own will but the will of Him who sent me."
John 5:30

There are many reports in the Gospels which show that Jesus made it clear to his followers that he was not the one true God. For example, when speaking about the final Hour, he said:
" No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the son, but only the Father."
Mark 13:32

Thus, Jesus, like the prophets before him and the only one who came after him, taught the religion of Islam: submission to the will of the one true God.

GOD AND CREATION

Since the total submission of one's will to God represents the essence of worship, the basic message of God's divine religion, Islam, is the worship of God alone. It also requires the avoidance of worship directed to any person, place or thing other than God. Since everything other than God, the creator of all things, is God's creation it may be said that Islam, in essence, calls man away from the worship of creation and invites him to worship only his Creator. He is the only one deserving of man's worship, because it is only by His will that prayers are answered.

Accordingly, if a man prays to a tree and his prayers are answered, it is not the tree which answers his prayers but God, who allows the circumstances prayed for to take place. One might say, 11 That is obviousrt. However, to tree-worshippers it might not be so. Similarly, prayers to Jesus, Buddha, or Krishna, or Saint Christopher, or Saint Jude or even to Muhammad, are not answered by them,but are answered by God. Jesus did not tell his followers to worship him but to worship God, as the Qur'an states:"

And behold!Allah will say: 'O Jesus, the son of Mary! Did you say to men, worship me and my mother as gods beside Allah?, He will say: 'Glory to you, I could never say what I had right (to say)."
(Soorah al-Maa'idah 5:116)



Nor did Jesus worship himself when he worshipped, but rather he worshipped God. And Jesus was reported in the Gospels to have said,
"It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only .'"Luke 4:8

This basic principle is contained in the opening chapter of the Qur'an, known as Soorah al-Faatihah, verse 4:




"You alone do we worship and from you alone do we seek help."

Elsewhere, in the final book of revelation, the Qur'an, God also said:





"And your Lord says: "Call on Me and I will answer your (prayer) . "'
(Soorah Ghafir 40:60)

It is worth emphasizing that the basic message of Islam (namely, the worship of God alone) also proclaims that God and His creation are distinctly different entities. God is neither equal to His creation nor a part of it, nor is His creation equal to Him or a part of Him.

This might seem obvious, but man's worship of creation instead of the Creator is to a large degree based on ignorance, or neglect, of this concept. It is the belief that the essence of God is everywhere in His creation or that His divine being is or was present in some parts of His creation, which has provided justification for the worship of God's creation and naming it the worship of God. However, the message of Islam, as brought by the prophets of God, is to worship only God and to avoid the worship of His creation either directly or indirectly.

In the Qur'an God clearly states:




" For We assuredly sent amongst every people a prophet, with the command : Worship Me and avoid false Gods. "
(Soorah Al-Nahil 16:36)

When idol worshippers are questioned as to why they bow down to idols created by men, the invariable reply is that they are not actually worshipping the stone image, but God who is present within it. They claim that the stone idol is only a focal point for God's essence and is not in itself God! One whohas accepted the concept of God being present in any way within His creation will be obliged to accept this argument for idolatry. Whereas, one who understands the basic message of Islam and its implications would never accede to idolatry no matter how it is rationalized.

Those who have claimed divinity for themselves down through the ages have often based their claims on the mistaken belief that God is present in man. Taking one step further, they claim that God is more present in them than in the rest of us, and that other humans should therefore submit to them and worship them as God in person or as God concentrated within their person. Similarly, those who have asserted the godhood of others after their death have found fertile ground among those who accept the false belief of God's presence in man.

It should be abundantly clear by now that one who has grasped the basic message of Islam and its implications could never agree to worship another human being under any circumstance. God's religion in essence is a clear call to the worship of
the Creator and the rejection of creation-worship in any form. This is the meaning of the motto of Islam:
"LaaelaahaillaAllah" (there is no god but Allah)The sincere declaration of this phrase and the acceptance of prophethood automatically bring one within the fold of Islam, and sincere belief in it guarantees one Paradise. Thus, the final Prophet of Islam (p.b,u.h.) is reported to have said, "Any one who says : There is no god but Allah, and dies holding that (belief) will enter paradise."
Belief in this declaration of faith requires that one submit his/her will to God in the way taught by the prophets of God. It also requires the believer to give up the worship of false gods.


THE MESSAGE OF FALSE RELIGIONS

There are so many sects, cults, religions, philosophies, and movements in the world, all of which claim to be the right way or the only true path to God! How can one determine which one is correct or whether, in fact, all are correct? One method by which the answer can be found is to clear away the superficial differences in the teachings of the various claimants to the ultimate truth, and identify the central objcect of worship upon which they call, directly or indirectly. False religions all have in common one basic concept with regard to God : They either claim that all men are gods, or that specific men were God, or that nature is God, or that God is a figment of man's imagination.

Thus, it may be stated that the basic message of false religion is that God may be worshipped in the form of His creation. False religion invites man to the worship of creation by calling the creation or some aspect of it God. For example, prophet Jesus
invited his followers to worship God, but those who claim to be Jesus' followers today call people to worship Jesus, claiming that he was God.

Buddha was a reformer who introduced a number of humanistic principles in the religion of India. He did not claim to be God, nor did he suggest to his followers that he be an object of worship. Yet today most Buddhists who are to be found outside of India have taken him to be God and they prostrate themselves to idols made in their perception of his likeness.

By using the principle of identifying the object of worship, we can easily detect false religions and the contrived nature of their origin. As God said in the Qur'an:




" That which you worship besides Him are only names you and your forefathers have invented for which Allah has sent down no authority; the command belongs only to Allah:

He has commanded that you worship Him; that is the right religion, but most men do not understand."
(Soorah Yousuf 12:40)

It may be argued that all religions teach good things, so why should it matter which one we follow ? The reply is that all false religions teach the greatest evil : the worship of creation. Creation-worship is the greatest sin that man can commit because it contradicts the very purpose of his creation. Man was created to worship God alone as Allah has explicitly stated in the Qur'an :





"I have only created jinns and men, that they may worship Me."(Soorah Adh-Dhaariyaat 51:56)

Consequently, the worship of creation, which is the essence of idolatry, is the only unforgivable sin. One who dies in this state of idolatry has sealed his
fate in the next life. This is not an opinion, but a revealed fact stated by God in his final revelation to man:


" Verily Allah will not forgive the joining of partners with Him, but He may forgive (sins) less than that for whomsoever He
wishes."(Soorah An-Nisaa' 4:48 and 116)

Since the consequences of following a false religion are so grave, the true religion of God must have been universally understandable and universally attainable in the past and it must continue eternally to be understandable and attainable throughout the entire world. In other words, the true religion of God cannot be confined to any one people, place, or period of time. Nor is it logical that such a religion should impose conditions that have nothing to do with the relationship of man with God, such as baptism, or belief in man as a saviour, or go-betweens. Within the central principle of Islam and its definition (the surrender of one's will to God) lie the roots of Islam's universality. Whenever man comes to the realization that God is one and distinct from His creation, and submits himself to God, he becomes a Muslim in body and spirit and is eligible for paradise.

Consequently, anyone at any time in the most remote regions of the world can become a Muslim, a follower of God's religion, Islam, by merely rejecting the worship of creation and turning to God alone. It should be noted, however, that in order to actually submit to God's will, one must continually choose between right and wrong. Indeed, man is endowed by God with the power not only to distinguish right from wrong but also to choose between them. These God-given powers carry with them an important responsibility, namely, that man is answerable to God for the choices he
makes. It follows, then, that man should try his utmost to do good and avoid evil.

These concepts are expressed in the final revelation as follows:


"Verily, those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians (angel- and star-worshippers) - any of these who believe in Allah and the Last Day and work righteousness shall have their reward with their Lord. They will not be overcome by fear or grief."(soorah al-Baqarah 2:62)

If, for whatever reason, they fail to accept the final message after it has been clearly explained to them, they will be in grave danger. The last Prophet said:
"Whoever among the Christians and Jews hears of me but does not affirm his belief in what I brought and dies in this state will be among the inhabitants of hell."
(Sahih Muslim [ English Translation ], Vol. I, P. 91, No. 284)

RECOGNITION OF GOD

The question which arises here is : How can all people be expected to believe in the one true God, given their varying backgrounds, societies and cultures? For people to be held responsible for worshipping the one true God they all need to have access to knowledge of Him. The final revelation teaches that all human beings have the recognition of the one true God imprinted on their souls as a part of their very nature with which they are created.

In the seventh chapter of the Qur'aan (Al-A'raaf, verses 172-173), God explained that when He created Adam He caused all of Adam's descendants to come into existence and He took a pledge from them saying:
"'Am I not your Lord? ' To which they all replied, ' Yes, we testify to it. '"
Allah then explained why He had all of mankind bear witness that He is their creator and the only true God worthy of worship. He said:


"That was in case you (mankind) should say on the day of Resurrection, 'Verily we were unaware of all this. '"(SoorahAl-A'raaf 7:172)

That is to say, we cannot claim on that day that we had no idea that Allah, was our God and that no one told us that we were only supposed to worship Allah alone. Allah went on to further explain that:


"It was also in case you should say, 'Certainly it was our ancestors who made partners (with Allah) and we are only their descendants; will you then destroy us for what those liars did?'"
(Soorah Al-A'raaf 7:173)

Thus, every child is born with a natural belief in God and an in-born inclination to worship Him alone. This in-born belief and inclination is called in Arabic the "Fitrah".

The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) reported that Allah said," I created my servants in the right religion, but devils made them go astray." The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) also said," Each child is born in astate of Fitrah. Then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or a Zoroastrian." If the child were left alone, he would worship God in his own way, but all children are affected by their environment. So, just as the child submits to the physical laws which Allah has imposed on nature, in the same way his soul also submits naturally to the fact that Allah is his Lord and Creator.

But, if his parents try to make him follow a different path, the child is not strong enough in the early stages of his life to resist or oppose the will of his parents. In such cases, the religion which the child follows is one of custom and upbringing, and God does not hold him to account or punish him for this religion up to a certain stage of his or her life.

THE SIGNS OF GOD

Throughout people's lives, from childhood until the time they die, signs of the one and only true God are shown to them in all regions of the earth and in their own souls, until it becomes clear that there is only one true God (Allah). God says in the Qur'an:


" We will show them our signs in the furthest regions (of the earth) and in their own souls, until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth. "
(Soorah Fussilat 41:53)

The following is an example of God revealing by a sign to one man the error of his idol-worship. In the south-eastern region of the Amazon jungle in Brazil, South America, a primitive tribe erected a new hut to house their main idol Skwatch, representing the supreme god of all creation. The following day a young man eptered the hut to pay homage to the god, and while he was in prostration to what he had been taught was his Creator and Sustainer, a mangy old flea-ridden dog slunk into the hut. The young man looked up in time to see the dog lift its hind leg and pass urine on the idol. Outraged, the youth chased the dog out of the temple; but when his rage died down he realized that the idol could not be the Lord of the Universe. God must be elsewhere, he concluded. As strange as it may seem, the dog urinating on the idol was a sign from God for that young man. This sign contained the divine message that what he was worshipping was false. It liberated him from slavishly following his traditionally learned worship of a false god. As a result, this man was given a choice: either to seek the true God or to continue in the error of his ways.

Allah mentions Prophet Abraham's quest for God as an example of how those who follow His signs will be rightly guided :

" So also did we show Abraham the power and the Laws of the heavens and the earth that he might (with understanding) have certitude.

When the night covered him over, he saw a star. He said:' This is my Lord. ' But when it set, he said:' I love not those that set. '

When he saw the moon rising in splendour, he said:' This is my Lord. ' But when the moon set, he said:' Unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray. '

When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said:

'This is my Lord; this is the greatest (of all). ' But when the sun set, he said: ' O my people ! I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to Allah .

For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly,
towards Him who created the heavens and the
earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah"'
(Soorah al-An'aam 6:75-79)

As was mentioned earlier, Prophets have been sent to every nation and tribe to support man's natural belief in God and man's in-born inclination to worship Him, as well as to reinforce the divine truth in the daily signs revealed by God. Although much of these prophets' teachings became distorted, portions revealing their God-inspired messages have remained untainted and have served to guide mankind in the choice between right and wrong. The influence of God-inspired messages down through the ages can be seen in the 'Ten Commandments" of Judaism's Torah which were later adopted into Christianity's teachings, as well
As was mentioned earlier, Prophets have been sent to every nation and tribe to support man's natural belief in God and man's in-born inclination to worship Him, as well as to reinforce the divine truth in the daily signs revealed by God. Although much of these prophets' teachings became distorted, portions revealing their God-inspired messages have remained untainted and have served to guide mankind in the choice between right and wrong. The influence of God-inspired messages down through the ages can be seen in the 'Ten Commandments" of Judaism's Torah which were later adopted into Christianity's teachings, as well as in the existence of laws against murder, stealing and adultery in most societies throughout the ancient and modern world.

As a result of God's signs to mankind through the ages combined with His revelation through His prophets, all mankind has been given a chance to recognize the one and only true God.

Consequently, every soul will be held accountable for its belief in God and its acceptance of the true religion of God, namely Islam, which means total submission to the will of Allah.

CONCLUSION

The preceding presentation has demonstrated that the name of the religion of Islam expresses Islam's most central principle, submission to God, and that the name "Islam" was chosen not by man, but by God, according to the holy scriptures of Islam. It has also been shown that Islam alone teaches the uniqueness of God and His attributes and enjoins the worship of God alone without intermediaries. Finally, due to the divinely instilled inclination of man to worship God, and the signs revealed by God throughout the ages to each individual, Islam may be achieved by all men at all times.

In short, the significance of the name Islam (submission to God), Islam's fundamental acknowledgement of the uniqueness of God and Islam's accessibility to all mankind at all times convincingly support Islam's claim that from the beginning of time in whatever language it was expressed, Islam alone has been, and will be the true religion of God.

---------------------
* Both the name 'Jesus' and the name 'Christ' are derived from Hebrew words, through Greek and Latin. Jesus is the English and Latin form of the Greek 'lesous', which in Hebrew is 'Yeshua' or 'Yehoshua' (Joshua). The Greek word 'christos' is a translation of the Hebrew 'messiah', which is a title meaning 'the anointed*.

ISLAM IN BRIEF

BY
MAHMOUD MURAD



Printed at the expense of Endowment Dept. Of Sheikh Saleh bin Abdulaziz Al-Rajhi. May Allah forgive him , his parents, offspring, and All the Muslims


Table of Contents
Who is Allah? 7
What is Al-Qur'an? 9
Authenticity of Al-Qur'an 10
Miraculosity of Al-Qur'an 11
Comprehensive Legislation 12
Science and Al-Qur'an 14
The creation of the heavens and the earth 16
Human reproduction 19
Who is Muhammad? 21
What is Islam? 22
The pillars of Islam 25
The articles of faith 28
Suggested materials for reading 31

Who Is Allah?

Allah is the proper name applied to the only true God Who exists necessarily by Himself,
comprising all the excellent Divine names and attributes of perfection. Allah is One and
Unique; He has no partner or equal. He is the sole Creator and sustainer of the universe.
Every creature bears witness to His Oneness. Divinity, Lordship and the uniqueness of His attributes and names. Allah's essence does not resemble other essences; «There is none like unto Him». He is the One, the Sole, the Indivisible. He is the God without Whom no affairs are accomplished, and to Whom Lordship ultimately pertains. He neither begets nor is begotten. He does not inhere in anything, nor does anything inhere in Him. All creatures stand in need of Him, but He stands in need of none.

Allah is the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, Whose knowledge comprehends in the most perfect manner all things, hidden or manifested. But He is far greater than to be encompassed by the knowledge of His creatures. Allah the Supreme is the Creator of everything, for He has a free hand in the disposal of all affairs. He is the most Merciful, Whose unbounded mercy encompasses everything. He is far removed from injustice and tyranny. Allah's justice ensures order in the universe, which has no defect. There is no one to share His domain, nor does He take aid or support from His creatures. He is the God of the worlds. Yet, He is nearer to man than man's jugular vein. Whenever a
believer in need or distress calls on Him, He responds. He is above the Seven Heavens
mounting His throne is the manner which suits His grandure.Allah has revealed His final Scripture, al-Qur'an to the last of His Messengers, Muhammad, peace be on him, to convey the Message of Islam to mankind. He is the Exalted Allah; Glory be to Him.



What is the Qur'an?

The word «Qur'an» is understood in its general connotation to mean the speech of Allah
which is neither created. The Qur'an is the real word of Allah, which was delivered by the
angel Gabriel to Muhammad, peace be on him. Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him, memorized the verses he received and recited them to his companions, who happened to be with him. He then ordered them to immediately write the verses down. He himself used to keep a copy of the revealed portions in his house.

The Qur'an is the last of Allah's Scriptures which Allah revealed in instalments over a
period of twenty-three years. It is divided into 114 surahs (chapters) of unequal length.
It is one of the fundamental sources of the Islamic teachings. Some of its surahs and
verses were revealed at Makkah, and the rest thereof were revealed at Madinah. The Makkan surahs and verses are concerned mainly with the issues of tawhid, or the belief in the Oneness of Allah, the signs of the existence of Allah, Resurrection, and life after death.
The creed of the Oneness of Allah was the focal point of the messages with which all the
Prophets and Messengers were sent to mankind, beginning with Adam and ending with Muhammad, peace be on them all. The surahs revealed at Madinah at a latter period of the life of the Messenger of Allah, peace be on him, are concerned with legislations, rites of worship, and transactions related to all aspects of life.

Authenticity of the Qur'an

There has been no nation which cared about, holified and preserved its Divine Scripture as the Muslim Ummah (nation) cared about, holified and preserved the Qur'an. Unlike the Divine Scriptures which preceded it, the Qur'an is not kept in the hands of a particular group or clan of Muslims so that one may suspect it to be tampered with or alterated; rather, it was within the reach of all Muslims. The Muslims are commanded to recite it in their prayer and refer to it in all their disputes for a final judgment. The Qur'an was compiled at a time when those who committed it to memory were still alive. Allah has promised to preserve the Qur'an, and it will be preserved till the Day of Judgment. The Muslims today read and recite the Qur'anic texts that were read and recited during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him, and his companions: No letter has been added to the Qur'an or deleted from it. After examining the Qur'an, Dr. Maurice Bucaille ascertains: «Thanks to its undisputed authenticity, the text of the Qur'an holds a unique place among the books of revelation*1.

Miraculosity of the Qur'an

Allah, the Exalted has challenged the Arabs and non-Arabs to produce a qur'an similar to
the Divine one. The challenge was then reduced to ten surahs, and yet they failed to do so. Finally, Allah challenged them to produce a single surah comparable to any of His. Although they were masters of eloquence and rhetoric during that period, the Arabs were still incapable of taking up the challenge. They realized that it could never be from anyone other than Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

The difference between miracles of the previous Messengers, which proved their veracity, and those of the Messenger of Allah, peace be on him, is that their previous miracles were effective during the lifetime of everyone of them, whereas the miracle of the Qur'an remains effective, everlasting and unchallenged until the Day of Judgment.



Comprehensive Legislation

Besides the finesse of its rhetoric, the Qur'an constitutes the most comprehensive concept
of Islam on the practical level, the shari'ah, or the laws and legislation. The Qur'an is
comprehensive because it includes law, moral principles and the creed which every Muslim subscribes. The Islamic shari'ah is suitable not only for the Muslims, but for all mankind at all times. The Islamic law governs all human, acts, public or private-duties towards Allah and duties towards man.

Man-made laws are subject to alteration and are based on theories; whenever a new body of legislators assumes authority in a non-Muslim country or a new theory appears and appeals to its government, the laws are changed accordingly. The Divine laws, on the other hand, are unalterable and perpetual because the One Who made them is Everliving and Everlasting God. He is the Creator Who created mankind and ordained for them what suits them till the end of time. For this reason, the Qur'an, being the last revealed to the last of Prophets and Messengers, abrogates all previous Scriptures.

Many prophesies in the Qur'an are fulfilled to the letter. Allah promised those who believe and did good deeds that He will surely make them successors on earth. The early Muslims ruled a vast land encompassing many countries in the world. The Qur'an foretold the victory of the Romans over the Persians2. Allah says: «The Romans have been defeated, in the land nearby, and they after their defeat, will be victorious».

A person who reads the Qur'an objectively shall realize that the prophesies in it are far
removed from conjuncture or speculations. This is due to the fact that Who revealed them is the One who predecreed all events until the Day of Judgment.

Science and the Qur'an

Along with the fact the Muhammad, peace be on him, was illiterate; he could neither read
nor write, he grew up in Makkah where there were no schools, and he was far away from the scientific circles which existed in Syria, Alexandria, Athens and Rome. Moreover, the
scientific facts mentioned in the Qur'an were not known in the seventh century. Having
studied and examined the Arabic text of the Qur'an, Dr. Bucaille marvels:
«I could not find a single error in the Qur'an. I had to stop and ask myself: if a man was the author of the Qur'an, how could he have written facts in the Seventh century A.D. that today are shown to be in keeping with modern scientific knowledge? I had too acknowledge the evidence in front of me: the Qur'an did not contain a single statement that was assailable from a modern scientific point of view. I repeated the same test for the Old Testament and the Gospels, always preserving the same objective outlook. In the former, I did not even have to go beyond the first book, Genesis, t6 find statements totally out of keeping with the cast-iron facts of modern science».

Dr. Bucaille studied many of the scientific facts that are mentioned in the Qur'an, such as
the creation of the universe, and other topics including astronomy, animal and plant
kingdoms, human reproduction and other related issues. For the sake of brevity, two of the above issues will be discussed in order to draw the reader's attention to one of the
objectives of this booklet.

The Creation of the Heavens and the Earth

"Man's knowledge of the origin of the universe is considerably limited. The scientists have proposed hypotheses and theories of evolution that are centred around one theme: the radiation era, the premordial fireball and the premordial matter and antimatter. The
theories state that the universe consisted mainly of strongly interacting particles.
Premordial matter and antimatter, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica, eventually
annihilated each other; and the remaining particles formed the present universe"'. The
Qur'an presents the development of the universe in relatively simple terms. Allah says,
directing His Messenger Muhammad, peace be on him, to ask the unbelievers:

"Say: Is it that ye deny Him Who created the earth in two Days? And do ye join equals with Him?

He is The Lord of (all) The Worlds. He set on the (earth) Mountains Standing firm, high
above it, and bestowed blessings on the earth, and measured therein its sustenance in four
Days, alike for (all) who ask.

Then He turned to the sky, and it had been (as) smoke: He said to it and to the earth:
"come ye together, willingly or unwillingly".

They said: "we do come (together), in willing obedience".

So He completed them as seven firmaments in two Days, and He assigned to each heaven its duty and command, and We adorned the lower heaven with lights, and (provided it) with guard.

Such is the Decree of (Him) The Exalted in Might, Full of Knowledge"4.
"Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one
unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder?
We made from water every living thing.
Will they not then believe?"5.
"The concept of rending of one unit into two or more, the celestial «smoke» as referred to
in the above verses are fact to which corresponds the factual scientific data. «Smoke», the
English physicist and astronomer Sir James Jeans wrote: We have found that, as Newton first conjectured, a chaotic mass of gas of approximately uniform density and of very great extent would be dynamically unstable: nuclei, would tend to Form in it, around which the whole of matter would ultimately condense". On the basis of this theory Newton proposed that all celestial objects originated by a process of fragmentation.
Needless to say the space program helped discover the homogeniety of the substances of
which the moon, the earth and other planets are formed. «Such state- ments in the Qur'an
concerning the creation which appeared nearly fourteen centuries ago», Dr. Bucaille
concluded, «obviously do not lend themselves to a human explanation*6.

The complexities of human reproduction were decoded and understood only after the invention of the microscope which was hundreds of years after the death of Muhammad, peace be on him.
However, the Qur'an refers to the stages of development that human embryo undergoes. Allah says:
"Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay);
Then we placed him as (adrop of) sperm in a place of rest, Firmly fixed;
Then we made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, The Best to create!"7.

As it has been scientifically proven, the stages of human reproduction are: «1-
Fertilization of an ovule which takes place in the Fallopian tubes. The fertilizing agent
is the male sperm. 2- The implantation of the fertilized egg which takes place at a precise
spot in the female reproductive system: it descends into the uterus and lodges in the body
of the uterus. Once the embryo begins to be observable to the naked eye, it looks like a small mass of flesh. It grows there in progressive stages which are very well known today; they lead to the bone structure, the muscles, the nervous system, the circulation, and the viscera, etc»8.
In conclusion, Dr. Bucaille ascertains: «More than a thousand years before our time, at a
period when whimsical doctrines still prevailed, men had a knowledge of the Qur'an. The
statements it contains express in simple terms truths of premordial importance which man
has taken centuries to discover».



What is Islam?

The Arabic term 'Islam', meaning «submission», points to the fundamental religious creed
which dictates that a Muslim submit to the will of Allah, conforming inwardly and outwardly to His laws.

The religion of Islm lays great emphasis on uncompromising monotheism and strict adherence to certain creeds and acts of worship. It enjoins submitting to the will of Allah and following the exemplary way of the life of Muhammad, the last of the Prophets and
Messengers, may peace be on them all.

Allah, the Exalted created the universe and what is in it that He be recognized as the One
and only God. He created man and jinn only to celebrate His praise and worship Him. His
words signify: "I have only created Jinns and men, that they may Serve Me"9.

The ways and acts of worship are not left to man's option or choice. Allah is the One Who ordains and decrees all acts of worship and the means in which they must be observed. Since Islam deals in every aspect of life, spiritual and physical, its jurisprudence is based on creeds, acts of worship and ordinances regarding social, economical and political transactions.

Because Islam is a perfect way of life, it enjoins maintaining a refined code of manners.
The Messenger ofAllah said: "Verily, 1 have been sent to accomplish the fine manners". Allah has praised the fine manners of His Messenger saying: "And surely thou hast sublime morals"10. A'ishah, the wife of the Messenger of Allah, peace be on him, was asked about his manners. She said: "His manners were al-Qur'an". A'ishah meant that the Prophet, peace be on him, clung to the Qur'an, it rules of discipline, its commands, its prohibitions, and the excellent, beautiful and gracious things comprised in it. For this reason Allah commands the believers to follow the exemplary life of His Messenger, peace be on him, saying: "Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exempler"11.

Islam enjoins good manners for every occasion: seeking permission, greeting, sitting,
eating, learning, teaching, sporting, travelling, dressing, visiting, sleeping, marriage,
treating people, particularly relatives and neighbours with kindness, etc. Codes of all
such great manners are found in both the Qur'an and the Prophetic traditions of the
Messenger of Allah. peace be on him.
The family enjoys a high status in Islam. It is the core of society; a healthy family means
a healthy society, hence Allah, the Exalted commands to treat them with gentleness and
submissiveness saying:
"Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents.
Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them aword of contempt, nor repel them but address them, in terms of honour.

And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say:
"My Lord! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood"12.
Next to family comes the kindred. The Messenger of Allah, peace be on him, said that Allah has promised to be kind to him who behaves kindly to his kindred, and to sever him who severs his kindred by unkind behaviour.

The Pillars of Islam

The Messenger of Allah, peace be on him, said: Islam is built on five pillars:
1. ash-Shahaadah (the profession of faith) which must be recited by anyone embracing Islam. (La ilaha illallah. Muhammad Rasoolullah) meaning: «There is no true god except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah». This means that there is no god worthy of being worshipped but Allah, and that He must be worshipped only according to the teaching of His Messenger Muhammad, peace be on him.
2. Salat (prayer), which must be performed five times a day. The first is Fajr prayer, [two
rak'aat (units)]; which may be performed between dawn and sunrise. The second, Dhuhr, just afternoon, [four rak'aat]. The third Asr, in the later afternoon, [four rak'aat]. The
fourth, Maghrib, [three rak'aat] immediately after sunset. The fifth, Isha', [four
rak'aat], after the sun's redness disappears from the horizon. Prayer, however, must be
preceded by ablution which is washing hands, face, wiping over the head, washing the
forearms and the feet.
Prayer is one of the greatest pillars of Islam. It is the first act of worship about which
man shall be asked on the Day of Reckoning. If it is accepted by Allah, then
the rest of man's good deeds are accepted too13.
3. Zakat (the poor-due) is one of the greatest financial institutions of Islam, literally
meaning 'purification', indicating that such a payment makes the rest of the Muslim's
wealth pure. Zakat is levied annually on certain types of food grain, cattle and cash
possessed for one lunar calendar year to be given out to the poor, the needy and other
specified classes of people.
4. Sawm (fasting) to be observed during the month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar). It begins at daybreak (dawn), and ends at sunset. Eating, drinking14 and sexual activities with one's wife are forbidden.
Besides health benefits which one gains through fasting, it is an act of worship which
helps one who observes it attain piety, humbleness and share the feelings of the beret and
hungry in the community. Fasting also allows one to be more benevolent and charitable.
5. Hajj (pilgrimage) to Makkah, prescribed for those Muslims who can afford the trip
financially15 and healthwise, once in a lifetime. The Hajj rites take place during the Islamic or lunar months of Shawwal, Dhul-Qi'dah and the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah
only. It is a precondition for the pilgrim to enter the state of Ihram16 at a certain point before entering the boundaries of Makkah.

The Articles of Faith

There are also articles of faith which include beside believing in the Oneness of Allah:
1. Believing in the angels. Allah has created them and tasked them to undertake numerous duties beside praising Him. They are His obedient salves. "They stand in awe and reverence of His [glory]"17.
2. Believing in Allah's Scriptures, that they were free from any imperfection or errors at
the time of their revelation. All Scriptures that preceded the Qur'an have been tampered
with or distorted by their people, while the Qur'an is protected by Allah from change or
tampering. Allah sent down Scriptures to Abraham, Isma'il, Is'haq, Ya'oob (Jacob) and his twelve sons, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.
3. Believing in Allah's Messengers. Among whom the most prominent and steadfast are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, peace be on them. They are human and slaves of Allah. Every Prophet or Messenger before Muhammad, peace be on him, was sent to his own people, but Muhammad, peace be on him. was sent to all mankind. Allah says: "Blessed is He Who Sent down the Criterion To His Servant, that it May be an admonition to all Creatures;-"18.
None of Allah's Messengers or Prophets claimed to be a god or part-god. Allah says: "No son did Allah beget, nor is there any god along with Him: (if there were many gods), behold, each god would have taken away what he had created, and some would have Lorded it over others! Glory to Allah! (He is free) from the (sort of) things they attribute to Him!"19.
4. Believing in the Last Day, the Day of Resurrection. Allah has predecreed a term for each creature, and a term for the life of this world. The world's termination will be marked by the sounding of the Trumpet, then the trumpet will sound again and mankind shall be resurrected to stand before the Lord of the worlds to be questioned about their deeds in this world. Those who believed in Allah and were obedient will go to Jannah or (Paradise), and those who disbelieved will end up in Hell-Fire.
5. Believing in predestination. Allah has created everything in accordance with His decree, predestination, desire and will, and in due proportion. His determinat-tion of the nature of things was established fifty-thousand years before He created the Heavens and the earth20. Nothing occurs or takes shape within the heavens or the earth but with His
knowledge and by His order.

Now that you read this booklet, the decision is yours. Everyone is heading for the same
end, but may choose any other route. Allah is so merciful; Allah is far removed from
injustice; He says: "Nor would we punish until. We had sent A messenger (to give
warning)"21. Out of our concern for you, we have prepared this message.

Suggested books for reading:
-The Holy Qur'an, (English translation of the meaning) by T. Al-Hilali.
-Sahih al-Bukharri, a collection of the authentic Prophetic traditions.
-Sahih Muslim, a collection of the authentic Prophetic traditions:
* The book of Prayer by A. Saqib.
* General Prescripts of Islam.
* Fasting.
* Exegesis of the opening chapter of the Qur'an.
* The Fundamentals of Islam.
* The life and the Aqeadah of Ash-Sheikh, Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab.

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Footnotes

1. Dr. Maurice Bucaille is a surgeon who has taken great interest in the scientific aspects of the Qur'an. He learnt Arabic and managed to study the Qur'an in its original text. He was amazed with its precise scientific data. As a result of this study. Dr. Bucaille converted to Islam.

2.The reference to this prophecy is found in Surah #30 entitled 'Arrum" or the
Romans. This refers to the battle which took place between the Persian and
the Roman in 614 A.D. when the Roman were defeated. Eight years after that, the Roman defeated the Persians, and the prophesy to the Qur'an was fulfilled to the letter.

3.Macropedia. Vol. 18. p. 1008.

4. Qur'an 41 : 9, 10, 11, 12.

5. Qur'an 21 : 30.

6. Macropedia. Vol. 18. p. 1006.

7. Qur'an 23 : 12, 13, 14

8. The Bible, the Qur'an and Science, p. 199.

10. Qur'an 68: 4.

11. Qur'an 33: 21.

12. Qur'an 17 : 23, 24.

13. Man shall be held accountable for every minute and thing he does, and shall stand all by himself on the Day of Judgment or Reckoning to be questioned by the Almighty Allah. Every one shall be held accountable for his own deeds. The life in the Hereafter is either everlasting happiness or everlasting torment.

14. Drinking, refers to water, fruit juices and other non-alcholic and soft drinks; liqueur and smoking are prohibited in Islam.

15. This means that one must have enough provisions for his journey and for his family during his absence.

16. Ihram is the intention to perform Hajj or Umrah by wrapping a piece of cloth covering his body from the chest down. Another piece of cloth covers the upper body: excluding the head. Ihram makes it unlawful for the pilgrim to wear sewed garments, shoes, to have sexual activities with his wife, to hunt and the like. Under normal circumstances, once a Muslim enters the state of Ihram, he may not break it until he has completed all Hajj or Umrah rituals. But if one is held back from completing Hajj or Umrah. for health reason, fear of enemy or great danger, he may then quit his Ihram and sacrifice a sheep, goat, cow or camel as an expiation.

17. Qur'an 21 : 28.

18. Qur'an 25 : 1.

19. Qur'an 23 : 91.

20. Abdullah Bin Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace be on him, said: "Allah had predecreed the creation fifty thousand years before he brought the heavens and the earth into existence". (Imam Muslim, Ahmad and at-Tir-midthi).

21 Qur'an 17: 16.