Fundamentals
Question:-
What are the fundamental ideas in Islam. I do not mean the Pillars or Articles of Faith..
Answer:-
(1) Allah is the name given to the Fundamental Objective Self-existing Reality. Reality is. It is the Absolute and One.
(2) Islam means "Surrender to Allah" and is the name of the genuine Universal religion as taught by all genuine Prophets though these may be formulated in different ways and have different practices. If it is not Islam then it is not genuine religion. It means "surrender to Allah".
(3) But this Universal Religion was completed through Muhammad (saw) and it is this teaching that tells us that Prophets or Messengers were sent to all peoples. Other religions do not tell us this. Thus the Universal religion becomes identified with the particular.
(4) Religion is a conscious, objective, self-consistent way of life, which involves perception, interaction, thinking, motivation, action and a state of being. It implies behaviour according to one's inherent nature including its inbuilt potentialities. If a way of life is not a genuine religion then it is purposeless and futile.
(5) Islam consists of Shariat (the religious law), Tariqat (the Way or method based on faith) and Haqiqat (the state of being in Surrender). These are not mutually exclusive but, to a large extent, inter-dependent. Tassawwuf or Sufism is the name given to the Tariqat. It is an aspect of Islam. If something is not then it is not Sufism.
Now what is being said here needs to be understood. All opinions and interpretations of these words that differ from what is meant by them are to be rejected. They are irrelevant. If other definitions for the terms religion, Islam, God etc. are used in a discussion then they are speaking about something different and not what is being discussed here.
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