Islam, Surrender
to Allah, the Ultimate Reality, the Lord of the Universe, The Absolute, is religion
perfected (5:3). That is, there cannot be a higher religion. It was suggested
in previous articles that Surrender, the main feature from which the religion
takes its name, is a fourth level or aspect of Religion. Islam also contains in
itself the other three, Justice, Love and Truth. Surrender implies that people
cease to see themselves as separate entities affecting and being affected by,
acting on or reacting to, exploiting and defending against, the rest of the
world. They see themselves as part of the Cosmic process. This condition has
not yet been generally established though there is a movement towards this.
In the far past
when human beings were less conscious they did not see themselves as separate
entities - no ego had developed and there was no distinction between religion
and the way of life. But the gradual accumulation of the results of experience,
thought and action increased the complexity of life. Human capacities, however,
did not develop with an equivalent speed. Therefore, to cope with this
multiplication of features, specialization had to be undertaken. This, though
it led to diversity and greater powers, it also led to failure of mutual
understanding and communication, but also greater inter-dependence. The
experience of the unity of things, upon which the awareness of God depends, was
also lost though this remained merely as a concept. Religion was seen as a
separate aspect of life from the secular which was itself divided into a
commercial, political, social, cultural and private aspect; and people were
divided into thinkers, administrators and workers and so on.
It was
inevitable that this tendency should be counteracted, for the welfare of
mankind, by a counter movement, a religion of Unity. In Islam, Surrender,
religion again becomes the entire way of life. The state of Surrender may be
regarded as a return, reaching the same point as before, but at a higher level
- as on a spiral.
But there are
three further levels or aspects to Islam reflecting the previous three levels,
also contained in Islam. Surrender may also be regarded as a bridge between
these two triads. These further stages refer to the potentialities that have
not yet been actualized. The fifth is universality - Islam has not yet become
the Dominant or Universal religion. The sixth is the transformation of man by
the establishment of appropriate conditions and ways of life. This now happens
only in small groups. The seventh is the establishment of the Kingdom of God
on earth (which is also looked forward to in the Lord's prayer as taught by
Jesus). The righteous inherit the earth (19:40, 21:105) and Mankind becomes
at-one with Allah and with each other, forming a single organism serving the
Cosmic purpose.. Here we will deal with the fifth level, Universality. The elements
of the sixth and seventh level require, and are dealt with, in a number of
articles dealing with economic, political, cultural and spiritual matters.
Universality can
be regarded as having three aspects:-
(1) That a
system is only a particular example of something that has a more general
existence and is part of it. In particular, there is a Universal religion of
which there are many dispensations and they are not independent of each other,
but interact and form a whole. It follows that we must lift our consciousness
from particular to higher general concepts.
(2) That
religious notions have application in all aspects of life. Though there are
aspects of life that may be distinguished as political, economic, legal,
social, cultural, scientific, philosophic, physical, mental, spiritual etc.,
life should not be departmentalized in this way. All these aspects interact and
form a whole. Therefore, the concepts used to describe life are to be
understood not in isolation, but with respect to each other and in the context
of a comprehensive way of life. Otherwise we will have contradictions,
conflicts, waste of effort and energy, and malfunctions, instead of cooperation
and unity.
(3) That things,
objects and events should be seen in a much greater context than merely in
personal terms, within a restricted system, or according to local conditions.
They can be seen in wider temporal, spatial or qualitative contexts. They can
be seen in the context of small areas, a nation, humanity, life, the planet, in
terms of the Cosmos as a whole and ultimately with respect to Allah. All things
derive from a single source, from a single creative event, and interact to form
a single system. Nothing is independent, but affects and is affected by
everything else, directly or indirectly, and has a function with respect to the
whole. All experiences should be interpreted in this larger sphere. Religion
should be seen as not only having a historical function but an evolutionary and
even a cosmic function, and it is a religious duty of the individual to
propagate beneficial influences and oppose harmful ones, and his own welfare is
connected with this.
The word
"religion" means "binding back to one's source". This
meaning should not be confused with the common meaning where it simply refers
to certain traditions, practices, institutions, people or body of dogma.
Essentially, religion is the body of methods used to attain the goal. There
could be several such methods, which may be effective to various degrees and
for different kinds of people and in different conditions of life. The methods
themselves have three aspects:- There has to be a teaching, a set of practices
and certain kind of organization. These three are inter-dependent. The teaching
provides the philosophical or theoretical basis that justifies, the
organization facilitates, and the practices implement the other two.
Unlike most
other religions, Islam does not take its name from the original teacher - The
religion is not Mohammedanism. This is because the teaching is regarded as
coming directly from God, the Lord of the Universe. In Christian terms (see
Luke 20:9-18), though the Lord of the vineyard sent several representatives to
receive the fruit of his vineyard his servants beat them and sent them away. He
then sent his son, but they killed him (i.e. made him or his teachings to none
effect). Then the Lord of the vineyard came himself and destroyed these
servants and gave the vineyard to others. Allah comes to man directly through
the Quran which unlike human beings remains with us permanently. Thus, there
are two aspects to Islam - It is the Universal Religion and it is also the
particular religion as taught through the Prophet Muhammad. But each of these
is included in the other - universality is part of the teaching of the
particular religion taught by Muhammad (saw), and this is a particular
dispensation within the Universal religion.
Islam is
regarded as the Universal religion for the following reasons:-
(1) The word
"Islam" means "Surrender to Allah", and "Allah" refers
to the source of all things, including oneself. Therefore, Islam is regarded as
the same thing as religion in its true meaning.
"Surely pure religion is for Allah only.
And those who choose protecting friends besides Him say: We worship them only
that they may bring us near unto Allah. Lo, Allah will judge between them
concerning that wherein they differ. Lo, Allah guides not him who is a liar, an
ingrate." 39:3
"And they (mankind) were commanded naught
else but this that they serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by
nature upright, and to establish worship and to practice charity. That is true
Religion." 98:5
"Lo, Religion with Allah is The Surrender.
Those who formerly received the Scriptures differed only after knowledge came
unto them, through transgression among themselves... and if they argue with
thee (O Muhammad), say: I have surrendered my purpose to Allah and so have
those who follow me. And say unto those who have received the scripture and
those who read not: Have ye, too, surrendered? If they surrender, then truly
they are rightly guided; and if they turn away, then it is thy duty only to
convey the message." 3:19-20
"He hath named you Muslims in old times
and in this scripture, that the messenger may be a witness against you, and
that ye may be witnesses against mankind..." 22:78
Since true
religion is surrender, then: -
"And whoso seeks a religion other than The
Surrender (unto Allah) it will not be accepted from him, and he will be a loser
in the hereafter." 3:85
It is necessary
to remember that this applies not to a sect called Islam, but to Islam in the
real technical meaning of "Surrender".
(2) True
religion is also defined as conforming to one's own inherent God-made nature.
"Nay, but those who do wrong follow their
own lusts without knowledge. Who is able to guide him whom Allah has sent
astray? For such there are no helpers. Set thy purpose for religion as a man by
nature upright - the nature framed by Allah, in which He has created man. There
is no altering the laws of Allah's creation. That is the right religion, but
most men know not - turning unto Him only; and be careful of your duty unto
him, and establish worship, and be not of those who ascribe partners unto Him;
of those who split up their religion and become schismatic, each sect exulting
in its tenets. " 30:29-32
This nature has
been corrupted owing to attachments, lusts, and desires or fantasies, rather
than knowledge or awareness, now controls human behaviour and reduces them to
the lowest of the low (95:4-6).
It will be
observed that those who follow their own inherent nature do not require a
Prophet to guide them. In fact, a Prophet is one who follows his inherent
mature. Nor is a Prophet mentioned in the following verse:-
"Verily, whether it be of those who
believe (Muslims), or those who are Jews or Christians or Sabaeans, whosoever
believes in Allah and the Last Day and acts righteously (or correctly), they
have their reward with their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall
they grieve." 2:62
All that is
necessary is (a) belief in Allah (b) belief in the Day of Judgment (c)
righteous works. These three are inter-dependent.
The function of
the Prophet is to guide human beings not to themselves but to Allah. It does
not, therefore, matter who it is, whether a Prophet or not, who conveys the
correct teachings and influences which lead a man to the above three
requirements. Nor does it matter what they call themselves. It may be that they
call themselves Muslim or Christian, Jew or Sabaean or anything else, but they
are not in reality abiding by the three principles and are then lost.
Some Muslims
object that belief in Muhammad is necessary for salvation and in this they
follow Christians who think that belief in Jesus is necessary. But Luke 12:10
says otherwise. If they believe the Quran rather than their own prejudices then
they cannot get away from the implications of the above verse and from:-
"They are not all alike. Of the people of
the Book there is an upright community, reciting the revelations of Allah
throughout the night, falling prostrate (in Surrender). They believe in Allah,
and in the last day, and bid intelligent (or right) conduct, and forbid what is
stupid (or wrong), and vie with one another in good works; these are among the
righteous." 3:113-114
But it is true
that the Quran also tells us that people have departed from the teachings of
their Prophets. The above verses cannot apply to them.
(3) Islam
recognizes the mission of all Prophets:-
"Muhammad is but a Messenger, messengers the
like of whom have passed away before him. Will it be that when he dies or is
slain, ye will turn back on your heels? He that turns back does no harm to
Allah, and Allah will reward the thankful." 3:144
"And verily We have raised in every nation
a messenger proclaiming: Serve Allah and shun false Idols. Then some of them
there were whom Allah guided and some of them there were upon whom error had
just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequences for
the deniers. " 16:36
"For every nation there is a
Prophet." 10:48
"Lo, We have sent thee with the Truth, a
bearer of glad tidings and a Warner; and there is not a nation but a Warner
hath passed among them." 35:24
"Mankind were one community, and Allah
sent unto them Prophets as bearers of good tidings (gospels) and as Warners,
and revealed therewith Scriptures with Truth that it might judge between
mankind concerning that wherein they differ. And only those unto whom it was
given differed concerning it, after clear proofs had come unto them through
hatred of one another." 2:213
"Lo, those who disbelieve in Allah and His
Messengers, and seek to make distinctions between Allah and His Messengers and
say: We believe in some and disbelieve in others, and seek to chose a way in between,
such are disbelievers in Truth; and for disbelievers We have prepared a
shameful doom." 4:151
This verse has
several implications:-
(a) All
messengers are made in the same way, by inspiration through the Spirit of
Allah. This does not mean that they are one in substance (incarnations of
previous ones) or incarnations of God, but that they are one in purpose. Each
has his own soul.
(b) As
Messengers they do not point to themselves, but convey and demonstrate the Word
of God. That is why no distinction is to be made between God and the
Messengers.
(c) All these
messengers bring different systems in different times and places and languages
and conceptual systems and yet the Quran insists that they bring the same
message with the same goal. It follows that these formulations are forms or
methods and the message itself lies above these. Attachment to forms is
forbidden
(d) Each
Messenger brings a unified self-consistent system. This is why it is necessary
not to mix up the different systems and create something in between.
Syncretism, producing a synthetic religion is forbidden.
(e) The series
of Messengers cooperate and form an evolutional continuum. Each confirms but
builds on the results of previous dispensation.
"And when Allah made His covenant with the
Prophets, He said: Behold that which I have given you of the scriptures and
knowledge. And afterwards there will come unto you a Messenger, confirming that
which ye possess. Ye shall believe in him and ye shall help him. He said: Do ye
agree, and will ye take up My burden in this matter? They answered: We agree.
He said: Then bear ye witness, and I will be a witness with you." 3:81
(f) As each
system brought by a major Messenger is designed to bring mankind to a higher
stage of development, for the times that are to come, it is also necessary that
the latest Messenger should be followed. However, the influence which the
Messenger sheds does not only affect his immediate followers but brings direct
and indirect reformation to other peoples and their religions. It does so by
changing the conditions of life which then change ideas and by the direct
diffusion of ideas. Buddhism affected Hinduism, Christianity affected
Hebrewism, Islam brought reformations to Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity.
It is still doing this. It is necessary to remember that the purpose of
religion is not attachment to a Messenger but that man should function
according to his inherent nature as made by Allah for His purposes.
(4) Islam
contains the teachings of previous Prophets.
"He (Allah) hath ordained for you that
religion which He commended unto Noah, and that which He inspired in thee
(Muhammad), and that which We commended unto Abraham and Moses and Jesus,
saying : Establish the religion and be not divided therein....unto this then,
summon (O Muhammad). And be thou upright as thou art commanded and follow not
their lusts, but say: I believe in whatever scriptures Allah hath sent down,
and I am commanded to be just among you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. Unto
us our works and unto you your works. No argument between us and you. Allah
will bring us together, and unto Him is the journeying." 42:13,15
"Say ( O Muslims ): We believe in Allah
and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham,
and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob and the Tribes and that which Moses and Jesus
received, and that which the Prophets received from their Lord. We make no
distinction between any of them, and unto Him have we Surrendered."
2:136 See also 3:84
"And they say: No one enters paradise
unless he be a Jew or a Christian. These are their own desires. Say: Bring your
proofs if ye are truthful. Nay, but whosoever surrenders his purpose to Allah
while doing good, his reward is with his Lord; and there shall no fear come
upon them neither shall they grieve. And the Jews say the Christians follow
nothing true; and the Christians say the Jews follow nothing true. Yet both are
readers of the scriptures. Even thus speak those who know not. Allah will judge
between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they differ...
and the Jews will not be pleased with thee, nor will the Christians till thou
follow their creed. Say: Lo, the guidance of Allah (Himself) is Guidance
(enough)." 2:111-113,120
(5) The Prophet
Muhammad was sent to all mankind rather than to a tribe, race or nation:-
"O
Mankind! The Messenger hath come to you in truth from Allah: believe in him: It
is best for you. But if ye reject Faith, to Allah belong all things in the
heavens and on earth: And Allah is All-knowing, All-wise." 4:170
"Say: "O Mankind! I am sent unto you
all, as the Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and
the earth: there is no god but He: it is He That gives both life and death. So
believe in Allah and His Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, who believes in
Allah and His words: follow him that ye may be guided." 7:158
"And We have not sent you but as a mercy
to the Worlds." 21:107
"We
have not sent thee but as a universal (Messenger) to men, bringing them glad tidings,
and warning, but most men understand not." 34:28
(6) Islam does
not only have a function with respect to those who accepted Islam, but also
towards the rest of mankind and even the Planet upon which they have been
placed as Vicegerents.
"And there may spring from you a nation
who invite to goodness and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency. Such are
they who are successful." 3:104
"Ye are the best community that has been
raised up for mankind. ye enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency; and ye
believe in Allah. And if the People of the Scripture had believed it had been
better for them. Some of them are believers, but most of them are evil
livers." 3:110
"Eat and drink of that which Allah has
provided, and do not act corruptly, making mischief in the earth." 2:60.
See also 2:205, 7:74, 26:183, 29:36
It is necessary
to understand that because man has been made for a purpose (2:30), then he can
be destroyed if he does not fulfil the purpose and replaced by others who do
(4:133, 6:133, 70:41, 76:28).
(7) It is not
necessarily the purpose of Islam (in its particular sense) to convert people to
Islam (in its particular sense).
"Say, O people of the scriptures, ye have
naught of guidance till ye observe the Torah and the Gospels and that which was
revealed unto you from your Lord. That which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad)
from thy Lord is certain to increase the rebelliousness and disbelief of many
of them. But grieve not for the disbelieving folk. Whosoever believes in Allah
and the Last day and does right, there shall no fear come upon them nor shall
they grieve." 5:68-69
"Such of our revelations as We abrogate or
cause to be forgotten, We bring in its place one better or the like
thereof." 2:106
"And unto thee (Muhammad), We have revealed
the scriptures with the Truth, confirming whatever scripture was before it and
a watcher over it. So judge between them by that which Allah hath revealed and
follow not their desires away from the truth. For each We have appointed a
divine law and a traced out path. Had Allah willed He could have made you one
community. But that He may try you by that which He hath given you He made you
different. So vie with one another in Good Works. Unto Allah ye will return,
and He will then inform you of that wherein ye differ." 5:48
"Unto each nation (community or group)
have We given sacred rites which they are to perform; so let them not dispute
with thee over the matter but summon them unto thy Lord. Lo, thou indeed
followest right guidance." 22:76
"And we never sent a messenger save with
the language (or language system or formulation) of his folk, that he might
make the message clear for them." 14:4
Thus, the
differences between religions are recognized. Differences are not a valid
reason for conflict. However, the teachings have undergone misinterpretation
over the centuries and the teachings of Islam may be used as a criterion by
which a correct interpretation of the teachings of past Prophets can be made,
provided, of course, that these teachings are not themselves misunderstood.
We can deduce:-
(a) That for
different people in different places and times, different methods were required
just as different medicines are required for different people with different
maladies.
(b) That the
same truths may be formulated in numerous different ways. Since the
experiences, language and conceptual systems differ according to the nature of
people and the place and times, then in order to be understood the Message had
to be given in different forms.
(c) That the truth
does not lie so much in the particular practices or formulations of religion
but in the principles upon which all these different formulations and practices
are based. It is these that we need to discover.
(8) The
revelation given to Muhammad can be recognized by people of other religions.
There would have been no converts if they could not. However, this recognition
depends on their motives and whether or not the faculty for discerning
spiritual truths has atrophied.
"Those unto whom We gave the scriptures
recognize this revelation as they recognize their sons. But lo, a part of them
knowingly conceal the Truth." 2:146
"It is clear revelation in the hearts of
those who have been given knowledge, and none deny Our revelations save
wrong-doers." 29:49
(9) Sectarianism
is forbidden.
"... and be not of those who ascribe
partners unto Him, of those who split their religion and become schismatic,
each sect exulting in its tenets." 30:31-32
"And lo, this religion is one religion,
and I am your Lord, so keep your duty unto Me. But they, mankind have broken
their religion into sects, each rejoicing in its tenets. So leave them in their
error till a time." 23:52-54
"Say O People of the Scriptures, come to
an agreement between us and you that we shall worship none but Allah and that
we shall ascribe no partners unto Him, and that none of us shall take others
for Lord besides Allah. And if they turn away then say: bear witness that we
are they who have surrendered unto Him." 3:64
(10) All things
are, in fact, subject to Allah. In this sense Islam is the religion followed by
all creation.
"And unto Allah falls prostrate whosoever
is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, as do their shadows
in the morning and the evening hours." 13:15
Human beings, however,
have been given a spark of the divine (32:9) and this gives them the
possibility of cooperating consciously and willingly at a higher level. If they
do not, then they are still subject to the laws of God and function at a lower
level.
"So if ye repent it will be better for
you; but if ye are averse, then know that ye cannot escape Allah." 9:3 See
also 72:12
"There is no refuge from Allah save
towards Him." 9:118 See also 29:22, 35:44.
Once it is understood that Islam is the name
of the religion as originally taught by all the Prophets, but not the
corruption, distortions, misinterpretations, malpractices, additions and
erosions which have entered into these teachings over the years, then the truth
of the following statements will be understood:-
(1) God showed
His love and forgiveness to mankind by sending all of them Messengers who were
also willing to devote their lives to the service of God and man. This does not
apply only to a particular Messenger. But though the essence of the teaching
and the goals were the same, each Messenger had to deal with particular kinds
of people, conditions, places and times and this accounts for the differences
in form which the teaching took.
(2) But it is
necessary to study, understand the teaching and not merely to accept dogmas and
rituals passed down to us. Each person has to do it for himself - a person
gains or loses, develops or deteriorates spiritually, as mentally and
physically, only according to his own efforts. We must discriminate between
truth and its falsification. Things are not necessarily understood in the same
way by all. The same words that convey a truth to one may be misconstrued by
others and become false. Therefore, neither arguments and disputes nor
agreement and conformity are indications of truth.
(3) People are
Muslim to various degrees. Those who call themselves, or are called, Muslims
are not necessarily Muslims in reality. Those who call themselves, or are
called, by some other name could be Muslims in reality. Those who are Muslims
in reality may or may not call themselves, or be called, Muslim. Allah will
judge by realities and not names or other superficialities.