{"Say, “He is God, the One.  God, to Whom the creatures turn for their needs.  He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none like Him.” }(Quran, 112:1-4)

No one has the right to be invoked, supplicated, prayed to, or shown any act of worship, but God alone.

God alone is the Almighty, the Creator, the Sovereign, and the Sustainer of everything in the whole universe.  He manages all affairs.  He stands in need of none of His creatures, and all His creatures depend on Him for all that they need.  He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, and the All-Knowing.  In a perfect manner, His knowledge encompasses all things, the open and the secret, and the public and the private.  He knows what has happened, what will happen, and how it will happen.  No affair occurs in the whole world except by His will.  Whatever He wills is, and whatever He does not will is not and will never be.  His will is above the will of all the creatures.  He has power over all things, and He is able to do everything.  He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and the Most Beneficent.  In one of the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) we are told that God is more merciful to His creatures than a mother to her child.¹  God is far removed from injustice and tyranny.  He is All-Wise in all of His actions and decrees.  If someone wants something from God, he or she can ask God directly without asking anyone else to intercede with God for him or her.

God is not Jesus, and Jesus is not God.²  Even Jesus himself rejected this.  God has said in the Quran:

{"Indeed, they have disbelieved who have said, “God is the Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary.”  The Messiah said, “Children of Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord.  Whoever associates partners in worship with God, then God has forbidden Paradise for him, and his home is the Fire (Hell).  For the wrongdoers,³ there will be no helpers.” } (Quran, 5:72)

God is not a trinity.  God has said in the Quran:

{ "Indeed, they disbelieve who say, “God is the third of three (in a trinity),” when there is no god but one God.  If they desist not from what they say, truly, a painful punishment will befall the disbelievers among them. Would they not rather repent to God and ask His forgiveness?  For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.  The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a messenger..." } (Quran, 5:73-75)

Islam rejects that God rested on the seventh day of the creation, that He wrestled with one of His angels, that He is an envious plotter against mankind, or that He is incarnate in any human being.  Islam also rejects the attribution of any human form to God. All of these are considered blasphemous.  God is the Exalted.  He is far removed from every imperfection.  He never becomes weary.  He does not become drowsy nor does he sleep.

The Arabic word Allah means God (the one and only true God who created the whole universe).  This word Allah is a name for God, which is used by Arabic speakers, both Arab Muslims and Arab Christians.  This word cannot be used to designate anything other than the one true God.  The Arabic word Allah occurs in the Quran about 2700 times.  In Aramaic, a language related closely to Arabic and the language that Jesus habitually spoke,⁴ God is also referred to as Allah.

2)   Belief in the Angels:

Muslims believe in the existence of the angels and that they are honored creatures.  The angels worship God alone, obey Him, and act only by His command.  Among the angels is Gabriel, who brought down the Quran to Muhammad (PBUH).

3)   Belief in God’s Revealed Books:

Muslims believe that God revealed books to His messengers as proof for mankind and as guidance for them.  Among these books is the Quran, which God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).  God has guaranteed the Quran’s protection from any corruption or distortion.  God has said:

{"Indeed, We have sent down the Quran, and surely We will guard it (from corruption)."} (Quran, 15:9)

4)   Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God:

Muslims believe in the prophets and messengers of God, starting with Adam, including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them).  But God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).  Muslims believe that Muhammad (PBUH) is the last prophet sent by God, as God has said:

{ "Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of God and the last of the prophets..."} (Quran, 33:40)

Muslims believe that all the prophets and messengers were created human beings who had none of the divine qualities of God.

5)   Belief in the Day of Judgment:

Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) when all people will be resurrected for God’s judgment according to their beliefs and deeds.

6)   Belief in Al-Qadar:

Muslims believe in Al-Qadar, which is Divine Predestination, but this belief in Divine Predestination does not mean that human beings do not have freewill.  Rather, Muslims believe that God has given human beings freewill.  This means that they can choose right or wrong and that they are responsible for their choices.

The belief in Divine Predestination includes belief in four things: 1) God knows everything.  He knows what has happened and what will happen.  2) God has recorded all that has happened and all that will happen.  3) Whatever God wills to happen happens, and whatever He wills not to happen does not happen.  4) God is the Creator of everything.

Footnotes:

(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2754, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #5999.

(2) It was reported by the Associated Press, London, on June 25, 1984, that a majority of the Anglican bishops surveyed by a television program said, “Christians are not obliged to believe that Jesus Christ was God.”  The poll was of 31 of England’s 39 bishops.  The report further stated that 19 of the 31 bishops said it was sufficient to regard Jesus as “God’s supreme agent.”  The poll was conducted by London Weekend Television’s weekly religious program, “Credo.”

(3) The wrongdoers include the polytheists.

(4) NIV Compact Dictionary of the Bible, Douglas, p. 42. 

 

Bismillah Arrahman Arrahim

         It’s not an easy road to take, sticking to religious morals in a society that values money and sex more than it values family and worshipping God. 

And in the beginning, I was like most of my American brethren.  Seeking the higher wage at the expense of family time.  Fretting over my physical appearance hoping it would attract someone to bring me happiness. 

But what it took me so long to realize, is that happiness isn’t in chasing the American dream, it isn’t neglecting morality and ethical behavior in the name of “freedom” or “modernism” in order to fit in with society.  Happiness comes from knowing your purpose.  Happiness can be achieved when you control your actions, behavior, and don’t let yourself be enslaved to anything else but God.  We see people all the time out of control.  Slaves to the drugs they’re addicted to, slaves to their job and the money they make, slaves to their disabilities, slaves to the needs and wants of their families.  Human beings have been blessed with free will, but it is also our job to govern it.  Problems in our lives arise when we disregard our Creator in favor of His Creation.  We tend to get lost in the minutia of daily activity, and even though financially, and health wise we are successful, there’s still something missing.  What is that something?  God.  Does that make you uncomfortable?  Am I’m trying to be corny and give you empty promises of eternal bliss or salvation if you accept what I’m saying?  Absolutely not.  I’m just telling you within reason why it’s necessary and outright beneficial to remember the Almighty and surrender to His power.

God.  It’s become almost a joke nowadays, you know?  Sitcoms often joke about religious people, like worshipping God is something man-made and without effect.  Movies poke fun at anyone spiritually renewed.  But what’s so taboo about giving thanks to the One who gave you life?  You may say to me, “But how do I know God even exists in the first place?”  It’s a sad question by all accounts.  We, in this day and age have been programmed to accept what we are taught, and that often includes evolution, which by default, throws out the idea of divine origin of the universe.  Anyone who isn’t sure about the divine origin of the universe or the existence of God needn’t do much more than stop and look out his window for a while.  Ponder nature and its laws, think about your own body and all the millions of functions it’s performing every second without you having to direct it to.  Think about the fact that human beings are the only animal on the planet with a cognitive brain and free will, and that if everything was created by accident, wouldn’t there be more than one species evolved enough to be like us in the thinking department?  Or, maybe, could it just be that human beings were designed that way?  To be the only creatures in all of creation advanced enough to have these thinking skills.  And, if that is the case, then why is it so hard to believe that we should be held responsible for our actions since we have the ability to choose them, and possibly will be questioned about how we used our choosing ability after we die?  It’s a lot to digest, I know.  But for anyone still not convinced, I really REALLY recommend you listen to the audio lecture (it’s more like advice, not a lecture) of Sheikh Khaled Yasseen, called The Purpose of Life.  I have included a link in the Lectures list.  Maybe he can change your mind, and probably a lot more eloquently than me. 

        So, ok, God exists.  But why are religion and prayer important?  Isn’t it enough to acknowledge that God is real and to be a good person?  And what is all this “surrendering and submitting to God’s will” talk?  Sounds like a metaphor for something complicated and difficult.  Well, lets tackle these questions one by one.  First, religion and prayer go hand-in-hand and are important for a number of reasons.  Scientifically, there are great psychological benefits in praying and practicing religion:

        William James, when he was professor of philosophy at Harvard University, said “Of course the sovereign cure for worry is religious faith.”

        Dr. Carl Jung, distinguished psychiatrist, says on page 264 of his book Modern Man in Search of a soul “During the past thirty years, people from all civilized countries of the earth have consulted me.  I have treated many hundreds of patients.  Among all my patients…there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a religious outlook on life.  It is safe to say that every one of them fell ill because he had lost that which the living religions of every age have given to their followers, and none of them has been really healed who did not regain his religious outlook.”

        Dr. Alexis Carrel, Nobel Prize Winner, said in a Reader’s Digest article: “Prayer is the most powerful form of energy one can generate.  It is a force as real as terrestrial gravity.  As a physician, I have seen men, after all other therapy had failed, lifted out of disease and melancholy by the serene effort of prayer… Prayer, like radium, is a source of luminous, self-generating energy…In prayer, human beings seek to augment their finite energy by addressing themselves to the Infinite source of all energy.  When we pray, we link ourselves with the inexhaustible motive power that spins the universe.  We pray that a part of this power be apportioned to our needs.  Even in asking, our human deficiencies are filled and we arise strengthened and repaired…Whenever we address God in fervent prayer, we change both soul and body for the better.  It could not happen that any man or woman could pray for a single moment without some good result.”

Mr. Dale Carnegie, best-selling author of “How to Win Friends and Influence People” says in his book “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living”:  “Even if you are not a religious person by nature or training- even if you are an out-and-out skeptic-prayer can help you much more than you believe for it is a practical thing.  What do I mean, practical?  I mean that prayer fulfills these three very basic psychological needs which all people share…: 1. Prayer helps us to put into words exactly what is troubling us…It is almost impossible to deal with a problem when it is vague and nebulous.  Praying, in a way is very much like writing our problems down on paper.  If we ask help for a problem-even from God- we must put it into words.  2. Prayer gives us a sense of sharing our burdens, of not being alone.  Few of us are so strong that we can bear our heaviest burdens, our most agonizing troubles, all by ourselves…Any psychiatrist will tell us that when we are pent-up and tense, and in agony of spirit, it is therapeutically good to tell someone our troubles.  When we can’t tell anyone else- we can always tell God.  3. Prayer puts into force an active principle of doing.  It’s a first step toward action.  I doubt, if anyone can pray for some fulfillment, day after day, without benefiting from it-in other words, without taking some steps to bring it to pass.”

        So, ok, the experts say religion and prayer are good for our psychological well-being.  And consequently, our physical well-being also.  Think about it, isn’t your body weary when you’re studying for the big exam, or having relationship problems, or any sort of stress in your life…it shows in your health right?  Well, prayer can take a lot of that away as we’ve just seen in the previous quotations.  When your heart isn’t stressed, your body isn’t either.

        Ok, so prayer is beneficial, but why is religion important?  Isn’t it enough to acknowledge God’s existence and to be a good person?  I’ll answer these two questions together.  No, it’s not enough to be a good person.  Because what determines the attributes that make a person good?  Many convicted sex-offenders and murderers will tell you that they are good people, even though they are guilty of heinous crimes.  So what’s the standard of being a good person?  Society doesn’t give one.  In fact, society often ridicules the person trying to abstain from temptations.  That is why we need religion.  Because religion is GOD’s standard for moral and spiritual discipline.  Who better to decide who’s good and who’s not, and what’s good and what’s not, than the One who created us in the first place?  Religion gives us guidelines on how to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to God.  And of course, people who follow the guide-lines are good people-people that are morally and spiritually sound.  By providing the standard for a good person, religion inevitably gives the attributes of a person who is NOT good.  Which would be someone who doesn’t live within the guidelines given to us by the Almighty.  An important point to make is that anyone who falls below the standard of good isn’t necessarily evil, but is a person who needs to correct himself and become good again-the act of which is repentance-an act that is only provided by religion! 

        Ok, so we’re at the point now where you may ask “But aren’t organized religions corrupted by man?  How am I supposed to follow divine guidance if I don’t know what’s real?  Well, not all religions are the same.  In fact, the ONLY religion that still remains as pure as it was when it was first revealed, is Islam.  The holy Qur’an (the final divine revelation) still exists today in the EXACT letter-for-letter form as it did when it was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). And not only is the Holy Qur’an still uncorrupt, but we also have authentic accounts of how the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) lived his life as an example for all mankind to follow until the end of time.  From these two sources, we deduct what God has permitted and what He has forbidden and what actions are incumbent upon us to be successful, and what things will make us fail.  You see, the standards set by God are not unattainable, modern society may find some acceptable and some objectionable, but who is more worthy of following, the opinion of the people, or our Creator?  God knows us best, and He only forbids us the things that are harmful to us and He only permits us the things that are beneficial to us.  His laws, guidance and advice are for our own well-being, and not to make life difficult.  [(insha’Allah) I will try to put more information on how Islam is the only pure, uncorrupted religion in existence in another blog, but for now we will continue our questions] 

        So, we’ve come a long way and we’re almost done, we’ve accepted the existence of God, discussed the benefits of religion and prayer, seen how religion establishes the moral and spiritual standards of a good person, and briefly noted that Islam is the only religion that provides that standard in a pure and uncorrupt manner.  And FINALLY, “what is all this surrendering to God’s will” stuff?  Well, it’s actually a lot easier than it sounds.  Let me explain it this way, there is another benefit to following the guidance of God, and being a good person according to His laws.  That benefit is Success in the Hereafter.  If we avoid what God has prohibited, and do what He has permitted, then not only will we achieve happiness and righteousness in this life, but we will (God willing) be rewarded after we die- i.e. in the Hereafter, with Paradise.  The Hereafter is an entire topic itself, which is deserving of it’s own article, but for discussion purposes, let me simply assure you, that it does exist.  IT DOES EXIST!  It’s not possible for one to ponder the vastness of the universe and the intricacies within our bodies and the harmony that exists in every single ecosystem on this enormous planet and NOT believe that there is SOMETHING after we die.  Was this existence a joke?  No Way!  Are we all here just to work our 9 to 5, procreate, and live out our golden years on Social Security.  I don’t think so, what a crummy existence!  God hasn’t created us in vain.  He has not created us above all creatures so that there is nothing when we die.  No.  He has given us a brain and a heart with which to choose.  We either choose to follow His Divine guidance and be a “good person” by His standards, or we choose NOT to follow His Divine guidance and to indulge in what society says is good for you and in the end be a bad person.  Those who choose to follow His way will be rewarded after death for their deeds, and those who choose not to will be the losers.  And that’s what it is!  Surrendering to God’s will is exactly what I’ve just said…it’s following His guidance!  Giving up your own vanities to follow what He has ordained you to follow, to be a morally and spiritually sound person- a winner in this life, and the hereafter.  It’s not a difficult thing to do.  When we are on the right path, following what God has provided for us to follow, then we are pleasing Him and surrendering our will to His.  And why wouldn’t God help a good person in his worldly affairs as well?  He DOES!  That’s why I started this whole topic with a warning…a warning of not submitting to anyone else except God. What can drugs do for you in your life except destroy it?  What can your job do for you in your life except provide a paycheck?  It can’t help you solve your marriage problems and it can’t listen when you need to release your burdens.  God can.  He has complete control, and is more capable than us to govern our affairs, so why not turn some of them over to Him?  It’s not corny, it’s not taboo, and it’s not a shameful thing.  Don’t fear the people, trust in God, and follow His way, and insha’Allah you will find the true happiness, because you know your purpose, and you know that you’re a good person as long as you submit to Him.

        So does it make sense yet?  Turning to God in prayer and following His guidelines in religion is intellectually, psychologically, physically, morally, spiritually, truthfully fulfilling.  So why not give it a try?  What have you honestly got to lose?  Be a little humble and close your eyes, lift your palms to the sky and talk…to Who?  To God.  Tell Him your problems, ask for guidance.  Vow, from this moment, not to be enslaved by the trivial things in this life, but to follow a higher path with a Divine meaning.  If you want true Happiness, then say:  “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah (the Arabic name of God), He alone, without any partners and associates, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His messenger and servant.”  Welcome to success, in this life, and beyond.   

Non-Muslims: What is Islam? from SalafiPublications.Com

1. What is Islaam?

The word "Islaam" is an Arabic word that means "submitting and surrendering your will to Almighty God". The word comes from the same root as the Arabic word "salam", which means peace. Unlike the names used for other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, the name for the religion of Islaam was both revealed by God and carries a deep spritual meaning - only by submitting one's will to Almighty God can one obtain true peace both in this life and in the life hereafter. Islaam teaches that all religions originally had the same essential message - which was to submit whole-heartedly to the will of God and to worship Him and Him alone. For this reason, Islaam is not a new religion but is the same divinely revealed Ultimate Truth that God revealed to all prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

2. Who are Muslims?

The Arabic word "Muslim" literally means "someone who submits to the will of God". The message of Islaam is meant for the entire world and anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. Some people mistakenly believe that Islaam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth, since in actuality over 80% of the world's Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. If one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World - from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia - it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic groups and nationalities. From the very beginning, Islaam had a universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans. Being a Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the revealed will of Almighty God. A Muslim is a person who freely accepts to base his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty God. In the past, even though you don't see it as much today, the word "Mohammedans" was often used as a label for Muslims. This label is a misnomer and is the result of either wilful distortion or sheer ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet Muhammad in the same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is absolutely not true since a Muslim is not permitted to worship anyone or anything besides Almighty God.

3. Who is Allaah?

Very often one will here the Arabic word "Allaah" being used in regards to Islaam. The word "Allaah" is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God, and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians and Jews. If one were to pick up an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word "Allaah" being use where the word "God" is used in English. Actually, the Arabic word for Almighty God, "Allaah", is quite similar to the word for God in other Semitic languages - for example, the Hebrew word for God is "Elah". For various reasons, some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than the God of Moses and Abraham and Jesus. This is certainly not the case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islaam calls all people to the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all of the other prophets.

4. Who is Muhammad?

The last and final prophet that God sent to humanity was the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad explained, interpreted and lived the teachings of Islaam. The Prophet Muhammad is the greatest of all prophets for many reasons, but mainly because the results of his mission have brought more people into the pure belief in One God than any other prophet. Even though other religious communities claimed to believe in One God, over time they had corrupted their beliefs by taking their prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God. Some religions believe their prophets to be manifestations of God, "God Incarnate" or the "Son of God". All of these false ideas lead to the creature being worshipped instead of the Creator, which contributed to the idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God can be approached through intermediaries. In order to guard against these falsehoods, the Prophet Muhammad always emphasised that he was only a human-being tasked with the preaching of God's message. He taught Muslims to refer to him as "the Messenger of God and His Slave". To Muslims, Muhammad is the supreme example for all people - he was the exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbour, husband, father and friend. Unlike other prophets and messengers, the Prophet Muhammad lived in the full light of history. Muslims don't need to have "faith" that he existed and that his teachings are preserved - they know it to be a fact. Even when his followers only numbered a few dozen, Almighty God informed Muhammad that he had be sent as a mercy to all of mankind. Because people had distorted or forgotten God's messages, God took it upon Himself to protect the message revealed to Muhammad. This was because Almighty God promised not to send another messenger after him. Since all of God's messengers have preached the message of Islaam - i.e. submission to the will of God and the worship of God alone - Muhammad is actually the last prophet of Islaam, not the first.

5. What are the Teachings of Islaam?

The foundation of the Islaamic faith is belief in the Unity of God. This means to believe that there is only one Creator and Sustainer of everything in the Universe, and that nothing is divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Him. Truly believing in the Unity of God means much more than simply believing that there is "One God" - as opposed to two, three or four. There are a number of religions that claim belief in "One God" and believe that ultimately there is only one Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Islaam, however, not only insists on this, but also rejects using such words as "Lord" and "Saviour" for anyone besides Almighty God. Islaam also rejects the use of all intermediaries between God and Man, and insists that people approach God directly and reserve all worship for Him alone. Muslims believe that Almighty God is Compassionate, Loving and Merciful.

The essence of falsehood is the claim that God cannot deal with and forgive His creatures directly. By over-emphasising the burden of sin, as well as claiming that God cannot forgive you directly, false religions seek to get people to despair of the Mercy of God. Once they are convinced that they cannot approach God directly, people can be mislead into turning to false gods for help. These "false gods" can take various forms, such as saints, angels, or someone who is believed to be the "Son of God" or "God Incarnate". In almost all cases, people who worship, pray to or seek help from a false god don't consider it to be, or call it, a "god". They claim belief in One Supreme God, but claim that they pray to and worship others beside God only to get closer to Him. In Islaam, there is a clear distinction between the Creator and the created. There is no ambiguity in divinity - anything that is created is not deserving of worship and only the Creator is worthy of being worshipped. Some religions falsely believe that God has become part of His creation, and this has led people to believe that they can worship something created in order to reach their Creator.

Muslims believe that even though God is Unique and beyond comprehension - He has no "Son", partners or associates. According to Muslim belief, Almighty God "does not beget nor was He begotten" - neither literally, allegorically, metaphorically, physically or metaphysically - He is Absolutely Unique and Eternal. He is in control of everything and is perfectly capable of bestowing His infinite Mercy and Forgiveness to whomever He chooses. That is why is called the All-Powerful and Most-Merciful. Almighty God has created the Universe for man, and as such wants the best for all human beings. Muslims see everything in the Universe as a sign of the Creatorship and Benevolence of Almighty God. Also, the belief in the Unity of God is not merely a metaphysical concept. It is a dynamic belief that effects ones view of humanity, society and all aspects of life. As a logical corollary to the Islaamic belief in the Oneness of God, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity.

6. What is the Qur'aan?

It is the final revelation of the will of Almighty God's to all of mankind, which was conveyed through the Angel Gabriel, in Arabic, to the Prophet Muhammad in its sounds, words and meanings. The Qur'aan, sometimes spelled Koran, was relayed to the Prophet's companions, which they memorised verbatim, and which has been publicly and continually recited by them and their successors until the present day. In short, the Qur'aan is the book of guidance from God par excellence. The Qur'aan is still memorised and taught by millions of people. The language of the Qur'aan, Arabic, is still a living language to millions of people, so unlike the scriptures of other religions, the Qur'aan is still read in its original language by countless millions of people. The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. God's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'aan, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Qur'aan, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Qur'aan was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorised the entire Qur'aan word-for-word as it was revealed. So unlike other scriptures, the Qur'aan was always in the hands of the common believers, it was always thought to be God's word and, due to wide-spread memorisation, it was perfectly preserved. In regards to the teachings of the Qur'aan - it is a universal scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or "chosen people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God's revelation in the Qur'aan focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent. Additionally, the Qur'aan contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and "political correctness", the Qur'aanic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today.

7. How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the Life Hereafter?

In the Holy Qur'aan, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islaamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islaam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islaam is not limited to religious rituals. The teachings of Islaam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islaam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islaamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islaam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is one's deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently "corrupt" or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance of always open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islaamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In light of this, Islaam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur'aan, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgement. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say that Islaam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral..