::: The Transcendence of Islam :::

From: http://www.aidatoure.com/islam.html

Islam or Submission/Surrender is the authentic position of the entire Creation before its Creator. The Universe and all it contains willingly or unwillingly exists in Islam~Surrender: "Do they seek for other than the religion of Allah? While all creatures in the heavens and on earth have willingly or unwillingly bowed to His Will (accepted Islam), and to Him shall they all be brought back." 3: 83 Qur'an

Islam is derived from the Arabic word salam, meaning peace. All atoms of existence know that state of peace as they exist in harmony with the Divine Law and Order established by The Creator. Knowledge of this primordial state of Surrender or Islam to only Him has been instilled in each soul before the bodily form's creation: "And remember when thy Lord brought forth from Children of Adam, from their reins, their seed, and made them testify of themselves, (saying): 'Am I not your Lord?' They said: 'Yea, verily. We testify...' That was lest ye should say at the day of resurrection: 'Lo! Of this we were unaware'." 7:172 ~Qur'an

Man, endowed with an individuality, tends to be dominated by the ego-conciousness therefore he is inclined to be forgetful of this state of Surrender to his Creator and thinks himself independent and in control whereas all his ego-driven life and actions are shackled by the Law of Nature as he opposes not only his soul's innate Surrender/Islam to its Creator but also his own grace. Such is the condition of those who reside in the confining region of the ego, and who omit their complete dependency upon The All-Encompassing for sustenance.

All the created who strive to be in accordance with the Divine Order behind all manifestations are called Muslims (submitters) regardless of the label ascribed to the spiritual/religious ways they adhere to. The greatest freedom is appointed through that universal position of Islam or Surrender to The Most High as Nature is surrendered, the Sun is surrendered, the Moon is surrendered, the planetary system is surrendered; all these celestial bodies, the elements it contains, which honor the perfect Divine System and order are surrendered.

Each new born child enters the world in that same state of surrender. The higher spheres relentlessly express their Surrender/Islam to The Creator with immense beauty and we would have much to learn from these subtle signs if only we had the humility and took the time to contemplate on their perfect activities which reveal the purest form of harmony with Divine Law.

The diverse Prophets (peace) and Messengers of The Divine One embodied on Earth to remind us of that primordial spiritual state of Surrender/Islam to The Creator. Islam is not a new way of life founded by prophet Muhammad (peace), it has existed since the beginning of the Creation and is the same Way of life all the prophets (as) of The Creator observed and preached to mankind in different nations, cultures, languages and times.

The Path of Islam as taught by prophets Adam , Noah, Abraham, Ismael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist and Isa (Jesus) son of Mary (peace be on them all) was deliberately corrupt and altered by the self-serving "religious" and political "authorities" with time.

Thus Surrender/Islam was reestablished in its authenticity by the prophet Muhammad (peace be on him).All the Prophets from Adam including Abraham, Moses, Noah, Solomon, David, Joseph, Jacob, Isa (Jesus)son of Mary (peace be on them) to the last one Muhammad (pbuh) were but Prophets of Islam as the essence of their teachings was to show us how to attain peace in our lives through surrender to The Unique; "the only religion approved by God is Submission (Islam)" (3:19 Qur'an) "The prophets are brothers of different mothers but their religion is One. Of all prophets I am the most deserving of being the brother of Jesus (Isa) Son of Mary for there was no prophet between me and him." ~Prophet Muhammad (saw).

Furthermore, the Holy Qur'an reveals more about the Prophets (as) and the unique Source of their Inspiration and their Islam: "Lo! We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and the prophets after him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and as We imparted unto David the Psalms." 4:163 ~Qur'an

The Qur'an as well verifies:"Say, We believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to us, and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and other Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we submit." 3:84 ~Qur'an
"The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah, that which We have sent by inspiration to you and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: namely, that you should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein ... " 42:13 ~Qur'an
"And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive, (with sincerity and under discipline). He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the cult of your father Abraham. It is He Who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (Revelation); that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and ye be witnesses for mankind! So establish regular Prayer, give regular Charity, and hold fast to Allah! He is your Protector - the Best to protect and the Best to help! 22:78 ~Qur'an

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) taught that the divine revelation of Islam completes the message of former Prophets (as) and that therefore it reposes upon principles of Universal Brotherhood, respect for diversity and equality of all humanity.With its multidimensional profundity, Islam continues to be the fastest growing religion in the world as well as the most misunderstood and dreaded one.

As our world is dominated by the reign of ill-intended self-appointed "authorities" who for centuries have falsified history and modified the authentic Message of the Prophets (as) to divide and exploit humanity, it is no wonder that Islam which englobes and preserves the integralness of all aspects of life (social, economic, political, spiritual) represents such a threat to their usurpation which imposes unlawful, prejudicial systems upon mankind and which supports the prosperity of an elite at the expense of the collectivity.

These practices of exclusion globally observed even by "religious" institutions reflect a total disregard for the Divine Principles taught by the Prophets (as) as elitism, inequality, greed, divisiveness, discrimination, oppression, ignorance and disregard for diversity are ills that authentic Islam does defeat.Humanity's realization of The Unique as the only authority and observance of the Divine Principles all the Messengers (pbut) of The Divine One revealed would restore peace, freedom, equality and prosperity amongst the whole and that occurrence is the greatest threat to an usurping global system based upon usury, corruption, greed, control, exploitation, prejudice, subjugation, injustice, disunity, falsehood and all the other tangible evils that are manifestations of the ego's reign and its unconsiousness.

A wise quote of Mahatma Gandhi illustrated well the sentiment of paranoia that seems to exist in the mind of oppressors in regard to Islam: "Someone has said that the Europeans in South Africa dread the advent of Islam -- Islam that civilized Spain, Islam that took the torch light to Morocco and preached to the world the Gospel of brotherhood- as they (Muslims) claim equality with the white races. They may well dread it. If brotherhood is a sin, if it is equality of the coloured races that they dread, then their dread is well-founded."~Mahatma Gandhi.

Islam is the highest mercy ever bestowed upon mankind as it advocates love, equality, peace, unity, tolerance of diversity and authentic freedom which honor the soul's spiritual disposition to express its divine purpose; this sacred work unfolds as its complete surrender to the Will of The Most Merciful is attained.The Last Prophet: Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Prophet Isa (Jesus) (pbuh) had prophesied the coming of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the Qur'an reveals: name will be Ahmad. "And remember when Jesus, son of Mary, said, `O children of Israel, surely I am Allah's Messenger unto you, fulfilling that which is before me of the Torah, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger who will come after me. His name will be Ahmad.' And when he came to them with clear proofs, they said, `This is clear enchantment.' " 61:6 ~Qur'an

As prophesied by Prophet Isa (pbuh), Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) graced the Earth. On April 20th 571, in the night the Last Prophet was born, the whole of East and West got illuminated.From childhood, Muhammad (pbuh) whose name means "Highly Praised", displayed a virtuous character with special visible traits such as the illumination of his forehead. His father Abdullah (pbuh), had died before Muhammad (pbuh) was born and his mother Amina (pbuh) died when he was six years-old so he was brought up by his paternal uncle Abu Talib.As a young man, Muhammad (pbuh) was distressed about the moral evils that were rampant amongst his people.

When the time for Revelation came, Muhammad (pbuh) now forty years-old was contemplating in solitude in the cave of Hira when the angel Gabriel (pbuh) appeared to him and requested him to recite the following verse in spite of his illiteracy: "Recite in the name of thy Lord Who created man from a clot of blood, for thy Lord is Beneficent, He who taught by the pen, taught men that which he knew not." 96:1-5, ~Qur'an

Thus began the revelation of Muhammad's (pbuh) prophethood. The Holy Qur'an is replete with references to the long line of Apostles (pbut) of The Divine One and the seal of that line of prophethood who was prophet Muhammad (pbuh):
"Surely, We have sent revelation to thee, as We sent revelation to Noah and the Prophets after him; and We sent revelation to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and his children and to Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and We gave David the Psalms." 4:163 ~Qur'an
"Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets; and Allah has full knowledge of all things." 33:40 ~Qur'an

"It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the prophets; and giveth wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor-due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the Allah-fearing."- Qur'an 2:177

The Glorious Qur'an: a Living MiracleProphet Muhammad (pbuh) was illiterate, he never learnt how to read nor write when suddenly at 40 years old, he miraculously began to recite the Qur'an marvelous Revelation which descended over a period of 23 years: "Read, in the Name of your Lord and Cherisher, who created man out of a leech-like clot of congealed blood. Read and your Lord is Most Bountiful, He Who taught the use of the pen, taught men that which he knew not." ~Qur'an 96:1-5
"They ask: ‘Why has no sign been given him by his Lord?’ Say: 'Signs are in the hands of God. My mission is only to give plain warning.' Is it not enough for them that We have revealed to you the Book which is recited to them? Surely in this there is a blessing and an admonition to true believers." ~Qur’an, 29:50-51

The Holy Qur'an meaning "the Recitation" was revealed by The Divine One to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) through Angel Gabriel (pbuh):"Say: whoever is an enemy to Gabriel, he has brought down the revelation to your heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before, and a guidance and glad tidings for those who believe " ~Qur'an, 2:97
"Do they not consider the Qur'an with care? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy." ~Qur'an, 4:82
"Say: If the ocean were ink wherewith to write out the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if We added another ocean like it, for its aid." ~Qur'an, 18:109

The Glorious Qur'an is addressed to all of mankind and was revealed in Arabic, the language of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his people.Each year the Prophet (pbuh) reviewed the Holy Scriptures with Angel Gabriel (pbuh) and during the last year of his life, he and angel Gabriel (pbuh) reviewed it twice. Ever since its revelation, not one word of the Holy Qur'an has been changed as The Most Majestic promised: "...there is none that can alter the words and decrees of Allah" ~Qur'an 6:34
"To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety..." ~Qur'an 5:48

The Holy Quran is the only Scripture revealed by The Divine One that has not undergone any alterations as hundred of thousands of Muslim devotees have memorised the 6246 verses of the Sacred Book throughout the centuries. The Grace of Islam

"Soon will We show them Our signs in the furthest regions (of the Earth) and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth."(~41:53 the Holy Qur'an)

All experiences we encounter as human souls are meant to stir anew the remembrance of The Creator in us and our Islam~Surrender to Him/Her as S/He is our Source and to Him/Her is our return.The light of Islam resides in the fact that it naturally draws out our deepest potential and invites it out to the surface of our being: progressively the soul rejoices in this opportunity to at last externalize its true disposition, its happiness, its love, its gratitude to The Most Wise for all the mercy S/He has bestowed upon it.

That sacred moment when we consciously live acknowledging His/Her all-pervading Presence is a sign of Islam.When the awareness of our Surrender to The Most High becomes our reality, all our movements become purposeful and they mirror the benefits of righteous living to the material dimension, to the world. These movements manifest themselves in us through gestures of selflessness, truth, peace, beauty, wisdom and love: in Islam, our whole being compares to a musical notation which contributes its own unique tone to the collective, sublime symphony of existence. When all we do becomes an act of worship of The Most High and we humbly participate to the whirling of the entire Universe, then we exist in the grace of Islam ... Allahu Akbar!