From: www.ediscoverislam.com
Discover Islam
This is an invitation to observe, to ponder and to be with us, aware and certain that it is our duty and moral obligation to convey the message of our Creator. In the search for truth, it is indispensable that we take some time and effort to know the basis of our faith, and as true believers, we must follow the purest essence of our belief as exemplified by the messengers of God. Who else can give us the guidance but those whom God chose and entrusted with the mission of proclaiming glad tidings to the believers and warnings to those who deviate from the way of our Creator and refuse to believe?
Religion for some may simply be a field of academics, to others it’s a medium solely for spiritual enrichment, and to a lot more various aspects or views people may find fitting on their level of desires or caprices.
But for us, our religion is a complete way of life as shown by all the prophets of God (Peace and blessing be upon them all) and as epitomized by the last Prophet (Peace and blessing be upon him) in orders to attain salvation.
There is no doubt that this temporary life is only a probationary period, a transitory phase to the next and final one. As such, it should offer everyone the necessary requirements instrumental in paving the way for our last destination, where belief in the lone Creator and obedience to His command (doing what is right and forbidding what is wrong) will be the only acceptable means to merit salvation.
Thus, knowing the true teachings of God is tantamount to knowing life! That’s how important it is!
With due respect and love to Jesus (Peace and blessing be upon him) as one of God’s mightiest prophets who was sent to the lost sheep of Israel, we cannot discount the teachings he brought to establish the way, the truth and the life.
We regard and accept him as a real messenger of God whose ways and belief inevitably coincide with ours as illustrated by the last Prophet including all the Prophets before him (Peace and blessing be upon them all).
Yes, Prophet Jesus (Peace and blessing be upon him) was not a Christian for he did not introduce Christianity to the world, as evidenced by what he said in Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the prophets. I have come not to destroy, but to fulfill.”
Instead, he confirmed the teachings preceding him, which was the Law set by Prophet Moses (Peace and blessing be upon him). A guidance that is sanctioned by and is also analogous with that of Islam, having been anchored upon monotheism, its inherent bedrock which happens to be every other prophet's battlecry and message.
Moreover, Jesus (Peace and blessing be upon him) further uttered words which prove that his mission was not yet complete and that another Prophet was to come after him to finalize the message, the guidance or the revelation itself, when he prophesied in John 16:7-14.
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you, and when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in me; of righteousness, because I go to my father and you see me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of the world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak of his own authority; but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify me. He will take what is of mine and declare it to you.”
The concluder of this message was neither The Holy Spirit nor Paul himself, as some Christians believe or were made to believe. He was Muhammad (Peace and blessing be upon him), the only true Prophet who succeeded Jesus (Peace and blessing be upon him).
Muhammad (Peace and blessing be upon him) was the sole Prophet who brought with him a complete, comprehensive and final revelation from the Creator.
This divine manifestation has been preserved as it was revealed to him originally, challenging the whole world to come up with even just one chapter like it. Such is the provocation and appeal, which frustrated those who were at the other end of the moral and spiritual spectrum during the Prophet’s time including the rest of their kind today. As God said in Chapter 2:2-5 of the Holy Qur’an (which is translated as follows):
“This is the Book: In it is guidance sure, without doubt, To those who fear Allah; Who believe in the Unseen, Are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We Have provided for them; And who believe in the Revelation Sent thee, And sent before thy time, And (in their hearts) Have the assurance of the Hereafter, They are on (true guidance). From their Lord and it are these who will prosper.”
It is the last testament of faith addressed to the whole world embodying complete light and guidance as well as the conviction of sin, a revelation that embodies Islam.
Jesus (Peace and blessing be upon him) thru Matthew, chapter 7 verse 15 of the Bible, cautioned people regarding the need to discern the false prophets from the genuine ones via a specific criterion, the same standard of measure that we ask you to gauge prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessing be upon him) and his teachings against with:
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly, they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.”
Give yourself a chance to know the true Religion of God including all His Prophets and discover the difference, for “Only the truth shall set you free”. You’ve got nothing to lose, but once you understand and accept, you’ve got your whole life to gain!
Biblical Excerpts as Proofs of Islam's Conformity with the Religion of Jesus
Here are some points to consider regarding Jesus, Muhammad (Peace and blessing be upon them) and the Muslims, which are indeed one in the essence of Islam. The following verses extracted from today's Bibles collectively support our claim as mentioned above.
We pray that such accounts will appeal to your senses as well as reconcile you with the truth, thus enlightening you in the process to the remaining facts still existent in the present versions of the Bible.
They are as follows:
I. Belief in the Oneness of God (Allah)
Jesus was very explicit in his words about the “Unity of God” instead of the “Holy Trinity” which he never said nor preached in his lifetime:
1. Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you Satan! it is written:” you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve”.
2. Mark 12:29 Jesus answered him. “The first of all the commandments is: Hear O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one”.
3. Isiah 43:10-11 “Before me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no savior.”
4. John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and of Jesus Christ whom you have sent”.
II. Good Deeds
A. Carrying out Prayer (Prostration):
The only people in the whole world today who pray like Jesus (Peace and blessing be upon him), and all the other prophets are the Muslims:
1. Matthew 26:39 “He (Jesus) went a little farther and fell on his face, and prayed, O my father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will”.
2. Psalm 55:17 “Evening and morning and at noon, I will pray and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice”.
3. Numbers 20:6 “So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them”.
B. Fasting
Islam obliges Muslims to fast just as Jesus and the prophets did during their tenure in the world:
1. Matthew 4:2 “And when he (Jesus) had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry”.
2. Exodus 34: 28 “And he (Moses) was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water”.
3. Matthew 6:16 “Moreover when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, with a sad countenance; for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward”.
C. Charity:
Islam obliges Muslims to pay charity, just as Jesus urged his constituents in his time:
1. Matthew 6:3-4 “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your father who sees in secret will himself reward you openly.”
D. Pilgrimage to Mecca
Muslims perform pilgrimage (Hajj) like the prophets before them to the first house of worship (Ka’bah) in Maca, also known as Baca, which was built by Abraham, the father of all the prophets and his son Ishmael.
1. Psalm 84:5-6 “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the valley of Baca, They make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools”.
E. Greetings
Muslims greet each other by saying: Peace be with you (As-salam ‘Alaykum), the same way Jesus (Peace and blessing be upon him) greeted people during his ministry on earth:
1. Luke 24:36 “Now as they said these things, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you”.
2. John 20:19 “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you”.
Conclusion
We abide with God (Allah) when He tells us in His Holy Book (Quran) that if anyone speaks THE TRUTH, let him produce THE EVIDENCE as mentioned in chapter 2:111(which is translated as follows):
"…Say: Produce your proof if ye are truthful."
In the same breadth, we want you to realize that what we have just deliberated are but some of the many practices that the true believers emulate. They are ways and manners which are reflective as well as representative of the genuine teachings of Jesus (Peace and blessing be upon him) and even more so with Muhammad (Peace and blessing be upon him).
Likewise, the same very practices should serve as sound proofs to help you realize the truthfulness of our claim, that indeed, there is only one way leading to the true salvation, and that is ISLAM.
As Allah says thru chapter 5: Verse 19 of the Holy Quran (which is translated as follows):
“ O People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messenger (Muhammad) making (things) clear unto you, after a break in (the series of) Messengers, lest you say: “There came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no Warner”. But now has come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner. And Allah is able to do all things.”
He further says in Verse 77 of the same chapter (which is translated as follows): “Say (O Muhammad): “O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Exceed not the limits in your religion (by believing in something) other than the truth, and do not follow the vain desires of people who went astray in times gone by, and who misled many, and strayed (themselves) from the Right Path.”
We in our capacity had presented the preceding facts in order to enlighten you only, and it is up to you to make the next move.
If you really treasure your salvation in the hereafter that much, and desire an eternal life of rewards over an eternal existence of punishment, then the choice must be clear by now. We advice you to act soon enough, before it’s too late, for no one ever knows when or where he or she is going to die---death being like a thief that comes in the middle of the night!
As for your guidance to the truth, you should ask directly from the CREATOR--- the One and Only, the Absolute, the Unlimited and the One who begets not, nor is He begotten. Seek it from Him who has no equal or no one comparable with. Pursue it from the Only One who Knows our intention and what we have in our hearts, with all your humility, sincerity and honesty. Turn your face to Him who is in the heaven, above His throne, ultimately seeking for His help and direction!
As they say: "Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened up to you."
We will be looking forward to your Real SALVATION !!!
Dear Brother in Humanity
There is no compulsion for a person to accept the TRUTH, but it is certainly a shame upon the human intellect when a man or woman is not even interested in determining the TRUTH!
Islam teaches that our CREATOR has given human beings the faculty of reason. Therefore it is incumbent upon them to reason things out objectively and systematically for everyone to contemplate, to question and to reflect.
Nobody should press you to make a hasty decision to accept any of the teachings of Islam, for Islam teaches that human beings should be given the freedom to choose. Even when a person is faced with the TRUTH, there is no compulsion upon him to embrace it.
But before you begin to form an opinion about Islam, ask yourself whether your existing knowledge of it is thorough enough. Examine whether that knowledge has been obtained through third party sources who themselves have probably been exposed to only random glimpses of Islamic writings and have yet to reason on Islam objectively and systematically themselves.
Is it fair that one should form an opinion about the taste of a particular dish just by a mere hearsay from others who may not have actually tasted the dish themselves?
Similarly, you should find out for yourself about Islam from reliable sources and not only taste it, but rather digest it very well before you form an opinion of it. That would be an intellectual approach to the TRUTH.
In making your next move to the Religion of TRUTH, Islam will continually reassure you that your rights to freedom of choice and freedom to use that God-given faculty of thought and reason will be respected. For everyone has that individual will, no one else can take away that will and force you to submit to the will of our CREATOR, you have to find out and make that decision yourself.
May your intellectual journey towards the TRUTH be a pleasant one…
References
Interpretation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur’an,
Printed in 1993.
Translated by: Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilal, Professor of Islamic Faith and Teachings Islamic University, Al-Madina, Al-Munawwara, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Meaning of The Holy Qur’an
Translated by: Dr. Abdallah Yusuf Ali
New Edition with revised Translation, Commentary and Newly Compiled Comprehensive Index.
Printed by: amana publications, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
Ó 1409 A.H./1989 A.C. amana publication
The Holy Bible,
New International Version Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984,
By: International Bible Society Used permission of Zondervan Publishing House Grand Rapids, MI 49530, USA
The Amplified Bible,
Expanded Edition Copyright 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation And the Lockman Foundation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Taqwa, and the verbs and nouns connected with the root, signify: (1) the fear of Allah, which, according to the writer of Proverbs i:7 in the Old Testament, is the beginning of Wisdom; (2) restraint, or guarding one’s tongue, hand, and heart from evil; and (3) hence righteousness, piety and good conduct. All these ideas are implied where in the translation, only one or the other of these ideas can be indicated, according to the context.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment