Cry, My Beloved Islam
By Dr Ahmed Adam โ South Africa
To explain Islam may take many volumes. To explain Islam in a few pages is more difficult because everything is important โ yet what is the quintessence of Islam? Before sharing with you a few essential Concepts about Islam, let us pause for a moment and observe a small glimpse into the Muslim World today.
Why has Islam suddenly become the fastest growing Religion in the World while other Religions are declining? The current Muslim population as of 2014 is 2.1 Billion people, with an annual increase of 35 million new Muslim converts/reverts every year. People who are kind, intelligent, doctors, nurses, accountants, lawyers, professors, scientists, professionals, politicians and ordinary people are embracing Islam in their thousands. What is this mystical and rational appeal of Islam that draws people to it?
My viewpoint is from an "average Muslim" โ a Medical Doctor and Scientist who has studied for 12 years โ trying to live his life as an average human being, supporting his family and raising his children, while being hated and despised by some people for no reason other than for being a "Muslim." This confuses me and saddens me deeply.
It reminds me of the days of Apartheid in my beautiful country of birth, when I was hated, mocked and discriminated against because my skin colour was not "pink-white." My whole life of 55 years, strangers have hated me because of my skin and my Religion โ and it is now worse on the Internet, when "all Muslims are painted with the same brush."
As a Medical Doctor, I have never asked a person's Religion before treating them, nor has the colour of their skin been a hindrance to saving a bleeding victim at a roadside accident or in the ER Trauma unit. Yet good, decent, kind people have been brainwashed by the Media and Politicians to hate Muslims โ people they do not even know.
In the old days, Colonial Empires would simply invade another nation, kill the people and steal their land and wealth. Now they have to make up an excuse to invade โ the most common being "the liberation of the victim" (who happens to have plenty of wealth and oil). Everyone remembers the shameful lies by World Leaders about Iraq's WMD โ weapons of mass destruction that have still not been found.
The Islam that I know is not the "Islam" that is portrayed by the Media or by dubious Internet websites. I am glad that seekers of Truth read the Qur'an and study Islam from reliable sources โ and hence they find the Beauty, Majesty, Grandeur, Peace, Contentment and Hope that is found in Islam.
Below is a summary of essential Concepts that give you a glimpse into the Basic Teachings of Islam:
God Exists
This is the Absolute Truth without any doubt.
There is Only One God
He is the Supreme Creator Who has Created everything in the Heavens and the Earth. He gives Life and He takes away Life. Neither Evolutionists nor Scientists can explain "Life" or manufacture "Life." The Mystery of Life and Death is only known to God, the Creator of Life and the Creator of Death.
God Cannot Be Described by Shape or Form
He is "Light upon Light" โ "No vision can grasp Him, though He grasps everything." We are granted a glimpse of Him through His Beautiful Names and Attributes, such as: The Merciful One, the Forgiving One, the Loving One, the Compassionate One, the Generous One, the Eternal One, the All-Knowing One โ having more than 99 such Attributes.
All these Names and Attributes are contained within the word "Allah." That is why Muslims prefer using the word "Allah" โ because it reminds the user of all the Beautiful and Perfect Attributes of the Most Merciful Creator.
Only the Creator Should Be Worshipped
God is the Supreme Creator โ everything else is the creation. None of the creation should be worshipped. There is no god worthy of worship except Allah (Sub'ha'na'hu Wa Ta'ala), the One True God.
The Creation of the Universe & the Seven Heavens
God existed before Time, Space and Matter. He then Created the Pen, the Heavens, the Earth, Night and Day, Life and Death. When God wants to Create anything, He simply says "Be!" (Kun-Fa'ya-Koon) โ and that creation comes into existence. The entire Universe came into existence through what we call the "Big Bang" about 14 billion years ago. Our Solar System and Planet Earth started taking shape about 4.5 billion years ago.
The lowest Heaven alone (our Physical Universe) contains more than 500 Billion Galaxies, with each Galaxy containing trillions upon trillions of Stars, Planets, Comets and Solar Systems. Astrophysicists have calculated that all known matter only makes up about 5% of the Mass of the Universe โ the remaining 95% is what scientists call Dark Matter or Dark Energy.
The Prophet Mohamed ๏ทบ described the size of the Heavens: the size of the 1st Heaven compared to the 2nd Heaven is like a small ring placed in the middle of the Sahara Desert โ the ring representing 500 Billion Galaxies. Each firmament (Heaven) is trillions of times larger than the one below it. The Physical Dimension is like a grain of sand on a beach, compared to the Spiritual Dimension.
Our True Goal in Life
Common sense draws us to the inevitable conclusion that our main goals in life should be towards developing our future in the Spiritual Dimension โ not being deluded by the temporary illusion of the Physical Dimension. One day soon, our Earth and all its contents will be turned to dust, consumed by our Sun as it enters the Death stage of an expanding Red Giant Star. Only the Spiritual World โ called the "Hereafter" in Islam โ will continue for Infinity into the Future.
The Creation of Mankind and the Gift of Free Will
God Created a very special creation called a Human. He Created his physical body in the Best of Moulds; gave him a Soul, an Intellect, and feelings that emerge from the heart. God then Breathed into him something of Himself, which made this special creation come to Life. This Unique Creation was Created to be a Vicegerent โ a Representative of God on Earth.
God then offered a very powerful Trust to all creatures. Everyone refused to carry this great burden, yet the Human stood up and volunteered. This Trust is the Free Will โ the ability to either worship God or refuse, and to make one's own choices. The Gift of Free Will, however, comes with enormous responsibility.
Adam, Satan, Paradise and the Purpose of Life on Earth
God Commanded all the Angels to bow down to Adam โ the very first Human Creation. All the Angels bowed down, except one: Iblis (Satan). His arrogance and pride โ "You Created me from Fire, while You Created him from dust" โ led to his downfall. Satan asked for respite until the Day of Judgement to mislead mankind, and God granted this. Satan stated he would wait along the Straight Path to deceive humans โ but he will have no power over the sincere Believers.
God Created Eve as a partner for Adam and directed them to stay in Heaven in love and harmony. But by the cunning whispers of Satan, they approached the Forbidden Tree and broke the Command of their Lord. They then realised their error, asked for Forgiveness โ and God, the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, forgave them. Hence, in Islam there is no concept of original sin.
God sent Mankind to Earth for a temporary time, reminding Adam and Eve that He will not abandon Mankind. From time to time, God would send Divine Scriptures and special Messengers to guide every new generation โ keeping alive the reminder that their Creator is Allah, and that there is no god worthy of worship except Him.
The Unity of God โ Islam is the First Religion
All the Divine Scriptures came from Allah. The ONLY Divine Scripture that has not been changed is the Holy Qur'an โ the Latest and Final Divine Guidance for all of Mankind. All the Prophets โ Adam, Noah, Solomon, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mohamed (peace be upon them all) โ came with the same Central Core Message: There is no god worthy of worship except Allah.
Hence, Islam is not the "last" Religion โ it is the very First Religion, followed by Prophet Adam himself. Muslims attain peace when they worship Allah because they are in harmony with every other creation, from the atom to the Galaxies, from the birds to the whales โ all worshipping their Lord and Creator.
A person who becomes a New Muslim has all their past sins forgiven โ they start with a brand new open Book.
Muslims who perform the Pilgrimage of Hajj have all their past sins forgiven โ they start life again with a brand new open Book.
Every child is born pure without sin and is born a Muslim until the age of Understanding (7โ12 years).
The root words S, L, M make up the word "Peace": muSLiM ยท SaLaaM ยท iSLaaM. A Muslim obtains a mind, body, soul and heart that are at Peace.
The Three Core Levels of Faith
The 5 Pillars: Belief in Allah, Prayer, Fasting, Charity and Hajj. The outer dimensions of Islam.
Higher level of Faith. Belief in Allah, the Angels, all Prophets, the Divine Scriptures, the Decree, the Hereafter and the Day of Judgement.
Striving for excellence in everything, with the awareness that even though you cannot see God โ He certainly watches you. Living under God's 24/7 awareness.
Key Principles of Islam
Intention (Ni'yaah): The Foundation of everything. If any of your actions are to earn name and fame, then your deeds are wasted. But if done sincerely out of love for your Creator, your only concern is to please Him, irrespective of what the world thinks of you.
Personal Responsibility: Each and every person is responsible and accountable for their own actions on the Day of Judgement. A sincere Muslim must fulfil his duties to God, to others, to his soul, to his neighbours, parents, the poor, needy, oppressed, to animals, plants, birds, oceans, rivers and the environment.
Direct Access to God: A Muslim does not need a priest or a statue or anything else to communicate with God. Simply raise both hands and talk to Him wherever you are, day or night. The most humble position a creature can attain before God is prostration โ face on the floor.
No Compulsion in Religion: Islam is simply a Golden Royal Invitation from the Lord of the Worlds, for you to read His Final Divine Guidance and find your way back to your Original Home in Heaven.
The Day of Judgement and the Three Categories of Mankind
After Death, all Human Beings will be Resurrected and brought in front of their Lord for Judgement. This is a Day that will last for 50,000 years โ so that all the injustices, killings, tyrannies and oppressions can be rectified. Everything has been recorded in a clear Book of Deeds. All Mankind will be divided into three categories:
"Whatever Beings there are, in the Heavens and the Earth, do prostrate themselves to Allah โ with good will, or in spite of themselves."
โ Qur'an 13:15"If it had been your Lord's Will, they would all have Believed โ all who are on Earth! Will you then compel Mankind, against their will, to believe?"
โ Qur'an 10:99About the Author
Dr Ahmed Adam โ BSc (Zoology, Botany, Human Genetics); BSc Med (Human Physiology; Comparative Anatomy); BSc Hons (Anthropology, Astronomy & Evolution); MBBCh (Medical Doctor). Strategic Director of a 300-bed Private Hospital; Human Rights activist; Life Coach; TV host; Public Speaker; Author of multiple books including "Islam in the Media", "The Amazing Brain", "Hope & Positive Thinking" and others.
No Copyright โ Please share freely on all social media and email with others who are interested in Islam.