بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
Praise be to God the Creator of the world, the One Who exists without beginning, without end, without location, without a "how" and Who does not depend on time. Nothing resembles Him in anyway and He hears and sees everything without organs. Whatever you imagine, God is different from that. May the elevation in degree and preservation of his community of what he fears for it, be granted to our master Muhammad Al-‘Amin, the Honest One, who called for following Islam, the religion of truth, the religion of all the Prophets: of the First, Adam, to the last Muhammad.
Allâh ta`âlâ said:
﴿ إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ اللّهِ الإِسْلاَمُ ﴾
(‘inna d-dîna `inda l-Lâhi l-‘islâm)
which means: « Certainly, the only religion accepted by Allâh is Islam. » [Sûrat ‘Ali `Imrân, ‘âyah 19]
Allâh also said:
﴿ وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴾
which means: « the one who takes a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter. » [Sûrat ‘Ali `Imrân, ‘âyah 85]
The Messenger of Allâh said concerning the prophets:
« الأَنْبِيَاءُ إِخْوَةٌ لِعَلاّتٍ دِينُهُم وَاحِد وَأُمَّهَاتُهُم شَتَّى »
(al ‘anbiyâ’ou ‘ikhwatun li`allât dînuhum wâHid wa ‘ummahâtuhum chattâ)
which means: « The Prophets are like brothers of the same father but different mothers, their religion is the same and their laws differ. » [Narrated bay Al-Bukhâriyy]. Prophet Muhammad made the comparison of the prophets as brothers of the same father because their religion is the same, their belief is unique, they have called for the religion of Islam but the laws of the prophets may differ.
The Law includes judgments concerning practices, such as zakat (alms), prayer and what is of the same kind. And the Law of the Prophet Muhammad is the best and easiest law. And this change in the Law takes place according to wisdom, and God knows what is better for the slaves more than they do.
Islam is the only heavenly religion. Thus it is not permissible to say that Islam is the last religion, because Islam is the first religion and the only religion that God has revealed to all the prophets and the only valid religion according to the sound mind. Islam is the religion of all angels and angels existed before humans. In the same way Adam, the first prophet is Muslim like all prophets. For two thousand years, during the time of Prophets Adam, Chîth and Idrîs, all humans were Muslims ; after the death of the prophet Idris, people worshiped for the first time the statues and idols and thus became disbelievers, after which God sent the fourth prophet Noah to call the people back to Islam.
Islam is a condition of acceptance of good works.
To have a good belief is a condition for the acceptance of good works. So without the good belief of Islam, there is no reward in the hereafter.
Allâh Ta`âlâ said:
﴿ مَثَلُ الّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِرَبِّهِمْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَرَمَادٍ اشْتَدّتْ بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي يَوْمٍ عَاصِفٍ ﴾
(mathalu l-ladhîna kafarû birabbihim ‘a`mâluhum karamâdin ichtaddat bihi r-rîHu fî yawmin `âSif)
which means: « The works of those who disbelieved, are like ashes carried away by the wind, a stormy day. » [Surat Ibrâhîm, ‘âyah 18]
The Prophet Muḥammad Salla l-Lâhu `alayhi wa sallam said:
« وَأَمَّا الْكَافِرُ فَيُطْعَمُ بِحَسَنَاتِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَفْضَى إِلَى الْآخِرَةِ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ حَسَنَةٌ يُعْطَى بِهَا خَيْرًا »
(wa ‘amma l-kâfiru fayuT`amu biHasanâtihi fi d-dunyâ Hattâ ‘idhâ ‘afDâ ‘ila l-‘âkhirah lam yakun lahu minhâ naSîb)
which means: « As for the unbeliever he will be rewarded for his good works in this life, but in the hereafter he will have no reward. » [Narrated by imam AHmad].
The Imam Abu Hanîfah, may God bless him, said: « There is no faith for a person without Islam nor Islam for a person without faith, they are linked to each other as are the face and the reverse of the same thing. » So the believer is the Muslim and the Muslim is the believer.
Allâh Ta`âlâ said in the holy Qur’ân:
﴿ قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللهِ وَاللهُ شَهِيدٌ عَلَى مَا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴾
(Qul yâ ‘ahla l-kitâb lima takfurûna bi ‘âyâti l-Lâhi wa l-Lâhu chahîdun `alâ mâ ta`malûn)
which means: « Say O people of the book why do you disbelieve in the ‘ayah of Allâh while Allâh is witness of what you do. » [Surat ‘Ali `Imran, ‘ayah 98]. This verse indicates that they are disbelievers because they falsified the revealed books. The people of the book means those who claim from book and does not mean that they follow the book.
Allâh Ta`âlâ said in the holy Qur’ân:
﴿ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم ﴾
(wa law ‘âmana ‘ahlu l-kitâb lakân khayran lahum)
This means: « And if the people of the book had believed it would have been better for them. » [Surat ‘Ali `Imrân, ‘ayah 110]. People of the book are not believers but they claim from the Torah and the ‘injîl and have falsified them.
Allâh ta`âlâ said in the Qur’ân about the people of the book:
﴿ يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ ﴾
This means: « They falsify the expressions of the book. » [Sûrat ‘Ali `Imrân, ‘ayah 46]
There are among the people of the books who are converted to Islam at the time of the Prophet Muhammad such as the king Negus of Abyssinia who was a Christian then he converted to Islam and became a good Muslim and likewise the scholar of the Jews at Medina `Abdu lLâh ibnu salam who converted to Islam after asking the Prophet Muhammad Salla lLâhy `alayhi wa sallam three questions. It is these people of the book who converted to Islam that Qur’ân designates as believers as explained in the tafsir of at-Tabariyy and fakhru d-din ar-Râziyy.
God also says:
﴿ كَانَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ اللَّـهُ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ ﴾
Which means: « People were on a single religion and when some people committed disbelief, God sent prophets with good news and warning against punishment » [Surat Al-Baqarah, ‘ayah 213], it means that all people were on the religion of Islam, at the time of the prophets Adam, Chith and Idris, then came disbelief after the death of the prophet Idris. Afterwards God sent the prophet NôuH Noah.
Islam is the only religion in accordance with the sound mind
Islam is the only religion in accordance with the sound mind, which tells the truth about God, that God is the only Creator who creates everything from non-existence to existence and has no resemblance to the creatures, He exists before space and time, He is the creator of space and time and does not depend on space or time.
Other religions say that God is three or that He dwells in heaven or that He is a body such as a statue or a cow or a human being and all this contradicts the sound mind, indeed the one who inhabits the sky or who is a body is located in a place and needs the one who located it and who limited it and whoever is in need is not God. Islam says that God exists without a place and without a how and does not depend on time ; 'where', 'when' or 'how' is not applicable to Him.
Allâh ta`âlâ said in the Qur’ân:
﴿ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ اصْطَفَىٰ آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ ﴾
(‘inna l-Lâha s-STafâ ‘Adama wa NûHan wa ‘âla ‘Ibrahîma wa ‘âla `Imrâna `ala l-`âlamîn)
Which means: « Certainly God has chosen (by the prophecy) ‘Adam, and Nûh (Noah), and the descendants of ‘Ibrâhîm and the descendants of `Imrân over all creatures. » [Sûrat ‘ali `imrân, ‘ayah 33]
Allâh has created ‘Adam, `alayhi s-salam, he created Hawwâ’ Eve a wife for Adam and He made Adam a Prophet Messenger, teaching the religion of Islam.
Hawwâ’ Eve had given birth to twins (a boy and a girl) every time, except the last pregnancy when the Prophet Chîth was born single. She had forty pregnancies.
In the Law of Adam `alayhi s-salam, it was lawful for the brother to marry one of his sisters who was not his twin sister so that the human species could spread on earth.
Allâh revealed to the prophet ‘Adam the language, so Adam spoke all the original languages such as Arabic, Hebrew, Syriac. Adam had knowledge of the names of all things. ‘Adam taught his children the basis of the belief of Islam. He said to them: Worship ALLAH, which means submit yourself extremely to Him, and don’t associate anything with Him in His worship. The one who associates something with ALLAH, will have hell for final abode. He will remain there forever. Thus all his children had Islam as their religion, and it was the religion of all the prophets.
Then came the Prophet Chīth `alayhi s-salâm also teaching the religion of Islam.
The prophet Idrîs – Enoch `alayhi s-salâm – later came with the same call: to teach the religion of Islam and it was only after his death that disbelief appeared among humans. Some have become disbelievers by worshiping other than God.
The prophet NOUH – Noah `alayhi s-salâm – was thus the first prophet sent to the disbelievers to call them to the worship of ALLAH – God – the One who has no associate. Then the prophets came one after the other, all calling to the religion of Islam.
The prophet Ibrâhîm - Abraham `alayhi s-salâm - also came later to call people to the religion of Islam. Allâh ta`âlâ said:
﴿ مَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَهُودِيّاً وَلاَ نَصْرَانِيّاً وَلَكِن كَانَ حَنِيفاً مُسْلِماً وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ المُشْرِكِينَ ﴾
(mâ kâna ‘Ibrâhîmu yahûdiyyan wa lâ naSrâniyyan wa lâkin kâna Hanîfan musliman wa mâ kâna mina l-mouchrikîn)
Which means: « ‘Ibrâhîm was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a Muslim and was certainly not one of the Mushrikîn. » [Surat ‘Ali `Imran, ‘âyah 67]
Therefore, what has been said about him that he would have worshiped the stars is not true.
The Prophet Muçâ – Moses `alayhi s-salâm – came to call people to the religion of Islam. Some believed in him while others did not. The disbelievers said, `Uzayr was the son of God, and some others said: (Certainly ALLAH created the heavens and the earth in six days and then got tired and lay down on his back) ; these people are non-Muslims and non-believers. They do not have the belief of the prophet Muçâ – Moses `alayhi s-salâm – who commanded them to have the belief in the oneness of God and not to assimilate God to His creatures.
The Prophet Muçâ – Moses `alayhi s-salâm – had for belief that Allâh was existing without similarity with the creatures, that He is the Creator of all things and that He doesn’t need of any creature. He has created the light, He has no resemblance with the light, He has created the human, He has no resemblance with them, so He isn’t concerned by the fatigue or the powerlessness, because he is Al-Qawiyy, the One who has the absolute power, who isn’t reached neither by the fatigue nor by the somnolence.
After the death of The Prophet Muçâ Moses `alayhi s-salâm, the Prophet `Içâ Al-MacîH – Jesus `alayhi s-salâm, came to call to Islam, the religion to which all prophets before him called to, and he announced the good news of the coming of a prophet after him, whose name would be AHmad. It was MouHammad whom he announced. Some people believed Jesus while others did not.
The Prophet `Içâ Jesus `alayhi s-salâm, had the good belief. He had the belief that Allâh is neither a father nor a son, that He is neither a being composed nor a being formed of parties. Thereafter, some men wanted to kill the Prophet `Içâ Jesus. Allâh saved him ; He gave to a Muslim disciples of `Içâ who was present, the resemblance of `Içâ, and He elevates `Içâ to the sky. When blasphemers came into the room where were the disciples of the Prophet `Içâ Jesus, they seized the man who looks like `Içâ, and killed him. Thus, the man who was killed, was not the prophet `Içâ, `alayhi s-salâm.
So the Prophet `Içâ Jesus `alayhi s-salâm has never instructed the adoration of himself to his people, but rather to adore God only.
Allâh ta`âlâ says:
﴿ فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ عِيسَى مِنْهُمُ الكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنصَارِى إِلَى اللهِ قَالَ الحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ اللهِ ءَامَنَّا بِاللهِ واشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ ﴾
(falammâ ‘aHassa `Içâ minhoumou l-koufra qâla man ‘anSârî ‘ila l-Lâhi qâla l-Hawâriyyôuna naHnou ‘anSârou l-Lâhi ‘âmannâ bi l-Lâhi wa ch-had bi’annâ mouslimôun)
which means: « when`Içâ sensed they would commit disbelief, he said: Who are those who support me? The apostles (Hawâriyyôun) said: We, we believe in God. Be the witness that we are muslims. » [Sûrat ‘Ali `Imrân]. The Hawâriyyôun – the twelve apostles of Jesus – said:
﴿ واشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ ﴾
(wa chhad bi’annâ mouslimôun)
which means: « Be the witness that we are muslims. » The Hawâriyyôun are the muslims who believed in the Prophet `Içâ Jesus `alayhi s-salâm and who followed him. The Prophet `Içâ Jesus `alayhi s-salâm did not call them to adore his own person. He called them to adore God only.
﴿ وَإِذْ قَالَ اللهُ يَـعِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ ءَأَنتَ قُلْتَ لِلنّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّي إِلَـهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ اللهِ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ ﴾
(wa ‘idh qâla l-Lâhou yâ `Içâ bnou Maryama ‘a‘anta qoulta li n-nâci t-takhidhôunî wa ‘oummî ‘ilâhayni min dôuni l-Lâh qâla soubHânaka mâ yakôunou lî ‘an ‘aqôula mA layça lî biHaqqin ‘in kountou qoultouhou faqad `alimtahou)
which means: « And when Allāh said to `Içâ son of Maryam: Is it you who said to people: take me with my mother as two god? He will answer: Glory to You who is exempted of imperfection, it is not up to me to say what I’m not allowed to say, and if I would have said so, You would have known it. »
Then in the following verse, He says:
﴿ مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إلاَّ مَا أَمَرْتَنِي بِهِ أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ ﴾
(mâ qoultou lahoum ‘il-lâ mâ ‘amartanî bihi ‘ani `boudou l-Lâha Rabbî wa rabbakoum)
which means: « I told them only what You have ordered me to tell them: to adore Allāh my Lord and your Lord. »
It clearly appears in these two verses, that our master Içâ has called to the adoration of God only and not to associate anything to God.
After the elevation of our master `Içâ to the sky, Muḥammad came to reiterate the call to the religion of Islam, supported by miracles which are even proves of his prophecy. Lots of people entered into Islam and others who were already ascribing partners with Allâh, have denied him, and thus, have worsen their kufr.
The essential principle of Islam, common to all Muslims, is to adore Allâh, without associating.
Through what we have explained, it is clear that the religion of all the prophets is Islam, and that Islam is the only true religion.
Islam is the only heavenly religion. Islam is the only religion that God has revealed to all Prophets. The difference which exists from a messenger to another, is the Law.
The Law includes the judgments which are concerning the practices. For example, in ‘Adam’s Law (`alayhi s-salâm), and in Laws revealed after him, untill ’Isrâ’îl’s sons time, there was only one every day compulsory prayer. Ya`qôub’s (Jacob) name was also ‘Isrâ’îl (Israel), he is muslim like all other prophets, and he had twelve children who gave birth to twelve ’Isrâ’îl’s sons’s tribes. Among people of ‘Isrâ’îl’ s sons, there were muslims and not muslims.
Then ‘Isrâ’îl’s sons received the order to make two prayers every day, and our master MouHammad received the order to make five prayers every day.
The basis of the belief in God and His messenger, are unchanging. There is no wisdom for it to change, contrary to Laws which are concerning practices.
And the Prophet, Salla l-Lâhu `alayhi wa sallam, has said:
« أَفْضَلُ مَا قُلْتُ أَنَا وَالنَّبِيُّونَ مِنْ قَبْلِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ الله وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ »
(‘afDalu mâ qultu ‘anâ wa n-nabiyyûna min qablî lâ ‘ilâha illa l-Lâhu waHdahu lâ charîka lah)
Which means: « The best thing I’ve ever said, me and the prophets before me too, is: Lâ ilâha illa l-Lâhu waHdahu lâ charîka lah ; There is no deity except Allāh, The Unique who has not partners. »
Moreover it has been related a Hadîth about the number of prophets ; one hundred and twenty-four thousand prophets, including three hundred and thirteen messengers. However some scholars haven’t confirmed Hadîth concerning the number of propets.
ALLAH ta`âlâ said:
﴿ وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلًا مِّن قَبْلِكَ مِنْهُم مَّن قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُم مَّن لَّمْ نَقْصُصْ عَلَيْكَ ﴾
which means: « Certainly we sent some prophets before you, some of them we have cited to you, others we haven’t cited them. » [Surat Ghâfir, ‘âyah 78]
In the honored Qour’ân, twenty-five prophets have been cited with their names:
‘Adam, Idrîs, NûH, Hûd, SâliH, LûT, Chu`ayb, ‘Ibrâhîm, ‘Ismâ`îl, ‘IsHâq, Ya`qûb, Yûçuf, ‘Ayyûb, Dhu l-Kifl, Al-Yaça`, Yûnus, Mûçâ, Hârûn, ‘Ilyâs, Dâwûd, Sulaymân, Zakariyyâ, YaHyâ, `Içâ and Muḥammad.
Among laws which have no changed in laws of all the prophets: eat pork, which is not slaughtered according to the law, the blood, kill soul that Allāh has forbidden to kill, the injustice, the fornication.
الحمد لله رب العالمين
Praise to Allāh, the Creator of the world.
