Fundamentals of Islam

Monotheism

The basis of all Islamic ideology is the belief in the oneness and uniqueness of God, or, in Arabic “tawheed.” All the other beliefs of Islam are built upon this foundation. 

Monotheism has two main stages from which it can be analyzed.  The first stage pertains to the belief that there is only one God.  The Almighty God has made it obligatory for all people of the Islamic faith to: 

“Say:  He, God (God), is One. (Koran, 112:1); 

And your God is One God! (Koran, 2:163); 

Had there been in them any Gods besides God, they would both have certainly been in a state of disorder. (Koran, 21:22).” 

 

The Second stage of Monotheism consists of the acknowledgement that Almighty God has ultimate power and might.  In addition, this stage also refers to the belief that God is one entity and that he has no limitations of any form.

Monotheism is a very complex concept.  It has many areas and, in many instances, it may be difficult to distinguish who is practicing the correct form of monotheism and who is practicing polytheism, which refers to the act of associating others with God.  To believe in human beings, for example, who have powers granted to them through the will of God is not considered an incorrect form of Monotheism.  Such a case is that of Prophet Jesus (Peace be upon him).  His gift to cure the sick is a gift granted by God.

Divine Justice

“God bears witness that there is no God but Him-(and so do) the angels, and possessors of knowledge-upholding justice; there is no god but Him, the All-mighty, the All-wise.” (3:18)

“God is never unjust in the least degree.”  (4:40)

“…and your Lord shall not wrong anyone.”

The above verses summarize the second fundamental of Islam, which is the Divine Justice.  According to Islamic beliefs, justice is an important attribute of God, the Glorified.  He does not do injustice to anyone, nor does He deny anything beneficial to His servants. Surely, inequity is something bad and an expression of faultiness.  Only the weak and needy do injustice seeks control over them, or make them a means to their purposes. Sometimes the oppressor is not aware that such a deed is ugly and unfair.  God, the Glorified is contrarily the Powerful, the Independent and the All-knowing.  He does not resort to injustice because he does not need to nor is He unaware of it.  He is the Just Who created, on the basis of justice and right, the heavens and the earth and life existing on it.

God says: “...and your Lord shall not wrong anyone.” (18:49)

He does not coerce man to do something then punishes him for it, nor does He order man to do something above his ability. When something is verified to be of great benefit to man in God’s wisdom, He ordains it.  That is why He sent the prophets and revealed the religion to save people and guide them to the right path.

God’s justice is manifested in everything for example:

1. Creation

He does not do injustice to anyone in respect to His creation. God’s justice is seen in the order of man’s body.  He creates him in a way that makes him live on earth, and grants him hearing, sight, emotions, mind, and the ability to move and walk.

2. Destiny

God causes death, provision, events that befall man and everything else on the basis of justice.  God compensates people for the pains they suffer in this life, as willed by Him, by granting them grace weighing more than the pains.  He does that for the benefit of His servants even though they may not realize it.

3. Obligations and Laws

Divine obligations and laws are distinguished by being just.  God, the Just, does not impose any duty on His servants that is above their abilities.  God, the Glorified, says:

“God does not charge a soul but according to its ability...”(2:286)

Then all the obligations are within man’s capability.

3. Freedom of choice:

God imparts to man the ability to choose.  Man can freely choose for himself.  He can do good by helping the poor, respecting parents, offering prayers and discharging justice.  On the other hand, he can do evil like harming others, killing, lying, or stealing. God never forces anyone to do anything.  For, if He did so, man would by no means deserve rewards or punishment.  Being free to choose, man is rewarded or punished in proportion to his good or evil deeds.  Those who are evil are punished and those who are good are rewarded.

“And We have shown him the two ways (of good and evil)”  (90:10)

And He, the High, also says: “Surely, We have shown him the way:  he may be thankful or unthankful”.  (76:3)

4. Punishment and Reward in the Hereafter:

The good and upright one gets what he deserves from God’s grace and the evil doer is punished according to his bad deeds.  Should this principle be abolished, then the doer of good and the doer of evil become equal.  And this is injustice to which God is most certainly above:

“...and that every soul may be rewarded for what it has earned and they shall not be wronged”.  (45:22)

Everyone is responsible for his/her own deeds.

God never punishes anyone for something someone else has done, except when he is the one who induced the other to do it.  In such case he is viewed an accomplice in doing the foul deed.  The most High says:

“...and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another...” (6:164)

Prophet hood

Throughout history, many guides from among the people were sent for the welfare of humanity.  These guides were known as prophets, or messengers from God.  These guides onto mankind were sent with various gifts for the human race.  The first refers to divine revelation, which consists of religions and laws concerning all aspects of our everyday lives.  The second refers to miracles.  These miracles have come in many forms.  In some cases, it has come in the form of a physical phenomenon such as the case of the parting of the Red Sea or the miracles of Jesus.  In other cases, miracles have come in the form of spiritual and intellectual gifts, such as the Prophet Muhammad. His miracle was the Holy Book, i.e. the Koran as well as his holy household.

God Almighty chose to present these miracles in different forms in correspondence to the time it was sent.  For example, during the time of Prophet Jesus the people of that period were the most successful in medicine and cures.  So Almighty God sent Jesus with the gift of curing the ill to prove that Jesus was performing these outstanding acts through God’s will. 

In the case of Prophet Moses, the people of that time were successful in performing different forms of sorcery, so God sent Moses with the gift of magic such as transforming his staff into a snake.

Finally in the case of Prophet Muhammad, the Arabs of that time were proud of their success in poetry and other forms of literature.  So, God sent the Holy Koran and asked the prominent Arabs of that time to create a book similar to it if they were able to.

Finally, the prophets of God were sent with scriptures. These scriptures contained the divine laws that deal with social, economic, and all other factors that deal with our lives.  In addition, they contain stories of people before us so we may learn from their downfalls. Parables are also common, especially in the case of the Holy Koran where God gives his servants examples and comparisons from which to gain a clearer understanding.

Prophets serve as models, be it thousands of years ago when the prophets were alive, or in present time, as an example for people of all races and all ages, to help them attain communion with God and to guide them on the right path.

Infallibility was an essential trait for the messengers of God because if they were subject to sin, they would misguide their people.  Prophets didn’t live in luxurious homes and lived like kings. On the contrary, they lived like any other human being of that time if not with the lower class.

They were chosen from among the people because of their humbleness and there hate for materialism.  These qualities were selected as an example of what a perfect person should be like.

Leadership

After the last and final messenger, Muhammad, successors were righteously selected to continue the message to mankind. Someone needed to safeguard the religion of Islam after the Prophet’s demise. Therefore, leaders were chosen to deliver the message and continue such a divine mission. Let us ask ourselves what the goal was for such a leader, and why?

We must seek out the goal for the creation of human beings, which is the highest creature of the world of creation.  They follow a path, which is long and full of twists and turns towards God, towards Absolute Perfection, and towards spiritual perfection in all of the dimensions.

Without doubt, this way cannot be taken and the goal cannot be attained without the presence of a pure leader and it is not possible to undertake this way without a leader who is a heavenly teacher. 

It is clear that God created the human being with their own free will and choice and gave them a conscience and a heavenly book. Clearly, the presence of an infallible leader will help to prevent the danger of deviation and going astray to a great extent, and in this way, all existence of the Leader is necessary to complete the goal of the creation of human beings. 

God, the Wise, has seen to all of the affairs of the human being to reach the goal of creation among which is the sending of the prophets and the selection of pure Imams, otherwise there would be an imperfection in motive.

With twelve selected leaders, Islam has survived and will continue.  Islam has continued to grow, and with the teachings of these successors (with the twelfth one) still living amongst us, we have the keys of knowledge, guidance and heaven right before us.  We have the opportunity to seek more nearness to our Master, God, and attain a high spiritual level of growth and perfection.

The Day of Judgment

The existence of life after death brings about questions such as:

What is the purpose of life? Who is the Master of these lives? How can its existence be proved? What benefits would there be if such a place existed? Islam meets man’s natural needs for logical answers to these questions.

Our lives are not a result of nature’s accident. Islam says that our lives have purpose. God states in the Koran that man’s purpose in this life is to prove that he is deserving of the eternal blissful life of the hereafter.  Man was also created to worship God to add meaning and focus to his life. God did not create us for few years, to live, and to die. On the contrary, there is a meaning to this cycle we go through and there are consequences to our actions.

God, the Master of both this world and the hereafter is also the Just and the Merciful. As a result of these two qualities it would not logically make sense for God to punish those who do good and reward those who do evil. Just as a hard working student and a lazy student cannot be given the same grade for their different levels of effort.  An evil tyrant and a person striving to be and do good cannot both enter Paradise, or Hell-Fire. Each will be given what they justly deserve according to their deeds.

According to Islam, God will raise the dead after the entire universe is vanished. Then, God will fairly judge each person according to his/her deeds. That day is called the Day of Judgment. 

The Day of Judgment gives life its meaning. It becomes the motive and driving force that encourages people to be good and obey God. That also discourages people from doing evil as one day they may be punished for their disobedient acts.

These rules are for man’s benefit. If people are kinder, more willing to help, and pious, then life becomes a peaceful and happier place to be in. Also no act will go unnoticed and unrecorded by God. Any good acts and struggles in the way of God will be rewarded, therefor by Him.

Just as our creation did not come by accident, our actions will not be overlooked. According to our deeds in this life, God, the Just and the Merciful, will fairly judge us on the Day of Judgment. This day will take place when all will be destroyed and then called back to life. On that day, the good will be rewarded and the evil punished and live in either eternal bliss or eternal punishment.