Fundamental Beliefs and Practices of Islam

The Articles of Faith in Islam:

Islam consists of submission and obedience to Allah, the Lord of the Universe. Since the only
authentic source of knowing Him and His Will and Law is the teachings of the true ro!het, we
may define Islam a"hat religion which stands for com!lete faith in the teachings of the ro!het
and steadfast obedience to his ways of life #onse$uently, one who ignores the medium of the
ro!het and claims to follow %od directly is not a &uslim'.
In earlier e!ochs there had been se!arate ro!hets for different nations, and the history of
!ro!hethood shows that even in one and the same nation several ro!hets a!!eared one after
the other. In that age Islam was the name of that religion which was taught to a nation by its own
ro!het or ro!hets. (hough the nature and substance of Islam was the same in every age and
country, the modes of worshi!, codes of law and other detailed rules and regulations of life
varied according to local and !articular conditions. It was not, therefore, necessary for any nation
to follow another nation's ro!het and its res!onsibility was confined to following the guidance
given by its own ro!het.
(his !eriod of !oly)!ro!hetism came to an end with the advent of
&uhammad *blessings of Allah and !eace be u!on him+. (he teachings of
Islam were made com!lete through him, one basic law was formulated for
the whole world and he was made a ro!het for all mankind. His
!ro!hethood was not meant for any !articular nation or country or
period; his message was for all peoples and for all ages.
The earlier codes were abrogated by the advent of
Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him)
who gave the world a complete code of life. This means
there will be no new Prophets and no new religious-
code until the ast !ay. Muhammad"s (blessings of Allah
and peace be upon him) teachings are meant for all the
children of Adam# the entire human race.
$ow %slam consists in following Muhammad
(blessings of Allah and peace be upon him)# that is#
ac&nowledging his prophethood# believing in all that he
has as&ed us to believe in# following him in letter and
spirit# and submitting to all his commands and
in'unctions# the most fundamental of which is a ilaha
illallah (There is no deity but Allah(.
This brings us to the )uestion* +hat has Muhammad (blessings of Allah
and peace be upon him) as&ed us to believe in, +hat are the articles of
%slamic faith, +e shall discuss these articles and see how simple# how
true# how lovable and how valuable they are and to what high pinnacle
they raise the status of Man in this world and the world to come.
Tawhid: Faith in the Unity of God
Tawhid means "oneness"# and "uni)ueness ( )". The
concept of Tawhid is that -od is one and uni)ue; and that there
is only one -od# Allah to be +orshipped and obeyed.
The technical meaning of tawheed*
Allah is one in his being and
attributes and he is the only one who
is worthy to be worshipped and
obeyed.
Kinds of tawheed:
1. In being
2. In attributes.
3. In worship
The doctrine is embodied in ".ura %&hlas" in the /oly 0uran as
follows*
-./0 12 345 627 892 .5 627 9:5 62 89;<2- =- 89>? =- .@ AB
9>?*.
(.ay; /e is Allah the one;
Allah the independent of all;
/e begets not# nor was /e begotten; and
none is comparable unto HimC.
The significance of this concept:
1.Most important teaching of Muhammad(s.a.w.s.)
The most fundamental and the most important teaching of
Prophet Muhammad (blessing of Allah and peace be upon him) is
faith in the unit of -od, This is e1pressed in the primary 2almah
of %slam as (There is no deity but Allah( (a ilaha illallah). This
beautiful phrase is the bedroc& of %slam# its foundation and its
essence. %t is the e1pression of this belief which di3erentiates a
true Muslim from a &a4r (unbeliever)# mushri& (one who
associates others with -od in /is !ivinity) or dahriyah (an
atheist).
2.Differentiates Muslim from non-Muslim.
The acceptance or denial of this phrase produces a world of
di3erence between man and man) the believers in it become one
single community and those who do not believe in it form an
opposing group. 5or the believers there is unhampered progress
and success in this world and in the hereafter# while failure and
ignominy are the ultimate lot of those who refuse to believe in it.
6ut the di3erence between the believers and the unbelievers
does not result from the mere chanting of a few words.
7bviously# the mere utterance of a phrase or two is not in itself
important. The real di3erence lies in the conscious acceptance of
this doctrine and complete adherence to it in practical life. Mere
repetition of the word "food" cannot dull hunger; mere chanting
of a medical prescription cannot heal the disease. ..
In the same way, if the Dalimah is re!eated without arty understanding, it
cannot work the revolution which it is meant to bring about. (his can occur
only if a !erson gras!s the full meaning of the doctrine and acce!ts and
follows it in letter and s!irit. We avoid fire because we know that it burns, we
kee! away from !oison because we know that it can kill. Similarly, if the real
meanings of (awhid are fully gras!ed, we avoid, in belief as well as in action,
every form of disbelief, atheism and !olytheism. (his is the natural
conse$uence of belief in the Unity of %od.
Primary kalmia of Islam:
=- E.FG 9;HI =- JK 12K J
The Meaning of the Kalimah
In Arabic the word ilah meansL one who is worshi!!ed', that is, a being
which on account of its greatness and !ower is considered worthy to be
worshi!!edM to be bowed to in humility and submission. Anything or any
being !ossessing !ower too great to be com!rehended by man is also called
ilah. (he conce!t ilah also includes the !ossession of infinite !owers and
conveys the sense that others are de!endent on ilah and that he is not
de!endent on anyone else. (he word ilah carries, too, a sense of concealment
and mystery. (he word Dhuda in ersian, Neva in Hindi and %od in Onglish
have similar connotations. Pther languages also contain words with a similar
meaning.
La illallah Literally Means
(he word Allah, on the other hand, is the essential !ersonal name of %od. La ilaha illallah
literally means C(here is no ilah other than the Pne %reat Qeing known by the name Allah.C, It
means that in the whole of the universe, there is absolutely no being worthy to be worshi!!ed
other than Allah, that it is only to Him that heads should bow in submission and adoration, that
He is the only Qeing !ossessing all !owers, that we are all in need of His favors, and that we
are all obliged to seek His hel!. He is concealed from our senses, and our intellect cannot
!erceive what He is. .
$ow we &now the meaning of these words# let us loo& more closely
at their real signi4cance.
Deity and Deities
5rom the earliest &nown history of man as well as from the oldest
relics of anti)uity that we have been able to obtain. %t appears that we
have been able to obtain# it appears that in every age man recogni8ed
some deity or deities and worshipped them. 9ven today every nation#
from the most primitive to the most advanced# believes in and worships
some deity. /aving a deity and worshipping him is ingrained in human
nature. There is something within man"s soul which forces him to do
so.
Rational indication of the concept of Tawheed:
Position of Man
6ut the )uestion is* what is that thing and why does man feel
impelled to do so, The answer to this )uestion can be discovered if we
loo& at the position of man in this huge universe. $either man nor his
nature is omnipotent. /e is neither self-su3icient nor self e1isting; nor
are his powers limitless. %n fact# he i
s
wea&# frail: needy and destitute.
Success and Failure
/e is dependent on a multitude of forces to maintain his e1istence# but
all of them are not essentially and totally within his powers. .ometimes
they come into his possession in a simple and natural way# and at times
he 4nds himself deprived of them. There are many important and
valuable things which he endeavors to get# but sometimes he succeeds
in getting them# while sometimes he does not# for it is not completely in
his own power to obtain them. There are many things in'urious to him;
accidents destroy his life"s wor& in a single moment; chance brings his
hopes to a sudden end; illness# worries and calamities are always
threatening him and marring his way to happiness. /e attempts to get
rid of them# and meets with both success and failure. -
There are many things whose greatness and grandeur
overawe him* mountains and rivers# gigantic animals are
ferocious beasts. /e e1periences earth)ua&es# storms and
other natural disasters. /e
7bserves clouds over his head and sees them becoming thic&
and dar&# with peals of thunder# ;ashes of lightning and heavy
rain. /e sees the sun# the moon and the stars in their constant
motions. /e re;ects how great# powerful and grand these
bodies are# and# in contrast to them# how frail and
insigni4cant the himself is<
These vast phenomena# on the one hand# and the
consciousness of his own frailty# on the other# impress him with
a deep sense of his own wea&ness# humbleness and
helplessness. And it is )uite natural that a primitive idea of
divinity should coincide with this sense. /e thin&s of the hands
which are wielding these great forces. The sense of their
greatness ma&es him bow in humility. The sense of their
powerfulness ma&es him see& their help. /e tries to please
them so that they may be bene4cent to him# and he fears them
and tries to escape their wrath so that he may not be
destroyed by them.
Worst form of ignoranance
%n the most primitive state of ignorance# man thin&s#
that the great ob'ects of nature whose grandeur and glory
are visible# and which appears to be in'urious or
bene4cent to him hold in themselves the real power and
authority# and# therefore# are divine. Thus he worships
trees# animals# rivers# mountains# 4re rain# air# heavenly
bodies and numerous other ob'ects. This is the worst form
of ignorance.
Appearance of light and Knowledge
+hen his ignorance dissipates to some e1tent and some glimmers of
light and &nowledge appear on his intellectual hori8on# he comes
-
=b
-
&now that these great and powerful ob'ects are in themselves as
helpless and dependent# or rather# they are still more dependent and
helpless. The biggest and the strongest animal dies li&e a tiny germ
and loses all his power* great rivers rise and fall and become dry the
highest mountains are blasted and shattered by man himself# the
productiveness of the earth is not under the earth"s control - water
ma&es it prosperous and lac& of water ma&es it barren- 9ven water is
not independent. %t depends on air which brings the clouds. Air# too# is
powerless and its usefulness depends on other causes. The moon# the
sun# and the stars are also bound by a powerful law outside whose
dictates they cannot ma&e the slightest movement.
Belief in Mysterious Powers
After these considerations man"s mind turns to the possibility of
some great mysterious power of divine nature which controls the
ob'ects he sees and which may be the repository of all authority. These
re;ections give rise to belief in mysterious !owers behind natural
phenomena# with innumerable gods governing various parts and
aspects of nature such as air# light and water. Material forms or
symbols are constructed to represent them and man begins to worship
these forms and symbols. This# too# is a form of ignorance# and reality
remains hidden to the human eye even at this stage of man"s
intellectual and cultural pilgrimage.
Knowledge and Learning
As man progresses still further in &nowledge and learning# and as he
re;ects more and more deeply on the fundamental problems of
e1istence# he 4nds an all-powerful law and all-encompassing control in
the universe. +hat a complete regularity is observed in sunrise and
sunset# in winds and rains# in the motions of stars and the changes of
seasons< +ith what a wonderful harmony countless di3erent forces are
wor&ing 'ointly. and what a highly e3ective and supremely wise law it is
according to which all the various causes in the universe are made to
wor& together at an appointed time to produce an appointed event<
7bserving this uniformity# regularity and complete obedience to one
great law in all 4elds of $ature# even polytheist-4nds himself obliged-
to-believe that there must be deity greater> than all the others#
e1ercising supreme authority.
5or# if there were separate# independent deities# the whole
machinery of the universe would be upset.
reatest Deity
/e calls this greatest deity by di3erent names# such as
Allah# Permeshwar# -od# 2huda-i-2huda"igan. 6ut as the
dar&ness of ignorance still persists# he continues worshipping
minor deities along with the .upreme 7ne. /e imagines that
the !ivine

2ingdom of -od may not be di3erent from earthly
&ingdoms. ?ust as a ruler has many ministers# trusted
associates# governors# and other responsible o3icers# so the
minor deities are li&e so many responsible o3icers under the
-reat -od +ho cannot be approached without winning the
favors of the o3icers under /im. .o they must also be
worshipped and appealed to for help# and should in no case be
o3ended. They are ta&en as agents through whom an
approach can be made to the -reat -od.
!ncrease in Knowledge
The more a man increases his &nowledge# the greater
becomes his dissatisfaction with the multiplicity of deities. .o
the number of minor deities begins to decrease. More
enlightened men bring each one of them under the searchlight
of scrutiny and ultimately 4nd that none of these man-made
deities has any divine character; they themlves are creatures
li&e man# though rather more helpless. They we thus
eliminated one by one until only one -od remains.
"he #lements of !gnorance
6ut the concept of one -od still contains some remnants of the elements
of ignorance. .ome people imagine that /e has a body as man have#
and is in a particular place. .ome believe that -od came down to earth
in human form; others thin& that -od# after settling the a3airs of the
universe# retired and is now resting. .ome believe that it is necessary
to approach -od through the media of saints and spirits# and that
nothing can be achieved without their intercession. .ome imagine -od
to have a certain form or image# and they believe it necessary to &eep
that image before them for the purposes of worship.
.uch distorted notions of godhead have persisted and
lingered# " and many of them are prevalent among di3erent people
even today.
$oncept of odhead
Tawhid is the highest conceptions of godhead# the
&nowledge of which -od has sent man&ind in all ages
through /is Prophets. %t was this &nowledge with which#
in the beginning# Adam was sent down to earth; it was
the same &nowledge that was revealed to $oah#
Abraham# Moses and ?esus (-od"s blessings be upon
them all). %t was this &nowledge which Muhammad
(blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) brought to
man&ind. %t is 2nowledge# pure and absolute
;
without the
least shade of ignorance. Man became guilty of shir&#
idol-worship and &ufr only because he turned away from
the teachings of the Prophets and depended on his own
#
faulty reasoning# false perceptions -or biased
interpretations. Tawhid dispels all the clouds of
ignorance and illuminates the hori8on with the light of
reality.
"he %ealitie& of "awhid
et us see what signi4cant realities the concept of
Tawhid - this little phrase* la ilaha illallah embraces*
what truth it conveys and what beliefs it fosters.
Limitless 'ni(erse
5irst# we are faced with the )uestion of the universe. +e
are face to face with a grand# limitless universe. Man"s
mind cannot discern its beginning or visuali8e its end. %t
has been moving along its chartered course from time
immemorial and is continuing its 'ourney in the vast vista
of the future. @reatures beyond number have appeared in
it - and go on appearing every day. %t is so bewildering that
a thin&ing mind 4nds itself wonderstruc&. Man is unable to
understand and grasp its reality by his unaided vision. /e
cannot believe that all this has appeared 'ust by chance or
by accident. The -universe is not a fortuitous mass of
matter. %t is not a 'umble of uncoordinated ob'ects. %t is not
a conglomeration of chaotic and meaningless things. All
this cannot be without a @reator# a !esigner# a @ontroller#
a -overnor.
6ut who can create and control this ma'estic universe,
7nly /e can do so who is Master of all. +ho is in4nite and
eternal; who is All-Powerful# All -+ise# 7mnipotent and
7mniscient; +ho is All-2nowing and All-.eeing. /g must
have supreme authority over all that e1ists in the universe.
/" must possess limitless powers# must be lord of the
universe and all that it contains# must be free from every
;aw and wea&ness and none may have the power to
interfere with /is wor&. 7nly such a 6eing can be the
@reator# the @ontroller and the -overnor of the universe.
)neness of od
.econd# it is essential that all these divine attributes and
powers must be vested in 7ne 6eing* it is impossible for two or
more personalities having e)ual powers and attributes to co-
e1ist. They are bound to collide. Therefore# there must be one
and only one .upreme 6eing having control over all others. Aou
cannot thin& of two governors for the same province or two
supreme commanders of the army< .imilarly# the distribution of
these powers among di3erent deities so that# for instance# one
of them is all-&nowledge; the other all providence and still
another life-giver - and each having an independent domain - is
also unthin&able. The universe is an indivisible whole and each
one of such deities will be dependent upon others in the
e1ecution of his tas&. ac& of coordination is bound to occur. And
if this happened# the world would fall to pieces. These attributes
are also untransferable. %t is not possible that a certain attribute
might be present in a certain deity at one time and at another
time be found in another deity. A divine being who is incapable
of remaining alive himself cannot give life to others. The one
who cannot protect his own divine power cannot be suited to
govern the vast limitless universe.
The more you re;ect on the problem# the 4rmer must your conviction
be that all these divine powers and attributes must e1ist in one and the
same 6eing alone. Thus# polytheism is a form of ignorance that cannot
stand rational scrutiny. %t is a practical impossibility. The facts of life
and nature do not 4t in with it. They automatically bring men to Beality
that is Tawhid# the Cnit of -od.
$oncept of od
$ow# &eeping in mind this concept of -od# loo& closely at this

vast
universe. 91ert yourself to the utmost and say if you

4nd among all the
ob'ects that you see# among all the things that you perceive# among all
that you can thin&# feel or imagine all that your &nowledge can
comprehend - anyone possessing these attributes. The sun# the moon#
the stars# animals# birds or 4shes# matter# money# any man or a group of
men - does any of them possess these attributes, Most certainly not<
5or everything in the universe is created# controlled and regulated# is
dependent on others# is mortal and transitory; its slightest movements
are controlled by an ine1orable law from which there can be no
deviation. Their helpless condition proves that the attire of divinity
cannot 4t their body. They do not possess the slightest trace of
f
divinity
and have absolutely nothing to do with it. %t is a travesty of truth and a
folly of the highest magnitude to attribute divine status to them.
This is the meaning of a ilaha# (i.e. there is no god) no human and
material ob'ect possesses t h e divine power and authority deserving
worship and obedience.
6ut this is not the end of our )uest. +e have found that
divinity is not vested in any material or human element of the
universe# and that none of them possesses even the slightest
trace of it. This leads us to the conclusion that there is a
.upreme 6eing# over and above all that our eyes see in the
universe# +ho possesses !ivine attributes# +ho is the +ill
behind all phenomena# the @reator of this grand universe# the
@ontroller of its superb aw# the -overnor of its serene rhythm#
the Administrator of all its wor&ings.- /e is Allah# the ord of
the Cniverse and no one and nothing is associated in /is
!ivinity. This is what illallah (but Allah) means.
This &nowledge is superior to all other &inds of &nowledge and the
greater you e1ert yourself; the deeper will be your conviction that this
is the starting-point of all &nowledge. %n every 4eld of in)uiry - be it
that of physics# chemistry# astronomy# geology# biology# 8oology#
economics# politics# sociology or the humanities# you will 4nd that the
deeper you probe# the clearer become the indications of the truth of a
ilaha illallah. %t is this concept which opens up the doors of in)uiry and
investigation and illumines the pathways of &nowledge with the light of
reality. And if you deny or disregard this reality# you will 4nd that at
every step you meet disillusionment# for the denial of this primary truth
robs everything in the universe of its meaning and signi4cance.
Effects of Tawhid on Human Life
$ow let us study the e3ects which the belief in a ilaha illallah has on
the life of man and see why he should always ma&e a success of life and
why one who denies it becomes a failure in life# both here and in the
hereafter.
a* 'ni(ersal )utloo+
A believer in this 2alimah can never be narrow in out-loo&. /e believes
in a -od +ho is the @reator of the heavens and the earth# the Master of
the 9ast and the +est and .ustainer of the entire universe. After this
belief he does not regard anything in the world as a stranger to
himself. /e loo&s on everything in the universe as belonging to the
same ord he himself belongs to. /is sympathy# love and service are
not con4ned to any particular sphere or group. /is vision is enlarged#
his intellectual hori8on widens# and his outloo& becomes as liberal and
as boundless as is the 2ingdom of -od. /ow can this width of vision
and breadth of mind be achieved by an atheist# a polytheist or one who
believes in a deity supposed to possess limited and defective powers
li&e a man,
,* Self-respect and Self-esteem.
This belief produces in man the highest degree of self-respect and self-
esteem. The believer &nows that Allah alone is the Possessor of all
power# and that none besides /im can bene4t or harm a person# or
provide for his needs# or give an ta&e away /e or wield authority or
in;uence. This conviction ma&es him indi3erent to# and independent
and fearless of# all powers other than those of -od. /e never bows his
head in homage to any of -od"s creatures# nor does he stretch out his
hand before anyone else. /e is not overawed by anybody"s greatness.
This attitude of mind cannot be produced by any other belief. 5or it is
necessary that those who associate other beings with -od# or who deny
-od# should bow in homage to some creatures# regard them able to
bene4t or harm them# fear them and place their hopes in them.
c* /um,leness.
Along with self-respect this belief also generates in man a sense of
modesty and humbleness. %t ma&es him unostentatious and
unpretending. A believer never becomes proud# haughty or arrogant.
The boisterous pride of power# wealth and worth can have no room in
his heart# because he &nows that whatever he possesses has been
given to him by -od# and that -od can ta&e away 'ust as /e can give.
%n contrast to this# an unbeliever# when he achieves some worldly merit#
becomes proud and conceited because he believes that his merit is due
to his own worth. %n the same way pride and self-conceit are a necessary
outcome and concomitant of shir& (association of others with -od in 5 9.
divinity)# because a mushri& believes that he has a particular relation
with the deities which does not e1ist between them and other people.
d* 0irtuous and 'pright.
This belief ma&es man virtuous and upright. /e has the conviction that
there is no other means of success and salvation for him e1cept purity
of soul and righteousness of behavior. /e has perfect faith in -od +ho
is above all need# is related to none and is absolutely 'ust. This belief
creates in him the consciousness that# unless he lives rightly and acts
'ustly# he cannot succeed. $o in;uence or underhand activity can save
him from rheum. As against this# the &a4rs and the mushri&s always
live on false hopes. .ome of than believe that -od"s son has atoned for
their sins; some thin& that they are -od"s favorites# and will not be
punished; others believe that their saints will intercede with -od on
their behalf# while others ma&e o3erings to their deities and believe
that by so bribing the deities they ac)uire the license to do whatever
they li&e. .uch false beliefs &eep them enmeshed in sin and evil deeds;
depending on their deities# they do not bother about their souls and
living pure and good lives. As the atheists# they do not believe that
there is any 6eing having power over them# to +hom they should be
responsible for their good or bad actions; therefore they consider
themselves independent to act in whatever way they li&e. Their own
fancies become their gods and they live li&e slaves of their wishes and
desires.
e* Patience and "rust.
The believer never becomes despondent. /e has a 4rm faith in -od
+ho is Master of all the treasures of the earth and the heavens# +hose
grace and bounty have no limit and +hose powers are in4nite. This
faith imparts to his heart e1tra-ordinary consolation# 4lls it with
satisfaction and &eeps it 4lled with hope. Although he may meet with
re'ection from all sides in this world# faith in and dependence on -od
never leave him# and on their strength he goes on struggling. .uch
profound con4dence can result from no other belief than belief in one
-od. Mushri&s# &a4rs and atheists have small hearts; they depend on
limited powers; therefore in times of trouble they are soon
overwhelmed by despair and# fre)uently# they commit suicide.
f* Determination and Perse(erance.
This belief produces in man a very strong degree of determination#
patient perseverance and trust in -od. +hen he ma&es up his mind and
devotes his resources to ful4lling the !ivine @ommands in order to
secure -od"s pleasure# he is sure that he has
#
the support and bac&ing
of the ord of the universe. This certainty ma&es him 4rm and strong
li&e a mountain and no amount of di3iculties# impediments and
opposition can ma&e him give up his resolution. .hir&; 2ufr and
atheism have no such e3ect.
g* Bra(ery in Man.
This declaration inspires bravery in man. There are two things which
ma&e a man cowardly* (i) fear of death and love of safety# and (ii) the
idea that there is someone else besides -od who can ta&e away life and
that man# by adopting certain devices# can ward o3 death. 6elief in a
ilaha illallah purges the mind of both these ideas. The 4rst idea goes
out of his mind because he &nows that his life and his property and
everything else really belong to -od# and he becomes ready to sacri4ce
his all for /is pleasure. /e gets rid of the second idea because he
&nows that no weapon# no man or animal has the power of ta&ing away
his life; -od alone has the power to do so. A time has been ordained for
him# and all the forces of the world combined cannot ta&e away
anyone"s life before that time. %t is for this reason that no one is braver
than the one tempest of adversity and the mightiest of armies. +here
can the mushri&s# the &a4rs and the atheists get such great
determination# force and power from, They hold life the dearest thing
in the world; they believe that death is brought about by the enemy and
can be warded o3 by sinning away# from him<
h* $ontentment and $omplacence.
The belief in a ilaha illallah creates an attitude of peace and
contentment# purges the mind of 'ealousy# envy and greed and &eeps
away the temptations of resorting to base and unfair means for
achieving success. The believer understands that wealth is in -od"s
hands# and /e apportions it out as /e lies; that honour# power#
reputation and authority - everything - is sub'ected to /is will# and /e
bestows there as /e will; and that man"s duty is only to endeavor and
to struggle fairly. /e &nows that success and failure depend on -od"s
grace; if /e wills to give# coo power in the world can prevent /im from
so doing; and if /e does not will it# no power can force /im to. 7n the
other hand# the mushri&s# the &a4rs and the atheists consider success
and failure as dependent on their own e3orts and the help or
opposition of earthly powers. Therefore# they always remain slaves to
cupidity and envy. They never hesitate to turn to bribery# ;attery#
conspiracy and other &inds of base and unfair means to achieve their
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
angels. This is the second article of %slamic faith and is very important;
because it absolves the concept of Tawhid from all impurities and frees
it from the danger of every conceivable shadow of shir& (polytheism).
The polytheists have associated two &inds of creatures with -od*
a) Those which have material e1istence and are perceptible to the
human eye# such as the sun# moon# stars# 4re# water# animals# great men.
b) Those who have no material e1istence and are not perceptible to the
human eye* the unseen beings who are believed to be engaged in the
administration of the universe# for instance# one controls the air# another
imparts light# another brings rains# and so on and so forth.
The alleged deities of the 4rst &ind have material e1istence and are
before man"s eye. The falsity of their claim has been fully e1posed by the
2ahmah - a ilaha illallah. This is su3icient to dispose of the idea that
they en'oy any share in divinity or deserve any reference at all. The
second &ind of things# being immaterial# are hidden from the human eye
and are mysterious; the polytheists are more inclined to pin their faith in
them. They consider them to be deities# gods and -od"s children. They
ma&e their images and render o3erings to them. %n order to purify belief
in the Cnity of -od# and to clear it from the admi1ture of this second
&ind of unseen creatures# this particular article of faith has been
e1pounded.
Muhammad (blessing of Allah and peace be upon him) has informed us
that these imperceptible spiritual beings# whom people believe to be
deities of gods or -od"s children# are really /is angels. +hey have no
share in -od"s divinity; they cannot deviate from /is commands even by
the slightest fraction of an inch. -od employs them to administer /is
2ingdom# and they carry out /is orders e1actly and accurately. They
have no authority to do anything of their own accord; they cannot
present to -od any scheme conceived by themselves# they are not even
authorised to intercede with -od for any man.
To worship them and to solicit their help is degrading and debasing for#
man. 5or# on the very 4rst day of man creation# -od had made them
prostrate themselves before Adam# granted to him greater &nowledge
than they possessed and bestowed on Adam /is own vicegerency on
this "earth in preference to them. +hat debasement can# therefore# be
greater for man than prostrating himself before those who had
prostrated themselves before him<
Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) forbade us to
worship angels# and to associate them with -od in /is divinity. /e also
informed us that they were the chosen creatures of -od# free from sin#
from their very nature unable to disobey -od# and ever engage- in
varying out /is orders. Moreover# he informed us that these angels of
-od surround us from all sides# are attached to us# and are always in
our company. They observe and note all our actions# good or bad. They
preserve a complete record of every man"s life. After death# when we
shall be brought before -od# they will present a full report of our life"s-
wor& on earth# wherein we shall 4nd everything correctly recorded# not
a single movement left out# however insigni4cant and however
carefully concealed it may be.
+e have not been informed of the intrinsic nature of the angels. 7nly
some of their virtues or attributes have been mentioned to us# and we
have been as&ed to believe in their e1istence. +e have no other means
of &nowing their nature# their attributes and their )ualities. %t would
therefore# be sher folly on our part to attribute any form or )uality to
them of our own accord. +e must believe in them e1actly as we have
been as&ed to do. To deny their e1istence is &ufr for# 4rst# we have not
reason for such a denial# and# second our denial of them. would be
tantamount to attributing untruth to Muhammad (blessings of Allah
and peace be upon him). +e believe in their e1istence only because
-od"s true Messenger has informed us of it.
Risalat (prophethood)
iterally# Bisalat derived from the word Basal which means to send. %n
%slamic terms# it means to convey the message of -od to his
worshippers. The word paighamber which is of Persian language has
almost the same meaning i.e. (7ne who has a message.(
5rom the point of view of religious as well as %slamic terminology# there
is some di3erence between a prophet and a messenger. $abee
(Prophet) is a general word but the word Basool (messenger) is a term
e1clusively used for a few members of people. 9very messenger is
prophet but every prophet is not messenger. A messenger is descended
with a new boo& but the scriptures revealed on a prophet are the ones
which con4rm the teachings of a particular boo&. 7ften it so happened
that a Basool was considered the founder of a new religion later on by
his followers. 6ut this was not the case with prophets.
.ince all-the prophets were sent by -od and conveyed the same
message# they were the members of the same Cmmah. And as all the
prophets preached %slamic principles# they were Muslims.
At this point# the word %slam and Cmmah need some e1planation. %slam
means the universal laws of nature which every prophet tried to teach
but after him his followers revised them according to their own needs
and desires. $amely# the principles of %slam were common to all
religion in the beginning due to this commonality; all these prophets
belonged to the same Cmmah# i.e. %slamic Cmmah. The word Cmmah
does not; mean nation but a community which has no boundaries of
countries and continents but it has its members in every noo& and
comer of the world.
With this clear)cut conce!t of !ro!hethood, Islam teaches its followers to have faith in all
!ro!hets. Adam was the first !ro!het of %od and &uhammad may !eace and mercy of %od be
on him was the last of this series. According to one of the sayings of the Holy ro!het, there
were sent one hundred and twenty)four thousand !ro!hets in the world. Rifteen of them were
messengers out of whom, five were that of those who have been called the most determined of
all.
Need and Significance of Risalat
&an is the vice)gerent of %od on the earth. Like a slave who is always at the beck and call of
his master, man is also bound to act in accordance with the will of %od. (his is the only way for
him to !rove himself a true trustee of his Lord. Sow the $uestion
is where he should go to seek the true and clear guidance and ) direction, following which he
could live in com!liance of the orders of %od. (his is the first reason for %od to send His
!ro!hets in the world.
(he duty of the !ro!hets is to guide the !eo!le to the right !ath *(he !ath of %od+. (hey
convey to them the direction of %od and the fact as what he likes and dislikes.
Secondly, other means of seeking the will of %od are always limited and are not free from
!itfalls and doubts. O.g., one way is man's five senses. Qut their range is too limited that they
can give the knowledge to the man which is within their range. (hese five senses can also be
deceived. Another source of getting the knowledge of %odly orders is though meditation, but it
is always not true as one cannot always make difference between %odly and satanic ideas
which arise in the mind of a man interested in meditation. (he third way to get knowledge of
the will of %od is collective use of thought. It is also an ina!!ro!riate way as the wisdom of
%od is !revalent over all the universe and man's limited wisdom can not be !arallel to it.
%n this situation# where all these sources cannot wor&# -od who is the
most merciful and bene4cent to his creature himself solved this
problem. /e selected some of his worshippers for the o3ice of
prophethood and revealed his orders on them. .o it can be said that
revelation is the only truest and the most reliable source of the
&nowledge of the will and orders of -od which he conveys to the
people by descending it through his prophets selected by his oumself. %f
/e does not do so# there is no logic for the people to be made
accountable to him for their deeds.
Prominent 1ualities of Prophets
%n the /oly 0ur"an# many )ualities of the prophets have been
described. %n the following lines# we will discuss some of them which
are most prominent and are common to all.
2. /uman ,eings
All the prophets were human beings. They were neither angels nor
giants. +hich shows that they had all the capabilities of doing good
as well as bad deeds. They used to feel hungry and thirsty li&e
normal human beings. They married and had children. They adopted
di3erent occupations to earn their livelihood.
3. Best Among all /uman Beings
There is no doubt about the fact that all the prophets were human
beings but they were the best of all human beings. There moral
status was so high that even their enemies who did not have any
belief in them admitted their gentleness# bravery# determination#
sympathy# humanitarian and other positive )ualities of their
character.
&. #mergence of Miracles
9very prophet was blessed with some e1tra ordinary powers of
miracles. Miracle is an act which a prophet performs to ma&e the
none believers realise that the message he is conveying to them is of
course descended on him is of -od and he is 'ust to convey it to them
on /is behalf. The prophet or messenger shows miracles 'ust to prove
before the none believers that he is true and the message revealed to
him is also not only true but also of -od. This is the philosophy of
showing miracles to none believers. 7therwise# a person who has a
considerate opinion needs no such demonstrations to ma&e his belief
4rm on -od and /is messengers.
4. !nnocence
A prophet is innocent. %t means that he can commit sins and does
have the capability and &nowledge of sins but does not do so. %t
shows a complete re4nement of their personality which transcends
them when compared with all other men and angels. 6ecause# as far
as angels are concerned# they neither have the ability nor the
&nowledge of sins. And the people who are or are to be the followers
of these prophets# to what ever e1tent they are re4ned they are but
are always e1pected to be mista&en.
5. Knowledge through %e(elation
The &nowledge which a prophet ac)uires is not through worldly
resources or through the ones mentioned earlier in this chapter# such
as meditation collective thought 4ve senses and so on. 6ut on the
contrary# their &nowledge which they preach is based on revelation.
5or that they need not to be scholars or have any particular
)uali4cation. This is entirely up to -od to see as to who is the most
eligible for this purpose.
6. $ommon "eachings
A Muslim must believe that all prophets were sent by -od and that
all of them were true. This is because there is a complete
commonality in their teachings. There may be some di3erence in
details but their origin and spirit was the same. 5or e1ample# each
one preached that -od is one and the o3ice of prophethood is not
due to their personal e3orts. This is entirely the blessing of -od.
.imilarly# all of them emphasi8ed on having 4rm belief in the world
here-after.
"he Prophethood of Muhammad and its Salient Features
-od almighty has been &ind to the human-race since its creation. 7n
one hand# /e blessed the people with all- the things necessary for their
e1istence# and on the other# /e made the arrangement for them to
&now the right way through /is direction by sending /is prophets in
the world. 7ur /oly Prophet Muhammad is the last of this series. There
is no prophet after him $amely# no prophet will come after him. /e is a
blessing for all the universe. 5ollowing are being given salient features
of his prophethood which prove his superiority over the whole of this
series of prophethood.
l . $ompletion of Prophethood
%n the 0ur"an as well as -in the /adith# it has been clearly said that
our /oly Prophet is the end of the series of Prophethood. Most of
the prophets had been predicting for his advent but he himself did
not predict the advent of any prophet. %t can be said that he is the
clima1 of prophethood ful4lling all the needs bf -odly direction.
3. Possessing a $omplete %ecord of Life
This is only with our prophet that the whole record of the history of his
life is still safe. 9ven the greatest men including all the prophets
remained deprived of this particular aspect.
&. $omprehensi(eness
There is a complete comprehensiveness found in the life of our prophet.
%t means that he possessed all those )ualities which other prophets had
to a limited number.
4. A $omplete uideline for 's
The /oly Prophet is a complete guideline for us. As it is in the /oly
0uran# (There is a best e1ample for us in the life of the messenger of
-od(. A man having any interest# any occupation# of any age and of any
race can see& guidance from his practical life.
5. 'ni(ersality
%n the /oly 0ur"an# it is said that -od has sent our Prophet as a blessing
for all the worlds. /is message is universal. Cnli&e other prophets /is
Prophethood has no limits of the boundaries of any country or a
particular race or nation.
6. "he Miracle of 1ur7an
The boo&s and scriptures revealed on other prophets are the ones
which have lost their original shape altogether as a result of fre)uent
revision. 6ut this is the miracle of the boo& of Muhammad (May
peace be upon him) which is still found in its original form.
8. "he %ecord of /adith
+hen even the scriptures of other prophets have lost their original
shape# there is no )uestion of their own sayings. This is with our /oly
Prophet alone that together with the boo& revealed on him# his own
sayings are still safe and are free from all sorts of revision.
9. Free from Legendary 1ualities
Muhammad is not a legendary character. +hat-ever he did and what
ever he taught can be practised. %t means to say that since their is no
authentic record of the life of all other prophets# some times their
followers attribute to them some legendary )ualities.
:. Scienti;cally "rue
+hether it may be the /oly 0ur"an or the /adith both are scienti4cally
and according to ever continuing researches true.
%t can be said with surety that the more the world ma&es scienti4c
progress# the more appealing the message of our /oly Prophet will be.
To conclude# the faith on Bisalat is the second belief of a Muslim. +e as
Muslim are bound to believe that all prophets are true and have been
sent by -od himself. The prophethood of Muhammad is the one where
this series of -odly direction culminated thus ending it for ever.
"he Finality of Prophethood
The concept of the 5inality of the Prophethood is the basic principle
and the fundamental of %slam. %t has given a deep imprint on the out-
loo&# behaviour and feelings of the Muslims. %f we go through the 7ld
Testament and the $ew Testament# we 4nd that every prophet
foretold the advent of new Messenger. 6ut we do not 4nd such a
reference in the /oly 6oo& 0ur"an on him other hand in the Turanic verses it is
$uite clear that the work of sending messages is over. (he following verses are hereby
$uoted as a !roof of the Rinality of the ro!hetM
C(his day have I !erfected your religion for you and com!leted &y favour unto you and have
chosen for you a #ode of life ) al)IslamC.
C&uhammad *!eace be u!on him+ is not the father of any of your men, but he is the A!ostle of
%od ,and the last of the ro!hetsC.
CSay *P &uhammad+ P &ankindU LoU I am the &essenger of Allah to you all *the &essenger+
of Him unto whom belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earthC.
We also find the same view narrated in Ahadith. (he following Ahadith are cited as $uoted by,
&r. Abdul Hamid Siddi$i in his book Cro!hethood in IslamCM)
C(here were the A!ostles who led the sons of Israel to the !ath of righteousness. Whenever any
ro!het dies, he was succeeded by another. Qut no !ro!het would come after me. (his function
would be !erformed by the #ali!hs.C
C&y relation to the *long chain of+ !ro!hets *can be understood by+ the !arable of a !alace, the
!alace was most beautifully built, su!erb and fine. (here was left, however, the s!ace of a
brick. (he !eo!le went round the !alace and asked in amaVement, why is that this s!ace was
not filled u!W I have filled in this ga! and I am the last of the !ro!hetsC.
Abd al-Rehman ibn Jbayer said! CI heard Abd Allah bin Amr ibnal)AV saying thisU Pne
day the Holy ro!het came to us. (he eX!ression of his face indicated as if he was going
,
to
de!art from us and said, I am ro!het &uhammad who can neither read nor write (he
repeated these words three times) and there is no prophet after me(.
(There is no prophet after me and there is no ummah after my ummah(.
There are a few versions )uoted by Maulana Maududi in his boo&
(Tafheem al-0ur"an( about the great %slamic ?urists. %mam Abu /anifa# a
great 'urist of %slamic aw has remar&ed*
(Anyone who would demand from him any proof (of his Prophethood
would become 2a4r since the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
has emphatically said* $o prophet will come after me(.
Algha<ali has o,ser(ed as follows. -
(There is complete agreement in the whole of the ummah on this
in'unction (there is no prophethood after me). %t signi4es the fact that no
prophet is to be raised after Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
This in'unction is so clear and une)uivocal that it leaves no scope not
the least for any other interpretation. Anyone who interprets it in any
other way# is an unbeliever# his writing is nonsensical and his
interpretation is 4t to be called a heresy and its writer a 2a4r* since he
is falsifying that very fundamental on which their is consensus in the
ummah.
"he opinion of 1adi !yad as cited ,y the learned Author of the
,oo+ =Prophethood in !slam= ,y Mr. A,dul /amid Siddi>i. -
(Anyone who claimed to be a shareholder in the Prophethood of
Muhammad (peace be upon him) either in his own lifetime or after
him is an apostate(.
!mam Shari has said as follows.-
(Allah decided to send Muhammad (peace be upon him) to lead man
out of chaotic condition. This was not a i novelty# for since man&ind was
but one people. -od sent Prophets to announce glad tidings and to
warn people. The mission with which Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) was charged was a part of that carried on by the prophetic
chain although it came to be the last lin& of
it#
(Allah charged Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with /is
Mission because he was the noblest and the most perfect of /is
creation. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was to inaugurate
/is mercifulness and to seal prophethood. /e was to transmit Allah"s
word and to show man the way to the right path. The word which
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received and transmitted was
the genuine word. %t was free from human modi4cations and
universali8ation of all that Allah had revealed previously(.
"he Finality of the Prophethood can also ,e found in the
following (erses either directly or indirectly.-
=. (Eerify in the Messenger of Allah ye have a good e1ample for him
who loo&eth unto Allah and the ast !ay# and remembereth Allah
very much.(
Y. (+hose obeys the Messenger# obeys Allah. o< Those ho swear
allegiance unto thee (Muhammad) swear allegiance only unto
Allah. The /and of Allah is above their hands. .o whosoever
brea&eth his oath brea&eth it only to his soul"s hurt* while
whosoever &eepeth his covenant with Allah, on him will He bestows immense
rewardC.
Z. C(he saying of *all true+ believers when they a!!eal unto Allah and His &essenger to
[udge between them is only that they sayU We hear and we obey, and such are successful.
He who obeyeth Allah and His &essenger, and feareth Allah and kee!eth duty *u! to Him+ M
such indeed are the victoriousC.
". CQut may, by the Lord, they will not believe until they, make thee [udge of what is in
dis!ute between them and find within themselves no dislike of that which you decide and
submit with full submissionC.
\. CIt does not become a &uslim man or &uslim woman when Allah and His &essenger
have decided an affair *for them+ that they should *after that+ claim any say in their affairM
and whose is rebellious to Allah and His &essenger, he verify goes away in error manifestC.
]. CAnd they sayM We believe in Allah and the &essenger and we obey them after that
faction of them turn away. Such are not believersC.
^. CSay *P &uhammad to mankind+M If ye love Allah follow me, Allah will love you and
forgive your 'sins. Allah is Rorgiving and &ercifulC.
_. CSayM If your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren, and your wives and your tribe
and the wealth you have ac$uired, and merchandise for which ye fear that there will be
slum! and dwellings ye desire are dearer to you than Allah and His &essenger and striving
in His way, then waits till Allah bringeth His #ommand to !assC.
In short the following factors show that Islam has given last and !erfect ideologyM)
`. Islam em!hasises on the unity of %od, His !erson as well as in His attributes. In Islam
even the ro!het &uhammad *!eace be u!on him+ who is considered to be the greatest
amongst the human beings for all the times is but one of the created human beings and
a servant of His Lord.
Y. (he teachings of all the !ast !ro!hets have reached their !erfection in the teachings of
the ro!het &uhammad *!eace be u!on him+. (his is $uite clear from the following
verse of Surah Al &aidaM)
"This day ha#e I $erfected for yo yor religion and com$leted My fa#or to yo and
chosen for yo Islam as the religion"%
Z. (he teaching of the Holy ro!het has been assured to be !reserved for the guidance of
mankind till the end of the world (he following verse su!!orts the versionM)
"Srely &e ha#e re#ealed the Reminder! and srely! &e are its 'ardian"%
". In Surah Al)Ambiya it has been said that the ro!het was sent for the guidance of the
whole mankind till the Last Nay. It is $uoted as followsM)
And &e ha#e not sent yo () *ro$het+ bt a mercy to all the nations"%
\. (here is also the same de!iction in Surah AI)Saba which runs as followsM)
"And &e ha#e not sent yo bt a ,earer of 'ood Ne-s and &arner to all man.ind"%
]. (he ro!het was sent as the last. (his is said in Surah Al)AhVab which is cited below.)
=Muhammad is not the father of any of you men? ,ut @he is* the
Messenger of Allah and he is the Seal upon Prophets @i.e? the
institution of Prophethood was sealed after him*.A
Moreover the /oly Prophet himself announced that there will be no
prophet after him.
Maulana .ayhid Abul Ala Maududi in his boo& (Prophethood( cited the
following three conditions which are necessary for the advent of a new
Prophet* -
(=. That the teachings of the earlier Prophets have been interpolated or
corrupted or they have died and their revival is needed. %n such a case a
new prophet is raised so that he may purge the impurities from the lives
of the people and restore religion to its pristine form and purity# or
F. That the teachings of a Prophet who has passed away were
incomplete and it is necessary to amend them# improve upon them# or
add something to them# when a new prophet is sent to e3ect these
improvements.
G. That the earlier prophet was raised particularly for a certain nation
or territory and a prophet for another nation# people# or country be
re)uired.(
These are the three fundamental conditions which necessitate the
raising of a new prophet. A careful perusal of the facts shows that none
of these conditions e1ists today. The teachings of the last Prophet#
Muhammad (peace be upon him)# are alive# have been fully preserved#
and made immortal. The guidance he has shown unto man&ind is
complete and ;awless# and is enshrined in the /oly 0ur"an. All the
sources of %slam are fully intact and each and every instruction or action
of the /oly Prophet can be ascertained without the least shadow of
doubt. Thus# as his teachings are totally; intact# there is no need of any
new prophet on this count.
.econdly# -od has completed /is revealed guidance through Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) and %slam is the complete religion for
man&ind. -od has said that# (Today % have perfected your faith-religion-
far you# and have completed My bounty upon you#( and a thorough
study of %slam as a complete way of life proves the truth of these
0ur"anic words. %slam gives guidance for life in this world and in the
hereafter and nothing essential for human guidance has been left out.
The religion has now been perfected and there is no ground for new
prophethood on the plea of imperfection.
astly# the Message of Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not meant
for nay particular people# place# or period. /e was raised as the +orld
Prophet - the messenger of the truth for the entire man&ind. The
0ur"an has commanded Muhammad (peace be upon him) to declare< (7
man&ind# % -od"s Messenger to all of you.( /e has been described as (a
blessing for all (the people of) the worlds( and his approach has been
universal and human. That is why after him there remains no need for
new prophethood and he has been described by the 0ur"an as 2hatam-
un-$abbiyyin (the last of the chain of the true prophets).
$ow# therefore# the only source for the &nowledge of -od and /is
+ay is Muhammad (peace be upon him). +e can &now of %slam only
though his teachings which are so complete and so comprehensive
that they can guide men for all times to come. $ow the world does
not need any new prophet; it needs only such people as have full
faith in Muhammad (peace be upon him)# who become the standard-
bearers of his message# propagate it to the world at large# and
endeavor to establish the culture which Muhammad (peace be upon
him) gave to Man. The world needs such men of character as can
translate his teachings into practice and establish a society which is
governed by !ivine aw# whose supremacy Muhammad (peace be
upon him) came to establish.
This is the mission of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and on its
success hinger the success of Man.
****