In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

The Truth about the Message of Islam

(Friday Speech was delivered by Imam Mohamed Baianonie at the Islamic Center of Raleigh, N. C., on January 3, 1997)

Islam is the deen of all the messengers and prophets, from Adam to the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.). Qur’an has emphasized this fact in many verses, among which, what can what can be translated as:

• Relaying what Nooh said, "And I was commanded to be from the Muslims", surat Younes, (verse 72).

• In the supplication of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma’eel (Ishmael), "Our Lord! And make us Muslims unto You" surat Al-Baqarah, (verse 128).

• In the advice of Ya’qoob (Jacob) to his sons, "Verily, Allah has chosen for you the deen, so do not die except as Muslims", surat Al-Baqarah, (verse 132).

• In the speech of Mousah (Moses) to his people, "And depend on Allah if you are Muslims", surat Younes, (verse 84).

• In the supplication of the Feroh’s magicians when they believed in Mousah, "O Lord, bless us with patience and perish us as Muslims", surat Al-A’raaf, (verse 126).

• In the supplication of Yousef, "Perish me as Muslim and put me with the righteous people", surat Yousef, (verse 101).

• In the words of the companions of Issa, "We believed in Allah, and be witness to us that we are Muslims" surat Ali-Imran, (verse 52).

• Allah (S.W.T.) emphasized this meaning when he addressed this ummah, "He prescribed to you from the deen what he entrusted with Nooh (Noah) and what we revealed to you (Muhammad) and what we entrusted with Ibrahim, Mousah, and Issa that you establish the deen and do not differ in it" surat Ash-Shoura, (verse 13).

• The prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) also emphasizes this fact in a hadith that was reported by Imams Bukhari, Muslim, and Abou Daoud, "The prophets are brothers, the sons of one man, and different mothers, and their deen is one."

Islam means, a total submission to Allah (S.W.T.) in His commands and His prohibitions in all aspects of life, major aspect or minor one. So he who submitted himself totally to Allah in all of his affairs is a Muslims, and if he does not submit to Allah in his ruling, then he is not a Muslim. Allah (S.W.T.) says in the Qur’an, addressing His prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), what can be translated as, "No, by your Lord, they will not believe till they make you a judge in all the problems among them, then they should find no grudge within themselves from what you have ruled, and totally submit", surat An-Nissa’, (verse 65).

This submission to Allah (S.W.T.) is based on the belief that Allah (S.W.T.) is the creator of man and the creator of everything, and this creator is all knowing and all wise. Since this is the case, then Allah has the exclusive right to legislate, and He alone knows everything that is beneficial to us and everything that is harmful to us. Allah (S.W.T.) says in the Qur’an what can be translated as, "Does He not know what He created and He is The Kind, Courteous and The All Knowing (everything)", surat Al-Moulk, (Verse 14).

There is no success for man in this life and in the Hereafter unless he submits totally to the deen of Allah, for this reason, one of the mercies of Allah to His servants that He did not leave any nation without sending them a messenger. Allah (S.W.T.) says what can be translated as, "There is no nation without a person that warns them", surat Fatir, (verse 24). Allah (S.W.T.) also says in another verse what can be translated as, "We have sent in every nation a messenger, that you submit to Allah and keep away from (Taghut) evil", surat An-Nahal, (verse 36).

All the messengers of Allah came with one aqeedah, (believe) without any change, and it is the one that the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) taught us without any distortion, but the difference that we see in the aqeedah believe of the people today is due to people’s distortion of their aqeedah. The aqeedah in reality unveils certain truth and this truth is one that never ever changes. For example, it is not acceptable in our minds, that Allah sends a messenger to tell the people that He is one, and sends another to tell that He is one of three divine entities.

The thing that changes from one message to another is some aspect of Shreea'h (legislation) (what is allowed and what is forbidden, and the obligators...). This is receptive to changes, conforming to the wisdom of Allah that fit the situation of man from one age to another. Nonetheless, this aspect of deen (legislation) experienced very little change and the common things between different legislation of various deens are so many. Allah (S.W.T.) says on behalf of Issah, when he addresses the children of Israel what can be translated as, "And asserting what is in the Torah and to make lawful some of the things that have been forbidden to you.", surat Ali-Imran, (verse 50). Also, Allah (S.W.T.) says about the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) what can be translated as, "Those who follow the messenger, the prophet, the illiterate, whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel, He enjoins them what is good and forbids them from evil, and makes lawful to them the good things and forbids them from the bad things, and puts down the burden and the shackles that were on them." surat Al-Araaf, (verse 157).

The message of the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) was the culmination of all previous legislation, their completion and their seal: For this reason, Allah (S.W.T.) told us what can be translated as, "Today, I have perfected your deen, and completed my bliss upon you and accepted for you Islam as a deen", surat Al-Ma’eedah, (verse 3). This meaning is emphasized in the hadith of the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) that was reported by Imams Bukhari and Muslim, "My example and the example of the prophets before me, like a man who built a house and beautified it, except for a place of a brick in one corner of the corners of the house, the people visit the house and look at it and admire it, and say: Why would not a brick be placed here (where the crevice is)!? I am this brick, and I am the seal of the prophets."

With this completion and perfection, all humanity is commanded to follow the perfect deen, Deenul-Islam, For this reason, The Qur’anic verses came clear, what can be translated as, "Say (O Muhammad) O people, I am the messenger of Allah to you all", surat Al-A’raaf, (verse 158). In another verse, Allah (S.W.T.) says to His prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), what can be translated as, "We did not send you (O Muhammad) except to all people, as a giver of glad tidings and a Warner." surat Saba’, (verse 28). In another verse, Allah also says what can be translated as, "We did not send you (O Muhammad) but a mercy to all worlds", surat Al-Anbia’, (verse 107).

Allah (S.W.T.) will not accept from anyone after the message of the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) a deen other than the deen of the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.). Allah (S.W.T.) says what can be translated as, "And he who chooses other than Islam a deen, it will not be accepted from him", surat Ali-Imran, (verse 58). The prophet also said what is reported by Imam Muslim, "By whom my soul is in His hand, no one from this ummah (nation), a Jew or a Christian, hears about me then he died and did not believe in what I had been sent with, but he will be from the dwellers of Hellfire".

Here, it becomes clear to us the Great responsibility of delivering the message of Islam to all mankind, and presenting it in the correct form . If we do not deliver Islam, then who will?

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