Who sre the lVluslims؟
over one and a half billion people (about one fourtlr of the
world's population) from a vast range of races, nationalities and
cultures across the globe are united by the coilrmon Isldmic
faith. Of these, about l8 percent live in the Arab world. The
world's largest Muslim community is in lndonesiao ffid
substantial parts of Asia and much of Africa are Muslim, while
significant minorities are to be found in lndia, China, Russia, as
well as North and South America" Europe and Oceania. For
Muslims, Isldm is both a religion and a complete way of life.
The Meaning of "Islam"
Of all the major religions of the world, Isldm stands apart in
that it does not derive its name from a tribe or person or
locality; like Judaism (from Judah), or Christianity (from
Christ) or Buddhism (from Buddha), or Hinduism (from the
land of Hind, i.e., [ndia). And Isl4m does not derive its name
from the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad is not worshipped,
nor is he regarded as the founder of Islflm or the author of its
holy scripture, the
Qur'dn. The term "lslAm" occurs in more
than one place in the
Qur'En
itself. It is derived from the Arabic
root (slm) which connotes "peace" or "submission". Indeed, the
proper meaning of "lsldm" is tJre attainment of peace, both
inner zurd outer peace, by submission of oneself to the will of
God (A[lah). This means conscious, loving and trusting
submission, the acceptance of His grace and following of His
path. In that sense the Muslim regards Islam not as a new
religion that came in the seventh century with the advent of the
Prophet Muhammad, but as a continuation of the basic mission
of all prophets throughout history. That mission was perfected
and made universal with the last of those prophets, Muhammad.
IslUmic Monotheism
Muslims do not have a separate god of their own whom they
call "AllEh." The name "Allah" has no connotation
at all of a
ffibal, Arabian or even a Muslim god. "AllEh" simply means the
one and only true, universal God of all. "AllEhi' i, u proper
lame
belonging only to the one almighty God, creator and
sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is within
them, the Eternat and Absolute, to whom alone all worship is
due. God states in the
eur'dn that His name is AlEh. Hence,
Muslims refer to and call on Him by His proper name, Allehr.
what are the basic attributes of Alldh? The
eur'En mentions
the "best nanles" (or attributes) of Ailair. Instead of
enurnerating them all, we will examine a few. some attributes
emphasize the transcendence of Allatr. The
eur'En
repeatedly
makes it clear that Ail[h is beyond o'r limited perception:
"There is nothing
^like
unto Him1,'1qur'An 42:l'l) "irision
perceives Him nof, but He perr"nii
faltJ
vision"(e'r,En
6:103) "Nor is th,ere to Him any equivaint!(e ll2;4) A
Muslim never thinks of Alhtr as having any particular image,
whether physical, human, material or otherwisi. such attributes
as "the all-Knowing,"
"t6g Eternal,"
,'the
Omnipotent,"
,,the
all
Encompassing,"
"the Just," and "the sovereigni also emphasize
lranscendence. But this does not mean that Alldtr is a mere
IslUmic Monotheism
Muslims do not have a separate god of their own whom they
call "AllEh." The name "Allah" has no connotation
at all of a
ffibal, Arabian or even a Muslim god. "AllEh" simply means the
one and only true, universal God of all. "AllEhi' i, u proper
lame
belonging only to the one almighty God, creator and
sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is within
them, the Eternat and Absolute, to whom alone all worship is
due. God states in the
eur'dn that His name is AlEh. Hence,
Muslims refer to and call on Him by His proper name, Allehr.
what are the basic attributes of Alldh? The
eur'En mentions
philosophical concept or a deity far removed. Indeed, alongside
this emphasis on the transcendence of AllEh, the
Qur'dn also
speaks of AlHh as a God who is close, easily approachable,
kind. affectionate, loving, forgiving and merciful. The very first
passage in the
Qur'dn,
repeated at the start of every chapter is
"ln the name af AllAh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially
Merciful..." The
Qur'fln
tells us that when AllAh created the
first human He "breathed into him
fram
His
fcreatedJ
souf."1q 32:9) and that Allah is "closer to him (the human)
than
fhisJ
jugular vern."(Q 50:16) In another beautiful and
moving passage we are told, "And when
W serttants rck you,
[O
MuhammadJ, concerning Me
-
indeed I am near. I respond
to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upan Me. So
let them respond to Me
fby
obedienceJ and believe in Me that
they may be
frightlyJ
guided."(Q 2:186)
For the Muslim, monotheism does not mean simply the
oneness of God, but the absolute uniqueness of Allah, which
precludes the notion of anyone sharing in the godhead. The
opposite of monotheism in IslEm is called "shirk", an Arabic
term meaning the association of another with Allah in some
aspect of divinity. It includes polytheism, dualism (one god for
good or light and another for evil or darkness), and pantheism,
the idea that God is within everything- All forms of god
incarnate philosophies are excluded by IslEm's monotheism, as
is blind obedience to dictators, clerry, or one's own whims and
desires, rather than to the ordinances of God (Allah). All these
are regarded as forms of "associating" others with Allatr
{shirk}
either by believing tlrat some creatures of AllAh possess divinity
or by believing that they share in the divine attributes of Alleh.
To the Muslim, monotheism is not simply a dogma, thought or
belief; it is something that deeply influences one's whole
outlook on life.
over one and a half billion people (about one fourtlr of the
world's population) from a vast range of races, nationalities and
cultures across the globe are united by the coilrmon Isldmic
faith. Of these, about l8 percent live in the Arab world. The
world's largest Muslim community is in lndonesiao ffid
substantial parts of Asia and much of Africa are Muslim, while
significant minorities are to be found in lndia, China, Russia, as
well as North and South America" Europe and Oceania. For
Muslims, Isldm is both a religion and a complete way of life.
The Meaning of "Islam"
Of all the major religions of the world, Isldm stands apart in
that it does not derive its name from a tribe or person or
locality; like Judaism (from Judah), or Christianity (from
Christ) or Buddhism (from Buddha), or Hinduism (from the
land of Hind, i.e., [ndia). And Isl4m does not derive its name
from the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad is not worshipped,
nor is he regarded as the founder of Islflm or the author of its
holy scripture, the
Qur'dn. The term "lslAm" occurs in more
than one place in the
Qur'En
itself. It is derived from the Arabic
root (slm) which connotes "peace" or "submission". Indeed, the
proper meaning of "lsldm" is tJre attainment of peace, both
inner zurd outer peace, by submission of oneself to the will of
God (A[lah). This means conscious, loving and trusting
submission, the acceptance of His grace and following of His
path. In that sense the Muslim regards Islam not as a new
religion that came in the seventh century with the advent of the
Prophet Muhammad, but as a continuation of the basic mission
of all prophets throughout history. That mission was perfected
and made universal with the last of those prophets, Muhammad.
IslUmic Monotheism
Muslims do not have a separate god of their own whom they
call "AllEh." The name "Allah" has no connotation
at all of a
ffibal, Arabian or even a Muslim god. "AllEh" simply means the
one and only true, universal God of all. "AllEhi' i, u proper
lame
belonging only to the one almighty God, creator and
sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is within
them, the Eternat and Absolute, to whom alone all worship is
due. God states in the
eur'dn that His name is AlEh. Hence,
Muslims refer to and call on Him by His proper name, Allehr.
what are the basic attributes of Alldh? The
eur'En mentions
the "best nanles" (or attributes) of Ailair. Instead of
enurnerating them all, we will examine a few. some attributes
emphasize the transcendence of Allatr. The
eur'En
repeatedly
makes it clear that Ail[h is beyond o'r limited perception:
"There is nothing
^like
unto Him1,'1qur'An 42:l'l) "irision
perceives Him nof, but He perr"nii
faltJ
vision"(e'r,En
6:103) "Nor is th,ere to Him any equivaint!(e ll2;4) A
Muslim never thinks of Alhtr as having any particular image,
whether physical, human, material or otherwisi. such attributes
as "the all-Knowing,"
"t6g Eternal,"
,'the
Omnipotent,"
,,the
all
Encompassing,"
"the Just," and "the sovereigni also emphasize
lranscendence. But this does not mean that Alldtr is a mere
IslUmic Monotheism
Muslims do not have a separate god of their own whom they
call "AllEh." The name "Allah" has no connotation
at all of a
ffibal, Arabian or even a Muslim god. "AllEh" simply means the
one and only true, universal God of all. "AllEhi' i, u proper
lame
belonging only to the one almighty God, creator and
sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is within
them, the Eternat and Absolute, to whom alone all worship is
due. God states in the
eur'dn that His name is AlEh. Hence,
Muslims refer to and call on Him by His proper name, Allehr.
what are the basic attributes of Alldh? The
eur'En mentions
philosophical concept or a deity far removed. Indeed, alongside
this emphasis on the transcendence of AllEh, the
Qur'dn also
speaks of AlHh as a God who is close, easily approachable,
kind. affectionate, loving, forgiving and merciful. The very first
passage in the
Qur'dn,
repeated at the start of every chapter is
"ln the name af AllAh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially
Merciful..." The
Qur'fln
tells us that when AllAh created the
first human He "breathed into him
fram
His
fcreatedJ
souf."1q 32:9) and that Allah is "closer to him (the human)
than
fhisJ
jugular vern."(Q 50:16) In another beautiful and
moving passage we are told, "And when
W serttants rck you,
[O
MuhammadJ, concerning Me
-
indeed I am near. I respond
to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upan Me. So
let them respond to Me
fby
obedienceJ and believe in Me that
they may be
frightlyJ
guided."(Q 2:186)
For the Muslim, monotheism does not mean simply the
oneness of God, but the absolute uniqueness of Allah, which
precludes the notion of anyone sharing in the godhead. The
opposite of monotheism in IslEm is called "shirk", an Arabic
term meaning the association of another with Allah in some
aspect of divinity. It includes polytheism, dualism (one god for
good or light and another for evil or darkness), and pantheism,
the idea that God is within everything- All forms of god
incarnate philosophies are excluded by IslEm's monotheism, as
is blind obedience to dictators, clerry, or one's own whims and
desires, rather than to the ordinances of God (Allah). All these
are regarded as forms of "associating" others with Allatr
{shirk}
either by believing tlrat some creatures of AllAh possess divinity
or by believing that they share in the divine attributes of Alleh.
To the Muslim, monotheism is not simply a dogma, thought or
belief; it is something that deeply influences one's whole
outlook on life.
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