The Religion of Islam

The Religion of Islam

1992 10-11 October-November 17-18 The Religion of Islam (659) The religion of the universe is Islam. From the very moment of its creation, it was destined by its Creator to have Islam as its religion. The Universe had, therefore, to follow the path of total submission to God. It could not deviate in the slightest from the divine will.

Later, when man was created and inhabited the earth, he too was commanded to lead his life in total obedience to the will of God. Total surrender to God was and still is the only religion for both Man and the Universe.

There is a difference, however, in the respective courses pursued by man and the Universe. The latter, having been created in a state of total subjugation to the divine will, has no option but to follow God’s commands. It cannot deviate from the divine path by so much as an inch. Man, on the other hand, is a. creature endowed with free will and enjoys certain limited powers. As such, he is expected – unlike the Universe – to follow the path of submission to God as a matter of moral choice.

The Universe with all its vastness is a unity. That is, all of its functions are geared to a single unified system. In this way, it demonstrates its following of the one God. The same is required of man. He must have faith in the one God - but of his own free will. All his thinking must be cast in a monotheistic mould.

Right from the humble bee to the solar system, all the parts which make up the vast array of the Universe continue to function with awesome meaningfulness as if receiving commands from some superior power. These commands came in the form of revelation (wahy). To man, God’s message has been revealed through His Prophets. Man must seek guidance through these revelations and then conduct himself accordingly.

The whole’ Universe is in a state of prostration before God, a manifestation of which is the shadows we see everywhere. The loftiest of mountains, the tallest of trees prostrate themselves before their Creator by casting their shadows on the ground. Man is required to do likewise. He must fall in prostration before his Lord: worshipping God should become food for his soul.

There are countless objects in the Universe, all of which are in a constant state of motion. Yet they never clash with one another. Each part functions in complete co-ordination with the others. The same is required of man. Each individual must work in absolute harmony with society. Every man must achieve his aim in life in full co-ordination with others.

The Universe functions on the principle of mutual benefaction. Each element of the Universe performs in such a way as to profit from the other elements. The same principle, i.e., the benefiting of others, has to be adopted by man in his life in this world. His activities must invariably be aimed at others’ welfare.

The whole Universe is of a predictable character, the function of each element being precisely calculable in advance. Man is required to be similar in nature. That is to say that his reactions in any given situation should be foreseeable. For this, he has to be a man of principle.

Each element of the Universe functions within certain limits. Each star, for example remains in its own orbit, never trespassing on the orbits of other heavenly bodies. The same is required of man. He must strictly adhere to the limits set for him. He should never encroach on another’s sphere. Every man must live with the consciousness that his sphere ends where the sphere of another begins.

God’s will in regard to man has been brought to mankind by the Prophet in the form of divine revelation. Islam is its description in words, just as the Universe is its demonstration in practice. As such, Islam is the final and standard edition of our Creator’s revelation of His will.