Introduction
to Islam
Islam
is a Semitic religion, which has over one billion adherents all over the world.
Islam means "submission to the will of God". Muslims accept the
Qur’an, as the word of God revealed to His last and final prophet, Muhammad
(peace be upon him). Islam states that Allah sent messengers and prophets
throughout the ages with the message of Unity of God and accountability in the
Hereafter. Islam thus makes it an article of faith to believe in all the
earlier prophets, starting with Adam, and continuing with Noah, Abraham,
Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, John the Baptist and Jesus amongst many
others (may peace be on them all).
Concept
of God
- The Most Concise Definition of God
- Surah Ikhlas - the touchstone of theology
- What does Islam say about ‘god-men’?
- By what name do we call God?
- God does not take human form:
- God does not perform ungodly acts:
- God only performs Godly acts:
- Philosophy Of Anthropomorphism
- The Creator prepares the instruction manual
- Allah chooses Messengers:
- Each attribute of God is unique and possessed by Him alone:
- Unity of God
- Tawheed
The Most Concise Definition of God
"Say: He is Allah,
The One and Only.
"Allah, the Eternal, Absolute.
"He begets not, nor is He begotten.
And there is none like unto Him."
[Al-Qur’an 112:1-4]
"Say: He is Allah,
The One and Only.
"Allah, the Eternal, Absolute.
"He begets not, nor is He begotten.
And there is none like unto Him."
[Al-Qur’an 112:1-4]
The word
‘As-Samad’ is difficult to translate. It means ‘absolute existence’, which can
be attributed only to Allah (swt), all other existence being temporal or
conditional. It also means that Allah (swt) is not dependent on any person or
thing, but all persons and things are dependent on Him.
Surah Ikhlas - the touchstone of theology:
Surah Ikhlas (Chapter 112) of the Glorious Qur’an, is the touchstone of theology. ‘Theo’ in Greek means God and ‘logy’ means study. Thus Theology means study of God and to Muslims this four line definition of Almighty God serves as the touchstone of the study of God. Any candidate to divinity must be subjected to this ‘acid test’. Since the attributes of Allah given in this chapter are unique, false gods and pretenders to divinity can be easily dismissed using these verses.
Surah Ikhlas - the touchstone of theology:
Surah Ikhlas (Chapter 112) of the Glorious Qur’an, is the touchstone of theology. ‘Theo’ in Greek means God and ‘logy’ means study. Thus Theology means study of God and to Muslims this four line definition of Almighty God serves as the touchstone of the study of God. Any candidate to divinity must be subjected to this ‘acid test’. Since the attributes of Allah given in this chapter are unique, false gods and pretenders to divinity can be easily dismissed using these verses.
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