WHAT CAN ISLAM DO FOR YOU? PART 1

Many Muslims believe that Islam can do wonders and miracles for people. They say it can spare all their problems.
They say the reason why the Western countries follow corrupt culture is because there is not much Islam there.
They say it can also save them from death!

Now we are going to see how true this is in THREE - PART SERIES.

PART 2 will be posted next Friday if God is willing.

In the Quran God says:

"....for the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception." 3:185

"Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods, lives and the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere,---." 2:155

"You shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and in your personal selves;...." 3:186

The above verses tell us that Islam cannot spare anyone's problems. Everyone has problems, Muslim or not.

Are Islamic countries free from corrupt behaviour and culture? Muslims have started to follow the corrupt culture as well just as foretold by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that this will happen at the end of times. He also warned that a large part of the Muslim nation would follow the Jews and Christians so closely that if they entered the den of a lizard, Muslims would climb in after them as well and that before the Last Day some "Muslims" would actually worship idols, drink alcohol and commit adultery.

Can Islam save you from death?

"Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense...." 3:185

"Wherever you are, death will find you out, even if you are in towers built up strong and high!"...." 4:78

The above Quranic verses tell us that Islam cannot save people from death.

So why do these Muslims think that Islam is a panecea for all life's problems? These beliefs must have something to do with their psychology and not based on any real information.

Now we know that Islam cannot spare anyone's problems, nor it can save you from death nor it will make you live completely without sin. For that matter, we are going to see what CAN Islam actually do for you.

First, we are going to see what Islam did for this world and compare them with the situation in the modern-day world.

When Prophet Muhammad appeared, the world was divided between two main superpowers, the Persians and the Byzantines, who used to fight each other causing a lot of suffering to their people, let alone their tyrannical and repressive regimes.

At the same time, false beliefs and creeds prevailed; people were wandering away from the Heavenly revelations such as the Torah and the Gospels which were mixed up with fabrications and falsehood. Social conditions had also deteriorated; despotism, tyranny, bloodshed were dominant, and human dignity had been lost and morals were perverted.

Amidst this dark time, the Message of Islam arrived to steer mankind back to unblemished morality and right practices, and to anchor people to the infallible Revelation. Islam's Message arrived to provide guidance, to draw mankind to the light of God and to lead people to bliss and happiness.

The first thing that Islam did was to free people from the slavery of worshipping other deities and human beings and to relieve them from the shackles of tyranny.

The weak, the poor and the slaves rushed to Islam, where they found salvation. Islam raised them up to be on equal footing with the rich and the powerful. It opened the gates of creativity and excellence for everyone to prosper according to his/her capabilities. Take for example, Bilal the Ethiopian, Salman, the Persian and Suhayb, the Byzantine.

Now let's compare this with the modern-day world.

Ever since Islam came to this world it NEVER decreased in numbers. Why?

People embrace Islam because they find security, comfort and peace in it, they see a cure for their problems in it, and through it they are able to get rid of their feelings of confusion, anxiety and loss.

So Islam only provides cures for your problems, not spare them completely. And the Quran has the cures for all problems and mental and physical diseases and it also blocks the ways that lead to such problems.

For instance, the Quran says:

"....Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily God has been to you Most Merciful!" 4:29

If one knows that God has been most merciful to him then there will be no excuse for him to commit suicide.

Islam educates people and lifts them up to righteous conduct, good manners and virtue. Its call is distinguished from others by its realism, balance and moderation. Islam pays due attention to both the soul and the body. It neither suppresses physical desires (monasticism) nor allows extravagance in this regard (promiscuity); it makes a distinction between the natural inclination to enjoy the pleasures of this world (marriage) and forbidden desires that come under the heading of depravity and perversion (all types of illegal sexual activity).

Islam brings about for all mankind the good of this world and happiness in the Hereafter. It considers everyone's spirit as well as body, and cares for the individual as well as community. It makes lawful everything that is useful and beneficial and bans everything that is harmful. So those who abandon their own whims and desires and follow the way of Prophet Muhammad will be successful in this world and in the Hereafter.

Those who become Muslim in developed countries realize what their country’s civilization and laws, which have been fabricated from men’s whims and desires, have done to them, and they realize the extent of the misery in which people in developed countries are living. They see how prevalent psychological illnesses, nervous breakdowns, insanity and suicides are, despite the technological advances and great number of discoveries and inventions and modern systems of management. This is because all of that is concerned only with the physical and the outward, but it neglects the inward and fails to nourish and nurture the heart and soul. God says of these people in the Quran:

“They know only the outside appearance of the life of the world, and they are heedless of the Hereafter.”
[30:7]

Islam has been the only religion that completely abolished slavery of all types. There are four types of slavery in this world:

1. Slavery of human beings

2. Slavery of worshipping others besides God

3. Slavery of one's profession

4. Slavery of one’s own self

1. During the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad, a man had a flock of sheep and a Black slave-girl who tended it. One day, a wolf snatched away an ewe from the flock. The man was angry and slapped the slave-girl harshly. He regretted his action and hurried to the Prophet and told him what had happened.

The Prophet said to him:

"Bring her to me."

When the man brought her, the Prophet asked her:

"Where is Allah?"

She said:

"He is in heaven."

He said:

"Who am I?"

She said:

"You are the Messenger of Allah."

The Messenger of Allah said to the man:

"Set her free! She is a Muslim."

God says in many places of the Quran to set the slaves free:

11. But he has made no haste on the path that is steep.

12. And what will explain to thee the path that is steep?-

13. (It is:) freeing the bondman;

14. Or the giving of food in a day of privation

15. To the orphan with claims of relationship,

16. Or to the indigent (down) in the dust.

17. Then will he be of those who believe, and enjoin patience, (constancy, and self-restraint), and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion. 90:11-17

Islam honoured the woman after all the tyranny and suppression she experienced. Both Eastern and Western societies used to look down at her, denying her human rights. Then Islam came to raise her status, protecting her dignity and rights through imposing a set of laws. It put her on equal footing with man in terms of duties and obligations –in prayers, charity, pilgrimage and all other acts of worship. It made her financially independent and let her keep her name so that she remains belonging to her own family rather than acquiring a new name when she marries. It also gave her the responsibility of looking after her husband and children.

2. Now to the slavery of worshipping others besides God.

Islam came with the clear Message of Divine Oneness in which a person can liberate himself from the bonds of servitude to anything but the One True God, and he can free himself from earthly connections and religions that approve of the servitude to human beings such as leaders, personalities, idols etc, animals such as cows, snakes etc., statues and images such as Mary, Jesus, Hindu/Shinto dieties etc.

Man, whom God has honoured with reason and the soul which is created by Him, becomes a slave to those animals, humans, dolls etc etc which he regards as holy, and reveres and venerates them, although they have no power to bring him any benefit or ward off any harm; indeed they cannot do that for themselves, let alone others.

3. As for the slavery of one's profession.

There are people out there who become slaves to their own professions. A person might work from dawn to dusk for money at the expense of his/her religious commitment. An ambitious man might take the road of destruction or suicide if his plans go awry. It is widely believed that once the Westerners gave up all religions and freed themselves from them, they reached the level of civilized advancement that they have reached or attained huge success in business.

Whatever it is, God knows best. The point that needs to be understood by all is if one chooses his own ideas over the truth revealed by God there is no way he/she will enter the Gate of Paradise no matter how much wealth, good works or fame they amassed or how many people love them or speak good about them in this world.

4. The slavery of one's own self.

Self-worshipping or making one’s own ideas about God.

Following one’s or others' whims and desires or blindly following everything a leader, a personality or an idol says.

Islam came to free people from this type of slavery by making them obey God and His Messenger and NO ONE ELSE.

You should have known by now that Islam is not like any other religions and the Jews, Christians and others who embraced this religion will be enough proof for anyone who likes to doubt. But I know there are still some incredulous people among you so I will tell you about the truth in Part 2 next Friday.

Truth heals the world!