SHAFAQNA

SHAFAQNA According to Islam and the Shia school of thought, Tawhid (the belief of the oneness of God or monotheism) is the highest and most valuable principle and border between belief and disbelief. In contrast to tawhid, we have shirk (polytheism) which the Quran refers to as “great oppression”[1] and an unforgivable sin[2].

Tawhid is of four main branches:

Tawhid in His Essence

Tawhid in His Attributes

Tawhid in His Actions

Tawhid in Worship

Tawhid in worship means that Allah is the only one to be worshipped and no one else other than Him deserves worship because He is absolute perfection and is nothing but perfection; one who is self-sufficient and is the one who bestows all blessings and is the creator of all creatures; all of these traits solely belong to Him.

The main purpose of worship is nearness and getting ever closer to this perfect entity and for the rays of His divine qualities to shine on the worshipper’s inside which calls for one to put aside his/her desires, and going after self-building and purification. This goal can only be achieved by worshipping Allah (swt) which is absolute perfection.[3]

Worship has a vast meaning. Literally, “abd” refers to a person which completely belongs to his owner from head to toe; his will is his owner’s will, and follows him in his choice. Compared to him, he is the owner of nothing and never disobeys him.

In other words, “Ubudiyyah” (servitude) is expressing the final degree of humility in front of the Divinity, thus, the object of worship can only be someone who has respected and bestowed the most of all, and that can be no one other than Allah (swt).

Therefore, Ubudiyyah is the climax of perfection, nearness to Allah and absolute submission to Him.[4]

In the Quran, worship has been counted as the main purpose of the creation of mankind and all other creatures. The holy Quran says: “I did not create the jinn and the humans except that they may worship Me”[5]

As a result, worship only belongs to Him, and He hasn’t permitted any other creature to worship other than Him because worshipping other than Him is the biggest form of shirk (polytheism), and shirk is a great oppression and an unforgivable sin.

One of the most complete and beautiful forms of worship is prostration[6], because it is the highest degree of showing one’s humility in front of the object of worship.

According to Islam, prostrating to Allah (swt) is the most important, or at least one of the most important forms of worship. As it has been mentioned in traditions, when man prostrates to Allah (swt), he is closer to Him than in any other state. The great leaders of Islam, particularly the Prophet (pbuh) and the imams, used to have long prostrations.[7]

Therefore, according to Islamic principles, prostrating to other than Allah (swt) is forbidden, and in our hadith books, there is a chapter titled “The prohibition of prostrating to other than Allah” in addition to traditions from Rasulullah (pbuh) and the imams saying that prostrating to other than Allah (swt) is forbidden.[8]

Prostrating to Prophet Yusuf (pbuh):

Two cases of prostrating to other than Allah (swt) have been named in the Quran; the prostration of the angels to Adam (pbuh)[9] and the prostration of Prophet Yusuf’s brothers and his mother and father to him. Since the prostration in both of these cases is of the same type, we will analyze the prostration of the brothers of Yusuf and solve the problem there; whatever goes there, applies to the prostration of the angels too.

The holy Quran says: “Yusuf placed his father and mother on the throne (to his raised seat) and they all prostrated before him; and he said:" O, my father! This is the interpretation of my dream in the past.”[10]

Some possibilities have been mentioned here:

Some interpreters say: “There are two types of prostration; one being a prostration of worship which solely belongs to Allah (swt) in contrast to the worship of idols, the sun and stars etc. which the polytheists had for themselves, and the other being a sign of respect shown to rulers, kings, prophets and other great individuals. The latter’s permissibility or impermissibility depends on divine enjoinment and prohibition. Islam has strongly prohibited even this type of prostration although it isn’t considered shirk. The only exception is when Allah (swt) demands it, like in the case of Prophet Adam (pbuh).  In such cases, this prostration to other than Allah (swt) is truly the worship of Allah (swt) himself, not the object of prostration, and that is why Satan was kicked out as a result of refusing to prostrate. This type of prostration was favorable and valued in the religion of Ibrahim (pbuh) and other prophets of Bani Israel (the descendants of Israel). The Prophet of Islam’s saying: “If prostrating to other than Allah (swt) was permissible, I would have ordered women to prostrate to their husbands” is good proof that even this type of prostration is forbidden, because he surely isn’t saying that if it wasn’t forbidden for women to worship their husbands, since it is very clear that prostrating in worship to other than Allah (swt) is absolutely haram. Therefore what this statement is stating is that if it wasn’t haram for women to prostrate to their husbands is respect, he would order them to do so.[11]

This verse is trying to say that since they (the brothers and parents of Yusuf) were takrimmed and were granted a personal palace and were allowed to sit on the king’s throne, the second that Yusuf entered and they saw his beauty and the divine light shining from his face, they lost all control and will and helplessly prostrated.

Yet, this prostration wasn’t one of worship, because that of worship belongs to Allah (swt), and worshipping other than Him isn’t allowed for anyone no matter what religion he/she has. This is the concept of Tawhid in worship in which the quest of all prophets was to invite to.

Therefore, neither Prophet Yusuf (pbuh) who was a prophet of Allah (swt) would allow them to prostrate to him in worship, nor would a great prophet of Allah (swt) like Yaqub (Jacob) ever do such a thing and the Quran wouldn’t mention such a act as a favorable or at least permissible one.

Therefore, the abovementioned prostration was one of thanking Allah (swt), the very God (swt) that granted Yusuf so many blessings and high ranks and solved the numerous problems of the family of Yaqub (pbuh). In this case, this prostration (of the brothers of Yusuf) is a form of worship as a result of the greatness of what Prophet Yusuf (pbuh) had been granted by Allah (swt), and at the same time is a form of respect to Yusuf (pbuh), thus the pronoun in “له” in the verse that mentions their prostration to him, is clearly relating to Yusuf (pbuh) himself.

The author of Tafsir Nemouneh says: This meaning seems closer especially since we have traditions from our imams that say that their prostration was a form of worship of Allah (swt).

In some traditions we read that their prostration was a form of obedience of Allah (swt) and respect to Yusuf (pbuh).

The same goes for the story of the prostration of the angels. In reality, there too, the angels were prostrating to an almighty lord for creating such a strange and advanced creature. In addition to this prostration being a form of worship and obedience of Allah (swt), it is also a sign of the greatness and respectfulness of Prophet Adam (pbuh) at the same time. This is just like if someone does an important and righteous act and we prostrate to Allah in gratitude. This prostration is both a form of worship of Allah (swt) and a form of respect to the righteous individual.[12]

Prostration in its vast meaning is meant here; which covers all forms of humility and unassertiveness, because prostration isn’t always used for its famous meaning. It is used for any form of humility also, thus some interpreters of the Quran say that usual humility and respect in that time and era was expressed by bowing (not prostrating) and that is the meaning of prostration in the abovementioned verse. But taken into consideration that in the verse, the term "خروا" which means “falling to the ground” has been used, it seems that their prostration wasn’t just a means of bowing down.[13]

Other great interpreters say: “Worship means for the servant to show his devotion and loyalty and practically prove his servitude (to Allah) and wish to stay on this path of devotion.

Therefore, an act of worship should be one in which is capable of showing and expressing the servitude of the servant or the lordship of his lord. Bowing, prostrating, standing up at during the entrance of the owner and walking behind him are all ways of expressing this humility. The more an act puts this humility and servitude to manifestation, the higher the worship and the more the servitude. Prostration expresses the highness and power of the lord and abjectness of the servant more than any other act, because during prostration, the servant falls to the ground, placing the face on it. Yet, prostration’s essence isn’t worship and in other words, when one prostrates to another, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he/she is worshipping that person, on the contrary, it being considered worship depends on one performing it with the intention of it being worship. What is forbidden according to intellect  and narration, is for one to prostrate with the intention and mindset that the object of prostration is of rububiyyah, but if this act is done only for respect or welcoming, there is no intellectual or narrative reason for such an act being forbidden.

The only thing is that the religious spirit that religious individuals have acquired from the Quran and tradition, calls for them to leave this act exclusively for Allah (swt) and not prostrate to anyone else for any reason. This spirit is undeniable, yet it doesn’t mean that any act that we perform as a form of loyalty to Allah (swt) can’t be done for anyone other than Him.[14]

The prostration of Yaqub (pbuh) and the mother and brothers of Yusuf (pbuh) was for Allah (swt) and Yusuf (pbuh) was a qibla for their prostration, just like the Ka’bah, thus it is sometimes said in the Arabic language that “one prostrates towards the Ka’bah”.

Just like us when we worship Allah (swt) and make the Ka’bah our qiblah. So by prostrating towards the Ka’bah we are worshipping Allah (swt), not the Ka’bah and it is clear that the sign of Allah (swt), from the sense that it is a sign, is of no independence, and if one prostrates, what the sign is showing and pointing to (meaning Allah swt) is being worshipped.[15]

Considering what has been said till now, one can conclude that in Islam, there is no prostration (even for respect) other than the one that is solely for Allah (swt), to the extent that it has been mentioned in some traditions that the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) asked him to allow them to prostrate to him, and he responded saying: لَا بَلِ اسْجُدُوا لِلهِ   “No, but prostrate to Allah (swt)."[16]

In the end, we would like to invite you to hear some of the fatwas of the maraje’ on prostrating to other than Allah (swt):

The office of the Grand Ayatullah Khamenei:

“Prostrating to other than Allah (swt) is haram and some of the laity who put their foreheads to the ground in front of the graves of the imams (as), if they are performing such an act as means of thanking Allah (swt), it is permissible, otherwise it is haram.

The office of the Grand Ayatullah Fadhel Lankarani:

Prostrating to other than Allah (swt) isn’t permissible and the prostration of Prophet Yaqub (pbuh) and his sons was a prostration of gratitude to Allah (swt). See al-Urwatul-Wuthqa of Seyyid Yazdi regarding this issue.

The office of the Grand Ayatullah Sistani:

Prostrating to other than Allah (swt) isn’t permissible. You can refer to valid tafsirs regarding the story of Prophet Yusuf (pbuh) for further information.

The office of the Grand Ayatullah Makarem Shirazi:

What most scholars and interpreters of the Quran say regarding them (Prophet Yaqub and his sons) is that their prostration was because of the greatness that Allah (swt) had granted him. Their prostration was for Allah (swt) and was a form of prostrating in gratitude.

[1] Luqman:13 "وَ إِذْ قالَ لُقْمانُ لاِبْنِهِ وَ هُوَ یَعِظُهُ یا بُنَیَّ لا تُشْرِکْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْکَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظیمٌ"

[2] Nisa:48 "إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا یَغْفِرُ أَنْ یُشْرَکَ به وَ یَغْفِرُ ما دُونَ ذلِکَ لِمَنْ یَشاءُ"

[3] Tafsir Nemouneh, vol.27, pg. 447.

[4] Tafsir Nemouneh, vol.22, pg. 387.

[5] Dhariyat:56 "وَ ما خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَ الْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِیَعْبُدُونِ"

[6] Although every prostration isn’t worship and in other words, the essence of prostration isn’t being worship; see: translation of al-Mizan, vol. 1, pg. 190.

[7] Shirazi, Shi’eh Pasokh Miguyad (Shia Answers), third print, 1385 (solar), pg. 143.

[8] Wasa’elul-Shia, Alul-Bayt Institute, Qum, 1409 (lunar), vol. 6, pg. 385.

[9] Hashemzadeh Harisi Najmi, Bayan dar Masa’ele Quran, pg. 620.

[10] Yusuf:100 "وَ رَفَعَ أَبَوَیْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَ خَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّداً وَ قالَ یا أَبَتِ هذا تَأْوِیلُ رُءْیایَ".

[11] Seyyid Abdul-Husain Tayyeb, Atyabul-Bayan fi Tafsiril-Quran, vol. 7, pg. 280.

[12] Tafsir Nemouneh, vol.10, pg. 82.

[13] Tafsir Nemouneh, vol.10, pg. 82.

[14] Translation of Tafsir Al-Mizan, vol. 1, pg. 189 and 190.

[15] Tafsir Al-Mizan and the tafsir of Fakhr Razi, under the verse being discussed; translation of Tafsir al-Mizan, vol. 11, pg. 339.

[16] Mustadrakul-Wasa’el, Alul-Bayt Institute, Qum, 1408 (lunar), vol. 4, pg. 480.

www.shafaqna.com/English

SHAFAQNA According to Islam and the Shia school of thought, Tawhid (the belief of the oneness of God or monotheism) is the highest and most valuable principle and border between belief and disbelief. In contrast to tawhid, we have shirk (polytheism) which the Quran refers to as “great oppression”[1] and an unforgivable sin[2].

Tawhid is of four main branches:

Tawhid in His Essence

Tawhid in His Attributes

Tawhid in His Actions

Tawhid in Worship

Tawhid in worship means that Allah is the only one to be worshipped and no one else other than Him deserves worship because He is absolute perfection and is nothing but perfection; one who is self-sufficient and is the one who bestows all blessings and is the creator of all creatures; all of these traits solely belong to Him.

The main purpose of worship is nearness and getting ever closer to this perfect entity and for the rays of His divine qualities to shine on the worshipper’s inside which calls for one to put aside his/her desires, and going after self-building and purification. This goal can only be achieved by worshipping Allah (swt) which is absolute perfection.[3]

Worship has a vast meaning. Literally, “abd” refers to a person which completely belongs to his owner from head to toe; his will is his owner’s will, and follows him in his choice. Compared to him, he is the owner of nothing and never disobeys him.

In other words, “Ubudiyyah” (servitude) is expressing the final degree of humility in front of the Divinity, thus, the object of worship can only be someone who has respected and bestowed the most of all, and that can be no one other than Allah (swt).

Therefore, Ubudiyyah is the climax of perfection, nearness to Allah and absolute submission to Him.[4]

In the Quran, worship has been counted as the main purpose of the creation of mankind and all other creatures. The holy Quran says: “I did not create the jinn and the humans except that they may worship Me”[5]

As a result, worship only belongs to Him, and He hasn’t permitted any other creature to worship other than Him because worshipping other than Him is the biggest form of shirk (polytheism), and shirk is a great oppression and an unforgivable sin.

One of the most complete and beautiful forms of worship is prostration[6], because it is the highest degree of showing one’s humility in front of the object of worship.

According to Islam, prostrating to Allah (swt) is the most important, or at least one of the most important forms of worship. As it has been mentioned in traditions, when man prostrates to Allah (swt), he is closer to Him than in any other state. The great leaders of Islam, particularly the Prophet (pbuh) and the imams, used to have long prostrations.[7]

Therefore, according to Islamic principles, prostrating to other than Allah (swt) is forbidden, and in our hadith books, there is a chapter titled “The prohibition of prostrating to other than Allah” in addition to traditions from Rasulullah (pbuh) and the imams saying that prostrating to other than Allah (swt) is forbidden.[8]

Prostrating to Prophet Yusuf (pbuh):

Two cases of prostrating to other than Allah (swt) have been named in the Quran; the prostration of the angels to Adam (pbuh)[9] and the prostration of Prophet Yusuf’s brothers and his mother and father to him. Since the prostration in both of these cases is of the same type, we will analyze the prostration of the brothers of Yusuf and solve the problem there; whatever goes there, applies to the prostration of the angels too.

The holy Quran says: “Yusuf placed his father and mother on the throne (to his raised seat) and they all prostrated before him; and he said:" O, my father! This is the interpretation of my dream in the past.”[10]

Some possibilities have been mentioned here:

Some interpreters say: “There are two types of prostration; one being a prostration of worship which solely belongs to Allah (swt) in contrast to the worship of idols, the sun and stars etc. which the polytheists had for themselves, and the other being a sign of respect shown to rulers, kings, prophets and other great individuals. The latter’s permissibility or impermissibility depends on divine enjoinment and prohibition. Islam has strongly prohibited even this type of prostration although it isn’t considered shirk. The only exception is when Allah (swt) demands it, like in the case of Prophet Adam (pbuh).  In such cases, this prostration to other than Allah (swt) is truly the worship of Allah (swt) himself, not the object of prostration, and that is why Satan was kicked out as a result of refusing to prostrate. This type of prostration was favorable and valued in the religion of Ibrahim (pbuh) and other prophets of Bani Israel (the descendants of Israel). The Prophet of Islam’s saying: “If prostrating to other than Allah (swt) was permissible, I would have ordered women to prostrate to their husbands” is good proof that even this type of prostration is forbidden, because he surely isn’t saying that if it wasn’t forbidden for women to worship their husbands, since it is very clear that prostrating in worship to other than Allah (swt) is absolutely haram. Therefore what this statement is stating is that if it wasn’t haram for women to prostrate to their husbands is respect, he would order them to do so.[11]

This verse is trying to say that since they (the brothers and parents of Yusuf) were takrimmed and were granted a personal palace and were allowed to sit on the king’s throne, the second that Yusuf entered and they saw his beauty and the divine light shining from his face, they lost all control and will and helplessly prostrated.

Yet, this prostration wasn’t one of worship, because that of worship belongs to Allah (swt), and worshipping other than Him isn’t allowed for anyone no matter what religion he/she has. This is the concept of Tawhid in worship in which the quest of all prophets was to invite to.

Therefore, neither Prophet Yusuf (pbuh) who was a prophet of Allah (swt) would allow them to prostrate to him in worship, nor would a great prophet of Allah (swt) like Yaqub (Jacob) ever do such a thing and the Quran wouldn’t mention such a act as a favorable or at least permissible one.

Therefore, the abovementioned prostration was one of thanking Allah (swt), the very God (swt) that granted Yusuf so many blessings and high ranks and solved the numerous problems of the family of Yaqub (pbuh). In this case, this prostration (of the brothers of Yusuf) is a form of worship as a result of the greatness of what Prophet Yusuf (pbuh) had been granted by Allah (swt), and at the same time is a form of respect to Yusuf (pbuh), thus the pronoun in “له” in the verse that mentions their prostration to him, is clearly relating to Yusuf (pbuh) himself.

The author of Tafsir Nemouneh says: This meaning seems closer especially since we have traditions from our imams that say that their prostration was a form of worship of Allah (swt).

In some traditions we read that their prostration was a form of obedience of Allah (swt) and respect to Yusuf (pbuh).

The same goes for the story of the prostration of the angels. In reality, there too, the angels were prostrating to an almighty lord for creating such a strange and advanced creature. In addition to this prostration being a form of worship and obedience of Allah (swt), it is also a sign of the greatness and respectfulness of Prophet Adam (pbuh) at the same time. This is just like if someone does an important and righteous act and we prostrate to Allah in gratitude. This prostration is both a form of worship of Allah (swt) and a form of respect to the righteous individual.[12]

Prostration in its vast meaning is meant here; which covers all forms of humility and unassertiveness, because prostration isn’t always used for its famous meaning. It is used for any form of humility also, thus some interpreters of the Quran say that usual humility and respect in that time and era was expressed by bowing (not prostrating) and that is the meaning of prostration in the abovementioned verse. But taken into consideration that in the verse, the term "خروا" which means “falling to the ground” has been used, it seems that their prostration wasn’t just a means of bowing down.[13]

Other great interpreters say: “Worship means for the servant to show his devotion and loyalty and practically prove his servitude (to Allah) and wish to stay on this path of devotion.

Therefore, an act of worship should be one in which is capable of showing and expressing the servitude of the servant or the lordship of his lord. Bowing, prostrating, standing up at during the entrance of the owner and walking behind him are all ways of expressing this humility. The more an act puts this humility and servitude to manifestation, the higher the worship and the more the servitude. Prostration expresses the highness and power of the lord and abjectness of the servant more than any other act, because during prostration, the servant falls to the ground, placing the face on it. Yet, prostration’s essence isn’t worship and in other words, when one prostrates to another, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he/she is worshipping that person, on the contrary, it being considered worship depends on one performing it with the intention of it being worship. What is forbidden according to intellect  and narration, is for one to prostrate with the intention and mindset that the object of prostration is of rububiyyah, but if this act is done only for respect or welcoming, there is no intellectual or narrative reason for such an act being forbidden.

The only thing is that the religious spirit that religious individuals have acquired from the Quran and tradition, calls for them to leave this act exclusively for Allah (swt) and not prostrate to anyone else for any reason. This spirit is undeniable, yet it doesn’t mean that any act that we perform as a form of loyalty to Allah (swt) can’t be done for anyone other than Him.[14]

The prostration of Yaqub (pbuh) and the mother and brothers of Yusuf (pbuh) was for Allah (swt) and Yusuf (pbuh) was a qibla for their prostration, just like the Ka’bah, thus it is sometimes said in the Arabic language that “one prostrates towards the Ka’bah”.

Just like us when we worship Allah (swt) and make the Ka’bah our qiblah. So by prostrating towards the Ka’bah we are worshipping Allah (swt), not the Ka’bah and it is clear that the sign of Allah (swt), from the sense that it is a sign, is of no independence, and if one prostrates, what the sign is showing and pointing to (meaning Allah swt) is being worshipped.[15]

Considering what has been said till now, one can conclude that in Islam, there is no prostration (even for respect) other than the one that is solely for Allah (swt), to the extent that it has been mentioned in some traditions that the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) asked him to allow them to prostrate to him, and he responded saying: لَا بَلِ اسْجُدُوا لِلهِ   “No, but prostrate to Allah (swt)."[16]

In the end, we would like to invite you to hear some of the fatwas of the maraje’ on prostrating to other than Allah (swt):

The office of the Grand Ayatullah Khamenei:

“Prostrating to other than Allah (swt) is haram and some of the laity who put their foreheads to the ground in front of the graves of the imams (as), if they are performing such an act as means of thanking Allah (swt), it is permissible, otherwise it is haram.

The office of the Grand Ayatullah Fadhel Lankarani:

Prostrating to other than Allah (swt) isn’t permissible and the prostration of Prophet Yaqub (pbuh) and his sons was a prostration of gratitude to Allah (swt). See al-Urwatul-Wuthqa of Seyyid Yazdi regarding this issue.

The office of the Grand Ayatullah Sistani:

Prostrating to other than Allah (swt) isn’t permissible. You can refer to valid tafsirs regarding the story of Prophet Yusuf (pbuh) for further information.

The office of the Grand Ayatullah Makarem Shirazi:

What most scholars and interpreters of the Quran say regarding them (Prophet Yaqub and his sons) is that their prostration was because of the greatness that Allah (swt) had granted him. Their prostration was for Allah (swt) and was a form of prostrating in gratitude.

[1] Luqman:13 "وَ إِذْ قالَ لُقْمانُ لاِبْنِهِ وَ هُوَ یَعِظُهُ یا بُنَیَّ لا تُشْرِکْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّ الشِّرْکَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظیمٌ"

[2] Nisa:48 "إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا یَغْفِرُ أَنْ یُشْرَکَ به وَ یَغْفِرُ ما دُونَ ذلِکَ لِمَنْ یَشاءُ"

[3] Tafsir Nemouneh, vol.27, pg. 447.

[4] Tafsir Nemouneh, vol.22, pg. 387.

[5] Dhariyat:56 "وَ ما خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَ الْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِیَعْبُدُونِ"

[6] Although every prostration isn’t worship and in other words, the essence of prostration isn’t being worship; see: translation of al-Mizan, vol. 1, pg. 190.

[7] Shirazi, Shi’eh Pasokh Miguyad (Shia Answers), third print, 1385 (solar), pg. 143.

[8] Wasa’elul-Shia, Alul-Bayt Institute, Qum, 1409 (lunar), vol. 6, pg. 385.

[9] Hashemzadeh Harisi Najmi, Bayan dar Masa’ele Quran, pg. 620.

[10] Yusuf:100 "وَ رَفَعَ أَبَوَیْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَ خَرُّوا لَهُ سُجَّداً وَ قالَ یا أَبَتِ هذا تَأْوِیلُ رُءْیایَ".

[11] Seyyid Abdul-Husain Tayyeb, Atyabul-Bayan fi Tafsiril-Quran, vol. 7, pg. 280.

[12] Tafsir Nemouneh, vol.10, pg. 82.

[13] Tafsir Nemouneh, vol.10, pg. 82.

[14] Translation of Tafsir Al-Mizan, vol. 1, pg. 189 and 190.

[15] Tafsir Al-Mizan and the tafsir of Fakhr Razi, under the verse being discussed; translation of Tafsir al-Mizan, vol. 11, pg. 339.

[16] Mustadrakul-Wasa’el, Alul-Bayt Institute, Qum, 1408 (lunar), vol. 4, pg. 480.

www.shafaqna.com/English

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) –Hamas movement described the results of the students’ elections in the Najah university in Nablus as a victory for the Islamic bloc after six years of boycott.

Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said on Wednesday that winning 33 seats against 43 seats for the Fatah-affiliated bloc reflected growing popularity for the Islamic bloc that has been absent from those elections for six years.

He said that the result pointed to the failure of the policy of persecution on the part of both the PA security apparatuses and the Israeli occupation.

“This is a message to all those who bet on the failure of Hamas and those who try to smear its image and to isolate it from the people,” he added.

The spokesman congratulated the Islamic bloc on behalf of Hamas on what he described as a “big victory”. -www.shafaqna.com/English

Source:PIC

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Upon waking up in the morning, most of us are creatures of habit.

Before you can even rub the sleep out of your eyes, you’ve got a plan to start your day.

A visit to the bathroom to freshen up and shower is a must. And then back to the bedroom to get dressed and ready for the day.

Last but not least, the kitchen provides all the fuel you need to get the day started off right.

By the time you leave the house and head to work, you’ve just encountered a string of scientific inventions that would not exist had it not been for Muslims.

Impact of Muslims on Humanity

Moving onto that refreshing shower, did you know that soap was also invented by Muslims? Ancient Egyptians were the first to create soap using vegetable oils, sodium hydroxide and lightly scented essential oils.

And your travel mug full of piping hot coffee? A Muslim shepherd named Khalid first discovered the coffee bean and boiled it to create the very first cup of coffee.

The Muslim world has had a substantial effect on the world we live in today and is responsible for thousands of inventions and scientific discoveries that have helped pave the way for the advancement of mankind.

One of the most common misconceptions purported by the enemies of Islam is that Muslims are held back from learning and not encouraged to seek knowledge. This is an especially inflammatory insult given the wealth of scientific knowledge and inventions that the Muslim world has produced. The reality is that all Muslims have a responsibility to seek knowledge and doing so is likened to having faith. Islam is not in conflict with science, but rather in accordance with it.

Seeking Knowledge

The very first command that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received was to read. God Almighty says in the Quran:

{Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not.} )

There is a very good reason why Muslims have made a great impact in the world of science and medicine. It is because God Almighty has placed a great importance on seeking knowledge in Islam. Both men and women, equally, have an obligation to seek knowledge during their lifetimes and must ensure that their children do the same. Education is one of the keys to unlocking the beauty of the Quran and the scientific signs revealed therein.

To seek knowledge is to draw nearer to our Creator. The educated person is much better equipped to understand the message of the Quran and respect the Architect of the universe and the existence of all living things.

Just imagine that you are up for a promotion at work. However, in order to attain it you must first take a training course to learn about a new concept or even a piece of machinery. Most of us would not hesitate to begin the course since the promotion would result in an increased salary as well as other benefits. The same holds true for seeking knowledge about Islam, the world and everything in it.

Prophet Muhammad said:

"Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allah will make a path to Paradise easy for him." (Abu Dawud)

The difference between an educated person and an uneducated one is like night and day. A person who is uneducated is more susceptible to falling victim to the vices of this world and becomes easy prey for Satan. The educated person is better equipped to steer clear of the circumstances that cause humans to go astray. Muslims are blessed since seeking knowledge is an integral part of faith.

For the Muslim, knowledge is like a strong steel of armor that protects from the wiles of the Satan and safeguards the faith.

Ways to Seek Knowledge

There are innumerable ways to seek beneficial knowledge. A Muslim’s very first resources for seeking knowledge are the Quran and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad. Seeking Islamic knowledge is of paramount importance for all Muslims, especially new converts.

The Quran and Sunnah are the best guidebooks for every aspect of Muslim life. Additional Islamic knowledge can be acquired through beneficial Islamic books and publications. Our Digital Age has also resulted in a wealth of Islamic knowledge online in the form of written, audio and video presentations of various aspects of faith.

Seeking worldly knowledge begins in schools. Muslims must educate their children while they are small and cultivate their learning just like a flourishing garden. Higher education can be achieved when our children reach adulthood and attend a college or university.

All Muslims, however, regardless of age can seek worldly knowledge through informative books and other educational materials. Learning never ends and all Muslims must devote their lives to seeking it. The beauty of God can be seen in His creation, understanding the world we live in draws us even closer to our Creator.

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SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) –A top Iranian religious cleric criticized some regional Arab countries for their decision against Islamic Republic of Iran saying Qatar spends it gas, oil income against Islam and Muslim community.

Senior Iranian cleric, grand Ayatollah Noori Hamedani, slammed the enemies for hijacking the Islamic Awakening and turned the path to Shiaphobia and confrontation with Iran.
Ayatollah Noori Hamedani said Islam does not recognize monarchy because the imamate rules the country and the corruption they have brought in the Islamic government Muslims were detoured.
According to the jurisprudent, during the absence of Imam Mahdi (AS), the last Shia Imam and savior of the world, a capable jurisprudent leads the Islamic nation and today Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei is in charge of the mission. 
Grand Ayatollah Hussien Noori Hamedani, senior Iranian jurisprudent and professor at Qom Seminary also blasted a recent meeting of some Arab states to decide on closing their embassies in Tehran calling Iran against regional peace. -www.shafaqna.com/English

Source:abna

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) -- An Istanbul court found Say guilty of denigrating religion through comments he made on the social networking site Twitter, his lawyer said on Monday.

The 43-year-old musician, who has played with the New York Philharmonic, the Berlin Symphony and other world orchestras, was on trial for sending tweets last year, including one that joked about a religious leader and some Islamic practices.

"Honestly we were not expecting this ruling, and all I can say is, both legally and for the country, it's a sad decision," Say's lawyer Meltem Akyol told Reuters.

The court ordered a "supervised release" for Say, meaning that he would be free as long as he did not commit a similar crime within five years.

The sentence was reduced to 10 months from 12 months due to good behaviour in court.

"We reject the charges against us but the decision is the court's," the musician's lawyer told the court..

Say was not in court for the sentencing. But he denied the charges, saying they were politically motivated.

'Impertinent tone'

He is the latest in a series of intellectuals and artists to be prosecuted in Turkey for expressing opinions and his case has raised further concerns over rights and freedoms in the country, a democracy with a mostly Muslim population that seeks membership in the European Union.

Say, who is due to perform in Germany on Monday evening according to his website, is a strong critic of the Islamic-rooted government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a devout Muslim who expounds conservative values, alarming some secular Turks who fear the government plans to make religion part of their lifestyle.

In one tweet, Say joked about a call to prayer that he said lasted only 22 seconds.

Say tweeted: "Why such haste? Have you got a mistress waiting or a raki on the table?"

Raki is a traditional alcoholic drink made with aniseed.

The charges against Say also cite other tweets that he had sent, which were disrespectful to some Islamic religous concepts such as heaven and the call to prayer - the azzan - according to Emre Bukagili, a Turkish citizen who filed the initial complaint against Say.

Bukagili said in an emailed statement that the musician had used "a disrespectful, offensive and impertinent tone toward religious concepts such as heaven and the call to prayer".

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SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – A British campaign is gaining support to include Islamic history in school curriculum to educate non-Muslims about Muslim contributions to science and philosophy.

"This is not just about educating Muslims," Mohammed Amin, from campaign group Curriculum for Cohesion, told Huffington Post UK.

"This is about those young pupils who hear nothing about Islam at school and grow up thinking Muslims have contributed nothing to the world about from terrorism.

"Those children could grow up to join the English Defence League," he said.

Backed by the umbrella Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), the campaign came in response to a draft specification of a new history syllabus published by the Department of Education in February.

But the draft curriculum invited criticism for excluding "all reference to Muslims and Islam."

Faith campaigners have urged teachers and members of the public to appeal to the government to amend the curriculum before consultations end next week.

The campaign was championed by Matthew Wilkinson, a former Eton head boy who converted to Islam, and supported by high-profile patrons, including MP Sadiq Khan and Rabbi Baroness Julia Neuberger.

The campaign group said a broader curriculum would engage Muslim pupils, 10% of the school population, who may feel excluded from British historical identity.

Britain is home to a sizable Muslim minority of nearly 2.7 million.

There are 400,000 Muslim students in British schools, according to the MCB.

About 7,000 state schools in Britain are faith schools – roughly one in three of the total – educating 1.7 million pupils.

Of the 590 faith-based secondary schools five are Jewish, two Muslim and one Sikh - the rest are Church of England, Roman Catholic and other Christian faiths.

All Faiths

Supporters say the campaign also advocates for the inclusion of the history for all faiths, not just Muslim history.

"We have asked, for example, for the curriculum to include the persecution of Jews in the Middle Ages, and their eventual expulsion from Britain,” Amin said.

It also calls for the inclusion of the contribution of Indian Muslim, Hindu and Sikh soldiers to the military effort in both world wars.

It also calls for the preservation and enhancement of ancient Greek and Roman learning by classical Muslim civilization and Britain's long history of trade, diplomatic and other relations with Muslim-majority regions.

"These inclusions are required to paint a true picture of the past," the group said in a statement.

"In their absence, British Muslim children will see no place for themselves in their country's history, creating the risk of alienation.

"At the same time non-Muslim children will grow up believing that Muslims have contributed nothing of value to Britain or indeed human civilization, creating the risk of their acquiring anti-Muslim attitudes.

"Neither of these outcomes is good for Britain, or for the ability of Britons to do business in a world economy which is increasingly integrated."-www.shafaqna.com/English

Source: ON Islam

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Mr. Kamaluddin's case underscores one of the fundamental value differences in business practice between Muslims and their counterparts in the West, namely, the ethical status of interest related transactions. Religious rulings related to the charging, paying and taking of interest in Islamic legal tradition have been at the center of ethical deliberations among Muslims for many centuries. Around the world, mainstream Islamic opinion continues to regard interest as an impediment to social justice. As a result, the question of whether interest is a legitimate financial instrument or not remains an important issue of conscience. In the Islamic tradition, human acts have a direct impact upon the development of conscience, the source of determining the rightness or wrongness of human undertakings. The conscience must be constantly guarded against being corrupted. For when the conscience of individuals becomes corrupted as a result of neglecting ethical matters related to the production of daily sustenance, there remains no moral safeguard to prevent these individuals from engaging into more serious acts that would lead to the destruction of the very fabric of social relations founded upon divinely ingrained sense of justice and fairness.

Islam, as it developed in the regions inhabited by other monotheistic faiths like Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism, shared an ethos of public order founded upon justice. It required the practice of a minimum of moral virtues intended to be a kind of "rule of life," to foster a sense of social responsibility. In the Islamic view, both reflection and intention must precede all human acts which infringe upon the spiritual and temporal well being of others. To guide such reflection and inform such intention, Islam has developed a cohesive body of ethical reflection. Islam, the third and last of the Abrahamic religions to emerge, literally means "submission to God's will". It was proclaimed by Muhammad (born 570 C.E.), the Prophet of Islam and the founder of Islamic public order during the 600s inMecca,Arabia.

Along with certain rules, which were practical and material, temporary and external, Muslim jurists explicitly decreed various permanent restrictions designed to discipline both the body (rules about lawful foods and earning, about dress and public behavior) and the mind (prohibited subjects of thought and conversation that led to the corruption of conscience). In addition, Islam required certain expiatory works of charity to compensate for the sins of omission and commission. These works were intended primarily to inculcate a sense of social responsibility. Whereas the ritual acts, whether performed publicly in a group or privately, were the homage humankind paid to God and were intended to affect the conscience of the practicing believer, commercial engagements were closely tied to the notions of interpersonal justice and were intended to affect public behavior. In this latter sense, the rites are instruments provided by God for developing the conscience in the direction of greater social responsibility.

Adapted from the book: "The Issue of Riba in Islamic Faith and Law" by: "Dr. Abdulaziz Sachedina"

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SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) According to Islam, Ijtihad[i] is a necessity and the only way through which Islam, the real religion, can survive over the history and ages. Shiite jurisprudents and religious authorities differ on the details of secondary issues, not on the fundamentals of faith, tenets of religion, generalities, universal principles and also the conspicuous secondary issues such as prayers, fasting, hajj etc. They are unanimous about many of the sub-issues and laws either. Due to the significance of Ijtihad which rests in the continuity and permanence of the religion, Islam has overlooked some minor discrepancies which may sometimes arise among jurisprudents.

[i] Ijtihad is a technical term of Islamic law that describes the process of making a legal decision by independent interpretation of the legal sources, the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

Detailed Answer

We clarify two points as an answer to the above question:

First: Reason for discrepancies in religious scholars’ verdicts

As for the reason for discrepancies existing in religious scholars’ verdicts, it must be noted, firstly, that the Arabic word “Ijtihad” means to endeavor, strive, put oneself out, work hard. In Islamic legal terminology it is a technical term of Islamic law that describes the process of making a legal decision by independent interpretation of the legal sources, the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

Secondly, although a jurist’s verdict is principally based on certain sources (such as the Quran, Sunnah, reason and consensus), in order for him to deduce and infer Islamic laws there is a need for other sciences such as Arabic literature, knowledge of the colloquial language at the time of the Infallibles (a.s.), knowledge of the conceptual and judgmental principles of the sources of Ijtihad, logic, principles of jurisprudence, biography, Quran, hadith and so forth.[1] Not only every jurisprudent should be well acquainted with all these sciences but he should also use a special groundwork so that he may be able to apply these sciences towards benefiting from legal sources. For instance, when it comes to using traditions and narrations it is likely that a Mujtahid who has adopted certain principles in Ilm-e Rijal (science of biography) may consider a tradition to be invalid because of its unreliable chain of transmission. When such a tradition is discarded and where there is no other tradition, this jurisprudent cannot give a fatwa on that issue whereas other jurisprudents who consider the same tradition to be reliable and authentic give fatwa with reference to it. There is no doubt that religious authorities and dignified jurisprudents do not enjoy the same level of analytical power or the competence to deduce Islamic laws. Therefore, each and every Mujtahid may end up having a different understanding of verses and traditions. Likewise, it is likely of a Mujtahid to consider one thing as the subject and manifestation of a ruling whereas another Mujtahid may not hold this view.[2]

Having said that, the differences existing in the verdicts of grand and dignified religious scholars are natural.

Second: Discrepancies among religious scholars is in no way in contradiction with the oneness of Islam.  To clarify this, we will have to explain a few points:

A) Islam has many rulings and laws pertaining to man’s different needs (materialistic and spiritual, individual and social, political and economical, etc.).  These rulings have been gathered and compiled into various collections and volumes, making up “Fiqh”.  In reality, fiqh is the true way of being Allah’s servant, the correct and humane method of social relationships, the peak of all systems of living that administer different aspects of everyday life, and as Imam Khomeini puts it, fiqh is the true and complete guideline for the administration of the individual and society, from the cradle to the grave.[3]

Because of the very high importance of fiqh and Islamic practical rulings, the imams, the great guardians of Islam, have urged their followers to learn fiqh and have scolded those who have been careless and lazy regarding such an important matter.

Imam Baqir (a.s.) states: “If a Shia youth is brought to me who doesn’t know fiqh, I will discipline him!”[4] In Islam, there are wajibs (obligatory acts) and harams (forbidden acts) that the All-Wise Lord has legislated for man’s prosperity in this world and the next and if one doesn’t act according to these Islamic laws, not only will he not prosper, but he also won’t be immune to chastisement in the hereafter.  As was mentioned above, in order for one to get acquainted with one’s practical laws, many prerequisites are necessary, such as: the correct understanding of quranic verses and hadiths, being able to distinguish between authentic and fake hadiths, how to combine and gather hadiths, and tens of other subjects that will take years and years of hard work and effort to learn and master.

In such a condition, one who is mukallaf (has reached the age in which he/she is responsible for his/her doings and must observe Islamic laws) must choose one of three things:

1) Go after the abovementioned prerequisites and obtain all of them and as a result, reach the high level of ijtihad (Islamic jurisprudence).

2) Go after and learn all of the different scholars’ viewpoints on each issue that comes up and act in a way that all viewpoints are observed regarding each issue in order to be sure that he has fulfilled his duty no matter what it is.  Acting in such a manner is called ihtiyat (being cautious).

3) Go to one who has spent his life in thoroughly obtaining the required fields needed for becoming an expert in Islamic laws and rulings.

Without a doubt, if one goes after the first option and achieves it, he will be able to do without the other two, but till reaching ijtihad, he has no other choice but to choose one of the other two.

The second option calls for sufficient awareness of the existing viewpoints on various issues and information on the different methods of ihtiyat.  In many cases, ihtiyat causes disorder in one’s everyday life and can get very hard and back breaking.

Inevitably, taqlid is the only option that suits the laity best, in addition to the fact that it might be the only way for the laity.  These three methods don’t exclusively belong to fiqh, they are the case in all fields.  For example, if an engineer gets sick, he has three ways for getting better; he has to either become a doctor himself, or see what doctors say about his symptoms and act in a way that he won’t regret in the future, or go to an expert (doctor).

The first way won’t get him better soon, and the second is extremely exhausting and won’t let him continue his own major (engineering).  Therefore, he has no other choice other than to get help from an expert and follow what he says.

By going to an expert, not only will prevent future regret and scolding by those around him, but he will also most probably get better.  Same goes with the mukallaf; if he goes to the experts in fiqh, not only will he free himself of the regret and chastisement of the hereafter, but he will also benefit in this world from the good results of applying Islamic practical laws in his life.[5]

So taqlid means for an unexperienced person in a certain field to go to an expert in that field.  The most important reason behind why the laity has to go to religious experts or marjas regarding religious matters is the same simple and understandable reason why all people go to the experts in all fields.

Of course, there is also Quranic and traditional evidence on taqlid being wajib.  For instance, the Quran says: “Ask those who know if you don’t know (something).”[6]

Our traditions say: “Concerning the events and issues that come up (that you don’t know the ruling of), refer to the narrators of our hadiths, for they are my (Imam Zaman (a.s.))  hujjahs (hujjah is a person who represents another, what the hujjah says is considered what the person who has appointed him has said, therefore disobeying the hujjah is considered disobedience of his appointer.) upon you and I am Allah’s hujjah upon you.[7],[8]

Therefore, according to Islam, Ijtihad is a necessity and the only way through which Islam, the real religion, can survive over the history and ages. Shiite jurisprudents and religious authorities differ on the details of secondary issues, not on the fundamentals of faith, tenets of religion, generalities, universal principles and also the conspicuous secondary issues such as prayers, fasting, hajj etc. They are unanimous about many of the sub-issues and laws either.

The conclusion is that Ijtihad is a part of Islam and it must be said that Islam has, somehow, accepted the differences. Of course, the reason as mentioned above is clear. In a nutshell, due to the significance of Ijtihad which rests in the continuity and permanence of the religion, Islam has overlooked some minor discrepancies which may sometimes arise among jurisprudents.

[1] See: Hadavi Tehrani, The Theological Foundations of Ijtihad, pp. 19 – 20.

[2] Extracted from question 524 (site: 571) (The Principles of Issuance of Fatwa).

[3] Sahifeye Noor, v.21, pg. 98.

[4] Bihar-ul-Anwar, v.1, pg. 214.

[5] See: Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini, Resaleye Daneshjooyi, 5^th edition, pg. 45-46.

[6] Nahl:43

[7] Wasa’il-ul-Shia, v.27, pg.140.

^[8] - Extracted from question 974 (site: 1045) Arguments Substantiating Taqlid

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SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) -- This question actually goes back to the general question about why we need religion, and about what the status of Islam is amongst other religions.

We can address this question both from an outer and an inner perspective, but first we need to explain what the term religion itself denotes.

What is religion?

Religion is a set of beliefs associated with practical and moral principles delivered to humankind by God's messengers, in order to show human beings the right path. For God, this religion is the absolute submission of the people to His guidance and is in harmony with their fitrah.[1]

Possessing these beliefs and abiding by the principles presented by them brings man salvation and felicity in this world and the next. In other words, the “religious” individual is one who submits to this divine plan, therefore one who doesn’t, in no way can be called a religious person.[2]

If people choose to be faithful and go by God's rulings, they will have a happy life in this transient world and also in the eternal one to come, because the happy and prosperous individual is one who has the right goal in his/her life, stays away from error and deviance, possesses good and admirable characteristics, carries out good deeds and always preserves his/her calmness in the vicissitudes and hardships of life.

God's religion guides us to this path. Otherwise, salvation and felicity can never be reached, because when one is destined to abide by religious principles, he is like a person who is always being accompanied by an alert inner “guard” who is always on the watch and careful for him not to commit anything that will contribute to his downfall and decline, and this results in his prosperity and possession of virtues. Naturally, one who doesn’t possess this inner “guard”, has no chances for reaching such ranks. Now that the meaning and the role of religion have been made clear, we will address its necessity.

a. The necessity of religion from an outsider perspective:

The need for worshipping and following a divine plan for life can somewhat be considered man’s double from the beginning of creation. Allamah Tabataba'i has two approaches in arguing for the necessity of religion:

First:

1.       Man is a utilizing creature.

2.       Utilizing others is rooted in his nature.

3.       This characteristic of man brings conflict into all aspects of his life.

4.       The order of creation calls for these conflicts to be solved so that man can achieve his true perfection.

5.       Resolving these conflicts is impossible, unless there is a code of law that reforms social life and guarantees salvation and felicity.

6.       Man’s nature cannot accomplish this task, because as was said, it was the very cause for all of the conflicts.

7.       The conflicts will not be solved by a man-made code of law.

Based on these premises, it is necessary for God Almighty to show man the right path through a supernatural way, that being revelation.

Second:

1.       Man is one of the constituting parts of the universe.

2.       The creation has provided him with a system in which prepares the grounds for his perfection.

3.       Man has been created in a way that leaves with no choice but to live a social life and interact with others.

4.       He is eternal and isn't to perish through death [death is only a transferring stage].

5.       Man needs to live a life that guarantees him prosperity and happiness both in this life and the eternal one to come.

6.       The set of guidelines that targets this goal is called religion.[3]

Since man’s knowledge and horizons are limited, he cannot devise a perfect and complete program for himself.  He has to follow the guidelines of an unlimited source, which is God Almighty.  This program that aims for the salvation of mankind is called religion.

B. The necessity of religion from an inner perspective:

The necessity of religion, according to religious teachings, is rooted in the Fitrah and nature of man. The holy Quran regards this nature as a divine one[4] in which all divine commandments and rulings are in harmony with [meaning that there is no divine law and commandment that man’s nature rejects and just cannot accept].  Thus, following religion and being religious and Muslim is a natural response to the call of one's own fitrah.

Advantages and outcomes of religion

Religion is strongly influential in reforming the society and the individual. Indeed, it is the only way to salvation and felicity.

A society that does not abide by religious principles loses prudence and enlightenment; its people wasting their precious lives in ignorance and benightedness, dismissing the intellect, living animalistic lives and degrading themselves with corruption and wickedness. Such a society loses all human characteristics. Far from achieving its ultimate perfection and eternal salvation, it will face the horrible consequences and detrimental upshot of its deviance. Eventually and wistfully it will reach the conclusion that religion and faith in God were the only true way to salvation.

God almighty states, "He will indeed be successful who purifies it. And he will indeed fail who corrupts it."[5]

It should be noted that what brings individual and social felicity is the implementation religious laws, not merely purporting to being religious. A so-called Muslim who has corrupt characteristics and wicked actions and nevertheless anticipates salvation is like a sick person who expects recovery by merely keeping the doctor's prescription in his hand.

Allah (swt) says: "Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians[6], whoever believes in God and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve"[7].

Some might think this verse is indicating that those who believe in God and the hereafter and perform good deeds will achieve salvation, even though they may have rejected all messengers or some of them. But this conception is wrong, because God almighty states in another verse, " Those who deny God and His messengers, and (those who) wish to separate between God and His messengers, saying: 'We believe in some but reject others'; and (those who) wish to take a course midway, they are in truth unbelievers."[8]

Accordingly, only those who accept all of Allah’s (swt) messengers and perform good deeds will benefit from their faith.

Islam

Islam etymologically derives from "سلم" which means to surrender or submit. This is the name that Allah (swt) has chosen for His religion in the Quran. The true religion in the sight of God is “islam” (in its literal sense, which is submitting to the truth [so during the time of Prophet Isa (pbuh), one who embraces his religion is a true muslim, meaning that he has truly submitted to Allah (swt) by following the messenger of his time]).

Islam is one of the monotheistic faiths, which was promoted by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) around 610 C.E. in Mecca. Within half a century, it was widely spread and became the dominant religion in great parts of Asia and Africa.

The holy Quran which is the most authentic Islamic resource in our hands today, never differentiates between God's messengers[9]; indeed, according to the Quran, all of Allah's (swt) messengers were promoting the one religion of Islam (submission) but with different manifestations. The fundamental teaching of this religion is submission to God's will. It is on this basis that sometimes in the Quran, what is meant by the term “Islam” is the “total submission to God” that can be found in all divine religions rather than meaning the specific religion of Islam that is the seal of religions.[10] The most perfect instance of this “submission” is the religion that complements all previous ones, which the Prophet Muhammad had the mission to promote during the last 23 years of his life.[11]

Islam is, therefore, the continuation and completion of all previous divine religions[12]. No distortion has occurred in this religion. Unlike other religions, Islam contains regulations both for worldly issues and for leading a spiritual life. On one hand, although ascetic life is praised, monasticism has no place in Islam and on the other hand, while encouraging the right enjoyment of God-given worldly blessings, Islam censures excessive attachment and love for the material world.[13] With Islam, all previous religions are abrogated.  Once there is a complete religion, there is no longer any need for an incomplete one.

Moreover, Islam is a universal and everlasting religion, which, when correctly understood, is sufficient for regulating the life of all people in all times. Whether young or old, literate or illiterate, man or woman, white or black and western or eastern, everyone can benefit from this pure faith and satisfy their needs in the best and most perfect way, because the foundation of Islamic teachings and laws is the man’s fitrah, which is the same in all people and all times, resulting in Islam being enough for all people in all times as well.

For further reading, see:

1- Seyyid Muhammad Husein Tabatabai, Kholaseye Ta’alime Islam.

2- Mehdi Hadavi Tehrani, Velayat va Diyanat.

3- The fundamentals and pillars of Islam, Question 1413 (website: ).

4- The meaning of “Islam”, Question 2452 (website: ).

5- Islam and the demands of eras, Question 749 (website: ).

[1] Seyyid Muhammad Husein Tabatabai, Kholaseye Ta’alime Islam, pg.4; Abdullah Javadi Amoli, Fitrat dar Quran, vol.12, pg.145.

[2] Tafsir Roshan, vol.7, pg.170.

[3] Seyyid Muhammad Husein Tabatabi, Barresihaye Eslami, pp. 35-37; Farazhayi az Eslam, pp. 23-25.

[4] Quran 30:30

[5] Quran 91: 9-10

[6] The Sabians were the Jews who mixed their Judaism with the Magian religion.

[7] Quran, 2:62

[8] Quran, 4: 150-151

[9] Quran 2:136

[10] Quran 3:19, 83, 85;  5:44

[11] Quran 5:3

[12] Quran 5:3

[13] Quran 7:32

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