Preservation of the Divine Religion (1/3)

Islam is the complete and perfect Divine Revelation from Allah Almighty to mankind for his prosperity and salvation. All the previous prophets of Allah, like Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus (‘alaihis salam) were Muslims sent to their respective peoples with the general religion of Islam - worship of Allah without partner or idolatry - and the specific code of laws suitable for their peoples.

Allah, the Exalted says:
“And we did not send any Messenger before you but We revealed to him (the saying): none has the right to be worshipped except I (Allah), so worship Me (Alone).” (Surah Al-Anbiya’, 21:25)

Muhammad ibn Abdullah (sallAllahu’alaihi wa sallam) is the final Prophet and Messenger of Allah with the final complete version of Islam and revealed law for mankind before the coming of Day of Resurrection. He has been sent to all mankind with the Islamic code of Laws legislated by Allah, the most Wise and Omniscient.

Allah, the Exalted says:
“Muhammad is not the father of any man among you; but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets.”  (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:40)

And Allah the Exalted says:
“This day I have perfected your religion for you, and completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you al-Islam as your religion.”  (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:30)

And He says:
“Truly, the religion before Allah is al-Islam.” (Surah Al-‘Imran, 3:19)

And He says:
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” (Surah Al-‘Imran, 3:85)

The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu’alaihi wa sallam) explained his similitude in respect to the previous Prophets of Allah saying:

“My example and the example of the prophets who preceded me, is like that of a person who built a beautiful house. The house was perfect and magnificent except for a place of a single brick (in one corner). People who saw that house admired it but wondered… why did not the owner complete that missing single brick? I am that missing brick. I am the final Prophet (for mankind on the earth).” [1]

All humanity agrees in the general principle that truth, justice and goodness must be upheld and defended in the face of attack by the forces of falsehood, tyranny and evil. Muslims take this obligation very seriously, and strive to promote the truth, justice and goodness by all legal means available. For secular societies, religion is considered purely a private affair. Public life legally must be guided by secular principles and institutions and never by religion or religious law. We must remember that the development of secularism itself was a reaction to the extravagances and conflicts of the Christian Churches and various Monarchs and Kings in Europe.

This introduces the sensitive subject of ‘Jihad’ (struggle exertion), which is a much maligned and misused word. The following verse of the Glorious Qur'an, read in its fuller context, gives a general rule about Jihad:
“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:190)

The summary about Jihad is that fighting is allowed for Muslims for protection against aggression, exploitation and suppression, and yet in this all transgressions are prohibited. The Arabic root for Jihad means to endeavor, and it includes not only fighting against oppressors and tyrants but also struggling generally to promote good and combat evil. By Jihad the religion of Islam with its ultimate truth, justice and goodness is protected, and the Muslims themselves are defended from those that wish them harm. It is an obligation on all Muslims to believe in and practice Jihad to some degree: greater obligations exist for those with greater abilities, but even the poor and disabled give their moral support and supplications for victory.

Jihad was practiced in the previous faiths as well. Since evil appears all over the world and throughout human history, Jihad was in order to stop tyranny and injustice. It is also to prohibit people from worshiping false deities and demigods, and to introduce them to the reality of the worship of Allah alone, who has no son, partners or associates. Jihad is legislated to remove injustices and to introduce man to the mercy, justice and peace of Islam as a way of life, for the interest of man’s benefit on earth, and not for the interest of specific groups of Arabs or other national groups of Muslims, since Islam is universal and has no geographic or limited borders. As the tradition states, the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said:

"Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or is oppressed.”A man enquired: "O Messenger of Allah! I help him when he is oppressed, but how can I help him when he is an oppressor?'' He (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: "You can keep him from committing oppression. That will be your help to him."[2]

The message and invitation of Islam is international and universal for all humanity, with a comprehensive code of beliefs, morals and ethics for every walk of life. Islam laid down the principles of justice, fairness, equality, freedom, prosperity, success and truthfulness for man on earth. Jihad is legislated not to force people against their own will to join Islam, but rather as a tool and mechanism to help maintain the peace that allows for the peaceful spread of the message about the religion of monotheism, justice and equality to the entire world and protect it against attack. After people receive the message, it is up to them to accept Islam or choose otherwise. The essential purpose of Jihad is to open the way for peaceful propagation of the Message of Islam to people. The Almighty Allah states in the Glorious Qur’an.
“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects Taaghoot (idols, evil tyrants, etc) and believes in Allah, has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks. And, Allah hears and knows all things.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 256)

(Continued)