Islam
Surrender to Almighty Allah
Surrender
This is understood from a verse in the Holy Quran - Allah
says:
"Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam."[Al-Imran 3:19], {إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِندَ
اللَّـهِ الْإِسْلَامُ}Transliteration:
Inna deena indalahil-Islam
This submission requires a fully conscious and willing effort to
submit to the one Almighty God.
Submission to His
Will
Submission
"But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you
(Muhammad, peace be upon him) as a judge in all disputes between
them, and find no resistance against your decisions, and accept
(the decisions) with full submission." [An-Nisa' 4:65], {فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا
يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا
يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا
تَسْلِيمًا}, Transliteration: Falā Wa
Rabbika Lā Yu'uminūna Ĥattá Yuĥakkimūka Fīmā Shajara Baynahum
Thumma Lā Yajidū Fī 'Anfusihim Ĥarajāan Mimmā Qađayta Wa Yusallimū
Taslīmāan
Total submission is required after the surrender and some terms
have to be set forth by Allah to be understood by the Muslim. There
can be no option in the matter as Allah says in another
verse:
"It is not fitting for the believing man nor for the believing
woman, that whenever Allah and His Messenger have decided any
matter, that they should have any other opinion."[Al-Ahzab 33:36],
{وَمَا كَانَ
لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّـهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ}, Transliteration:
Wa Mā Kāna Limu'uminin Wa Lā Mu'uminatin 'Idhā Qađá Allāhu Wa
Rasūluhu 'Amrāan 'An Yakūna Lahumu Al-Khiyaratu Min 'Amrihim
Whatever- Allah and His Messenger have set out as being the Way of
Islam- is incumbent on the believer; man or woman, to follow
completely. One must consciously and conscientiously give oneself
to the service of Allah.
Obey His Commandments
Obedience
"And obey Allah and the Messenger that you may obtain mercy" [Al-Imran 3:132], {وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّـهَ
وَالرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ}, Transliteration: Wa 'Aţī`ū
Allāha Wa Ar-Rasūla La`allakum Turĥamūna
"O you who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger and those of you
who are in authority. If you differ in anything amongst yourselves,
refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and in
the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final
determination." [An-Nisa' 4:59], {يَا أَيُّهَا
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّـهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ
وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْۖفَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ
فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ
تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِۚذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ
وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا},
Transliteration: Yā
'Ayyuhā Al-Ladhīna 'Āmanū 'Aţī`ū Allāha Wa 'Aţī`ū Ar-Rasūla Wa 'Ūlī
Al-'Amri Minkum Fa'in Tanāza`tum Fī Shay'in Faruddūhu 'Ilá Allāhi
Wa Ar-Rasūli 'In Kuntum Tu'uminūna Billāhi Wa Al-Yawmi Al-'Ākhiri
Dhālika Khayrun Wa 'Aĥsanu Ta'wīlāan
"He who obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah, but he who
turns away, then we have not sent you as a watcher over them."
[An-Nisa' 4:80] , {مَّن يُطِعِ
الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّـهَۖوَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ
فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا}, Transliteration: Man Yuţi`i
Ar-Rasūla Faqad 'Aţā`a Allāha Wa Man Tawallá Famā 'Arsalnāka
`Alayhim Ĥafīžāan
This means to act on what Allah enjoins all of us to do (in the
Qur'an) and what His beloved Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH) encouraged us
to do in his Sunnah (his lifestyle and sayings personifying the
Qur'an).
After surrendering your free will to Allah and then ratifying the
terms and conditions of the surrender, it is obligatory for the
Muslim to live up to his terms of the bargain. It is his or her
responsibility to do their best to obey the orders of Allah set
forth in the Holy Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet,
peace be upon him.
Sincere Worship Only For
Him
Sincerity & Purity of Intention
The heart must be clean and honest. Allah is Pure and He only
accepts pure.
"Verily, deeds are rewarded by
intention. And everyone will have the reward for that which he has
intended." [A saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be
upon him - Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol. 1 #1, Narrated by Omar Ibn
Al-Khatab]
Sincere intention is the key to the success or failure of the
Muslim. All that he or she does must be for the sake of Allah and
not for the chance to show off or call attention to himself or
herself. If there is even a speck of pride or showing off for the
people instead of doing for Allah, then the whole of the matter
will be rejected by Allah on the Day of Judgment. This is due to
the fact that Allah wants purity of intention and purity in
deed.
Peace in Mind, Heart &
Soul
Peace
"Peace" (Salam) is mentioned many times in the Holy Quran and it is
certainly the most sought after condition for the life of every
human on earth.
"The Peace" (As-Salam) is also one of the attributes which Allah
has named Himself by in the Holy Quran:
"He is Allah beside Whom there is none worthy of worship, The King,
The Holy, The Peace, The Watcher, The All Mighty, The Compeller,
The Supreme. Glory be to Allah! He is above all that they try to
associate with Him as partners." [Al-Hashr 59:23], {هُوَ اللَّـهُ
الَّذِي لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ
الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ
الْمُتَكَبِّرُۚسُبْحَانَ اللَّـهِ
عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ},
Transliteration: Huwa Allāhu Al-Ladhī Lā 'Ilāha
'Illā Huwa Al-Maliku Al-Quddūsu As-Salāmu Al-Mu'uminu Al-Muhayminu
Al-`Azīzu Al-Jabbāru Al-Mutakabbiru Subĥāna Allāhi `Ammā
Yushrikūna
We are all striving to achieve some sort of peace and tranquility
in our lives. And providing that the other four conditions have
been met, then this is the inevitable result of the one who is
truly seeking Allah.
So as soon as he or she has totally surrendered and submitted and
obeyed Allah in complete sincerity, as a result has achieved total
and complete peace in this life and in the next.
It does not imply that they will not be tested however. And this
must be quickly understood. The one whom Allah loves, He tests. The
person who will be successful in this life and the Next Life will
be tested as Allah has said:
"Do they think that they will be left alone on saying, 'We believe
and that they will not be tested'? For sure we will test them as we
have tested those who came before them, to show (them) the truthful
of the honest and the liars in their falsehood." [Al-Ankaboot
29:2-3], {أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ
أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ
﴿٢﴾وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا
الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ
صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ
﴿٣﴾}, Transliteration:
'Aĥasiba An-Nāsu 'An Yutrakū 'An Yaqūlū 'Āmannā Wa Hum Lā Yuftanūna
(2) Wa Laqad Fatannā Al-Ladhīna Min Qablihim Falaya`lamanna Allāhu
Al-Ladhīna Şadaqū Wa Laya`lamanna Al-Kādhibīna (3)
Once we humble ourselves, rid ourselves of our egoism and submit
totally to Allah, and to Him exclusively, in faith and in action,
we will surely feel peace in our hearts. Establishing peace in our
hearts will bring about peace in our external conduct as
well.
Islam is: 1)
Beliefs & 2) Actions
Six Beliefs
(Muslims must believe):
1. Allah
2. Angels
3. Books
4. Prophets
5. Resurrection
6. Predestination
Allah - Believe God Almighty is One, Unique,
Unlike His Creation, Perfect in every way; Not like or in His
Creation.
Angels - Made from light, follow Allah's orders
perfectly, never make mistakes and are never disobedient (devil is
not a fallen angel in Islam).
Books - Torah (Old Testament), Suhoof (Scriptures
of prophets), Zabur (Psalms), Enjil (Evangel or New Testament),
Quran (Recitation to Muhammad).
Prophets - Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses,
David, Solomon, Jesus, Muhammad, and others mentioned in Books,
peace be upon them all.
Resurrection - All people, believers and
disbelievers will be resurrected for Judgment Day in real flesh and
blood bodies to be judged.
Divine Destiny - Allah has complete control of all
that happens, both good and evil and He has full knowledge of it
all.
5 Pillars of Action
Five Actions (Muslims must practice these five
things):
1. Shahadah
2. Salat
3. Fasting
4. Charity
5. Pilgrimage
Shahadah - Declare The Belief That Allah is ONE
and Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His Last Messenger.
5 Daily "salat" - The special form of worship of
standing, bowing, prostrating to Allah while facing Mecca.
Fast Ramadan - Not eating or drinking during the
daylight hours for the month of Ramadan (Lunar calander).
Pay Alms Tax - 2 1/2% of Exess wealth distributed
annually to the poor and needy.
Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca once in the life when
Allah provides a way and it is safe to do so.
Complete Way of Life
Islam Is - A Complete and Total Way of Life
Islam is from Allah, The Creator and Sustainer of all that exists.
As such, it is for Him Alone to command and direct His creation and
He Alone is responsible for what He will accept and what He will
not accept. It is also for Him Alone to decree what is good and
what is bad and He must be the One to show the right path in all
things.
Everything in the life of the creations of Allah, especially for
those who have choices to make (us), must be dictated and clarified
by the One who Created everything in the first place. We understand
from this that Islam must be a complete and total way of living,
explaining everything in the life from beginning to end and from
birth until death.
Islam is careful to remind us that it is not a religion to be paid
mere lip service; rather it is an all-encompassing way of life that
must be practiced continuously for it to be Islam.
There are other injunctions and commandments which concern
virtually all facets of one's personal, family and civic life.
These include such matters as diet, clothing, personal hygiene,
interpersonal relations, business ethics, responsibilities towards
parents, spouse and children, marriage, divorce and inheritance,
civil and criminal law, fighting in defense of Islam, relations
with non-Muslims, and so much more.
In conclusion, we are forced to realize that ISLAM is a complete
way of life for the human being. Everything is covered in Islam
from birth to death to live in the complete submission to the Will
of the One Who Created man in the first place.
Moderation
"All things in moderation" is the famous saying. Islam stresses the
importance of this balance within the human being's lives by
telling us in the Quran that Muslims are not to be in excess.
Rather, we are to be in the "middle path" neither extreme to the
right nor to the left. Allah Almighty calls us the "Balanced
Nation."
Yusuf Estes
http://islamtomorrow.com
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