MY FIRST STEPS IN ISLAM
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. How does one become a Muslim
3. The Shahadataan (Two Testimonies of Faith)
4. The Meaning of ‘La ilaaha ill-Allah'
5. The Meanings of the Shahadah
6. The Conditions of the Shahadah
7. Merits of Belief in Allah
8. Belief in the Angels
9. Merits of Belief in Angels
10. Belief in the Books of Allah
11. Merits of Belief in Allah’s Books
12. Belief in Allah’s Messengers
13. Who is Muhammad?
14. Merits of Belief in the Messengers
18. Belief in the Last Day
19. Merits of Belief in the Last Day
20. Belief in Qadaa and Qadar
21. Merits of Belief in Qadaa and Qadar
22. What the second Testimony of Faith Necessitates
23. What one should do after pronouncing the Shahadah
24. How to make Complete Ghusl
25. Wudhu
26. Tayammum
27. The Prayer
28. Reward of Salah
3
29. Prayer times
30. Prerequisites of Salah
31. How to Perform Prayers
32. Voluntary Prayers
33. Forbidden times of Prayers
34. Zakah
35. Conditions of Zakah
36. Those eligible for Zakah
37. Important Notes
38. Fasting
39. Hajj
40. How to perform Hajj
41.The Worship of Allah
42. Individual & Social Effects of Worshipping Allah
42. The Commandments of Islam
43. Some Prohibitions in Islam
44. Various Supplications & Islamic Etiquettes
45. Brotherly Advice
4
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and may
Allah exalt the mention of His Prophet, and render him and his
household safe and secure from all derogatory things.
I sincerely congratulate you for the guidance Allah has
granted and favored you with. I ask Allah that He keeps us and
all Muslims firm upon this great religion until we meet Him,
without changing anything from it and not being put through
trials.
Indeed a true Muslim feels great joy when someone accepts
Islam, for he wishes well for others and wants them to live as he
does himself: a life of comfort and delight with spiritual joy and
mental stability. This can only result from implementing the
teachings of Islam. Allah (I) says:
(Whoever does good whether male or female and he is a
believer, We will most certainly make him live a happy
life, and We will most certainly give them their reward
for the best of what they did.) (16:97)
This is because Allah (I) clarified the condition of those who
do not believe in Allah and what He revealed. Allah (I) says:
(And whoever turns away from My Reminder, verily,
for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up
blind on the Day of Resurrection. He will say, ‘O my
Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while [before]
I had sight.’ He [Allah] will say, ‘Like this Our Aayaat
[proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations,
etc.] came to you, but you disregarded them, and so this
Day, you will be neglected.) (20:124-126)
5
A true Muslim wishes that they live happily forever in the
Hereafter, whose delights are never-ending. Allah (I) says:
(Verily those who believe and do righteous deeds shall
have the Gardens of Firdaws (the highest level in
Heaven) for their entertainment. * Therein they shall
dwell [forever]. No desire will they have for removal
there from.) (18:107-108)
The end is inevitable: either eternal happiness or eternal
remorse. Whoever dies upon disbelief - and refuge is sought in
Allah - he will enter Hellfire for eternity. Allah (I) says:
(Verily those who disbelieve from the people of the
Book and the polytheists will abide in the Fire of Hell.
They are the worst of creatures.) (98:6)
Dear brother, indeed it is a great blessing and favor of Allah
that He has guided you to Islam and has saved you from
disbelief, for there are many who have not been granted the
guidance to realize the correct religion, as there are many who
have realized that Islam is the true Religion but have not been
granted the guidance to follow it. So you should thank Allah,
my brother, for this favor from Allah and this gift which He has
given you. Ask Allah that He keeps you firm upon this religion
until you meet Him. Allah (I) says:
(They regard as a favor to you [O Muhammad (r)] that
they have embraced Islam Say, ‘Count not your Islam
as a favor to me. Nay but Allah has conferred a favor
upon you that He has guided you to the Faith, if you
indeed are true.) (49:17)
We are all in need of Allah. Allah (I) says:
(O Mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allah. But
Allah is rich (Free of all needs), worthy of all praise.)
(35:15)
6
Allah (I) does not need us: He neither benefits from our
obedience and worship, nor is He harmed by our disbelief and
disobedience. Allah (I) says:
(If you disbelieve, then verily Allah is not in need of
you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves. And if you are
grateful [by being believers] He is pleased with that for
you.) (39:7)
The Messenger of Allah (r) said in Hadeeth Qudsi1,
‘Allah said: ‘O My slaves! I have forbidden dhulm
(oppression) for Myself, and I have made it forbidden
amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My
slaves, all of you are astray except those whom I have
guided, so seek guidance from Me and I shall guide
you. O My slaves, all of you are hungry except those
whom I have fed, so seek food from Me and I shall feed
you. O My slaves, all of you are naked except those
whom I have clothed, so seek clothing from Me and I
shall clothe you. O My slaves, you commit sins by day
and by night, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness
from Me and I shall forgive you. O My slaves, you will
not attain harming Me so as to harm me, and you will
not attain benefiting Me so as to benefit Me. O My
slaves, if the first of you and the last of you, and the
humans of you and the Jinn2 of you, were all as pious
1 Hadeeth Qudsi: Hadeeth is a narration of the speech, actions, tacit
approvals, and characteristics of the Prophet (r). Hadeeth Qudsi is a
Hadeeth in which the Prophet (r) narrates from Allah in the first
person (I).
2 Jinn: A creation from the unseen having free will like the humans,
made from a smokeless flame of fire.
7
as the most pious heart of any individual amongst you,
then this would not increase My Kingdom an iota. O
My slaves, if the first of you and the last of you, and the
humans of you and the Jinn of you, were all as wicked
as the most wicked heart of any individual amongst
you, then this would not decrease My Kingdom an iota.
O My slaves, if the first of you and the last of you, and
the humans of you and the Jinn of you, were all to
stand together in one place and ask of Me, and I were
to give everyone what he requested, then that would
not decrease what I possess, except what is decreased of
the Ocean when a needle is dipped into it. O My slaves,
it is but your deeds that I account for you and then
recompense you for. So he who finds good, let him
praise Allah, and he who finds other than that, let him
blame no one but himself.’ ” (Muslim #2577)
In order to become a Muslim, there are no specific religious
rituals or customs that you need to perform, neither in specific
areas nor in front of people. This is due to the fact that in Islam
man has direct relationship with his Lord without any
intermediaries.
Also you don’t need to exert great efforts [to enter its folds]
you merely need to utter a few words, which are easy on the
tongue, while understanding their great meanings.
One who has decided to become Muslim should utter
Shahaadataan’1 in order to enter the folds of Islam, which is:
“Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allah, wa ashhadu anna
Muhammadan ‘abd-ullahi wa rasooluh.
1 Shahaadatan: Literally, the Two Testimonies of Faith.
8
Meaning: I testify that there is no true god except Allah, and
I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
This statement is the key to enter Islam. Whoever utters it
shuns all other religions besides Islam and all beliefs which
differ with it. Through this statement, he receives the rights
which all Muslims receive, and he must fulfill the rights which
all Muslims fulfill. His wealth, honor and blood become
inviolable, except for that which is prescribed by Islam.
It is true that one is considered a Muslim by his apparent
actions, but only Allah knows what is truly in the hearts…so
what are the meanings of the Shahaadataan?
9
The Shahaadataan
(The Two Testimonies of Faith)
The Meaning of Laa Ilaaha Ill-Allah
This is the phrase of Tawheed1. For this concept, Allah
brought the creation into being, and for this concept He created
Jannah and Hellfire. Allah (I) says:
(And I have neither created the Jinn nor humans
except to worship Me.) (51:56)
This is the belief which all Prophets and Messengers called
their peoples to, from Adam to the last of them, Muhammad,
may Allah exalt their mention and render them safe from every
derogatory thing. Allah (I) says:
(And we have not sent before you any messenger
except that We have revealed to him that there is no
deity that is worshipped in truth except Me, so worship
and obey Me.) (10:25)
The Meanings of the Shahaadah:
The first testimony, that none has the right to be worshipped
but Allah, includes the following meanings:
· Allah is the One Who deserves to be worshipped.2 Allah
says:
1 Tawheed: The concept of the Oneness of Allah.
2 This is concept is known as Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah, or the Oneness of
Allah in His worship.
10
(No doubt! Verily, to Allah belongs whosoever is in the
heavens and whosoever is in the earth. And those who
worship and invoke others besides Allah, in fact they
follow not the (Allah's so-called) partners, they follow
only a conjecture and they only invent lies.) (10:66)
· Allah is the Creator of all that exists. Allah (I) says:
(Such is Allah, your Lord! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none
has the right to be worshipped but He), the Creator of
all things. So worship and obey Him (Alone), and He is
the Wakeel (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian, etc.)
over all things.) (6:102)
· Allah is the Proprietor of all that exists, and the Disposer of
all affairs.1 Allah (I) says:
(Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment.
Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind,
Jinns and all that exists)!) (7:54)
· To Him belongs the beautiful names and perfect attributes.
Far removed is He from every imperfection.2
Allah says:
(And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so
call on Him by them, and leave the company of those
who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His
Names. They will be requited for what they used to do.)
1 Points two and three are known as Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah, or the
Oneness of Allah. This is the belief that there is no Creator, Provider,
Sustainer, and Owner except for Allah.
2 This concept is known as Tawheed al-Asmaa´ was-Sifaat, that Allah
has the Best Names and Attributes, and that there are none equal,
comparable to, or like them.
11
(7:180)
The Conditions of the Shahaadah:
It is not enough to merely utter the Shahaadah for it to be
accepted by Allah. It is a key to the gates of Jannah, but in
order for the key to work, it needs to have the right notches. The
Shahaadah must meet the following conditions for it to be
accepted by Allah:
1. Knowledge: Comprises knowing that all things worshipped
besides Allah are false. There is no god worshipped in truth
except Allah, even if it be a prophet, a messenger or an angel.
Allah is the only One Who deserves all types of worship, such
as prayer [Salaah], supplication (du‘aa), hope, sacrificial
slaughtering, making oaths, etc.
Whoever assigns any act of worship to other than Allah while
that person intends to worship or aggrandize the one who he
assigned it to has committed kufr1, even if he uttered the
Shahaadataan.
2. Certainty: The heart must be firmly certain of the meaning
of the two Shahaadah. Certainty is the opposite of doubt, so
there is no room for a person to doubt or waver in his belief.
Allah (I) says:
(The believers are only those who have believed in
Allah and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not,
and strive with their wealth and their lives for the
Cause of Allah. Those are the truthful.) (49:15)
1 Kufr: Disbelief.
12
3. Acceptance: One should accept the Shahaadah fully,
and not reject it.1 Allah (I) says:
(Truly, when it was said to them, “Laa ilaaha ill-Allah
(no deity is worshipped in truth except Allah),” they
puff themselves up with pride (i.e. deny it).) (37:35)
4. Submission, obedience and acting upon all what the
Shahaadah necessitates.2 A person must do what Allah ordered
and abstain from what He prohibited. Allah (I) says:
(And whosoever submits his face to Allah, while he is a
Muhsin3 (doer of good) then he has grasped the most
trustworthy handhold [La ilaha ill-Allah]. And to Allah
return all matters for decision.) (37:35)
5. Truthfulness: One must be truthful in professing the
shahaadah.4 Allah says:
(They say with their tongues what is not in their
hearts.) (48:11)
1 It is not sufficient that a person knows what the Shahaadah means
and believes it with certainty. Rather he must accept it by
pronouncing it, and accepts to become a Muslim.
2 It is not sufficient that a person knows what the Shahaadah means
and believes it with certainty, accepts it by pronouncing it and
accepts to become a Muslim, rather, he must act according to it.
3 Muhsin: Literally, a person who does something well. Here it means
one who does righteous deeds sincerely for Allah, according to the
method the Prophet (r) taught us. Allah mentions both submission to
Allah along with doing righteous deeds, and if a person does these he
has grasped the Shahaadah.
4 Even though a person may be doing all these things on the outside,
he might be hiding disbelief in his heart, like the Hypocrites.
13
6. Sincerity of worship: One must sincerely dedicate all acts of
worship to Allah alone.1 Allah says:
(And they were not commanded except to worship
Allah, following the religion purely and sincerely for
Him, turning away from other religions.) (98:5)
7. Love: One must love the shahaadah and all that it
necessitates. He must love Allah, His Messenger, and His
righteous slaves. He must hate and show enmity towards all
who show enmity to Allah and His Messenger. He must prefer
what Allah and His Messenger love, even if it is differs from his
desires. Allah (I) says:
(Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your
wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained,
the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the
dwellings in which you delight… are dearer to you than
Allah and His Messenger, and fighting in His Cause,
then wait until Allah brings about His Decision
(torment). And Allah guides not the people who are Al-
Faasiqoon (the rebellious and disobedient to Allah).)
(9:24)
The Shahaadah also necessitates that Allah is the only One
Who has the right to legislate, whether it be in matters
concerning worship or those concerning human relations, in
both individual and public matters.
The act of making something prohibited or lawful is for Allah
alone. His Messenger (r) merely explained and clarified Allah’s
commandments.
Allah (I) says:
1 It may be that one fulfills all the previous conditions, but he directs
worship to other than Allah at times, like supplicating to the dead,
etc. He has not made his worship purely for Allah.
14
(And whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it, and
whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).) (59:7)
The Merits of Iman (Belief) in Allah
1. When one fulfills the conditions of the Shahadah, he would
free himself from worshipping man and devote all acts of
worship to the Creator of man. This would lead one to being
independent. Allah (I) says:
(Say: ‘Tell me then, the things that you invoke besides
Allah, if Allah intended some harm for me, could they
remove His harm, or if He (Allah) intended some mercy
for me, could they withhold His Mercy?’ Say:
‘Sufficient for me is Allah; in Him those who trust (i.e.
believers) must put their trust.) (39:38)
2. Peace of heart, mind and soul. Allah (r) says:
(Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic
Monotheism) and whose hearts find rest in the
remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of
Allah do hearts find rest.) (13:28)
3. Sense of security through the knowledge that there is
someone to turn to in times of hardships. Allah (I) says:
(And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that
you call upon besides Him vanish from you except Him
(Allah Alone). But when He brings you safely to land,
you turn away (from Him). And man is ever
ungrateful.) (17:67)
4. The feeling of spiritual joy in worshipping Allah. This is due
to the fact that the goal which he is trying to achieve (Jannah)
cannot be reached except after death. So you see him
persistently striving to achieve this goal by doing righteous
deeds, rendering all acts of worship sincerely and purely to
Allah alone. Allah (I) says:
15
(Say: ‘Verily, my Salaah (prayer) my sacrifice, my
living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the
‘Aalameen (mankind, Jinn and all that exists). He has
no partner. * And of this I have been commanded, and
I am the first of the Muslims.) (6:162-163)
5. The guidance and success which is granted by Allah to those
that believe in Him. Allah (I) says:
(…and whosoever has Iman in Allah, He guides his
heart.) (64:11)
6. The love of doing righteous deeds and its propagation
amongst the masses. Allah (I) says:
(So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom
shall see it.) (99:7)
The Prophet (r) said:
'Indeed the one who leads another to do a righteous
deed is like the one who actually does it (i.e. he will
receive the same reward).' (Tirmidhi #2670)
One who has belief in Allah must also have belief in all the
things He has informed us of, and among them are the
following:
16
Belief in the Angels
One must believe that the angels are from the creation of
Allah; no one knows their exact number except Him. They are
from the unseen world. Allah (I) created them to worship and
obey Him. They carry out all of Allah’s orders, from
administration, observation, guarding and protecting the
universe as well its creatures, all according to Allah’s Will and
Order. Allah says:
(The Messiah (Jesusu) will never be so proud to reject
being a slave to Allah, nor [will] the angels who are
near (to Allah).) (4:172)
The Angels act as emissaries between Allah and His
Messengers. Allah says:
(Which the trustworthy Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has
brought down; * Upon your heart (O Muhammad r)
that you may be (one) of the warners, * In a plain
Arabic language.) (26:193-195)
Allah has charged the angels with specific duties, and they do
what they are commanded. Allah says:
(They fear their Lord above them, and they do what
they are commanded.) (16:50)
The angels are not partners, associates, or rivals with Allah,
nor are they His children; but one must still respect and love
them. Allah (I) says:
(And they say: ‘The Most Beneficent (Allah) has
begotten a child [from the angels].’ Far removed is He
from every imperfection! They (the angels) are but
honored slaves. They speak not until He has spoken,
and [then] they act on His Command.) (21:26-27)
17
They spend their time worshipping and obeying Allah,
glorifying Him and praising Him. Allah says:
(They (i.e. the angels) glorify His praises night and day,
(and) without slackening (to do so).) (21:20)
The angels were created from light. The Prophet (r) said:
'The angels were created from light, the Jinn were
created from a smokeless flame of fire, and Adam was
created from what was described to you (black dry
clay).' (Muslim #2996)
Although they were created from light, they cannot be seen.
Allah (I) has given them the ability to change their appearance
in order to be seen and witnessed. Allah informs us that Jibreel
(Gabriel) (u) came to Maryam (Mary) in the form of a man:
(She placed a screen [to screen herself] from them; then
We sent to her Our Rooh (Jibreel u), and he appeared
before her in the form of a man in all respects. * She
said: ‘Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent
(Allah) from you, if you do fear Allah.’ * [The angel]
said: ‘I am only a Messenger from your Lord [to
announce] to you the gift of a righteous son.) (19:17-
19)
The Prophet (r) saw Jibreel (u) in his actual form; he had six
hundred wings, and the whole horizon was blocked.
(Bukhari #3063)
Allah informed us of the names and tasks of some of the
angels, such as; Jibreel (Gabriel) (u) who was given the task of
revelation. Allah (I) says:
(Which the trustworthy Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has
brought down; * upon your heart (O Muhammad r)
that you may be (one) of the warners.) (99:7)
18
Israafeel is given the task to blow the trumpet on the Day of
Resurrection, while Meekaa`eel is in charge of the rain and
vegetation. Every human has been appointed two angels, one
who records his righteous deeds and the other who records his
sins. Allah (I) says:
((Remember!) That the two recorders (angels) record,
one sitting on his right and one on his left.) (50:17)
The Angel of Death (Malak-ul-Mawt) is the angel given the
task of collecting peoples' souls at the time of death. Allah (I)
says:
(Say: ‘The Angel of Death who is set over you will take
your souls, and then you shall be brought back to your
Lord.) (32:11)
Maalik is the Keeper of Hell. Allah (I) says:
(And they will cry: ‘O Maalik! Let your Lord make an
end of us.’ He will say: ‘Verily, you shall abide therein
forever.) (43:77)
Ridhwaan is the keeper of Jannah, and there are others also
charged with guarding humans. There are other angels and each
has been assigned a task. Some have been mentioned in the
Qur'an and Sunnah1, while others have not, but we must believe
in them all.
Merits of Belief in the Angels
1. One would understand the greatness of Allah (I) His power
and ability, and His All-Encompassing Knowledge, from the
greatness of His creation which is a proof confirming the
greatness of the Creator.
2. When a Muslim knows that there are Angels who record all
that he says and does, and that everything he does is either for
1 Sunnah: The way of the Prophet (r).
19
him or held against him, he would be keen to perform righteous
deeds and abstain from sins, whether he is alone or in public.
3. One would safeguard himself from believing in superstitions
and fables.
4. One would recognize the mercy Allah shows to His slaves;
for Allah assigned to every individual angels who guard him
and take care of his affairs.
20
Belief in the Books of Allah
One must believe that Allah (I) revealed Heavenly Books to
His Messengers in order to convey them to mankind. These
Books during their times contained nothing but the truth. All
these Books call people to worship Allah alone, and that He is
the Creator, Proprietor and Owner, and to Him belong the
beautiful Attributes and Names.
Allah (I) says:
(Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear
proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the
Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice.)
(57:25)
Some of the Books are:
1) The Scriptures of Ibraheem (u) (Abraham) and Musa (u)
(Moses): The Qur'an has given a brief insight about the
religious fundamentals found in these scriptures. Allah (I) says:
(Or, has he not been informed of what is in the
scriptures of Musa? -And (of) Ibraheem who fulfilled
(the commandments): That no bearer of burden shall
bear the burden of another;- And that man shall have
nothing but what he strives for;- And that his striving
shall soon be seen; Then shall be rewarded for it with
the fullest reward; and that to your Lord is the goal.)
(53:36-42)
2) The Torah: The Torah is the Sacred Book which was
revealed to Musa (u). Allah (I) says:
(Verily, We did send down the Torah [to Musa],
therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets,
who submitted themselves to Allah’s Will, judged the
21
Jews. And the rabbis and the priests [too judged the
Jews by the Torah after those Prophets] for to them
was entrusted the protection of Allah’s Book, and they
were witnesses thereto. Therefore fear not men but fear
Me (O Jews) and sell not My Verses for a miserable
price. And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has
revealed, such are the disbelievers.) (5:44)
3) The Zaboor (Psalms): The Zaboor is the Book which was
revealed to Dawood (u) (David). Allah (I) says:
(…and to Dawood We gave the Zaboor.) (4:163)
4) The Injeel (Gospel) : The Injeel is the Book which was
revealed to ‘Eesaa (u) (Jesus). Allah (I) says:
(And in their footsteps, We sent ‘Eesaa, son of
Maryam (Mary), confirming the Torah that had come
before him. And We gave him the Injeel, in which was
guidance and light and confirmation of the Tauraat
(Torah) that had come before it, a guidance and an
admonition for the Allah-fearing.) (5:46)
A Muslim must believe in all the Heavenly Books and he
must believe that they are from Allah (I). It is not lawful for him
to abide by its laws, since these Books were revealed to certain
nations at certain times.
The Qur'an has explained some of what was found in the
Torah and the Injeel; such as the prophecy of Muhammad (r):
(…and My mercy encompasses all things; so I will
ordain it (specially) for those who are pious and give
Zakah (Obligatory Charity), and those who believe in
Our Ayaat. Those who follow the unlettered Prophet,
whom they find written down with them in the Torah
and the Injeel (who) enjoins them good and forbids
them evil, and makes lawful to them the good things
and makes unlawful to them impure things, and
removes from the their burden and the shackles which
22
were upon them; so (as for) those who believe in him
and honor him and help him, and follow the light which
has been sent down with him, these it is that are the
successful.) (7:156)
5) The Noble Qur'an: One must hold the following beliefs
concerning it:
a. One must believe that the Qur'an is the Speech of Allah
which Jibreel (Gabriel) (u) brought to Muhammad (r) in
clear Arabic language. Allah (I) says:
(Which the trustworthy Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has
brought down; * Upon your heart (O Muhammad r)
that you may be (one) of the warners, * In a plain
Arabic language.) (26:193-195)
b. One must believe that the Qur'an is the last of the
Heavenly Books, which confirms the previous Books
concerning the Message of Tawheed and the obligation to
worship and obey Him. All previous Books were abrogated
by the Qur'an. Allah (I) says:
([It is] He Who has sent down the Book (the Qur'an)
to you (Muhammad r) with truth, confirming what
came before it. And he sent down the Torah and the
Injeel. Aforetime, as a guidance to mankind, And He
sent down the Furqaan (The Criterion) [of judgment
between right and wrong (this Qur'an)].) (3:3-4)
c. One must believe that the Qur'an contains all divine laws.
Allah (I) says:
(This day, I have perfected your religion for you,
completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for
you Islam as a religion.) (5:3)
d. One must believe that it was revealed to mankind at large;
not to a specific nation, as were previously revealed
Heavenly Books. Allah says:
23
(And We have not sent you [O Muhammad r] except to
all of humanity, as a giver of glad tidings and a warner,
but most people know not.) (34:28)
e. One must believe that Allah has preserved the Qur'an from
all distortions, adulterations, additions, or impairments.
Allah (I) says:
(Indeed it is We ourselves Who have sent down the
Remembrance (the Qur'an) and surely, it is We Who
shall guard it [from distortion].) (15:9)
The Merits of Belief in Allah’s Books
1. One would realize the mercy and love Allah has for His
slaves; since He revealed to them Books which guide them to
the path which leads to His pleasure. He safeguarded man from
confusion and from the evil of Shaytaan1.
2. One would realize the great wisdom of Allah; since He gave
each nation a set of laws that suited them during their times.
3. To distinguish true believers from those who are not. It is
incumbent upon one who believes in his own Book to believe in
the other Heavenly Books.
4. To increase the good deeds of the believers; for the one who
believes in his Book and the Books that came after his Book,
would receive his reward twice. Allah (I) says:
(Those to whom We gave the Scripture [i.e. the Torah
and the Injeel, etc.] before it, - they believe in it (the
Qur'an). And when it is recited to them, they say: ‘We
believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord.
Indeed even before it we have been from those who
1 Shaytaan: Satan: A Jinn named Iblees who disobeyed Allah’s order
to prostrate to Adam, therefore was cursed for eternity. He asked
Allah for respite, which He in turn granted, to strive to lead humanity
to the Hellfire with him.
24
submit themselves to Allah in Islam as Muslims (like
‘Abdullah bin Salaam and Salmaan Al-Faarisi, etc.).
These will be given their reward twice over, because
they are patient, and repel evil with good, and spend (in
charity) out of what We have provided them.) (28:52-
54)
25
Belief in Allah’s Messengers
One must believe that Allah (I) chose the finest amongst
mankind to be Messengers whom He sent to His creation with
specific legislations; to worship and obey Allah, and to
establish His religion and His Tawheed. He ordered His
Messengers to convey the Message to people, so that they
would not have any proof against Allah1 after He sent them.
They are bearers of glad-tidings of the Pleasure of Allah and
His Jannah, which is reserved for those who believe in them
and their teachings. They are also sent as warners to their
peoples, to warn them of the anger of Allah and His punishment
which is reserved for those who disbelieve in them and their
teachings.
(And We send not the Messengers but as givers of glad
tidings and as warners. So whosoever believes and does
righteous good deeds, upon such shall come no fear, nor
shall they grieve. * But those who reject Our Ayaat, the
torment will touch them for their disbelief.) (6:48-49)
There are many Prophets and Messengers; no one knows their
exact number except Allah. Allah (I) says:
(And, indeed We have sent Messengers before you (O
Muhammad r); of some of them We have related to
you their story, and of some We have not related to you
their story.) (40:78)
1 They will not be able to say, “Had Allah sent us messengers, we
would have followed His verses and become of the believers.”
26
One must believe in all of them and that they were human;
they were not supernatural beings. Allah (I) says:
(And We sent not before you (O Muhammad r) but
men to whom We inspired, so ask the people of the
Reminder (Scriptures) if you do not know. And We did
not create them (the Messengers, with) bodies that ate
not food, nor were they immortal.) (21:8)
They do not have any attributes resembling Allah's. They can
neither extend benefit, nor cause harm. They have no control
over the universe, nor can they do with it as they please. They
cannot do anything which only Allah is capable of. Allah (I)
says:
(Say (O Muhammad r): ‘I possess no power of benefit
or hurt to myself except as Allah wills. If I had the
knowledge of the Unseen, I should have secured for
myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have
touched me.) (7:188)
If one believes in some, while he disbelieves in others, he has
committed an act of kufr (disbelief).. Allah (I) says:
(Verily, those who disbelieve in Allah and His
Messengers and wish to make distinction between Allah
and His Messengers saying, ‘We believe in some but
reject others,’ and wish to adopt a way in between.
They are in truth disbelievers. And We have prepared
for the disbelievers a humiliating torment.) (4:150-
151)
Allah calls some of the Messengers ‘Ulul-‘Azm’ (those of
strong determination). They were the most determined of the
Messengers in conveying the Message; they were patient and
steadfast. They were Nooh (Noah), Ibraheem, Musa, ‘Eesaa,
and Muhammad, may Allah exalt their mention, and render
them safe from every derogatory thing.
The first Messenger was Nooh (u). Allah says:
