Beauties of Islam - Equalities of Men and Women in Islam

VII. Allah and His Creation

VII. Allah and His Creation

Islam emphasizes that Allah and His creation are distinctly different entities. Allah is neither part of His creation nor does He intermix with it. His creation is neither equal to Him in His attributes nor a part of Him. Indeed, Allah is the Most High; He is above all His creation, above the heavens and above His Throne, as He 

informed us about Himself in the Qur‘an and in the previous scriptures. This might seem obvious, but people‘s worship of creation instead of the Creator is to a large degree based on ignorance or negligence of this fact. The wrong belief that the essence of Allah is everywhere in His creation or that He is a part of His creation, has

provided justification for the worship of Allah‘s creation. Philosophical idol worshippers justify their idolatry by saying that they do not actually worship the stone or metal image, but Allah who becomes concentrated in it during their rituals of worship. They claim that the stone idol is only a focal point for Allah‘s essence and is not Allah itself! Anyone who accepts the concept of Allah being present in any way within His creation will be obliged to accept this argument in justification of idolatry.

Setting aside motivations such as financial gains or fame, people‘s claims to divinity have largely manifested based on the mistaken belief that it is possible for Allah to be present in humans. Taking this belief one step further, they claim that Allah is more present in them than in others, and people should therefore submit to them and worship them as Allah‘s incarnate or as Allah concentrated within their person. Similarly, those who have asserted that others were gods have found fertile ground among those who accept the false belief of Allah‘s presence in human beings.

As far as the doctrine of incarnation held by late Christians is concerned, it was developed after Jesus' departure. It was incorporated into Christianity from

paganism. In the mythology that preceded Christianity, it can be seen how some heroes were considered to be gods.

The vast majority of Christians today pray to Jesus, claiming that he is God (Allah). The philosophers among 

them claim that they are not worshipping Jesus the man, but God (Allah) who was manifest in Jesus the man. This is also the rationale of pagans who bow down in worship to idols. As mentioned before, when a pagan philosopher

is asked why he worships an idol which was made by human hands, he replies that he is not really worshipping the idol. Furthermore, he may claim that the idol is only a

focal point for the presence of Allah, and thereby claim to be worshipping Allah who is manifest in the idol, and not the physical idol itself. There is little or no difference between that explanation and the answer given by Christians for worshipping Jesus. The origin of this

deviation lies in the false belief that Allah is present in His creation. Such a belief (erroneously) justifies the worship of Allah‘s creation

Islam has freed its followers from such superstitions by rejecting the doctrine of the incarnation. The Divinity of Jesus has been rejected in the noble Qur'an in many verses. Let us take two of them:

Surely, they have disbelieved who say: Allah is the Messiah [Jesus], the son of Maryam [Mary].(Qur‘an 5: 72)

Say: He is Allah the One (in His essence). Allah is the eternal absolute. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him. (Qur‘an 112: 1-4)

These two verses mean that neither Jesus nor any other prophet resembles Him in an attribute or in essence, and hence nothing can be an incarnation of Allah.

Consider the following. In the south-eastern region of the Amazon jungle in Brazil, South America, a primitive tribe erected a new hut to house their main idol Skwatoo, representing the

supreme God (Allah) of all creation. The following day a young man entered the hut to pay homage to his god. While he was prostrating to what he had been taught was his creator and sustainer, a mangy, old and flea-ridden dog slunk

into the hut. The young man looked up just in time to see the dog lift its hind leg and pass urine on the idol. Outraged, the young man chased the dog out of the temple, but when his rage died down, he realized that the idol could not be the 

Lord of the Universe. He came to the conclusion that God must be elsewhere. As strange as it may seem, the dog urinating on the idol was a sign from God for that young man that his idol did not deserve to be worshipped. This sign contained the divine message that what he was worshipping

was false. It liberated him from following his tradition unquestioningly, a tradition that proved to be erroneous. As a result, this man was given a choice: either to seek the true God or to continue in the error of his ways. This example illustrates

the fact that humans are capable at arriving at the truth on their own, regardless of society, etc

Clearly, if one is to follow this argument, it means that either God does not have the attributes he claims or that God is no different than his own creation. Both negate the idea of an All-Powerful God, so both must be false. Islam teaches that God is too great and perfect to lower Himself to a level of likeness to His creation or mixing with them

To conclude, all false religions have in common one basic concept with regard to God: that God and His creation are one. They either claim that all humans are God, or that specific people are God, or that nature is God, or that God is a figment of people‘s imagination, or that a person or being is a mediator between people and God (as mentioned in previous chapter). Thus, by equating the two, it may be said that false religions invite humans to worship the creation instead of worshipping the Creator

VI. The Message of False Religions

VI. The Message of False Religions

False religions, on the other hand, all teach the worship of creation (Paganism) in one way or another. Some religions call to idolatry indirectly while proclaiming Allah‘s unity, while others openly call to the worship of other gods besides Allah or along with Allah, instead of calling to the worship of Allah alone (pure Monotheism). Idolatry is the greatest sin that a human

being can commit because it diverts worship from the Creator to His creation. It necessarily implies elevating the creation to the status of Allah and thus equating creation with Him. This explains why idolatry is the greatest sin a human being can commit. One who dies in a state of idolatry has sealed his or her fate in the next life. Allah states in the Qur‘an:

Verily, Allah will not forgive joining partners with Him, but He may forgive sins less than that for whomsoever He wishes. (Qur‘an 4: 48 & 116)

Humans should not worship other than Allah because it makes no sense to worship the creation which is weak in nature and neglect the Creator who controls this creation and the whole universe! Not only is this act

misdirected and futile, it is a manifestation of ungratefulness to the One who created everything. Allah says in the Qur‘an:

Do they attribute to Me partners who created nothing, but are themselves created? They can neither help others nor can they help themselves.

And if you call them to guidance they will not follow you. It is the same for you whether you call them or you keep silent. Certainly, those whom you call upon besides Allah are slaves like yourselves. So call upon them and let them answer you if you are truthful. Do they have feet with which they walk, hands with which they hold, eyes with which they see? Or do they have ears with which they hear? (Qur‘an 7: 191-195)

Some idol worshippers try to justify what they are doing by saying, ―We treat idols as mediators and intercessors between us and Allah.‖ This belief is based on the false comparison between Allah and kings, who often operate using mediators between them and their people. This is an incorrect belief because Allah does not need mediators between Him and people. He hears and knows everything, and can respond directly to all the needs of His creation. In hundreds of Qur‘anic verses, Allah invites humans to have a direct relationship with Him without any

mediator or intercessor, and He prohibits them from worshipping anything other than Him under any circumstances

The idea of having different deities (idols and statues) as intermediates and mere ―channels‖ is as old as time. Many non-Muslims before the time of the Prophet Muhammad claimed that they believed in Allah as the Creator and Sustainer; however, they said that they merely used idols as a means of drawing closer to Allah or as a means of having prayers answered. This is still a common practice amongst many people today; they say they believe in one God, yet they maintain their reliance upon statues, superstitions and other symbols (or traditions) as a way to worship and invoke God for their needs

Allah rejects their claims, saying that when they are in trouble, whom do they call? They call none other than Allah. This is evidence that the concept of intercessors between a human being and God is false and of no benefit.

Allah says that anyone who attributes deity to others with Him will be left with that other entity on the Day of Judgment, calling to that entity for help. Common sense dictates that this, in fact, is the very reason why these entities are assigned by human beings in the first place. The person has a false hope that this entity will somehow

be able to help him when needed. But this is of no avail because the entities themselves will disassociate from the person on the Day of Judgment (when one is in need of most help). It will be asked of these people:

Where are those whom you used to invoke and worship besides Allah? [They will reply:] They have vanished and deserted us. And they will bear witness against themselves, that they were disbelievers. (Qur‘an 7: 37)

Allah says:

Say [O Muhammad]: Call upon those whom you assert (to be associate gods) besides Allah, they possess not even the weight of an atom—either in the heavens or on the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor is there for Him any supporter from among them. (Qur‘an 34: 22)

So if these other entities ―control not even the weight of an atom‖, how can they help the one who worshipped them? Moreover, Allah points out the simple fact that,

…those whom you call upon besides Allah cannot help you nor can they help themselves. (Qur‘an 7: 197)

Allah, the Most Wise, did not prescribe religious beliefs and rites for people that would affect the direct

relationship between Himself and humans, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, baptism, confession, or belief in man as a saviour or an intermediary. This further emphasizes that the truth can be found by anyone, regardless of his place and time. Indeed, this personal relationship between Allah and His creation is proof of Allah‘s very existence

V. Proof That Only Allah

V. Proof That Only Allah

Deserves Worship

Here is an obvious fact: Allah is the sole Creator and Sustainer of everything. This makes Him the only one deserving of your worship. It‘s really that simple. Supplication, for example, is an act of worship, where the individual direct his heart to Allah and ask his needs. Allah instructs in the Qur‘an to call Him,

And your Lord says: Call on Me and I will answer your prayer. (Qur‘an 40: 60)

The question then arises as to why people direct their worship to created objects, such as idols. The fact is, the idol has no power of its own, and anything which results from that act of worship only comes about through the permission of Allah. Hence, if a person prays to an idol and his prayers are answered, it is not the idol which actually answered his prayers but Allah. Similarly, prayers to Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), Buddha, Krishna, Saint Christopher, Saint Jude or to Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him), are not answered by them, but are answered by Allah. Consequently, prayer directed to anyone or thing other than Allah is of no avail

The same applies for all acts of worship like prayers, charity and fasting. All have to be directed to Allah alone.

The prophets were very explicit in their teachings that only Allah is to be worshipped, and that they themselves were sent to teach this very message. They claimed neither fame nor status, and never once did they teach the people to direct acts of worship to them. Instead, the prophets warned their people against doing just that. For example,

Islam teaches that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) was a human being who was created by Allah in a miraculous way. He was born of a mother, Mary, without a father and he worshipped Allah. He was not God (Allah), nor was he the son of God. He was not one of three manifestations of God as Christians say, nor was he the son of a prostitute as some Jews have said. He told his people (the tribes of Israel) to worship Allah alone. He did not tell people to worship either himself or his mother. Furthermore, the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) did not worship himself when he worshipped: he worshipped Allah alone

However, those who claim to be the followers of Jesus Christ actually do something other than what he taught: they worship Jesus himself. Others worship Mary, claiming she is the mother of Allah. If Jesus did not instruct them to worship him or his mother, how can one

do this very act and yet claim to be following his message?

Allah says in the Qur‘an:

Surely, they have disbelieved who say: Allah is the Messiah (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary). But the Messiah said: O Children of Israel

worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Verily, whoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode, and for the wrongdoers (polytheists), there are no helpers. (Qur‘an 5: 72)

Allah also says in the Qur‘an that He will ask Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) on the Day of Judgment regarding the Christians‘ worship of him and his mother:

O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you tell people: Take me and my mother as gods besides Allah? Then he [Jesus] will say: Glory be to You, I could never say what I had no right to say. If I had said it, You would have known it, You know what is within myself, but I do not know what is within Yourself. Verily, You alone are the Knower of the unseen. I did not say to them except what You commanded me: to worship Allah, my Lord and

your Lord; and I was a witness over them as long as I was among them, but when You raised me up, You were the observer over them, and You are the witness over all things. (Qur‘an 5: 116 - 117)

Prophet Jesus was given life, was born from a woman‘s womb, and was circumcised. He felt hunger, pain, and weariness. Since all these attributes are those of human beings and not those of God (Allah), it is clear that Jesus was not God (Allah).

Similarly, Buddha was a reformer who introduced a number of humanistic principles into the Hindu religion practiced in India. He did not claim to be God, nor did he suggest to his followers that he be worshipped. Yet, today most Buddhists have made him their God and they prostrate themselves before idols representing his likeness. Furthermore, over the ages, in the supposedly monotheistic religions like Judaism and Christianity, followers have allowed a select few human beings to be accorded the status of a law-giver where those laws are in direct contradiction to Allah‘s Laws, as has become the case with their rabbis and church officials. This is a form of creature-worship. Allah mentions:

They took their rabbis and monks to be their lords besides Allah. (Qur‘an 9: 31)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explained this verse to mean that by unquestioningly obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their desires, without being ordered by Allah, they have given these rabbis and priests the status of deities. In brief, from the perspective of the object worshipped, all religions today [except Islam] invite people to the worship of creation, in one form or another!

It shall be noted that some (non-Muslim) people

incorrectly label Islam as ―Mohammedanism‖. This phenomenon exists because it is tempting to elevate Muhammad to a status far above his teachings, as in the case of all other religions. This is ironic since his very message was the negation of equating man (any man) with Allah. Islam teaches that Muhammad was a human messenger, who, including himself, is required to worship Allah rather than to be elevated to the status of Allah and be worshipped. Muhammad was a messenger and a slave10 for Allah, and that is all.

Allah‟s attributes show that He alone deserves worship.

He is One, without relatives; He has no father, son, mother or wife. He is the Eternal Absolute. He neither gives birth, nor is He born, and there is nothing like Him. He is perfect in His knowledge, in His power, in His will, in His mercy and in all His other attributes. Allah is all-powerful and perfect, while human beings are weak and imperfect. That is how He defined Himself and how all prophets defined Him.11 Therefore, it is only befitting that one directs all acts of worship to the One who fits this description. Worshipping anything else would be futile.

Another proof is that Islam teaches that every soul is imbued with the awareness of Allah and a natural inclination towards worshipping Allah alone. In the Qur‘an, Allah explained that when He created Adam (peace be upon him) He caused all of Adam‘s descendants to come into existence and then He took a pledge from all of them saying:

Am I not your Lord? To which they all replied: Yes, we testify to it. (Qur‘an 7: 172)

Allah then explained why He had all of humankind bear witness that He is their Creator and the only true God, the only one worthy of worship:

That is in case you, humankind, may say on the Day of Resurrection: Indeed we were unaware of this.

Allah further elaborated on this point saying:

It is also in case you may say: It was our ancestors, who invented partners with Allah, and we are only their descendants, will you then destroy us for what those liars did? (Qur‘an 7: 172-173)

Therefore, people who associate partners with Allah in worship cannot claim on that day that they had no idea that Allah is the only one who deserves to be worshipped.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reported that Allah has said: <<I created my slaves following the right religion, but devils made them go astray.>>12 Also, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: <<Each child is born in a state of Islam. Then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or a Zoroastrian.>>13 Thus, Islam is the birthright of every human being, since every child is born with a natural belief in the existence of Allah and an

inborn inclination towards worshipping Him alone. Just as the child submits to the physical laws which Allah has imposed on this physical world, in the same way its soul also submits naturally to the fact that Allah is the only Lord and Creator. But if his/her parents are following a different path, the child is usually not strong or aware enough to recognize the truth or resist the will of the parents. In such cases, the religion the child follows is one of custom and upbringing. But Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate, will not hold him to account or punish him for following a false religion before he reaches the age of reason and is exposed to the pure message of Islam.

To sum up, one can naturally, without the aid of other human influence, come to the conclusion that only Allah deserves to be worshipped. This conclusion is not confusing or elaborate; it can be arrived at by even the most uneducated

IV. The Basic Message of Islam

IV. The Basic Message of Islam

The basic message of Islam is the same message of all 

the previous prophets: worship Allah alone and avoid 

worshipping anything besides Him, whether it is a person, 

place or thing, directly or indirectly, secretly or openly.

This basic principle of Monotheism is contained in the 

opening chapter of the Qur‘an, known as ―The Opening‖, 

verse 5: 

You alone we worship and from You alone we do

seek help.

Allah also says: 

Worship Allah and do not associate partners 

with Him. (Qur‘an 4: 36)

Whoever disowns [disbelieves in] false gods and 

believes in Allah, has grasped the most 

trustworthy handhold [that will never break].

(Qur‘an 2: 256)

Muhammad, (peace be upon him) the last Prophet, is 

reported to have said: <<Anyone who says: There is none

worthy of worship other than Allah, and dies holding that 

belief, will be granted paradise

III. Monotheism, the Message

III. Monotheism, the Message

All prophets told their people to worship Allah alone 

(Monotheism) and shun worshipping His creation 

(Paganism). Allah says: 

I assuredly sent among every people a 

messenger with the command: Worship Allah and 

avoid worshipping false gods. (Qur‘an 16: 36)

Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him)

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, for example, 

believed in One God (Allah), Who has no partner. The 

Qur‘an explains: 

And Abraham said to his people: worship Allah 

and be pious to Him, this is better for you if you 

understand. (Qur‘an 26: 16) 

Allah also says about him: 

And behold, Abraham said to his father and his

people: I indeed clear myself of what you worship 

except from worshipping Him who created me, 

and He will certainly guide me. (Qur‘an 43:26-27)

Though the Bible has been altered a great deal, 

Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) was reported in the 

Gospels to have said: ―It is written: Worship the Lord your 

God and serve

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Him only.‖ (Luke 4:8)

It also mentions that God says: ―I am the first, and I 

am the last, and besides Me there is no God.‖ (Isaiah 44:6)

―The Lord our God is one Lord‖ (Mark 12:29)

The Book of Acts 3:13 says: ―The God of Abraham, 

Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His 

servant Jesus‖

Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him) also said (as 

mentioned in the Qur‘an) to his people: 

Indeed, those which you worship besides Allah 

are only names that you and your forefathers 

have named (fabricated), for which Allah has sent

down no authority. The command belongs only to 

Allah. He has commanded that you worship none

but Him. That is the right religion, but most 

people do not understand. (Qur‘an 12: 40)

This is why Allah described those who deviate from 

Abraham‘s message (Monotheism) as fooling themselves, 

He says: 

Those who reject the religion of Abraham make 

fools of themselves. (Qur‘an 2: 130)

II. The Purpose of Creation

II. The Purpose of Creation

Have you ever wondered about the reason for our 

existence? Have you ever wondered why we die, and 

where we go after death? What will happen to us in the 

end? Have you ever asked yourself why Allah made the 

earth and all that is in it under the human being‘s

dominion? Why were the night and the day, and the sun 

and the moon created? What are we supposed to do during 

our lifetime? Were we created just to eat, drink, and enjoy 

ourselves before we die? A poet summarizes this timeless 

question: 

I do not know whence I have come.

I saw my feet walking on the road.

As they please I go and stop.

What am I doing here?

How did the road find me?

I do not know! I do not know! I do not know!

Allah has emphasized in many verses of the Qur‘an

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that He did not create people without purpose. He says: 

What! Do you think that I created you simply in 

jest? And that you would not be returned to Me?

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(Qur‘an 23: 115) 

He also says: 

What! Does man think that he will be left to 

roam at his will? (Qur‘an 75: 36) 

In addition, He says: 

Do people think that they will be left to say: We 

believe, and they will not be held accountable?

(Qur‘an 29: 2) 

It is clear from these verses that human beings were not 

created without a purpose, and this purpose is mentioned 

clearly in another verse which says:

I have not created the Jinn and humankind

except to worship Me. (Qur‘an 51: 56)

Hence, the main purpose of creation is TO 

WORSHIP THE CREATOR ALONE. This is called 

Monotheism.

Islam sets a vision for humans which is strikingly 

simple yet completely logical. Indeed, why would the

Creator of the universe leave the one main message He 

wanted humankind to understand, the one key to 

redemption, a total mystery? How, then, would He expect 

humankind to arrive at the truth? It is clear that humankind

must revert to its basic instinct regarding the Creator of the 

Universe, shedding the layers of indoctrinated ideologies

and man-made teachings he has been covered with. He 

must reclaim his birthright: He must reclaim Islam.

I. Proof of Allah's Existence

I. Proof of Allah's Existence

This Great Universe and everything that is in it cannot 

be the product of chance, and could not have created itself. 

Signs testifying that Allah is the only Creator can be seen 

throughout the earth and in the very soul of each person. 

Allah says in the Qur‘an: 

It is Allah who created the sky and the earth, and

sent down from the sky water by which He 

brought forth fruits for your sustenance. He 

subjected for you the ships to sail upon the sea at 

His command, and He subjected for you the 

rivers. And He subjected for you the sun and 

moon in continuous cycles, and He subjected for

you the night and day. And He gave you all you 

asked Him for...

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(Qur‘an 14: 32-34)

In the Qur‘an, Allah mentions Prophet Abraham‘s

(peace be upon him)

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search for truth as an example of 

how those who follow Allah‘s signs will be rightly guided 

to the worship of Him alone; Allah says: 

In this way I showed Abraham the kingdom of 

the heavens and the earth so that he would have 

faith with understanding and certainty. When the 

night covered him with darkness, he saw a star 

and said: This is my Lord, but when it set, he 

said: I do not like those that set. When he saw the 

moon rising up, he said: This is my Lord, but 

when it set, he said: Unless my Lord guides me, I

will certainly be among the people who have 

gone astray. When he saw the sun rising up he 

said: This is my Lord, this is the greatest of all.

But when it set, he said: O my people! I am 

indeed free from what you join as partners with 

Allah. Verily, I have turned my face towards 

Allah who created the heavens and the earth and

I reject those who associate partners with Allah 

(in worship). (Qur‘an 6: 75-79)

The strongest proof for Allah‘s existence is through 

the creation itself. Thus, one will see that Allah

continuously instructs humankind to look to the universe, 

as this will affirm the divine truth of His existence, His 

greatness and that He alone should be worshipped.

Another obvious fact: He answers our prayers. 

Sometimes once the individual prays (supplicates) to 

Allah; He answers his prayer, and this is an indication of 

Allah‘s existence. Allah says in the Qur‘an:

Your Lord says: ‗supplicate to me, and I will 

answer your supplication‘. (Qur‘an 40: 60)