The True Religion of God

By: Dr Bilal Philips

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The True eligion of !o" By Dr Bilal Philips Publishe" by Peace #ision at $mashwor"s %o &opyright

Table of Contents
'hich (s The True eligion of !o" The eligion)s %ame !o" an" &reation The *essage of False eligions +niversality of !o")s eligions ecognition of !o" The $igns of !o" &onclusion

Which is the True Religion of God?

,ach person is born in a circumstance which is not of his own choosing. The religion of his family or the i"eology of the state is thrust upon him from the very beginning of his e-istence in this worl". By the time he reaches his teens, he is usually fully brain.washe" into believing that the beliefs of his particular society are the correct beliefs that everyone shoul" have. /owever, when some people mature an" are e-pose" to other belief.systems, they begin to 0uestion the vali"ity of their own beliefs. The seekers of truth often reach a point of confusion upon reali1ing that each an" every religion, sect, i"eology an" philosophy claims to be the one an" only correct way for man. (n"ee", they all encourage people to "o goo". $o, which one is right2 They cannot all be right, since each claims all others are wrong. Then how "oes the seeker of truth choose the right way2 !o" gave us all min"s an" intellects to enable us to make this crucial "ecision. (t is the most important "ecision in the life of a human being. +pon it "epen"s his future. &onse0uently, each an" every one of us must e-amine "ispassionately the evi"ence presente", an" choose what appears to be right until further evi"ence arises. 3ike every other religion or philosophy, (slam also claims to be the one an" only true way to !o". (n this respect it is no "ifferent from other systems. This booklet inten"s to provi"e some evi"ence for the vali"ity of that claim. /owever, it must always be kept in min" that one can only "etermine the true path by putting asi"e emotions an" pre4u"ices, which often blin" us to reality. Then, an" only then, will we be able to use our !o".given intelligence an" make a rational an" correct "ecision. There are several arguments which may be a"vance" to support (slam)s claim to be the true religion of !o". The following are only three of the most obvious. The first argument is base" on the "ivine origin of the names of the religion an" the comprehensiveness of its meaning. The secon" "eals with the uni0ue an" uncomplicate" teachings concerning the relationship between !o", man, an" creation. The thir" argument "erives from the fact that (slam is universally attainable by all men at all times. These are the three basic components of what logic an" reason "ictate necessary for a religion to be consi"ere" the true religion of !o". The following pages will "evelop these concepts in some "etail.

The Religions Name

The first thing that one shoul" know an" clearly un"erstan" about (slam, is what the wor" 5(slam6 itself means. The 7rabic wor" 5(slam6 means the submission or surren"er of one)s will to the only true !o", known in 7rabic as 57llah6. 8ne who submits his will to !o" is terme" in 7rabic a 5*uslim6. The religion of (slam is not name" after a person or a people,

nor was it "eci"e" by a later generation of man, as in the case of &hristianity which was name" after 9esus &hrist, Bu""hism after !autama Bu""ha, &onfucianism after &onfucius, *ar-ism after :arl *ar-, 9u"aism after the tribe of 9u"ah an" /in"uism after the /in"us. (slam ;submission to the will of !o"< is the religion which was given to 7"am, the first man an" the first prophet of !o", an" it was the religion of all the prophets sent by 7llah to mankin". Further, its name was chosen by !o" /imself, an" clearly mentione" in the final scripture which /e reveale" to man. (n that final revelation, calle" in 7rabic the =uran 7llah states the following: 5This "ay have perfecte" your religion for you, complete" *y favor upon you, an" have chosen for you (slam as your religion6 ;=uran >:?< 5(f anyone "esires a religion other than (slam ;submission to !o"<, never will it be accepte" of him.6 ;=uran ?:@>< /ence, (slam "oes not claim to be a new religion brought by Prophet *ohamme" into 7rabia in the seventh century, but rather to be a re.e-pression in its final form of the true religion of 7lmighty !o", 7llah, as it was originally reveale" to 7"am an" subse0uent prophets. 7t this point, we might comment briefly on two other religions that claim to be the true path. %owhere in the Bible will you fin" !o" revealing to Prophet *oses) people or their "escen"ants that their religion is calle" 9u"aism, or to the followers of &hrist that their religion is calle" &hristianity. (n other wor"s, the names 59u"aism6 an" 5&hristianity6 ha" no "ivine origin or approval. (t was not until long after his "eparture that the name &hristianity was given to 9esus) religion. 'hat, then, was 9esus) religion in actual fact, as "istinct from its name2;A< /is religion was reflecte" in his teachings, which he urge" his followers to accept as gui"ing principles in their relationship with !o". (n (slam, 9esus is a prophet sent by 7llah, an" his 7rabic name is B,esaa. 3ike the prophets before him, he calle" upon the people to surren"er their will to the will of !o" ;which is what (slam stan"s for<. For e-ample, in the %ew Testament it is state" that 9esus taught his followers to pray to !o" as follows: 58ur father in heaven, hallowe" be your name, may your will be "one on earth as it is in heaven.6 ;3uke A A:C/*atthew D:E.AF< This concept was emphasi1e" by 9esus in a number of his statements recor"e" in the !ospels. /e taught, for e-ample, that only those who submitte" woul" inherit para"ise. 5%one of those who call me G3or") will enter the king"om of !o", but only the one who "oes the will of my Father in heaven.6 ;*atthew H:CA< 9esus also pointe" out that he himself submitte" to the will of !o". 5( cannot "o anything of myself. ( 4u"ge as ( hear an" my 4u"gment is honest because ( am not seeking my own will but the will of /im who sent me.6 ;9ohn >:?F<

There are many reports in the !ospels which show that 9esus ma"e it clear to his followers that he was not the one true !o". For e-ample, when speaking about the final /our, he sai": 5%o.one knows about the "ay or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the son, but only the Father.6 ;*ark A?:?C< Thus 9esus, like the prophets before him an" the one who came after him, taught the religion of (slam: submission to the will of the one true !o".

God and Creation

$ince the total submission of one)s will to !o" represents the essence of worship, the basic message of !o")s "ivine religion, (slam, is the worship of !o" alone. (t also re0uires the avoi"ance of worship "irecte" to any person, place or thing other than !o". $ince everything other than !o", the creator of all the things, is !o")s creation, it may be sai" that (slam, in essence, calls man away from worship of creation an" invites him to worship only his &reator. /e is the only one "eserving of man)s worship, because it is only by /is will that prayers are answere". 7ccor"ingly, if a man prays to a tree an" his prayers are answere", it is not the tree which answers his prayers, but !o", who allows the circumstances praye" for to take place. 8ne might say, 5That is obvious.6 /owever, to tree.worshippers, it might not be so. $imilarly, prayers to 9esus, Bu""ha, or :rishna or $aint &hristopher, or $aint 9u"e or even to *uhamma" are not answere" by them, but are answere" by !o". 9esus "i" not tell his followers to worship him, but to worship !o", as the =uran states: 57n" behol"I 7llah will say: G8 9esus, the son of *aryI Di" you say to men, worship me an" my mother as go"s besi"es 7llah2) /e will say: G!lory to you, ( coul" never say what ( ha" no right ;to say<.) 6 ;=uran >:AAD< %or "i" 9esus worship himself when he worshippe", but rather he worshippe" !o". 7n" 9esus was reporte" in the !ospels to have sai", 5(t is written: G'orship the 3or" your !o" an" serve /im only.) 6 ;3uke J:@< This basic principle is containe" in the opening chapter of the =uran, known as $urah al. KFaatihah, verse J: 5Lou alone "o we worship an" from Lou alone "o we seek help.6 ;=uran A:J< ,lsewhere, in the final book of revelation, the =uran, !o" also sai": 57n" you 3or" says: G&all on *e an" ( will answer your ;prayer<.) 6 ;=uran JF:DF<

(t is worth emphasi1ing that the basic message of (slam ;namely, the worship of !o" alone< also proclaims that !o" an" /is creation are "istinctly "ifferent entities. !o" is neither e0ual to /is creation nor a part of it, nor is /is creation e0ual to /im or a part of /im. This might seem obvious, but man)s worship of creation, instea" of the &reator is to a large "egree base" on ignorance, or neglect, of this concept. (t is the belief that the essence of !o" is everywhere in /is creation or that /is "ivine being is or was present in some parts of /is creation, which has provi"e" 4ustification for the worship of !o")s creation an" naming it the worship of !o". /owever, the message of (slam, as brought by the prophets of !o", is to worship only !o" an" to avoi" the worship of /is creation either "irectly or in"irectly. (n the =uran !o" clearly states: 5For we assure"ly sent amongst every people a prophet, with the comman" worship 7llah an" avoi" false !o"s.6 ;=uran AD:?D< 'hen i"ol worshippers are 0uestione" as to why they bow "own to i"ols create" by men, the invariable reply is that they are not actually worshipping the stone image, but !o", who is present within it. They claim that the stone i"ol is only a focal point for !o")s essence an" is not in itself !o"I 8ne who has accepte" the concept of !o" being present in any way within /is creation will be oblige" to accept this argument for i"olatry. 'hereas, one who un"erstan"s the basic message of (slam an" its implications woul" never agree to i"olatry no matter how it is rationali1e". Those who have claime" "ivinity for themselves "own through the ages have often base" their claims on the mistaken belief that !o" is present in man. Taking one step further, they claim that !o" is more present in them than in the rest of us, an" that other humans shoul" therefore submit to them an" worship them as !o" in person or as !o" concentrate" within their persons. $imilarly, those who have asserte" the go"hoo" of others after their "eaths have foun" fertile groun" among those who accept the false belief of !o")s presence in man. (t shoul" be abun"antly clear by now that one who has graspe" the basic message of (slam an" its implications coul" never agree to worship another human being un"er any circumstance. !o")s religion, in essence, is a clear call to the worship of the &reator an" the re4ection of creation.worship in any form. This is the meaning of the motto of (slam: 53aa (laaha illaa 7llah6 ;There is no !o" but 7llah< The sincere "eclaration of this phrase an" the acceptance of prophethoo" automatically bring one within the fol" of (slam, an" sincere belief in it guarantees one Para"ise. Thus, the final Prophet of (slam ;p.b.u.h<;C< is reporte" to have sai", 57ny one who says: GThere is no !o" but 7llah) an" "ies hol"ing that ;belief< will enter para"ise.6 Belief in this "eclaration of faith re0uires that one submit his/her will to !o" in the way taught by the prophets of !o". (t also re0uires the believer to give up the worship of false go"s.

The Message of False Religions

There are so many sects, cults, religions, philosophies, an" movements in the worl", all of which claim to be the right way or the only true path of !o". /ow can one "etermine which one is correct or whether, in fact, all are correct2 8ne metho" by which the answer can be foun" is to clear away the superficial "ifferences in the teachings of the various claimants to the ultimate truth, an" i"entifies the central ob4ect of worship upon which they call, "irectly or in"irectly. False religions all have in common one basic concept with regar" to !o": they either claim that all men are go"s, or that specific men were !o", or that nature is !o", or that !o" is a figment of man)s imagination. Thus, it may be state" that the basic message of false religion is that !o" may be worshippe" in the form of /is creation. False religions invite man to the worship of creation by calling the creation or some aspect of it !o". For e-ample, Prophet 9esus invite" his followers to worship !o", but those who claim to be 9esus followers to"ay call people to worship 9esus, claiming that he was !o". Bu""ha was a reformer who intro"uce" a number of humanistic principles in the religion of (n"ia. /e "i" not claim to be !o", nor "i" he suggest to his followers that he be an ob4ect of worship. Let to"ay most Bu""hists who are to be foun" outsi"e of (n"ia have taken him to be !o" an" they prostrate themselves to i"ols ma"e in their perception of his likeness. By using the principle of i"entifying the ob4ect of worship, we can easily "etect false religions an" the contrive" nature of their origin. 7s !o" sai" in the =uran: 5Lou "o not worship besi"es /im but only names which you have name", you an" your forefathers, for which 7llah has sent "own no authority: the comman" belongs only to 7llah: /e has comman"e" that you worship /imM that is the right religion, but most men "o not un"erstan".6 ;=uran AC:JF< (t may be argue" that all religions teach goo" things, so why shoul" it matter which one we follow2 The reply is that all false religions teach the greatest evil the worship of creation. &reation.worship is the greatest sin that man can commit because it contra"icts the very purpose of his creation. *an was create" to worship !o" alone as 7llah has e-plicitly state" in the =uran: 5( have only create" 4inns an" men, that they may worship *e.6 ;=uran >A:>D< &onse0uently, the worship of creation, which is the essence of i"olatry is the only unforgivable sin. 8ne who "ies in this state of i"olatry, has seale" his fate in the ne-t life. This is not an opinion, but a reveale" fact state" by !o" in his final revelation to man: 5#erily 7llah will not forgive the 4oining of partners with /im, but /e may forgive ;sins< less than that for whomsoever /e wishes.6 ;=uran J:J@, AAD<

Universality of Gods Religions

$ince the conse0uences of following a false religion are so grave, the true religion of !o" must have been universally un"erstan"able an" universally attainable in the past an" it must continue eternally to be un"erstan"able an" attainable throughout the entire worl". (n other wor"s, the true religion of !o" cannot be confine" to any one people, place, or perio" of time. %or is it logical that such a religion shoul" impose con"itions that have nothing to "o with the relationship of man with !o", such as baptism, or belief in man as a savior, or an interme"iary. 'ithin the central principle of (slam an" its "efinition ;the surren"er of one)s will to !o"< lie the roots of (slam)s universality. 'henever man comes to the reali1ation that !o" is one an" "istinct from /is creation, an" submits himself to !o", he becomes a *uslim in bo"y an" spirit an" is eligible for para"ise. &onse0uently, anyone at any time in the most remote regions of the worl" can become *uslim, a follower of !o")s religion, (slam, by merely re4ecting the worship of creation an" turning to !o" alone. (t shoul" be note", however, that in or"er to actually submit to !o")s will, one must continually choose between right an" wrong. (n"ee", man is en"owe" by !o" with the power not only to "istinguish right from wrong but also to choose between them. These !o".given powers carry with them an important responsibility, namely, that man is answerable to !o" for the choices he makes. (t follows, then, that man shoul" try his utmost to "o goo" an" avoi" evil. These concepts are e-presse" in the final revelation as follows: 5#erily, those who believe ;in the =uran<, an" those who follow the 9ewish faith, an" the &hristians, an" the $abians N any of these who believe in 7llah an" the 3ast Day an" work righteousness shall have their rewar" with their 3or". They will not be overcome by fear or grief.6 ;=uran C:DC< (f, for whatever reason, they fail to accept the final message after it has been clearly e-plaine" to them, they will be in grave "anger. The last Prophet sai": 5'hoever among the &hristians an" 9ews hear of me but "oes not affirm his belief in what ( brought an" "ies in this state will be among the inhabitants of /ell.6 ;$ahih *uslim O,nglish TranslationP, #ol.A P.EA %o, C@J<

Recognition of God
The 0uestion which arises here is: /ow can all people be e-pecte" to believe in the one true !o", given their varying backgroun"s, societies an" cultures2 For people to be hel" responsible for worshipping the one true !o", they all nee" to have access to knowle"ge of /im. The final revelation teaches that all human beings have the recognition of the one true !o" imprinte" on their souls as a part of their very nature with which they are create".

(n the seventh chapter of the =uran ;al.7Braaf, verses AHC.AH?<, !o" e-plaine" that when /e create" 7"am, /e cause" all of 7"am)s "escen"ants to come into e-istence an" /e took a ple"ge from them saying: 5 G7m ( not your 3or" 2) To which they all replie", GLes, we testity to it.) 6 ;=uranH:AHC< 7llah then e-plaine" why /e ha" all of mankin" bear witness that /e is their creator an" the only true !o" worthy of worship. /e sai": 5That was in case you ;mankin"< shoul" say on the "ay of esurrection, G#erily we were unaware of all this.) 6 ;=uran H:AHC< That is to say, we cannot claim on that "ay that we ha" no i"ea that 7llah was our !o" an" that no one tol" us that we were only suppose" to worship 7llah alone. 7llah went on to further e-plain that: 5(t was also in case you shoul" say, G&ertainly it was our ancestors who ma"e partners ;with 7llah< an" we are only their "escen"antsM will you then "estroy us for what those liars "i"2) 6 ;=uran H:AH?< Thus, every chil" is born with a natural belief in !o" an" an in.born inclination to worship /im alone. This in.born belief an" inclination is calle" in 7rabic the 5Fitrah6. The Prophet *uhamma" reporte" that 7llah sai", 5( create" my servants in the right religion, but "evils ma"e them go astray.6 The Prophet also sai", 5,ach chil" is born in a state of Fitrah. Then his parents make him a 9ew, &hristian or a Qoroastrian.6 (f the chil" were left alone, he woul" worship !o" in his own way, but all chil"ren are affecte" by the environment. $o, 4ust as the chil" submits to the physical laws, which 7llah has impose" on nature, in the same way, his soul also submits naturally to the fact that 7llah is his 3or" an" &reator. But, if his parents try to make him follow a "ifferent path, the chil" is not strong enough in the early stages of his life to resist or oppose the will of his parents. (n such cases, the religion which the chil" follows, is one of custom an" upbringing, an" !o" "oes not hol" him to account or punish him for his religion up to a certain stage of his life.

The igns of God

Throughout people)s lives, from chil"hoo" until the time they "ie, signs of the one an" only true !o" are shown to them in all regions of the earth an" in their own souls, until it becomes clear that there is only one true !o" ;7llah<. !o" says in the =uran: 5'e will show them our signs in the furthest regions ;of the earth< an" in their souls, until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth.6 ;=uran JA:>?< The following is an e-ample of !o" revealing by a sign to one man the error of his i"ol. worship. (n the south.eastern region of the 7ma1on 4ungle in Bra1il, $outh 7merica, a primitive tribe erecte" a new hut to house their man.i"ol $kwatch, representing the supreme

!o" of all creation. The following "ay a young man entere" the hut to pay homage to the !o", an" while he was in prostration to what he ha" been taught was his &reator an" $ustainer, a mangy ol" flea.ri""en "og slunk into the hut. The young man looke" up in time to see the "og lift his hin" leg an" pass urine on the i"ol. 8utrage", the youth chase" the "og out of the templeM but when his rage "ie" "own, he reali1e" that the i"ol coul" not be the 3or" of the +niverse. !o" must be elsewhere, he conclu"e". 7s strange as it may seem, the "og urinating on the i"ol was a sign from !o" for that young man. This sign containe" the "ivine message that what he was worshipping was false. (t liberate" him from slavishly following his tra"itionally learne" worship of a false go". 7s a result, this man was given a choice: either to seek the true !o" or to continue in the error of his ways. 7llah mentions Prophet 7braham)s 0uest for !o" as an e-ample of how those who follow /is signs will be rightly gui"e": 5$o also "i" we show 7braham the power an" the 3aws of the heavens an" the earth that he might ;with un"erstan"ing< have certitu"e. R 'hen the night covere" him over, he saw a star. /e sai": GThis is my 3or".) But when it set, he sai": G( love not those that set.) R 'hen he saw the moon rising in splen"or, he sai": GThis is my 3or".) But when the moon set, he sai": G+nless my 3or" gui"es me, ( shall surely be among those who go astray.) R 'hen he saw the rising sun in splen"or, he sai": GThis is my 3or", this is the greatest ;of all<.) But when the sun set, he sai": G8 my peopleI ( am in"ee" free from your ;guilt< of giving partners to 7llah. R For me, ( have set my face, firmly an" truly, towar"s /im who create" the heavens an" the earth, an" never shall ( give partners to 7llah.6 ;=uran D:H>.HE< 7s was mentione" earlier, prophets have been sent to every nation an" tribe to support man)s natural belief in !o" an" man)s in.born inclination to worship /im, as well as to reinforce the "ivine truth in the "aily signs reveale" by !o". 7lthough much of these prophets) teachings became "istorte", portions revealing their !o".inspire" messages have remaine" untainte" an" have serve" to gui"e mankin" in the choice between right an" wrong. The influence of !o".inspire" messages "own through the ages can be seen in the Ten &omman"ments of 9u"aism)s Torah, which were later a"opte" into &hristianity)s teachings, as well as in the e-istence of laws against mur"er, stealing an" a"ultery in most societies throughout the ancient an" mo"ern worl". 7s a result of !o")s signs to mankin" through the ages, combine" with /is revelation through /is prophets, all mankin" has been given a chance to recogni1e the one only true !o". &onse0uently, every soul will be hel" accountable for its belief in !o" an" its acceptance of the true religion of !o", namely (slam, which means total submission to the will of 7llah.

Conclusion

The prece"ing presentation has "emonstrate" that the name of the religion of (slam e-presses (slam)s most central principle, submission to !o", an" that the name 5(slam6 was chosen not by man, but by !o", accor"ing to the holy scriptures of (slam. (t has also been shown that (slam alone teaches the uni0ueness of !o" an" /is attributes an" en4oins the worship of !o" alone without interme"iaries. Finally, "ue to the "ivinely instille" inclination of man to worship !o" an" the signs reveale" by !o" throughout the ages to each in"ivi"ual, (slam may be achieve" by all men at all times. (n short, the significance of the name (slam ;submission to !o"<, (slam)s fun"amental acknowle"gment of the uni0ueness of !o", an" (slam)s accessibility to all mankin" at all times, convincingly support (slam)s claim that, from the beginning of time, in whatever language it was e-presse", (slam alone has been, an" will be, the true religion of !o". (n conclusion, we ask 7llah, the e-alte", to keep us on the right path to which /e has gui"e" us, an" to bestow on us /is Blessings an" *ercy, for /e is in"ee" the *ost *erciful. Praise be to 7llah, the 3or" of the worl"s, an" Peace an" Blessings be on Prophet *uhamma" an" on all the prophets of !o" an" their righteous followers. A. Both the name G9esus) an" the name G&hrist) are "erive" from /ebrew wor"s, through !reek an" 3atin. 9esus is the ,nglish an" 3atin form of the !reek G(esous), which in /ebrew (s GLeshua) or GLehoshua) ;9oshua<. The !reek wor" Gchristos) is a translation of the /ebrew Gmessiah), which is a title meaning Gthe anointe"). C. GPeace be +pon /im): 7 phrase which is state" after mentioning any of the prophets out of respect.