Islam did not start with Prophet Muhammad in the 7th
century. Technically Islam is the
Message that was delivered by all the prophets of God from Adam to
Muhammad. Islam is neither named after a
person or a tribe nor does it end with an –ism.
Though each Prophet had a relatively different law, the essence of the
message of Islam was always the same:
have faith in One God and do good.
In the Bible (original before it began being altered), the first four of
the Ten Commandments enjoin the worship of One God; the rest urge believers to avoid what is
wrong and do what is good. All Prophets
and their followers (including Essa and his disciples) are simply called
‘Muslims’ in the Quran. Hence anyone who
submits to One God only and strives to be a good person can be called a
‘muslim’ (with a ‘m’) from a linguistic perspective.
Every human being is born with innate will (fitrah) to
submit to One God, but parents and society change this nature, and in order to
relate to The Almighty, many have put a face on God (mostly human or animal)
throughout history. The process of
restoring the fitrah is called reversion.
Islam is not only a religion but a comprehensive of life. Based on common sense and clear cut teachings, Islam defines the rights and responsibilities of every individual in regards to their relationship with God and His creation. It balances the spiritual and material needs of its followers and helps them gain happiness with peace of mind in this life and salvation (maghfirah) in the next.
Introduction
from Dr. Mustafa Khattib’s English translation of the Quran, The Clear Quran
18th century desert village in eastern Libya
