In the May 2007 issue of Universal Message, I presented a “question and answer” session obtained from ekhlas.com between Mr. Hamza Karamali and a non-Muslim who raised a query as to whether or not God will make us accountable for the religion we choose to live and how one knows that Islam is the truth. Mr. Hamza gave a categorical answer to the first question that in the Day of Judgment, God will indeed take us to account for our beliefs and action and it would be unacceptable to “unquestioningly accept what one’s parents believe, to imitate what one’s society believes, or to follow mere conjecture”. In other words, every man is required to acquire a personal and firm conviction of the religion he chooses to live. If man merely follows the religion of his parents or ancestors without question, he will not find real meaning in it nor will he be able to find the truth that will lead him to salvation.

    In answer to the second question on the truth of Islam, Mr. Hamza discussed the many signs which God has given mankind that clearly establish the truth of Islam. Therefore, a person will be taken to task in the next life for not believing in Islam. A Muslim is also a Muslim not because he is born a Muslim but because he has chosen to be one based on a personal conviction that Islam is the true religion sent by God to humanity. He should therefore live its teachings to the best of his ability with sincere devotion and commitment.

    I was born as a Muslim and my father, the late Ustaz Iljas Ismail was a learned man of religion from whom I learned much about Islam, not only from his teachings but most of all from the examples that he set in living life as an exemplary Muslim. However, while it was to my great advantage that I lived and was raised in a Muslim family and environment, it did not necessarily follow that I would turn out to believe and accept Islam as my religion. It was a personal choice I made out of firm belief that Islam is indeed the only true religion sent by God to lead mankind to reach its final goal in the hereafter. A Muslim should therefore be Muslim not only because he or she is a born Muslim but being a Muslim should be made as a choice. Only then can one truly and sincerely adhere to its teachings and become proud of being a Muslim.

    There are also Muslims who may be born in a Muslim family and environment but do not see the real teachings of Islam properly performed in their family or community. Again, Islam should not be judged by how one’s family members or other Muslims do not practice Islam properly. It is necessary for a person to investigate and study Islam and judge it, not by how bad or misguided Muslims practice it but by understanding what Islam teaches and how a person should practice these teachings correctly.

    A number of Muslims identify themselves as Muslims because of birth. They think they are going to paradise without having to exert much effort to reach this goal. Living the teachings of Islam in its true form is not easy. Gaining a resolute and unyielding faith in Islam therefore requires the acquisition of sound knowledge about Islam and its beautiful teachings to enable one to carry out these teachings correctly and properly in one’s daily life.

 

    Islam is now placed in a very negative light and faces many challenges as a result of terrorist and violent acts perpetrated by a group of people who carry out these immoral acts in the name of Islam. Whatever objectives these people have in mind, and no matter how noble these ends may be, cannot in anyway justify violent acts that cause injury and death to many innocent civilians including women and children.

    Islam never condones the killing of innocent civilians even in times of wars. As Allah s.w.t. (the most glorious and most high) revealed in the Holy Qur’an, "Whosoever kills a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whosoever saves the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind..." (Qur’an, 5:32).  So one should not judge Islam by what a few Muslims do but Islam should be judged by what it teaches. Muslims are not perfect but Islam is and it was established as the religion of mankind when Allah s.w.t said in the Quran: “This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Qur’an, 5:3).

    If people, including Muslims look at only the evil or wrong actions of a group of Muslims in judging Islam, they will be misguided and will never find the truth. It is therefore incumbent upon every Muslim to exert effort in learning and studying Islam and helping to dispel the negative and false image created especially by the media that misguides many people including Muslims themselves.

    Choosing Islam as one’s religion is certainly not simple and straightforward in view of the many prevailing beliefs and ideas in the world. When discussing religion, we normally hear statements such as; all religions are the same and basically teach goodness. So it really does not matter what religion one follows. But while all religions are similar in teaching universal values of morality like honesty, kindness, charity, generosity, and righteousness, there are also fundamental differences among their teachings. For instance, to the Christians, Jesus s.a.w (peace and blessings be upon him) is God while to the Muslims, Jesus is not God but one of the mightiest Prophets of God. Either one of these beliefs is true but the two conflicting beliefs cannot be both true.

    Killing infants or committing suicide is normally considered wrong and sinful in most religions. However for some religions found in Central America, infanticide is allowed and seen as a way to draw their adherents nearer to God. Among Hindus, it is praiseworthy for a wife to kill herself after the death of her husband. In democratic societies such as America and Europe, there is much emphasis on individual rights such that acts which were previously considered wrong such as fornication, adultery, abortion, and euthanasia are now very much acceptable as part of an individual’s freedom to exercise his rights and own judgment on what is best for him. People are therefore left to believe and practice what they perceive as correct or wrong depending on their own individual goals and desires.

    Throughout history, societies have established various laws and ethics based on religion, culture, philosophy or other beliefs deemed necessary to protect people’s rights and maintain peace and order in their communities. For a number of these societies, there is a common belief that truth is relative and that all beliefs could be correct especially in matters of religion because it is the individual’s right to believe in a certain religion as one’s personal choice. But while anyone has the right to believe as he wishes as a God-given right, it does not mean that all beliefs are correct and that one does not have the right to form opinions about them. Since there are many conflicting beliefs among many religions, it would not be possible for all of them to be all correct or that none of them is correct. There could only be one absolute truth.

    If we agree that the truth is absolute and not relative to each individual and society, what are the morals which make truth evident? What laws should be implemented in society? Who should decide them, politicians, judges or lawyers? Every individual in the society will have his own perception of what is right and what is wrong, whether this perception is based on religion, law, culture or individual thought. In some countries for instance, abortion is considered a crime and while in others, it is legal as part of an individual’s right to do decide what to do with his body. Homosexuality which was taboo in many communities is now acceptable in many developed countries to the extent that gay marriages have been legalized in these places. Few days ago in Auckland, New Zealand, there was a parade of topless ladies who were displaying their bare bodies in public. While a number of people were surprised and appalled at this event, the organizers stated that the parade did not violate any existing laws and was therefore acceptable. Thus, if human beings are left to legislate laws in the society based primarily on protecting individual freedom and rule of the majority, the society will go into moral decay and will be beset by grave social problems such as alcoholism, unwanted children, broken homes, high incidence of rape, high rate of sexually transmitted diseases, etc. These problems are rampant in societies which boast of democracy and protecting individual freedom as basis of their laws and ethics.

    Man was created to fulfill a noble purpose and not merely to eat, sleep and satisfy his never-ending wants and desires. Man needs to reflect and find out what is his purpose in this world. If he believes that there is a God who is the Supreme Being and who created everything in the universe, he must agree that only God can provide laws that are perfect and comprehensive to govern all aspects of man’s life to enable him to fulfill the purpose of his creation. He should therefore search for the religion and way of life revealed by God which contains such laws. Such religion should be easy to grasp and understand through man’s faculty of reason. It should be practical and comprehensive to guide all spheres of human endeavors. It should be a religion that is applicable at all times with clearness of dogmas and principles based on rational and sound teachings, free of contradictions and mysteries. It should be characterized by simplicity, nobility, vitality and purity of creed. It should be a religion that preaches and promotes excellent morals and the equality and brotherhood of men under one God.

    No other religion in the world today fits all the above description except Islam. Many attempt to destroy this religion at any cost and by all means, and many strongly desire to stop its growth but it is the only religion which, despite the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the US, and all the false and negative accusations hurled against it, continues to advance as the fastest growing religion in the world today.

“It is He who hath sent His messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest it,” (Qur'an, 9:33).

    Religion is a personal choice taken by an individual out of strong personal conviction. It cannot nor should it be forced upon anyone. Islam clearly adheres to this philosophy when Allah s.w.t revealed: “Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that never breaks.” (Qur’an, 2:256). 

    Countless men, women, famous personalities as well as priests and ministers of other religions have found the truth of Islam and embraced the faith voluntarily. Islam cannot be spread through terrorism and violence but rather through wisdom and beautiful teachings as enjoined by Allah s.w.t as further revealed in the following verses:

 

“Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.” (16:125).

    I have chosen Islam as my religion not only because I was born as one but primarily because I have found the truth in it. This truth will be manifest and clearly evident to those who sincerely search for it. “Nay, We hurl the Truth against falsehood, and it knocks out its brain, and behold, falsehood doth perish!”  (Qur’an, 21: 18).

    May Allah s.w.t guide any one truly and sincerely seeking the truth to the faith of Islam and may all of us who have chosen it as our path to salvation, find it easy to follow and comply with its teachings with sincerity and devotion through Allah’s mercy and grace (amen).