What is Islam?
Islam is a religion free from all superstitions and myths, rejecting liars, considering people not as sinners but as servants of Allah, giving them the opportunity to work and live well, and commanding physical and spiritual cleanliness. The essence of Islam is belief in the One Allah and His Prophet, Muhammad “sallallahu alaihi wa sallam”, a human being like us and a beloved servant of Allah. In Islam, Muhammad “sallallahu alaihi wa sallam” is a man, but innocent and perfect. Allahu ta’ala has chosen him as His messenger to communicate His commandments to humanity. The religion of Islam accepts and affirms all the Prophets, “alayhimussalawatu wattaslimat” It loves and respects them all. Essentially, the old religious books and the true Torah and Bible state that a final Prophet, “alayhissalatu wassalam,” will come. Muhammad “alaihissalatu wassalam” is the last Prophet, and no Prophet will come after him.
Believing that Muhammad “alaihissalam” is the Messenger of Allah means believing that all the commands and prohibitions written in the Quran, which he conveyed, are the commands and prohibitions of Allah, and accepting and approving of them all. A person who believes this way is a Muslim. If this muslim commits sin : “for example, if they dont make some of the commands or commit some of the prohibitions,” their faith is not invalidated; they don’t become non-Muslim. However, if they do not feel sorrow for not obeying to even one of these commands and prohibitions and boast about it, then they have not believed in the Prophet, their faith is invalidated, and they become a disbeliever (kafir). If, because of their inappropriate actions, they feel guilty before Allah and their heart is filled with sorrow, then it is understood that they are a Muslim, and their faith is strong.
Below, the fundamentals of Islam will be discussed. Islam commands people to live honestly and honorably, but to enjoy life at the same time. The time reserved for worship is short. The essence of worship is to completely connect one’s heart to Allah. Worship is not performed as a mere habit, but rather to appear before Allah, to wholeheartedly thank Him, and to supplicate to Him. Allah does not accept worship performed for showing-off or ostentation. This matter is mentioned in the Surah Al-Maun in the Quran.
The book of the Islamic religion is the “QURAN AL-KARIM.” The Quran al-Karim was revealed to Muhammad “sallallahu alaihi wa sallam” by Allahu te’ala and it was conveyed by Muhammed alaihissalam to his Companions (Eshab al-Kiram). During that process the Quran al-Karim was preserved and recorded with a great care, and it has come down to us without even a single word or letter changed. No other divine book is as eloquent as the Quran al-Karim. Even after fourteen centuries, it still retains its clarity, miraculous nature, eloquence, and fluency.
Goethe (1749-1832), one of the world’s most famous writers, said about the Quran in his work “West-Östlicher Divan” (West-Eastern Divan): “The Quran contains many repetitions. When we read it, we think these repetitions will bore us. But after a while, this book begins to attract us. Then it carries us to admiration and eventually to great respect and reverence.”
Besides Goethe, many other famous thinkers have felt admiration for the Qur’ân al-kerîm. Let us introduce a few more:
Professor Edouard Monté says: “(The Quran is the book that describes the unity of Allah in the purest, highest, most sacred, and most convincing language, which can be surpassed by no other religious book).”
Dr. Maurice, who translated the Quran into French, says: “(The Quran is the most beautiful of the religious books gifted to humanity).”
Gaston Karr says: “The Qur’ân al-kerîm which is the source of Islam, contains all the principles of modern civilization. This is such a clear fact that, today, we have to believe that our civilization is established on the fundamental principles of the Qur’ân.”
The Islamic religion is founded on the basis of physical and spiritual cleanliness. Islam has gathered within itself all the visible and invisible virtues of previous religions.
There are five essential duties that are obligatory upon those who have embraced Islam, that is, Muslims: Firstly, believing in one Allahu te’ala and His Prophet and servant, Muhammad “alaihissalam”; secondly, performing prayer (Namaz); thirdly, fasting during Ramadan; fourthly, performing Hajj (pilgrimage); and fifthly, giving Zakat, a special kind of charity paid by the rich to poor Muslims.
Prayer (Namaz) is a religious duty performed five times a day at its appointed times. Before beginning prayer, it is necessary to perform wudu, which mainly consists of washing the hands, the face, the arms, and the feet. Unless there are reasons that break the wudu, one can perform several prayers by performing wudu once. Praying (performing Namaz) five times a day, doesn’t prevent ones from their normal daily works. Essentially, since prayer is short, it can be performed alone anywhere without going to a mosque. There are also convenient methods, such as passing over leather socks with wet hands during the wudu. (Instead of washing the feet, wiping over leather socks). Furthermore, in places where water is unavailable, and for the sick, it is possible to perform tayammum (dry wudu) with earth and be considered to have performed wudu. In cases of necessity or when there is a risk to life or property while traveling, it is permissible to postpone prayers. However, these prayers must be performed immediately upon the expiration of the excuse, that is, they must be made up (qada’).
Prayer (Namaz) is a collection of movements that strengthen muscles and nerves, as well as purifying the heart and character.
Fasting means abstaining from things that break the fast only during the daytime for one month a year, namely the month of Ramadan. One of the worldly benefits of fasting is teaching people what hunger and thirst mean. A person who is full never understands the condition of the hungry and has no compassion for them. Fasting also teaches self-control. Since the time for fasting is determined according to the Islamic calendar, it begins approximately ten days earlier each year compared to the previous year. For this reason, it sometimes falls in summer and sometimes in winter. Those who are ill and unable to fast during the summer can make up for it in the winter. Similarly, very elderly people who are unable to fast can fulfill their obligation by paying a alms to poor (called fidyah) if they can affort it. If they cannot even afford it, Allah will not hold them responsible.
In Islam, there is no force or torture. Allahu teala has never required that one endanger their health or become ill in order to worship. Allahu teala is most generous, forgiving, and merciful. He forgives and shows mercy to those who repent.
Zakat is the obligation of a Muslim whose income is sufficient and whose savings exceeds the minimum threshold (Nisab) to give 2,5%, of their savings to needy Muslims once a year. This obligation is only for wealthy Muslims. Muslims whose income is only sufficient for their own sustenance are exempt from paying zakat.
Hajj is the pilgrimage for wealthy Muslims who are free from debt and able to provide for their families during the pilgrimage period. Hajj means to go to Mecca once in a lifetime, to visit the Ka’ba, and to pray to Allâhu ta’âlâ in the open space of Arafat. This fard (obligation) is also only for the Muslims who have the conditions stated above. If there is a risk to life during the journey to and from Mecca, a fear of illness, or physical difficulties that prevent from fulfilling the pilgrimage, the pilgrim does not go and sends someone else in their place.
To learn the details of these worships, their conditions, and how they are to be performed correctly, each of the four schools (madhhabs) has a certain book called, “Ilm-i hal.” (religious handbook). Every Muslim should choose the schools (madhhab) that is easiest according to them, then read and learn how to worship from the books of their schools (madhhab).
Worship in Islam remains between Allah and the servant. Only Allah forgives or punishes those who do not perform this act of worship. Those who will be punished will be tormented by being burned in fire in a place called Hell.
Who will remain in Hell eternally? Those who do not pray? Those who commit sins? No! In Hell, the enemies of Allah will burn eternally. Those who commit sins are not enemies of Allah; they are His sinful servants. They are like naughty, guilty children. Would a mother or father become an enemy to a naughty child? Of course not. They only scold him a little, but they continue to love him.
Muslims believe in the following six pillars of faith: 1- Believing in Allahu ta’ala, 2- Believing in the angels of Allahu ta’ala, 3- Believing in the Holy Books revealed by Allahu ta’ala, 4- Believing in the Prophets of Allahu ta’ala, 5- Believing in the Hereafter [Afterlife], 6- Believing in Qadar [the fate, Allahu taala’s predestination], and that good and evil come from Allahu ta’ala. All true previous religions also believe in these things.
Above, we said that worship is between Allahu teala and the servant. However, those who deceive others, usurp the rights of others, lie, scam, cheat, oppress, commit injustice and dishonesty, hypocrites, disobey their parents or superiors, rebel against authorities and their government, in short, those who do not fulfill the commands of Allahu teala and those who take others’ rights for their own selfish gain or deceive others, will not be forgiven unless they are forgiven by the owners of those rights. In other words, those who have wronged people or animals will not be forgiven by Allah, and they will go to Hell and receive their punishment, no matter how much they worship.
One of the human rights is “to pay the mahr” immediately to the woman whom one has divorced. Failing to pay this is a sin.
The most important among human rights is that of not doing the obligation of teaching Islam to relatives and to the people under one’s authority. A man who prevents them or any other Muslim from learning their religion and from worshipping by torture or deception is considered an infidel and an enemy of Islam.
A Muslim who does not follow one of the four schools (madhhabs) is called a “heretic” (bid’ah).
Those who have wronged others and violated human rights, as mentioned above, should repent, then make amends with those they have wronged, first seek forgiveness from them, then take refuge in Allah’s mercy, avoid from such evil deeds again, and strive to atone for their sins by performing many good deeds. Then Allah will forgive their sins.
Even if they are not muslim, those who have worked with the intention of serving humanity and have left behind beneficial knowledge and works, are hoped to receive the guidance of Allah, that is, they will become muslim at the end of their lives. In the past it is used to say of such people, ” they are hiding that they have become muslims.” We do not know what these benevolent people, whose disbelief is unclear, believed in when they died. However, if they used the power of intellect given to them by Allah well, if they worked with the idea of serving all human beings, it is hoped that they have been guided and have become Muslims.
For example, Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), one of the famous writers of our time, said in one of his writings, “Islam is the only religion which can be adapted to every age. I believe that Islam is the religion that tomorrow’s Europe will accept,” which shows that he wholeheartedly embraced Islam.
The German intellectual and writer Emil Ludwig (1881-1948) wrote in one of his works: “I visited Egypt. One evening I was walking along the Red Sea. Suddenly, in silence, I heard the call to prayer (adhan). My whole body trembled with the fear of Allah. Suddenly, I felt an immediate urge to jump into the water, perform wudu like the Muslims, and then prostrate myself and pray to Allah like them.” This shows that a light of guidance, even if only temporarily, shone in the author’s heart, doesn’t it?
Lord Hadley, having felt such a light of guidance in his heart, said, “After seeing the simple but bright greatness of Islam, you feel as if you have come out of a dark corridor into the sunlight.” He later accepted Islam. Even if Allahu taala punishes those who die without faith (that is, those who die without being Muslim) in the hereafter, He will lighten their punishment because of favours they have done for humanity. In the Quran, in verses seven and eight of Surah Zilzal, Allah Almighty says, “He who did the tiniest bit of good will see it, and he who did the tiniest bit of evil will see it, too.” A Muslim will receive rewards for his good deeds both here and in the Hereafter. However, a disbeliever will receive his reward only in this world. Therefore, being a disbeliever, that is a non-muslim, is the worst possible thing”. If someone, with the intention of doing good for humanity, has made beneficial discoveries or performed deeds, risking their life and health to help people under the most difficult conditions, but dies as a disbeliever, their good deeds will not save them from the punishment of disbelief. Nevertheless, in the sight of Allah, the punishment for those hypocrites who committed every kind of evil and immorality and who pretended to worship, will be much worse. Their appearing as Muslims will not save them from the punishment that corresponds to the disbelief in their hearts.
In history, there are many commanders, scholars, and scientists who were formerly Christians but converted to Islam and rendered great services to Islam.
The great Islamic scholar Ismail Hakki Effendi, “rahimehullah” , passed away in Bursa in 1725. His ten-volume explanation on the Quran (namely Ruh-ul-Beyan) is highly valued by all Islamic scholars worldwide. After finishing the explanation on the sixth volume, he says : My sheikh [master, teacher], a scholar of his time, said the following about some Christians and Jews [that is, non-muslims] who treat everyone with honesty, kindness and generosity: “This is a sign of those who will attain eternal happiness. It is hoped that those who have such behaviour will attain iman (faith), that is, will become muslim and as a result, they will attain eternal happiness.” This passage from the explanation book is one of the proofs of our words above.
