HOW TO BECOME A MUSLIM

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HOW TO BECOME A MUSLIM

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If you do not know any Muslims and you are interested in becoming a Muslim, then contact us or start a Live Chat.

All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe. May peace and blessings of Allah be upon Mohammad, His last messenger.

The purpose of this hand-out is to correct a false idea spread among those willing to adopt Islam as their faith. Some people have a wrong notion that entering into the Islamic fold requires an announcement from the concerned person in the presence of high ranking scholars or shaikhs or reporting this act to courts of justice or other authorities. It is also thought that the act of accepting Islam, should, as a condition, have a certificate issued by the authorities, as evidence to that effect.

We wish to clarify that the whole matter is very easy and that none of these conditions or obligations are required. For Allah, Almighty, is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of all hearts. Nevertheless, those who are going to adopt Islam as their religion are advised to register themselves as Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as this procedure may facilitate for them many matters including the possibility of performing Hadj (Pilgrimage) and Umrah.

If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah for all human-beings, then, one should pronounce the "Shahada", the testimony of faith, without further delay. The Holy Qur'an is explicit on this regard as Allah states:

"The Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." (Qur'an 3:19)

In another verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah states:

"If unyone desires a religion other than Islam (Submission to Allah), Never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (their selves in the hell fire)."(Qur'an 3:85)

In addition, Islam is the only religion prevailing over all other religions. Allah states in the Holy Qur'an:

"To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety:..." (Qur'an 5:48)

Mohammad, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), said:

"The superstructure of Islam is raised on five (pillars): testifying that there is no God (none truely to be worshiped) but Allah, and that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah, performing the prayer, paying the Zakah (poor-due), fasting the month of Ramadan, and performing Hadj".

The Shahada can be declared as follows:

"ASH-HADU ANLA ELAHA ILLA-ALLAH WA ASH-HADU ANNA MOHAMMADAN RASUL-ALLAH".

The English translation is:

"I bear witness that there is no deity (none truely to be worshipped) but, Allah, and I bear witness that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah",

However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to only utter this testimony oraly either in private or in public; but rather, he should believe in it by heart with a firm conviction and unshakeable faith. If one is truly sincere and complies with the teachings of Islam in all his life, he will find himself a new born person.

This will move him to strive more and more to improve his character and draw nearer to perfection. The light of the living faith will fill his heart until he becomes the embodiment of that faith.

What would be next after declaring oneself a Muslim? One should then know the real concept underlying this testimony which means the Oneness of Allah and meet its requirements. One must behave accordingly, applying this true faith to every thing one speaks or does.

What do the words of the "Shahada" signify? The significant point which every Muslim must know very well is the truth that there is no God (deity) to be worshipped other than Allah. He - glory be to Him - is the only true God, Who alone deserves to be worshipped, since He is the Giver of life and Sustainer and Nourisher of mankind and all creation with His unlimited bounties. Man must worship Allah, Who alone is worthy of worship.

The second part of the Shahada (i.e., Wa ash-hadu anna Mohammadan rasul-Allah) means that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is the servant and chosen messenger of Allah. No one must have two opinions about this matter. In fact the Muslim has to obey the commands of the Prophet (PBUH), to believe him in what he has said, to practice his teachings, to avoid what he has forbidden, and to worship Allah alone according to the message revealed to him, for all the teachings of the Prophet were in fact revelations and inspirations conveyed to him by Allah.

What is the meaning of worship? It simply means rendering sincere service, showing reverence for Allah. In a deeper shade of meaning, it implies total submission and complete obedience to Allah's commandments both in utterances and actions of man whether explicit or implicit.

Worship fall into two categories:

1. Visible (manifest or outward)
2. Invisible (concealed or inward)

Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the "Shahada", performing prayers, giving Zakah (the poor-due), recitation of the Holy Qur'an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.

This type of worship is associated with movement of the parts of the human body.

Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgement (in the Hereafter), in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Prophets of Allah, in the Divine Decree of destiny (that good and bad are determined by Allah alone).

This type of worship does not involve movement of parts of the body but it surely has bearing on one's heart which subsequently affects one's way of life.

It should be borne in mind that any worship not dedicated to Allah alone will be rejected as one form of polytheism and this causes apostasy from the Islamic fold.

The next step for a newly revert to Islam is to purify himself by taking a complete bath. He should then resolve to comply with the principles and rules of Islam in their entirety. He should disown all forms of polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject evil and be righteous. Such rejection of evil and being righteous is one of the equisites of the motto of Islam - that is, Laa Ilaha Illallah.

Allah states in the Holy Qur'an:

"... whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy Hand-hold, that never breaks..." (Qur'an 2:256).

We have to consider that when we declare from our heart that "there is no god (deity) worthy to be worshipped but Allah", it implies on our part love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islamic legislations which are legally binding on all Muslims. It is a requirement of "there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah" to love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah.

This is the firmest anchor of belief which materialise the meaning of "AL WALA" and "AL BARA". It means that a Muslim should love and be loyal to his Muslim brothers. He should, as a practice, dissociate himself completely from the unbelievers and refuse to be influenced by them, both in worldly and religious matters.

We conclude with a humble prayer to Allah that may He cleanse the hearts and souls of those who are genuine seekers of truth and may He bless the community of believers. Aameen.

If you do not know any Muslims and you are interested in becoming a Muslim, then contact us or start a Live Chat.

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The Prerequisites of the Declaration of Faith- من المتطلبات الأساسية لإعلان الإيمان

The Prerequisites of the Declaration of Faith

by Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo

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On the following article Br. Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo looked closer at The Prerequisites of the Declaration of Faith. This article appeared in two parts in AL-BASHEER magazine (Vol.7, No.5 January-February, 1994).

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THE CONDITIONS OF La ilaha illa-llah..........PART I
[The Prerequisites of the Declaration of Faith]

Br. Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo wrote:

    Every Muslim knows that the key to Paradise is the statment, "There
is none worthy of worship except Allah."  Yet too many Muslims simply
rely upon this statment and believe that as long as they have made this
statment, nothing will harm them. They think will be granted Paradise
because of this mere verbal statment of the Shahadah.
    There is no question that the mere saying of," I bear witness that
there is none worthy of worship except Allah and I bear witness that
Muhammad is His servant and messenger," is not sufficient for salvation.
In fact, the hypocrites used to make this statment quite often yet Allah
describes them as liars and says that they shall abide in the lowest abyss
of the Hell-fire.

    As many scholars state, though, this statment or testimony is the key
Paradise. The famous Follower Wahb ibn Munabbih was once asked, " Isn't
the statment of la ilaha illa-llah the key to Paradise?"  He answered,
"Yes, but every key has ridges. If you come with the key that has the right
ridges, the door will open for you. Yet if you do not have the right ridges
the door will not open for you."  That is, it is saying must meet certain
conditions. These conditions are what will differentiate the person who
will benefit from his making of that statment from the one who will not
benefit from that statment, no matter how many times a day he may have made
that statments.

    Before discussing the conditions of the Shahadah, there is one more
point that I feel compelled to make. That is, some people have a tendency
to take one hadith or one verse and then based on that one text, they will
make some conclusion that, for example, whoever simply says," There is no
God except Allah," will enter Paradise. But, actually, we should all realize
that all of the Quran and Hadith complement each other and explain one
another. To find the correct position on any one question, one must bring
together all of the related verses and hadith and see what the true Islamic
postion is of that question. The same is true for the conditions of the
shahadah.

    If we study the verses of the Quran and the Hadith of the Prophet (peace
be upon him), we will find that the conditions of the shahadah are seven,
eight or nine in number depending on how we look at them. It is important
that all of us make sure that we are meeting these conditions in our own
lives and in our own testimony of faith. We must do our best to satisfy
these conditions before it is too late and our testimony will be no avail
whatsoever. It is not simply  for the sake of teaching these conditions.
Indeed, there is no benefit to that. But it is, instead, for all of us to
look to ourselves and to make sure that we are actually meeting these
conditions so that, by Allah's mercy, the doors to Paradise will be open
for us by our key of la ilaha illa-llah.

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THE CONDITIONS OF La ilaha illa-llah..........PART II
[The Prerequisites of the Declaration of Faith]

Br. Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo wrote:

    The FIRST of these condition is KNOWLEDGE. That is , one must have the
basic and general knowledge of what is meant by the shahadah. One must
understand what tha shahadah is affirming and what the shahadah is denying.
Allah says in the Quran, "So know that there is no God save Allah, and ask
forgiveness for your sin" (Muhammad 19). Similarly, the Prophet (peace be
upon him) said, "Whoever dies knowing that there is no one worthy of worship
except Allah shall enter Paradise." (Recorded by Muslim.)
    In fact, the shahadah itself is a testimony. When one testifies to
something, one must know what it is that he is testifying concerning.
Obviously, a testimony about something that one does not have any knowledge
about is absolutely unacceptable. Allah says in the Quran," Save him who
bears witness unto the truth knowingly" (al-Zukhruf 86).
    Now this condition probably sounds obvious. If someone said to you,
"There is no God except Allah," and then said that what he meant by Allah
was Jesus, you would immediately tell him that this shahadah is nonsense. Yet
can you imagine that there is a Muslim country in the world that until
recently used to have a yearly week-long celebration to "the Gods of the
Sea"! All along they call themselves Muslims and they make shahadah numerous
times a day. This clearly shows that they have no idea what the meaning of
their shahadah is. Do you think that this kind of shahadah will open the
doors to Paradise for them?
    Today, there are many Muslims who wonder why we should not accept
secularism. They think that there is nothing wrong with secularism! Many of
these Muslims pray five times a day and utter the shahadah repeatedly. Yet
they see nothing wrong with accepting a Lawgiver other than Allah? What kind
of shahadah are these people making.

    all of us do our best to laern at least the basics of Islamic beliefs.
The basics of what shahadah means. In this way, Allah willing, we will be
making the correct shahadah. We will be witnessing to the truth as we are
supposed to be witnesses to it.

    The SECOND condition of the shahadah is CERTAINTY (or al-yaqeen). This
is the opposite of doubt and uncertainty. In Islam, in fact, any kind of
doubt is equivalent to Kufr or disbelief. We must, in our hearts, be
absolutely certain of the truth of the shahadah. Our hearts must not be
wavering in any way when we testify to the truth of, "There is none worthy
of worship except Allah."
    Allah describes the believers in the Quran as those who have belief in
Allah and then their heart waver not. Allah says, "the (true) believers are
those only who believe in Allah and His messenger and afterward doubt not,
but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are
the sincere" (al-Hujurat 15). Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him) said, "No one meets Allah with the testimony that there is none
worthy of worship but Allah and I am the Messenger of Allah, and he has no
doubt about hat statement, except that he will enter Paradise." (Recorded
by Muslim.)
    Indeed, Allah describes the hypocrites as those people whose hearts are
wavering. For example, Allah says, "They alone seek leave of thee (not to
participate in jihad) who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and whose
hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver" (al-Tauba 45).
    Many scholars have stated that the diseases of the heart, or the doubt
and suspicions that one allows into one's heart, are more dangerous for a
person' faith than lusts and desires. This is because lusts and desires may
be satisfied at some time yet the person still knows them to be wrong and he
may control himself and repent and give up that evil deed. On the other hand,
the doubts and suspicions may linger in the heart, with no cure, until the
person finally leaves Islam entirely or continues to practice Islam while,
in fact, in his heart he does not have the true faith.
    The greatest cure for these doubts is seeking knowledge. It is theough
sound knowledge of the Quran and the sunnah that most of these doubts will
be removed. By study and understanding, one will attain certainty. And as
one studies and learns more, his certainty will be made firmer and firmer.
    I will give you just one example on this point. This is related to all
of the doubts, suspicions and misconceptions that are cirulating about the
authenticity of the hadith literature. For example, some Muslims even claim
that hadith were not recorded until at least 200 years after the death of
the Prophet (peace be upon him). Indeed, there are Muslims who seem to have
a great deal of doubt about hadith and very quick to reject hadith on that
basis. But, in fact, if one actually takes the time to study the history
and presevation of hadith, one will immediately recognize that all those
claims and charges against the hadith are not based on anything scientific
whatsoever. They are nothing but false claim that come from Satan and which
Muslims with poor understanding and knowledge have allowed to creep into
their hearts.
    Let me make one last point about this condition of certainty. As I
alluded to earlier, doubts and misconceptions are very dangerous for a
person's faith. Doubt and wavering are tantamount to apostasy in Islam,
as I mentioned earlier. Hence, every Muslim should do best to safeguard
himself from such doubts and remain away from the sources of doubts-
especially if they are not well grounded in the Islamic sciences and do
not have the the knowledge to refute such doubts and misconceptions. Hence
if a person has an associte or friend, even if he be a Muslim friend, who
is always making him doubt Allah or the religion, then he should remain
away from that person in order to safeguard his own religion. Many Muslims
nowadays study courses on Islam tought by Orientalists and because of their
weak backgroungs in Islamic studies, they are influenced by the nonsense
that some of these Orientalists are teaching in the name of "science".
Similarly, many brothers and sisters nowadays are spending hoursat a time
with the computer news groups and bulletin boards. A lot of nonsense and
falsehood are posted on those news groups and bulletin boards. Again, the
one who is not very knowldgeable of his religion may easily be influenced
and affected by the misconceptions and false arguments that he reads in
those bulletin boards. He should remain away from those things and get a
deeper knowledge of Islam through the authentic sources of the religion.
    Again, the greatest counterforce that can defeat doubts and
misconceptions, after the bounty and guidance of Allah, is sound knowledge
and understanding of the religion. When a person has that, he will not be
affected by the weak arguments put out by the enemies of Islam and he will
be, Allah willing, from among those described in the Quran, " It is only
those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allah" (Fatir 28)

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THE CONDITIONS OF La ilaha illa-llah..........PART III
[The Prerequisites of the Declaration of Faith]

Br. Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo wrote:

     The THIRD condition of the shahadah is ACCEPTANCE (or al-qabool).
I a person has the knowledge of and certainty in the shahdah, this must
followed by acceptance, with the tounge and heart, of whatever that
shahadah implies. Whoever refuses to accept the shahadah and its
implications, even if he knows that it is true and certain about its truth,
than he is a disbeliever. This refusal to accept is somtimes due to pride,
envy or other reasons. In any case, the shahadah is not a true shahadah
without its unconditional acceptance.
     The scholars all talk about this condition as ageneral condition in
the way that I have just stated. However, there is also a more detailed
aspect that we must all be aware of. The believer accepts whatever the
implications of the shahadah are. This also means that he believes in
whatever is stated in the Quran or stated by the Prophet (peace be upon
him), without any right to choose what he wants to believe and what he
wants to reject.  Allah says in the Quran, "Do you believe in part of
the book and reject part of it? And what is the reward of those who do so
save ignominy in the lifeof the world, and on the Day of Resurrection they
will be consigned to the most grievous doom" (al-Baqara 85).
     This is one aspect that the Muslims must be aware of. Although it is
not the same as the complete refusal to accept the truth, by rejecting part
of the truth that has come from Allah, one also negates his testimony of
faith.
     Unfortunately, many Muslims are doing this nowadays in various ways.
Although not all of these form may necessarily be considered apostasy, they
are still very dangerous. For example, if they do not like what is stated in
a verse in the Quran, they simply reinterpret the verse according to their
liking. If they do not like what is stated  in a hadith, they simply state
that the hadith must not be authentic although they are not scholars in that
area. This kind of behavior is the antithesis of the behavior of the true
Muslims. Whatever comes from Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), the
true Muslim believe in as the truth. This goes hand in hand with their
testimony of faith.

     The FOURTH conditionof shahadah is SUBMISSION and COMPLIANCE (or
al-inqiyad). This implies the actual physical enactment with our deeds of
our shahadah. In fact, this is one of the main meaning of the word Islam
itself, "the submission to the will and commands of Allah." This is what
Allah commands in the Quran, "Turn unto Him repentant, and surrender unot
Him" (al-Zumar 54).
     Allah has praised those who submit to His command by their actions.
Allah says, "Who is better in religion than he who surrenders his purpose
to Allah while doing good" (al-Nisa 125).
     Actually, Allah has clearly made it a condition of faith that one
submits to the command of Allah and His messenger. Allah says, "But nay,
by your Lord, they will not truly believe until they make you [the Messenger
of Allah] judge of what is in dispute between them and find within themselves
no dislike of which you decide, and submit with full submission" (al-Nisa 65)
     Unfortunately, there are many claim that there is no relationship
between faith and deeds. You can even hear one Muslim saying about another,
"That is the best Muslim I have ever met." yet the other person performs
scarcely any of the deeds of Islam whatsoever. This incorrect understanding
of faith has spread throughout the Muslim world.
     Indeed, our shahadah or testimony of faith must be implemented or
realized in our hearts, tounges and actions. In our hearts, we must have love
for Allah, fear Allah and hope in Him. With our tongues we must testify to
the shahadah. And with our actions, we must implement waht the testimony of
faith requires from us. Anyone who claim to be a Muslim and yet does no
deeds, either does not understand Islam whatsoever or is bearing testimony
against himself that his testimony of faith is not a true and correct
testimony of faith.
     This does not mean that the true believer never commits a sin. Indeed,
true believers do commit sins. But as long as they recognize that what they
did is not correct and it is inconsistent with their obligation of submitting
to Allah, then they have not violated the soudness of their testimony or
shahadah .But, do not forget, they are still sinners.
     And what is the minimum of submission that is required from a person
beyond which there can be no claim to faith?  For those scholars who say that
the abandonment of prayers is infidelity, it is the five daily prayers.
Whoever does not perform, at least, the five daily prayers has gone beyond
the limit that is acceptable for lack of deeds. Allah knows best.

     The FIFTH condition is TRUTHFULNESS, as opposed to hypocrisy and
dishonesty. This means that when we say the shahadah, we are saying it
honestly. We actually mean it. We are not lying when it comes to our
testimony of faith.
     The Prophet (peace be upon his) said, "No one bears testimony to there
being no one worth of worship save Allah, sincerely from his heart, except
that Allah makes the Hell-fire forbidden for him." (Recorded by al-Bukhari
and Muslim.)
     We are all familiar with those who say the testimony of faith yet they
are not saying it honestly. They do not believe in it but they are simply
saying it in order to protect themselves or to get some gain from doing so.
These are the hypocrites. Allah has described them in the opening of the
Quran with the following words, "And of mankind are some who say, 'We
believe in Allah and the Last Day,' when they believe not. They think to
beguile Allah and those who believ, and they beguile none save themselves,
but they perceive not. In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increases
their disease. A painful doom is their because they lie" (al-baqara 8-10).
     Obviously, the shahadah of thse who become Muslims simply to benefit
from being Musim and not because they believe in Islam will be rejected
by Allah in the Hereafter. They will face a painful punishment due to
their lying.

     The SIXTH condition is SINCERITY (or ikhlas). That is, when we make
the sahahadah, we must do so solely for the sak of Allah. We must not do
it for any other reason. And we nust not do it for anyone else's sake. In
this manner, the meaning of sincerity is opposite of Skirk or ascribing
partners with Allah. We became and remainMuslims solely for Allah's sake.
Allah says in the Quran, "Worship Allah, making religion pure for him"
(al-Zumar 2). And Allah also says, "And they are ordained not else than
to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright
and to establish worship and to pay the poor-due. That is true religion"
(al-Bayyinah 5).  And the Prophet (peace be upon him) added, "Allah has
forbidden for the Hell-fire anyone who says, 'There is no one worthy of
worship except Allah,' and say so desiring the face [and pleasure] of
Allah." (Recorded by Muslim).
     This is something that we should think about. But especially those
of us who grew up in Muslim families and were born Muslim. We should make
it very claer to ourselves that we are Muslims only for the sake of Allah.
We are not Muslims for the sake of our parents, friends, family or
community. It must be claer in our minds that we are Muslims for the sake
of Allah first, last and only.
     One of the signs that we are Muslims for the sake of Allah is that we
do whatever Allah asks of us, regardless of what anybody else desires or
wants from us. That is, in the same way that we are Muslims solely for the
sake of Allah, all of our acctions are done for the sake of Allah.
     However, sometimes one begins to wonder whether this condition is met
by some people. Some people from the Muslim world practice Islam to the
extent that it is pleasing to their families. If there is anything in
Islam that their families do not like- although their families are Muslim
and therefore they actually should like all of Islam- then they do not
practice that aspect of Islam. One common example of that nature is mixing
between men and women. Sometimes a brother, here in the U.S., will not
mix with women and his wife will remain separate from the men. Yet, when
they return to their homes, because this is not pleasing to their families
who want to mix between men and women, they easily, simply and happily
compromise their religion for the sake of their parents. These people
must sincerely ask themselves why they are Muslims. Are they Muslims for
the sake of their parents and therefore whatever thei parents like they
will do and whatever their parents do not like they won't do? Or are they
Muslims for the sake of Allah and therefore whatever Allah dislike they
will not do and whatever Allah is pleased with they do?

_______________________________________________________________________

THE CONDITIONS OF La ilaha illa-llah..........PART IV
[The Prerequisites of the Declaration of Faith]

Br. Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo wrote:

     The SEVENTH condition is LOVE. That is, the believer loves this
shahadah, he loves in accordance with the shahadah, he loves tha
implications and requirements of the shahadah and he loves those who act
and strive for the sake of this shahadah. This is a necessary condition of
the shahadah. If a person makes the shahadah but does not love the shahadah
and what it stands for, then, in fact, his faith is not complete. It is not
the faith of a true believer. And if he loves something more that this
shahadah or if he loves something more than Allah, then he has negated his
shahadah. The true believer, the one meeting the conditions of the shahadah
puts no one whatsoever as an equal to Allah in his love.
     Allah says in the Quran, "Yet of mankind are some who take unto
themselves (objects of worship which they set as) rivals to Allah, loving
them with a love like (that which is due to) Allah only. However, those who
believe are stauncher in their love of Allah" (al-Baqara 165).  And
elsewhere Allah says' "Say: If your fathers, or your sons, or your brethren,
or your wives, or your tribe, or the wealth you have acquired, or merchandise
for which you fear that there will be no sale, or dwellings you desire are
dearer to you than Allah and His messenger and striving in His way: then wait
till Allah brings His command to pass. Allah guides not wrongdoing folk"
(al-Tauba 24). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever has three
characteristics has tasted the sweetness of faith. [The first of these] is
that he loves Allah and His Messenger more than he loves anyone else..."
(Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.).
     This is one of the most important aspects of Islam yet, for some reason,
it is missing from the lives of many Muslims. They act in Islam as if Islam
were a chore instead of doing things out of the love of Allah. When Allah
orders us to do something, like bear witness to the faith, we should realize
that that thing is plaesing to Allah and, therefore, out of our love for
Allah, we should be very pleased to do the acts that are pleasing to Allah.
But, as I said, this feeling is missing from many, many Muslims today.

     The EIGHT condition of the shahadah is that the person who makes the
shahadah must DENY EVERY OTHER OBJECT OF WORSHIP. Although that is claer in
the words of the testimony of faith, it does not seem clear to everyone who
makes that testimony. Therefore, I am mentioning it explicity here.
     In Surah al-Baqara, Allah clearly reminds us of this important aspect
of the shahadah, the shahadah is not merely an affirmation but it is both
and affirmation and a negation. Allah states,  "And he who rejects false
deities and believes in Allah has grasped a firm handhold which will never
break" (al-Baqara 256).  Perhaps the Prophet (peace be upon him) made this
point even clearer when he said,  "Whoever says there is no one worthy of
worship except Allah and denies whatever is worshipped besides Allah, then
his wealth and blood are protected and his accounting will be with Allah."
(Recrded by Muslim.)
     Although this condition sholud be obious to everyone who says the words
of shahadah, you can still find Muslims who say the shahadah and then make
acts of worship for beings or things other than Allah. You will find them
going to the graveyards and worshipping those in the graves. They will
perform acts of worship, not for the sake of Allah, but for the sake of the
dead "saints" in the grave. What kind of shahadah have these people made? Do
you realy think that their shahadah will mean anything on the Day of Judgment
as long as they believe that acts of worship may be done for other
than Allah?

     The NINTH condition of the shahadah is that the Muslim ADHERS to the
shahadah until he dies. This is must if the shahadah is to mean anything
for you in the Hereafter. You ca not rest on your laurels of what you amy
have done in the past. No, indeed, the shahadah must be your banner until
your death. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, " A man spends a long time
doing the deeds of the people of Paradise and then he ends his deeds with
the deeds of the people of the Hell-fire. And a man spends a long time doing
the deeds of the people of the Hell-fire and then he ends his deeds with
the deeds of the people of Paradise." (Recorded by Muslims) In another
hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,  "By the One whom there is no
other God, one of you does the actions of Paradise until there is just a
handspan between him and Paradise and then the book [preordainment] overtakes
him and he does tha actions of the people of Hell and he enters into it"
(Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
     And Allah says in the Quran, "O believers, observe your duty to Allah
with right observance, and die not save as Muslims [surrendering yourselves
to Allah]" (ali-Imran 102).

     Dear brothers and sisters, these are the conditions of the shahadah.
These are the aspects of the shahadah that each and every one of us should
look to in ourselves and ask ourselves, "Is my shahadah meeting those
requirements?  Am I saying it sincerely, honestly and out of love for Allah?
Am I saying it based on what it really means?  Am I denying all other false
objects of worship?..."

     These questions we should ask ourselve now before we meet Allah. Allah
willing, we shall ask ourselves these questions now and we shall find that
we have all the right answers for them. Or, if we find we have some
deficiency, we shall work to remove that deficiency. Such that, by Allah's
mercy, in the Hereafter, our shahadah will be the key to Paradise for us and
the gates of Paradise will swing wide open for us and we will be able to live
forever in the bounties of Paradise, with Allah being pleased with us.

     Again, it is not simply a matter of knowing these conditions. Indeed,one
can meet many Muslims who have these conditions memorized, yet when one looks
to their deeds and behavior, one can see that these conditions have no effect
on them. This means, in fact, no matter how well he konws and can rattle off
these conditions, he, in fact, is not fulfilling tham. In the Hereafter,
his knowledge of these conditions will be of no avail to him. Indeed, his
knowledge will be a proof against hin as he clearly knows what the conditions
are that he mut satisfy yet he has shown that he is not willing to satisfy
them in his life.

Best way to live and die - أفضل طريقه للحياة والموت

" Best way to live and die" 

 (Yahya) Donald W. Flood

INTRODUCTION

            Every day the sun shines on new people recognizing the truth and returning to their Creator in repentance and submission to Him. They are ambitious for his reward of eternal happiness in Paradise. These new followers give a new flavor to the Muslims of today with their sincerity, keenness and solid adherence to the teaching of Islam. From their vast experiences in the past, they command strong endurance and a particular understanding of their newly found path of truth to which God has guided them, finding their way with easiness and surety in life. They came to Islam with broad-mindedness and discernment of what is right and wrong. Some of them had reached satiety and disgust with material, promiscuous life and turned to Islam with true love for purity and homage to their Creator.

            It is with pleasure that I introduce a friend whom God has guided to Islam, and indeed he has been guided well. Herein he relates his journey. I wish him success and happiness in the right path of God. We look forward to more people following in his footsteps.

 Muhammad Abbas Nadeem

  

Acknowledgements

First of all, I would like to praise God for guiding me to Islam. May He accept this work in His cause, and make it a means for individuals to find and follow the truth.

I�d also like to express my sincere gratitude to the individuals who informed me about Islam and those who were responsible for expanding my knowledge of Islam once I had become a Muslim. In addition, I wish to thank the Muslim brothers who encouraged me to writ this story. Furthermore, I would like to recognize Dr. Wajieh Abderrahman, Um Muhammad, Ahmad Nurideen, Dr. Al-Taher Al-Hafez, Muhammad Yaqoob and Abdulhag Darden for reviewing this work. Likewise, I must acknowledge Al-Eman Printing Press for its diligence in publishing this story and the World Assembly of Muslim Youth(WAMY) for its support and distribution of this booklet. Lastly, special appreciation is due to Abdultawwab Abdulmalik for being a liaison between WAMY and Al-Eman during the publishing process. May we all reside in a lofty place in Paradise, God Willing!!!

 (Yahya) Donald W. Flood

Madinah, Saudi Arabia

June 1999

   

Gathering the Initial Pieces of �the Purpose of Life Puzzle�

            I once thought my upbringing offered an excellent way of life, especially since I felt satisfied both mentally and physically. As a young man, I lived the life of an average American who had a rather hedonistic lifestyle; I was found of music, a festive atmosphere dames, sports, travel, ethnic foods and foreign languages. I reached a point, however, where I felt �spiritually bankrupt� and I asked myself, �now what?�  and I thought, �there has to be more to life than this.� This realization was the impetus that led me to search for the truth through diverse avenues.

             I assumed the reason I felt spiritually unfulfilled had to do with my lifestyle in America, which was often tied to instant gratification and impulsive behavior. As a result, I speculated that the answer might lie in finding a better locale. Thus, I began looking for that perfect place. After traveling to numerous destinations, I discovered that it wasn�t so much a perfect location I was looking for, but a particular culture with the most suitable approach to life. When I found what I considered to be the most appealing culture, I recognized that it still had flaws. Thereafter, I surmised that we should learn about the different ways people live and then select the best from these practices. This was perhaps the road to the truth.

             Unable to really implement the life of a global citizen, I chose to read materials on metaphysics because the esoteric things in life always intrigued me. I quickly learned everything functions according to universal laws which can be used for one�s own benefit. After reading many books on this subject, I concluded that more important than these laws is the One Who created them, i.e., God I also discovered metaphysics can be a precarious path to follow, in which case, I refrained from any further reading in this area.

           On the suggestion of a good friend, we went on a three-month camping trip all over America and Western Canada with the intention of discovering the purpose of life. We witnessed the marvels of nature and realized this world could not have been created by mistake, and that it was clearly a wonderland of signs pointing to its Creator. Hence, this trip reinforced my belief in God.

            After returning home, I felt distressed at the busy life of the city, so I turned to meditation for relief. I was able to find inner peace through meditation techniques. Nevertheless, this tranquil feeling was only temporary; once I stood up, I couldn�t take that feeling with me. Likewise, being consistent with meditation became too much of a formidable task, so I slowly started losing interest.

            Before long, I thought the truth might lie in self-improvement. Therefore I became a voracious reader of motivational materials and attended related seminars. In addition, I was striving to live up to the US Army�s slogan on TV commercials, �Be all you can be�, through endeavors in fire-walking, skydiving and martial arts. Due to my reading and challenging exploits, I gained a keen sense of self-confidence, but in fact, I still hadn�t discovered the truth.

            Soon afterwards, I read numerous books on various philosophies. I found many interesting concepts and practices; yet, there wasn�t any particular philosophy that I could totally agree with. Thus, I chose to consolidate what I thought was the best wisdom from among these doctrines. It became sort of a �religion � la carte� which mainly emphasized good moral behavior. I eventually concluded that good morality is good, but it is not good enough to solve �the purpose of life puzzle� a more spiritual approach to life.

            Shortly thereafter, I obtained a job in a Muslim country where I had enough of free time to read and reflect on life. While continuing my search for the truth, I found a recommendation in a book concerning the need for sincere repentance to God. I proceeded to do so and felt remorse for all the people I had wronged in my life, to the degree that tears started rolling down my face.

            A few days later, I had a conversation with some Muslim friends. I mentioned to them that I was used to having a lot more freedom in America than that was present in their country. One person said, � Well, it depends on what you mean by �freedom�. In your part of the world, no matter how well parents teach morality to their children inside the home, as soon as they go outside, they generally encounter the society in contradiction to that morality. On the other hand, in most Muslim communities, the morals taught to the children at home are very similar to what they find away from home. So who really has the freedom here?� From this analogy, I inferred that the Islamic guidelines and restrictions partially sanctioning human behavior are not meant to curtail human freedom; rather, they serve to define and dignify human freedom.

            A further opportunity to learn about Islam arose when I was invited to sit with a group of Muslims over dinner. After mentioning to the group that I had been living in Las Vegas, Nevada before coming to the Middle East, a Muslim from America said, � You must make sure you die as a good Muslim.� I immediately asked him to explain what he meant. He said � If you die as a non-Muslim, it is like playing the game of roulette in which you put all of your chips (all of your life, including your deeds and your particular belief in God) on only one number, just hoping that perhaps by the Mercy of God, you will enter Paradise on Judgment Day. In contrast, if you die as a good Muslim, it is like spreading your chips all over the roulette board, so that every number is covered in this way, no matter what number the ball falls on, you�re safe. In other words, living and dying as a good Muslim is the best insurance you will not go to the Hell, and at the same time, it is the best investment that you�ll go to Paradise.� As a former resident of Las Vegas, I could directly relate to this poignant example with the game of roulette.

            At this point, I understood I would not find the truth until I established a relationship with concentrate on those religions in which God had sent revelation to His prophets and messengers. Hence, I chose to continue my search for the truth through Christianity and Islam. 

Christianity in Focus

            Even though I up as a Christian, I had been confused and uninterested in Christianity. I felt like I inherited a mysterious religion beyond understanding. I believe it was for this reason that I was a Christian by name but not in practice. Furthermore, I realized my doubt about Christian beliefs caused me to be in a state of non-religiousness. Nonetheless, while I was searching for the truth, I had a chance to re-examine those beliefs I inherited from my parents yet never bothered to scrutinize.

             Through booklets, cassettes and videotapes on Christianity produced by Muslims and non-Muslims, I surprisingly found out about hundreds of verses in Bible which reveal a lack of harmony in Christian beliefs. According to these materials, God was One prior to Jesus (peace be upon him; pbuh). Likewise, Jesus (pbuh) propagated the belief in One God. However, after Jesus (pbuh) Christianity emphasized the Trinity instead of the Oneness of God. Also, before Jesus (pbuh), God was without sons and equals. Similarly, Jesus (pbuh) said he was God�s messenger, whereas after his time, Christianity stressed that Jesus (pbuh) is God�s son or God Himself.         

             Regarding monotheism, the first of the Ten Commandments upholds Jesus� (pbuh) assertion for the belief in One God,  ��Here, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.� (Mark 12:29)[1] Likewise, there is plethora of verses in the Bible that refute the divinity of Jesus (pbuh). For example, Jesus (pbuh) admitted he could not do miracles independently, but only by the Will and permission of God.[2] Interestingly, it says in the Bible that Jesus (pbuh) prayed.[3] I asked myself, �How can Jesus (pbuh) be God and pray to God at the same time?� A praying God is a contradiction. Additionally, Jesus (pbuh) states that his teachings are not his own, but those of One who sent him.[4] Logically, if what he says is not his own, he is just a prophet receiving revelation from God like those before (and after) him. Moreover, Jesus (pbuh) admits that he does what he taught by God.[5] Again, I asked myself, �How can Jesus (pbuh) be taught and be God at the same time?� In my discussions with Muslims, they concurred with what Jesus (pbuh) commanded with respect to the belief in only One God, as in the following Qur�anic verse: Say, � He is God, [Who is] One.� (112:1)[6]

             I was also surprised to find out about the verses in the Bible which refer to Jesus (pbuh) as a prophet of God.[7] Likewise, I learned about the Islamic view of Jesus (pbuh) which is that he is a prophet and messenger of God. In the Qur�an God says, �The Messiah, son of Mary, is not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.� (5:75)

 Another common belief in Christianity is that Jesus (pbuh) is the son of God. 

According to the Bible, it was customary to call any prophet of God, or righteous man, a son of God. Jesus (pbuh) called himself the son of man, not God or God's literal son.[8] Evidently, Paul was most responsible for elevating the status of Jesus (pbuh) to the son of God, distorting the teachings of Jesus (pbuh).[9]

 

What's more, Jesus (pbuh) did not appear to be the 'begotten' son of God (as it used to say in John 3:16) since this word has been cancelled from the Revised Standard Version (RSV), as well as many other new versions of the Bible. Furthermore, God emphatically says in the Qur'an that He does not have a son.[10] However, God also declared that He created Adam (pbuh) and Jesus (pbuh): "Indeed, the example of Jesus to God is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him "Be", and he was." (3:59)

 

Subsequent to these modification emperors and clergy made further fabrications, contrary to what Jesus (pbuh) said or did. Of these is the concept of Trinity in which Jesus (pbuh) is one of the three manifestations of the Trinitarian God [the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost].[11] In the Bible, this verse given as the best proof for the Doctrine Trinity, even though this doctrine was never forth by Jesus (pbuh), his disciples, or a Christian scholars. In fact, it was enacted after much disagreement and conflict among Christians in the year 325 AD at the Council Nicea. Interestingly, this verse has been expunged from the Bibles of the modern age.
In addition, the Qur'an warns the Jews Christians to refrain from disbelieving in revelation of God and against believing in Trinity.[12]

 

A related area of controversy I read about was 'original sin' and salvation through 'the crucifixion' of Jesus (pbuh). Presumably, before Jesus (pbuh), there was no Doctrine of Original Sin. However, after Jesus (pbuh), the Doctrine of Original Sin appeared. Moreover, before Jesus (pbuh), salvation was obtained by obedience to God whereas after Jesus (pbuh), salvation was achieved through his crucifixion so they said.

 

In Christianity, the Doctrine of Original Sin is the justification for having salvation through the crucifixion of Jesus (pbuh). Nevertheless, I found out that this doctrine is strongly negated in the Old Testament.[13] It seems this concept may have been designed as a way for its believers to eschew their accountability of sins before God on Judgement Day.[14] It was brought to my attention that, according to Jesus (pbuh), man is saved through obedience and submission to God.[15] Correspondingly, in the Qur'an, every soul is compensated for what it earns.[16] However, it seems that changed this doctrine, making salvation through the crucifixion of Jesus (pbuh).[17]

 

 The theory of salvation through crucifixion holds that Jesus (pbuh) offered himself will to be crucified to ransom and save humanity If so, why did Jesus (pbuh) request help God before the soldiers came to arrest him?: ��Father, save me from this hour.� (12:27) Likewise, why does the Bible say Jesus (pbuh) cried out in a loud beseeching God for help on the cross: ��My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?�(Matt. 27:46)     In addition, how could Jesus (pbuh) have been crucified for the of all humans when he was sent only to the Children of Israel?[18]   This is clearly contradiction. I found the foregoing verses be very convincing that Jesus (pbuh)was crucified on the cross to redeem the sins mankind. The Qur'an says they did not crucify him, but it was someone else who was made to look like him.[19] If this is correct, then it may explain the appearance of Jesus (pbuh) to his disciples after the crucifixion. If he had really died on the cross, then he would have come to his disciples in a spiritual body. As shown in Luke 24:36-43, Jesus (pbuh) met them with his physical body after the event of his alleged crucifixion. Accordingly, I learned it was Paul who taught the resurrection of Jesus(pbuh).[20] Paul also admitted the resurrection was his own gospel.[21]

 

I came across many sources indicating that Paul and others were frustrated by the Jewish rejection of the message of Jesus (pbuh), so they extended their call to the Gentiles. They reached into southern Europe, where polytheism and idolatry were spreading. Gradually, the message of Jesus (pbuh) was modified to suit the tastes and traditions of the Romans and Greeks of those days.[22] The Bible warns against adding or removing information from its teachings, which is precisely happened.[23] God addresses this point in Qur'an as well, "So woe to those who write the "scripture" with their own hands, then say, "This is from God," in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn. " (2:79)

 

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the Scriptures

 

Another interesting point I learned about concerns Biblical prophecies on the advent of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). I discovered that clear prophecies exist in the Bible, (even the original text had been distorted), foretelling the coming of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) after Jesus (pbuh).[24] Muslim scholars have affirmed that the description by Jesus (pbuh) of the one to come after him(in the verses cited in below) cannot apply to any other person but Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Furthermore, there is a verse in the Holy Qur'an confirming what Jesus (pbuh) said regarding this point,   "... O Children of Israel, I am the Messenger of God to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad ... " (61:6) The name Ahmad is another name for Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and derived from the same root word.

 

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the Qur'an

 

I observed that the Qur'an directs us to believe in God and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as in the following verse: Say, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, Indeed, I am the Messenger of God to you all, [from Him] to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.  So believe in God and His Messenger, the illiterate prophet, who believes in God and His words, and follow him that you may be guided. " (7-158)

 

I came to know that the Qur'an also refers to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the last prophet: "Muhammad is not the father of [any] of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of God and seal [i.e., last] of the prophets..." (33:40) Even though God states in the Qur'an that Muhammad (pbuh) is the last prophet, I discovered that Muslims still believe in and accept all the previous prophets, along with the revelations they received in their original form.[25]

 

The Qur'an: The Last Revelation

I comprehended that it was found amen due to innovations attributed to Divine revelation that the need arose for another prophet after Jesus (pbuh) with another revelation after the Gospel. This is why God sent Muhammad (pbuh) with the last Message, (i.e., the Qur'an), to bring all of mankind back to the belief in and worship of One God, without partners or intermediaries. According to Muslims, the Holy Qur'an is the permanent ultimate source of guidance for mankind offers a rational and historical elucidation of the magnificent role of Jesus. The name Jesus (pbuh) is cited twenty-five times in the Qur'an, which contains a chapter called Maryam(Mary), named after the mother of Jesus (pbuh).

 

Regarding the Divine authenticity of this revelation, I found the following Qur'anic verses very compelling: "And it was not [possible] for this Qur'an to be produced by other than God, but [it is] a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of the [former] Scripture, about which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the worlds." (10:37) and "And indeed, it is the truth of certainty." (69:51) Similarly, I was concerned about the adulteration of the Qur'an since this was a major problem with the previous revelations. I read that the Qur'an will never change or be abrogated: "Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Qur'an], and indeed, We will be its guardian. " (15:9)[26]

 

I was also informed about some of the scientific phenomena mentioned in the Qur'an, which give credence to the belief that the Qur'an is the literal word of God. There are verses describing human embryonic development,[27] mountains,[28] the origin of the universe,[29] the cerebrum,[30] seas,[31] deep seas, and internal waves[32] and clouds.[33] It is beyond explanation that anyone, more than fourteen hundred years ago, could have known the facts, which were found or confirmed on recently by advanced mechanisms a sophisticated scientific procedures.

 

Islam: The Essence and Culmination of Revealed Religions

Muslims believe that the essential purpose for which mankind was created is the worship of God. As He said in the Qur'an, "And I did not create the jinn [i.e., a type of creation, created by God from fire] and mankind except to worship Me" (51:56) Related to this, a well known Islamic scholar from the West says, "The most complete system of worship available humans today is the system found in the religion of Islam, The very name 'Islam' means 'submission to the Will of God'. Although it commonly referred to as 'the third of the three monotheistic faiths, it is not a new religion at all. It is the religion brought by all the prophets of God for humankind. Islam was the religion of Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.''[34]

 

 In addition he states, "Since there is only One God, and humankind is one species, the religion that God has ordained for humans is [essentially] one... Human spiritual and social needs are uniform and human nature has not changed since the first man and woman were created�.[35]

 

Uncovering the fact that the message of God has always been the same, I realized it is the duty of all human beings to seek the truth and not just blindly accept the religion that their society or parents follow, According to the Qur'an, "You worship besides Him not except [mere] names you have named, you and your fathers, for which God has sent down no authority..." (12:40) Regarding fitrah [i.e., the inherent nature of man to worship God prior to the corruption of his nature by external influences], Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, "Every child is born on Al-Fitrah, and his parents convert him to Judaism or Christianity or Magianism. As an animal delivers a perfect baby animal, do you find it mutilated?"[36] Furthermore, God says,, 'So direct your face [i.e., self] toward the religion, inclining toward truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of God upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of God. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know. " (30:30)[37] Moreover, I learned there no other religion acceptable to God besides Islam, as He clearly states in the Qur'an: "And whoever desires other than Islam as a religion, never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. " (3:85). I deduced that man might neglect the guidance of God and establish his own standards of living. Ultimately, however, he will discover it is only a mirage that alluded him.

 

A Traveler

As I continued to read the Qur'an and learn about the sayings and doings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) [the Sunnah], I noticed Islam views man as a traveler in this life and the 'Home' is in the next life for eternity. We are here for a short period and we cannot take anything with us from this life except our belief in God and our deeds. Thus, man should be like a traveler who passes through the land and does not become attached to it. As travelers on this journey, we must understand that the meaning of being alive is to be tested. Hence, there is suffering, joy, pain and elation. These tests of good and evil are intended to evoke our higher spiritual qualities. Yet, we are incapable of benefiting from these tests unless we do our best, have complete trust in God and patiently accept what He has destined for us.

 The Road to Paradise

 It was very meaningful to learn about Paradise since this must certainly be the ultimate goal of every individual. Regarding this eternal home, God says, "And no soul knows what has been hidden for it of comfort for eyes [i.e., satisfaction] as a reward for what it used to do. " (32:17) 1 also became aware of a pleasure that is beyond all imagination, which is to be in the Presence of the Creator Himself. I wondered who are the souls worthy of such a reward?  This reward of Paradise is too great not to have a price. I was told the price is true faith, which is proven by obedience to God and following the Sunnah(way) of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

 I grasped that mankind must worship God to attain righteousness and the spiritual status necessary to enter Paradise.[38] This means human beings have to comprehend that worship is as indispensable as eating and breathing and not a favor they are doing for God. Likewise, I found out that we need to read the Qur�an to find out what kind of people God wants us to be and then try to become as such. This is the road to Paradise.

 Overcoming an Obstacle

At this point, I felt about 80% sure I wanted to become a Muslim, but something was holding me back. I was concerned about the reaction of my family and friends if they knew that I had become a Muslim. Shortly thereafter, I expressed this concern to a Muslim who told me that on Judgement Day, no one will be able to help you, not your father, mother or any of your friends.[39] Therefore, if you believe Islam is the true religion, you should embrace it and live your life to please the One who created you. Thus, it became very lucid to me that we are all in the same boat; every soul shall taste death and then we'll be liable for our particular belief in God and for our deeds.[40]

 A Meaningful Videotape

By this stage in my search for the truth, I was on the verge of embracing Islam. I watched an Islamic lecture on videotape about the purpose of life. The main theme of this lecture was that the purpose of life may be summed up in one word, i.e., Islam (peaceful submission to the Will of God).

 An additional point was that, unlike other religions or beliefs, the term 'Islam' is not associated with any particular person or place. God has named the religion in the following Qur'anic verse: "Indeed, the Religion in the sight of God is Islam..." (3:19) Anyone who embraces Islam is called a Muslim regardless of that person's race, sex or nationality. This is one of the reasons why Islam is a universal religion.

 Prior to my search for the truth, I had never seriously considered Islam as an option because of the constant negative portrayal of Muslims in the media. Similarly, it was disclosed in this videotape that although Islam, is characterized by high moral standards, not all Muslims uphold these standards. I learned the same can be said about adherents of other religions. I finally understood that we cannot judge a religion by the actions of its followers alone, as I had done, because all humans are fallible. On that account, we should not judge Islam by the actions of its proponents, but by its revelation (the Holy Qur'an) and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

 The last point I picked up from this lecture concerned the importance of gratitude. God mentions in the Qur'an that we should be grateful for the fact that He created us: "And God has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect that perhaps you would be grateful. " (16:78) God has also cited gratitude along with belief, and has made it clear that He gains nothing from punishing His people when they give thanks to Him and believe in Him. He says in the Qur'an, "What would God do with [i.e., gain from] your punishment if you are grateful and believe? ..." (4:147)

 The truth Unveils Itself

As soon as the videotape had finished, I experienced the truth being unveiled to my spirit. I felt a huge burden of sins flying off my back. Moreover, it felt like my soul was rising above the earth, refusing the makeshift delights of this world in favor of the eternal joys of the Hereafter. This experience, coupled with the long process of reasoning, solved the 'purpose of life puzzle'. It revealed Islam as the truth, thereby replenishing my 'spiritual landscape' with belief, purpose, direction and action. I therefore entered the gate of Islam by saying the declaration of faith required to become a Muslim: Ashhadu an La ilaha illa Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasoolu llah. (I bear witness that there is no deity but God and Muhammad is His Messenger). I was informed that this formal testimony confirms one's belief in all the prophets and messengers of God, along with all of His Divine revelations in their original form, thereby updating and completing one's religion to the last of the prophets [Muhammad (pbuh)] and to the final revelation of God [the Qur'an]. The following point became overwhelmingly clear to me: Had Jesus (pbuh) been the last prophet of God an had the Gospel been the final book revelation, I would have attested to that. As a result, I have naturally chosen to follow the final revelation from the Creator as exemplified by the seal of the prophets.

 

Impressions of a New Muslim

During my search to find the truth, the lesson, which, transcended all lessons, was that all objects of worship other than God are mere delusions. To anyone who sees this clearly, the only possible course is to bring one's own will and actions into complete unison with that of God. Acquiescing to the Will of God has enabled me to feel peace with the Creator, with others and finally, with myself. Consequently, I feel very grateful, that by the Mercy of God, I have been rescued from the depths of ignorance and have stepped into the light of truth. Islam, the true religion of all times, places and peoples, is a complete code of life Which guides man to fulfill the purpose of his existence on earth, and prepares him for the Day when he will return to his Creator Following this path in a devout manner enables one to gain the pleasure of God and be closer to Him amid the endless delights of Paradise while escaping from the punishment of Hellfire  Another bonus is that our present life will be much happier when we make such a choice.

 

A Deceptive Enjoyment

Embracing Islam has given me more of an insight into the illusive nature of this life. For instance, one basic object of Islam is the liberation of man. This is why a Muslim calls himself 'Abdullah', the slave or servant of Allah (i.e., God) because enslavement to God signifies liberation from all other forms of servitude, and although modern man may think that he is liberated, he is in fact a slave to his desires. He is generally deceived by this worldly life. He is 'addicted' to hoarding wealth, sex, violence, intoxicants, etc. But above all, he is often seduced by the capitalist system that tends to work through the invention of false needs, which he feels must be satisfied instantly, As God says in the Qur'an, "Have you seen the one who takes as his god his own desire? Then would you be responsible for him? Or do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are not except as livestock. Rather, they are [even] more astray in [their] way. )� (25: 43-44)

 

Correspondingly, we should not let our zeal to enjoy the pleasures of this fleeting life jeopardize our opportunity to enjoy the ecstasy of Paradise. As God says in the Qur'an, "Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire - of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of, worldly life, but God has with Him the best return [ie. Paradise]. Say, "Shall /inform you of something better than that? For those who fear God will be gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from God..."  (3:14-15) Therefore, the real competition in this life is not the accumulation of wealth or the desire for fame; it is facing with one another to perform good deeds to please God, while having our lawful portion of enjoyment in this life.[41]

 

The Right Path to God

There are many religious alternatives available to man and it is up to him to choose the one he wishes to follow. He is like a merchant with many goods in front of him, and it is his choice which one to trade in. He will obviously select the one he thinks will be the most lucrative. However, the merchant is unsure and has no guarantee of prosperity; his product may have a market and he may make handsome returns, but he could just as easily lose all of his money. In contrast, the believer in the Oneness of God who submits to His Will (a Muslim), is completely sure that if he follows the path of guidance [the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)], there will undoubtedly be success and reward waiting for him at the end of this path. Fortunately, this success also starts at the beginning of the path. Narrated by Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri(may God be pleased with him)- God's Messenger(pbuh) said, "If a person embraces Islam sincerely, then God. shall forgive all his past sins, and after that starts the settlement of accounts: the reward of his good deeds will be ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed, and an evil deed will be recorded as it is unless God forgives it .[42]

 

Epilogue

Based on my search for the truth, I concluded that the precise way we believe in God and the deeds we perform determine our future condition for eternity. Our Creator is giving us all an equal chance, regardless of our circumstances, to earn His pleasure in preparation for Judgement Day, as in the following Qur'anic verses: "And obey God and His messenger that you may obtain mercy. And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden [i.e., Paradise] as wide as the Heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous. " (3:132-133)[43]

 

If we sincerely seek the truth of this life, which is Islam (peaceful submission to the Will of God), God will guide us there, God Willing. He directs us to examine the life and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as he represents the best role model for mankind to follow Furthermore, God directs us to investigate and ponder what He says in the Qur'an. One will see that the Qur'an is indeed like a persistent and strong knocking on a door, or loud shouts seeking to awaken those who are fast asleep because they are just completely absorbed by this life on earth. The knocks and shouts appear one after the other: Wake up! Look around you! Think! Reflect! God is there! There is planning, trial, accountability, reckoning, reward, severe punishment and lasting bliss!

 

Clearly and unequivocally, the best way to live and die in this world is as a righteous Muslim! When one comes to the conclusion that Islam is the truth, he should not delay in becoming a Muslim because he may die first, and then it will be too late.[44]

 

A few months after embracing Islam, I found two verses in the Qur'an that mirror what the American Muslim told me regarding how we should live and die: "And Abraham instructed his sons and [so did] Jacob, [saying], �O my sons! Indeed God has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims." (2:132) and �O you who have believed, fear God as He should be