Introduction
(Part – 13)
Comparative Study of Religious Books, HOW TO EMBRACE ISLAM, Muhammad (peace be
upon Him) – A Historical Personality
11. COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RELIGIOUS BOOKS:-
As to the Qur-‘aan, all Major
Religions of the world, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism,
Zoroastrianism, and Confucianism, have got their Basic Books and these Books
stand as the sole and final Authority for the system of their respective
Religions. Of all such Books, the Qur-‘aan alone claims, and claims
definitely and emphatically, to be entirely the Words of God, communicated to
the Prophet (Muhammad) through “Wahee” or
Inspiration in origin. Other Books either make no such claim in themselves, but
are taken, more or less, to be the Words of God, by implication; or even if
they were the Words of God in origin, they are held to have suffered various
alterations in the Text, or to have been lost and replaced by Memoirs written
by Disciples themselves.
Again the Qur-‘aan is available, original, intact, in a living and progressive ‘Arabic’ language of great Refinement and Literature, more or less current all the world over, while other Books are found in Languages, antique, or even obsolete or even extinct so as to be preserved in Translations, some very far-fetched indeed. In fact the Qur-‘aan is the ONE BASIC BOOK, which is read in Original Text, on the largest scale in the world. (Vide Encyclopedia Britannica, 9th Edition), while other Books have got their own limitations. It is hard to deny that the Qur-‘aan has been exercising strong influence in favour of Monotheism over other religions as well. It is a Common Spiritual Heritage of mankind like air, light and water.
12. MUHAMMAD – A HISTORICAL PERSONALITY:- Similarly, of all the Heads of Major Religions, Muhammad is the One and the Only Prophet, whose life can be studied in full details on the standard of History. None else has been so well known, so intimate with Mankind and so congenial to Humanity. It is so sure to know how to follow him in what matters. It is not so practicable in other cases. And the study and application of the Qur-‘aan, according to Prophet’s system, leads to very wide, very high and very safe spheres of Spiritual Culture, so natural, and so balanced, as to keep the normal of human life undisturbed, and thereby discourage Asceticism and Monkish Life, which is baneful to Humanity in the long run. Any way, every Religious system must be presented entirely on the ground of its Basic Book, so as to make it Authoritative to all concerned for comparative study of Religion. And this has been attempted here.
Again the Qur-‘aan is available, original, intact, in a living and progressive ‘Arabic’ language of great Refinement and Literature, more or less current all the world over, while other Books are found in Languages, antique, or even obsolete or even extinct so as to be preserved in Translations, some very far-fetched indeed. In fact the Qur-‘aan is the ONE BASIC BOOK, which is read in Original Text, on the largest scale in the world. (Vide Encyclopedia Britannica, 9th Edition), while other Books have got their own limitations. It is hard to deny that the Qur-‘aan has been exercising strong influence in favour of Monotheism over other religions as well. It is a Common Spiritual Heritage of mankind like air, light and water.
12. MUHAMMAD – A HISTORICAL PERSONALITY:- Similarly, of all the Heads of Major Religions, Muhammad is the One and the Only Prophet, whose life can be studied in full details on the standard of History. None else has been so well known, so intimate with Mankind and so congenial to Humanity. It is so sure to know how to follow him in what matters. It is not so practicable in other cases. And the study and application of the Qur-‘aan, according to Prophet’s system, leads to very wide, very high and very safe spheres of Spiritual Culture, so natural, and so balanced, as to keep the normal of human life undisturbed, and thereby discourage Asceticism and Monkish Life, which is baneful to Humanity in the long run. Any way, every Religious system must be presented entirely on the ground of its Basic Book, so as to make it Authoritative to all concerned for comparative study of Religion. And this has been attempted here.
13. HOW TO EMBRACE ISLAM:- At last, a question may arise in some minds, after all, what is to be done, if one decides to embrace Islam. The answer is short and simple. First of all, one has to assert one’s firm Belief in the Unity of God, and in the Prophet-ship of Muhammad, by reciting ‘Kalima’- tut- Tawheed’:-
“Laaa ‘Ilaa-ha ‘Il-lAllaah, Muhammadur-Rasuul-‘Ullaah.”
(There is no
God, but Allah, Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah).
This Kalima is further to be asserted for emphasis:-
“Ash-hadu ‘allaaa ‘ilaaha Il-lAllaahu, Wah-daHuu, Laa sha-reeka laHuu, wa ‘ash-hadu ‘anna Muhamma-dan ‘AbduHuu wa RasuuluHu.
(I bear witness that verily there is no God but Allah. He is the One,
None is Partner with Him. And I bear witness that verily Muhammad is His ‘Abd (servant) and His Apostle.
(He is neither God, nor a Son of God, nor the Incarnation of God).
There is no priesthood in Islam. No rituals, no formalities of baptism.
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