Some Basic Principles of Islam

I will highlight a few principles of the Quran in order to make you aware of what Islam is not, contrary to what most Muslims think. Here are they.

1. The Law of Requital (Qur’an 99:7-8) God’s Rule is the Rule of Law. As you sow, so shall you reap. Hence, reward and punishment are natural consequences of our own actions. Any contrary statement will be non-Qur’anic. God is not emotional like humans. Therefore, He does not reward and punish in excitement. There is no such thing as “qubooliat ki ghari” (a moment of acceptance of prayer).

2. The Qur’an repeatedly impresses upon us that the Laws of God never change (17:77, 33:38, 33:62, 35:43, 40:85, 48:23). Hence, people do not fly in the air or walk on water. Nothing ‘supernatural’ takes place in the universe, so, physical miracles are out of the question. The water flows downstream. The law of gravity is operative in Nature – Like poles repel each other, opposite poles attract each other – Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity, non-metals are not – Heat expands objects, cold contracts and so on. If the Divine Laws in Nature kept changing, no science would be possible.

3. No person can be held responsible for, or share the burden of another (53:38). So, there is no such thing as Hajj Badal (doing pilgrimage on behalf of another person) or praying, fasting on behalf of a deceased person. On the same basis, there is no such thing as Original Sin and then Atonement. All children are born with a clean slate (17:70). The only criterion of honor is our conduct (49:13).

4. No amount of praying, utterances or wishful thinking can make us good human beings or good Muslims. It is the actions that count (53:39). Counting names and words on rosary beads won’t help.

5. The Qur’an is the last Message of God and Muhammad (S) is his final Messenger. The System has been perfected (5:3, 6:34, 15:9, 75:17) and therefore anyone claiming Revelation or knowledge of the future or of the Unseen after him in any form will either be an impostor or insane. Since the Qur’an is a complete, perfected Book, no “Imam” is authorized to make things Halaal or Haraam or make laws contrary to it.

6. There is no such thing as a separate group of “Awliya” (Friends of Allah). All good Muslims are His “Friends”. (3:68, 4:45, 7:196)

7. Iman (Faith) can be adopted only when it is based upon reason. Blind faith, born faith is not acceptable to God. (12:108)

8. The only life worth living is helping people and that is the only way to Paradise.

                                                                Source: www.ourbeacon.com