All praise to Allâh the Only Lord worthy of all adorations and worship. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Him, and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.
Islam stands out among all the religions because it is the only religion acceptable with Allâh the Mighty. Allâh the Mighty said:
وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الإسْلامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
And whoever seeks a religion other than Islâm, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. [Aal-Imraan: 85].
It is clear from the Divine Verse above that no other form of religion – irrespective of its colouration – will leading to Paradise save Islam. Those who hate to hear this should take heart and seek the truth.
Islam had been the religion of all the Prophets – Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Solomon, Moses, Aaron, John the Baptist, Jesus and Muhammad. May the peace and benediction of Allâh be upon all the Prophets.
Those who truly followed each of the Prophets when they were sent were Muslims though the manners of worship might be different. With avoidance of doubt, the manners might be different but the intent is one – that Only Allâh should be worshiped with no ascription of partners with him. No Prophet of Allâh, including our beloved Prophet Jesus, did say any form of worship should be directed to other than Allâh the Mighty.
وَإِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنْتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَهَيْنِ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ إِنْ كُنْتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلا أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ عَلامُ الْغُيُوبِ . مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلا مَا أَمَرْتَنِي بِهِ أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ كُنْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنْتَ أَنْتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
And (remember) when Allâh will say (on the Day of Resurrection): "O 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: 'Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allâh?' " He will say: "Glory be to You! It was not for me to Say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, you would surely have known it. You know what is in my innerself though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, you, only you, are the AllKnower of all that is hidden and unseen.
"Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allâh) did command me to say: 'Worship Allâh, my Lord and Your Lord.' and I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the watcher over them, and You are a witness to all things. [Al-Maaidah:116-117].
Islam brought by Prophet Muhammad [salaLlâhu alahy wa sallam] was the continuation of the Islam preached by the earlier Prophets, and with it the Message became complete.
Islam – as preached by all the Prophets of Allâh (some of whom we have mentioned above) – frowns at all forms of ascription of partners with Allâh be it in the form of supplications, awe, hope, reliance, etc.
None will deny it that, till today Islam remains the only religion that ensures the sole right of the Creator for Him – that is, that only Him should be worshipped. We all know what has become of Christianity – it is now all singing, clapping and dancing while the Creator is being abashed and abused. Judaism – of the Jews – has become an esotericism of rituals not known by Moses and Jesus – may the peace and benedictions be upon them.
As for Islam, all praise to Allâh, the Creator remains glorified and extolled. Yes there are pockets of Muslims who have been affected by the culture of the non-Muslims such that some of the ideas of the latter had been brought into Islam. Therefore, it should not be strange when we see some Muslims too who dance, clap and sing to ‘praise’ Allâh; and when we see those who apparently go into polytheism such as the Sufi mystics and their lovers, we should know what has caused that. Nevertheless, the mainstream Islam is ‘There is none that is worthy of worship except Allâh and Muhammad is to be emulated.’ All Muslims of today agree to that; something not found in the rest of the religions.
Among the people that have been affected by the tide of the society are those Muslims who try to unify all the religions – Islam, Christianity and Animism; that the goal of all the religion adherents is the same but perceived in different ways. In other words, that Muslims, Christians, Jews, Animists, etc., worship the same God! What a black lie.
Many other factors have accounted for that, apart from the cultural influence earlier hinted. In Nigeria, South West in particular, politics has been another factor. Many Muslims can do anything today all in the name of politics. How many Muslim politicians – leaders and followers – have become polytheists in the name of canvassing for votes! Yoruba land is a very good example of this sad mix-up.
A programme is billed to take place between 16th and 19th March, 2014, in a South West State of Nigeria where the so-called Three Major Religions in Nigeria – Islam, Christianity and Animism – will slug it out among each other in a bid to ‘achieve unity and peace’! The programme is tagged, ‘Unity and Peace Concert.’ Each religion will nominate talents that would show what it has best to the other religions. Muslims will make a display of the Qur’aan such as its manner of recitation, of course, to bamboozle others. Christians will thump the Bible to impress other religious groups; while the Animists will make a show with their Opan Ifa and other fetish. The condition however is that there should be no conflict rather at the end of the event all the adherents of the religions should hug one another and show brotherly love!
The Grand Finale is on the 23rd in the Capital City of a State which we have intentionally not mentioned.
It should be known that whoever cooperates, facilitates, encourages, supports a platform whereby Islam is placed on the same footing with some wretched ways of life called religions has belied Allâh the Creator who said:
إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الإسْلامُ وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ إِلا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بَغْيًا بَيْنَهُمْ وَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ
Truly, the religion with Allâh is Islâm. Those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) did not differ except, out of mutual jealousy, after knowledge had come to them. And whoever disbelieves in the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allâh, then surely, Allâh is swift in calling to account. [Aal-Imraan: 19]
If there is going to be any platform at all between Islam and other religions, it should be in accordance with what Allâh instructed below: قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلا نَعْبُدَ إِلا اللَّهَ وَلا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ
Say (O Muhammad ): "O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allâh, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allâh. Then, if they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims." [Aal-Imraan: 64]
So if the people at ‘Unity and Peace Initiative’ were truly Muslims, which we strongly doubt, that is what they should call to.
Having said the foregoing, Islam is a complete and just system. The fact that some people have chosen not to accept it does not ordinarily mean that they should be maltreated or unjustly dealt with. Islam teaches:
لا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ أَنْ تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ . إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَى إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَنْ تَوَلَّوْهُمْ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ
Allâh does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allâh loves those who deal with equity.
It is only as regards those who fought against you on account of religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out, that Allâh forbids you to befriend them. And whosoever will befriend them, then such are the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers those who disobey Allâh). [Mumtahina: 8-9]. So they should get that right.
However, we have said the truth of Islam and we hope Allâh will reward us for that.
Whoever has some concern for Islâm should spread this message to others.
O Allâh, make Your slaves be steadfast on Your Path.
