Islam the Religion of Mankind
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our master, Muhammad (s.a.w.) on his pure progeny and righteous companions and followers, until the Day of Judgment.
Islam means surrender; that is, the surrender of mankind to the Lord of the worlds. It is an absolute surrender or yielding to the One, the only One, the Besought of all.
Thus, Islam in this context means complete freedom from any type of subjection or suppression, and from all forms of deviations or inclinations towards any of God's creatures, except in the course of worshipping Allah, the Exalted.
Islam, is thus the law of Allah the Exalted, offered to the whole of mankind from the beginning of time, in order to liberate man from all forms of slavery. It is a blessing bestowed on man as the most generous of all creatures, endowed with such mental powers enabling him if he so wills, to exploit everything in this universe to his own benefit and happiness.
It is Allah alone Who has the right to command, forbid and question His creatures regarding their deeds; to reward the obedient and punish the disobedient; to grant repentance or forgiveness.
If the obedience of all creatures and their submission to Allah, the Creator, are inborn and natural instincts, perceptible and tangible, so that no creature whether inferior or superior, deviates from it, then the religion of Allah is this very natural obedience:
"Do they seek (follow) other than the religion of Allah, when to Him submits whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him they will be returned.” Holy Qur’an (3:83)
The duty of the prophets and messengers throughout the history of mankind has been to guide and direct the people according to this natural characteristic. In this way, man could be prevented from being led astray, enabling him to freely submit to the Lord of the worlds through heartfelt belief and a unified code of practical conduct. This is Islam in its general context; it is the religion of the whole of mankind throughout all ages.
By presenting "Islam the Religion of Mankind , Al-Balagh Foundation endeavors to provide an explanation of one of the most profound ideological concepts in human history. Through its wide scientific effects on the conduct of individuals and societies, Islam has made a profound impression on the different civilizations that have existed throughout the long history of the human race.
We implore Allah the Almighty to help us and our readers, submit to Him, and to create out of our progeny a nation obedient to Him. He is the best Guide to the right way.
ISLAM: THE TITLE AND THE CONTEXT:
Names differ greatly in respect to their meanings and implications, and also in respect to their usage.
There are certain names which we encounter and deal with everyday which are used quite randomly. There may be no correlation between the name of an object and the object itself, as is the case with numerous names, titles and attributes.
For example, when someone is named Khaz'al' or Ja'far', the actual relation between this name and the person has not been taken into consideration. Khaz'al in Arabic originally meant the hyena, and the word Ja'far meant river. There is, as a matter of fact, no actual correlation between people and the nature of a hyena or river; yet they are used occasionally for naming male children. This is a haphazard naming, a nullifying of the relationship between name and subject.
In other instances, a name is strictly chosen to suit the subject and to truthfully represent it.
For example, the name chosen by the Qur'an to represent the teachings of the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (s.a.w.), is Islam' - that is, absolute submission and servitude to Allah alone.
The Qur'an due to its unrivalled eloquence, chaste language, deep expression and perfect combination of words, meanings and syntax, carefully chose the name Islam' as a truthful expression of the message revealed to Muhammad (s.a.w.). Consequently, this Qur'anic selection is exact and general, maintaining harmony between the manifestations of the teachings and the teachings themselves.
This connection between the teachings and their contexts and aims can well be uncovered by first resorting to the lexicons, from which we come to know that the word Islam' means submission and surrender. Then, moving from the lexical terminology, we should carefully study the ideology, legislation and direction of the teachings. We are then apt to recognize that the whole religious structure, in its complete unity, aims at submission and surrender to the Lord of the worlds, and freedom from any type of submission or surrender to human tyrants and illusionary legends.
Thus we recognize the correlation between the name Islam', and the manifestations of the faith itself. The Qur'an, as revealed by Allah through His Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), has transformed this word, this name, from its mere linguistic form to the foundation of a faith and way of life.
There is a complete and exact accord between the term Islam' and its hidden ideological and legislative truths. This religion, this faith, is called Islam' because it is
a submission or surrender to the Lord of the worlds, and is also a way towards the freedom and salvation of mankind.
