Universalism in Islam
[In the name of God the Most Compassionate]
Nurjahan Ruby Amatulla
Throughout the Quran it is repeatedly proclaimed that Islam is no new religion and it did not start with prophet Muhammad [pbuh]. Islam is the universal religion for humankind. The essence of which is: There is no god but God, he is the Truth [huq] the ultimate reality which sustains all transitory realities. One can achieve salvation by believing in God and Hereafter and doing good work in this life. Islam is not a proper name; it is a description of the mindset and actions of those who submit to God and His Will and moral law.
This is the essence of the Message of the Quran to humankind which remains unchanged irrespective of time or place. Innumerable Messengers or prophets, known and unknown, have been sent to different societies at different times carrying the same fundamental message. “Nothing is said to thee that was not said to the Messengers before thee ( addressing Muhammad) [Quran 41:43]
The Quran proclaims that the Quran is a confirmation to the Messages or Scriptures sent before, and it is the last Book of revelation to humankind and Muhammad is the ‘seal’ of the prophets. The Quran confirms and validates the uncorrupted parts of other scriptures. If we see differences in religions it is not because God has changed His word for different people but because people have changed the word of God.
Islam proclaims that there is one God and there is one ever true religion for humanity which is defined as follows:
“And so, set your face steadfastly towards the [one ever-true] faith, turning away from all that is false, in accordance with the natural disposition which God has instilled into human: not to allow any change to corrupt what God has thus created – this is the [purpose of the one] ever true faith; but most people know it not.”
[Quran 30:30]
The Quran lays down in 49:13 that true righteousness and God consciousness is the
ultimate criterion of one’s true success or salvation:
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and
made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other. Verily the most honored of
you in the sight of God is the one who is most righteous [or most deeply consciousness of
God] of you. Behold, God is all-knowing, all-aware. “
Therefore, the righteousness of a person does not depend on the brand of a faith or allegiance to any institutional religion but it depends on his/her faith in God and righteous work.
“Verily, those who have attained to faith [in this divine writ], as well as those who follow the Jewish faith, and the Christians, and the Sabians (note 49) – all who believe in God and the Last Day and do righteous deeds – shall have their reward with their Sustainer; and no few need they have, and neither shall they grieve. [Quran 2:62]
A contemporary famous scholar, Mohammad Asad, who translated the Quran says in his note to this and similar verses: “The above passage – which recurs in the Quran several times – lays down a fundamental doctrine of Islam. With a breadth of vision unparalleled in any other
religious faith, the idea of “salvation” is here make conditional upon three elements only:
belief in God, belief in the Day of Judgment, and righteous action in life. ……..”
Asad also emphasizes the universal meaning of the terms ‘muslim’ and ‘islam’ the Quran uses which
are different from the meanings that are in currency in the Muslim world. He writes in his
note to verse [68:35] “Throughout this work, I have translated the terms ‘muslim’ and ‘islam’
in accordance with their original connotations, namely “ one who surrenders [ or “has
surrendered”] himself to God” and “man’s self-surrender to God”: the same holds good of all
forms of the verb ‘aslama’ occurring in the Quran. It should be borne in mind that the
“institutionalized” use of these terms – that is, their exclusive application to the followers of the
Prophet Muhammad – represents a definitely post-Quranic development and, hence, must be
avoided in a translation of the Quran.”
However, it is important to note that there are also some verses in the Quran against some of the disbelievers and some of the non-Muslims [Jews and Christians] during the period of the revelation that may appear to be contradicting these universal ideas of Islam. The contexts of these verses are critical for understanding the true meanings. That is why the Quran itself warns against distorting truth by disregarding the contexts [5:13]. There are verses that were revealed in a state of war. The enemies were totally committed to the annihilation of the Muslim community at that time and launched wars against the Muslims. At other times the new community faced various stressful times of treason, hypocrisy and dissention that also threatened the stability and harmony of the society. These verses often are used and abused by the extremists. The Quran claims that there is no inconsistency in the Scripture. However, if these verses are taken out of the contexts, it would render the Quran inconsistent and therefore invalid
The entire Quran elaborates these fundamental ideas through specific examples, past events, allegorical stories, the pattern of the causes and consequences and promulgations. The gist of which is that each and every human being, irrespective of one’s birth, culture, brand of faith, etc., is given the capacity [‘fitra’ in Arabic] or the natural disposition or the faculty of conscience by which one can differentiate right from wrong and can sense the truth. A human is born with this inherent faculty that becomes either functioning and dominant or diminishing and dead by his/her active choices in life. This ability is like an unseen umbilical cord with the Creator: it remains connected and functioning as long as one does not corrupt oneself to over-shadow one’s own “fitra”. If one remains humble, sincere and committed to the Moral law he/she receives God’s guidance towards true success.
Finally, the Quran is commanding to do good work among fellow human beings, Muslims and non-Muslims.
“Unto every one of you have We appoint a [different] law and way of life. And if God has so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community: but [He willed it otherwise} in order to test you by means of what He has vouchsafed unto you. Vie, then, with one another in doing good works! Unto God you all must return; and then He will make you truly understand all that on which you were wont to differ.”
[Quran 5: 48 sura al-Maidah, Median 112 one of the last chapters]
It is God’s will to create diversity and it is human responsibility to face that challenge in differentiating the more fundamental criteria and goals from the ones which are not in finding commonality and brotherhood. The Quran warns in the strongest of the terms that creating dissention among humankind to do mischief in the world leads one towards eternal damnation.
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As to the judgment of a human being only God retains that exclusive right. No human being has that right to judge others or even oneself as to righteousness. A society or a human being can judge as to a behavior or an action of a human being but the judgment of a total worth or salvation exclusively belongs to God. Therefore it is one of the highest categories of blasphemy for one to be audacious and arrogant enough to entertain even an idea as to another’s worth, let alone to look down upon or punish or persecute any human being on the basis of that idea.
The meaning of Islam is Peace or Submission to the Will and the Moral law of God. Islam alludes that both of these meanings are synonymous as one cannot exist without the other. The Quran expounds that Peace -- within oneself and among fellow human beings -- is sustained by fairness and justice. And justice is upheld by truth. Therefore, any distortion or deviation of truth essentially amounts to injustice and violation of peace. Prejudices, hatred, arrogance, envy, greed, etc. all distorts truth, obstructs justice and hinders peace, individually and collectively.
The true purpose of a life is to serve the Creator. One cannot serve God without serving fellow human beings. The Quran is full of exhortations to be forgiving, patient, generous and compassionate towards other human beings, Muslims or non-Muslims. Charity and sharing is one of the five pillars of Islam. Many places in the past it is this charity and generosity of Muslims that attracted others to Islam.
[Minneapolis, Sept. 23, 2007]