CRITERION (3) "CONTAINS ABSOLUTE PRINCIPLES" ....... to continue.

[A] Clear creedal doctrine for Muslims

The Islamic creed unanimously adhered to by all Muslims, can be generally summed up into three: (1) At-Tauhiid (2) Ar-Risaalah (3) Al-Aakhirah. These are completely opposed to the pagan beliefs, ideas and ways of the Arabs in Muhammad’s time. And for this creed to have totally supplanted the myths, superstitions and idolatry within one generation, is astounding. In the process, the Qur’anic teachings replaced the narrow and worldly orientation of the Arabs with a worldview that emphasises the pre-eminence of man’s eternal existence in the hereafter, and yet it was opposed to the extreme idea of totally denouncing the world and living the life as hermits (ascetics) and celibates like that of some other religion before it. Believers in Islam are commanded to also be involved in worldly affairs, to celebrate wholeness of life with gratefulness being steadfast upon the (Shari’ah) guided path of Allah s.w.t., in spite of the trials and tribulations which have to be encountered in this world. Unlike the secularists, for Muslims the life in this world is very much linked to the hereafter and must not be dichotomised. Worldly involvement of a Muslim is not as an end to itself, but only as means of fulfilling a trust (Amanah) in preparation to meet our Maker in the eternal Hereafter. This creed also overturned the Arab paganistic concept of tribal honour and replaced it with a sense of piety and consciousness God (Taqwa) as the basis for honour, irrespective of one’s social standing; advocating regard for the brotherhood of man seeking to bind them into one universal community of believers (ummah) transcending all boundaries, as truly cosmopolitan comprising of every nation; and declaring the right of every one to being equally deserving of truth and knowledge; breaking the tribal bigotry and class discrimination prevalent in Arabia.

Unlike some other religion, which have had to convene Synods, Councils or gatherings of scholars long after to formulate their fundamental doctrines, - for Muslims these three doctrinal pillars were already clearly established within the Quran and have been continuously upheld since the time of Muhammad s.a.w. These three aspects are the broad general guidelines to serve every Muslim in every epoch:

ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ‌ۚ كُلٌّ

ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيۡنَ أَحَدٍ۬

مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ‌ۚ وَقَالُواْ سَمِعۡنَا وَأَطَعۡنَا‌ۖ غُفۡرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا‌ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَعَلَيۡہَا مَا ٱكۡتَسَبَتۡ

“The messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him from his Lord and (so do) believers. Each one believeth in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers - We make no distinction between any of His messengers - and they say: We hear, and we obey. (Grant us) Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto Thee is the journeying. Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved.”

(Qur’an: Baqarah: 2: 284-285)

1. In Tauhiid (the belief in the Absolute Oneness of God), the fundamental knowledge concerning Who God is, His Exalted attributes, His Beautiful and Perfect names, the Justice, Wisdom and Mercy of His Decree etc., has been clearly established in the Qur’an itself.

قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥ ڪُفُوًا أَحَدُۢ

“Say: He is Allah, the One! Allah, the eternally Besought of all! He begetteth not nor was begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him.”

(Qur’an: Surah al-Ikhlas: 112: 1-4)

قُلۡ يَـٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ

مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ

ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

وَأَنِيبُوٓاْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمۡ وَأَسۡلِمُواْ لَهُ ۥ مِن قَبۡلِ أَن يَأۡتِيَكُمُ

ٱلۡعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ

وَٱتَّبِعُوٓاْ أَحۡسَنَ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكُم مِّن رَّبِّڪُم مِّن قَبۡلِ

أَن يَأۡتِيَڪُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ بَغۡتَةً۬ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَشۡعُرُونَ

Say: "O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. "Turn ye to your Lord (in repentance) and bow to His (Will), before the Penalty comes on you: after that ye shall not be helped. (54) "And follow the Best of (the courses) revealed to you from your Lord, before the Penalty comes on you of a sudden, while ye perceive not!—

(Qur’an: Surah Az-Zumar: 39: 53-55)

2. So, too, regarding Ar-Risalah (the Message - some termed it as "Sam-'iyah" i.e. what was heard through revelation), in which every Muslim upholds - the belief in angels (malaa-ikah), the divine books of revelation (kutub), the veracity of all previous prophets (Rusul) and the finality of the prophethood with Muhammad s.a.w. (khatm-al-anbiyaa’) after whom prophethood ceased.

مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَآ أَحَدٍ۬ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمۡ وَلَـٰكِن رَّسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيمً۬ا

“Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets; and Allah is ever Aware of all things.”

(Qur’an: Surah Ahzab: 30: 40)

لَّقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ۬ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡأَخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ

“Verily in the messenger of Allah ye have a good example for him who looketh unto Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.”

(Qur’an Surah: Ahzab: 30: 21)

3. In the concept of Al-Akhirah (the Hereafter), believe in the afterlife - of the grave, the resurrection, the judgement, reward and punishment, paradise and hell etc. It is because such things are explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an, that no Muslim would deny them, although the Arabs of Muhammad’s time had no notion of the eternal life in the Hereafter.

قَدۡ خَسِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِلِقَآءِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَتۡہُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ بَغۡتَةً۬

قَالُواْ يَـٰحَسۡرَتَنَا عَلَىٰ مَا فَرَّطۡنَا فِيہَا وَهُمۡ يَحۡمِلُونَ أَوۡزَارَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ

ظُهُورِهِمۡ‌ۚ أَلَا سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ

وَمَا ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَآ إِلَّا لَعِبٌ۬ وَلَهۡوٌ۬‌ۖ وَلَلدَّارُ ٱلۡأَخِرَةُ خَيۡرٌ۬ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ‌ۗ

أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ

قَدۡ نَعۡلَمُ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَيَحۡزُنُكَ ٱلَّذِى يَقُولُونَ‌ۖ فَإِنَّہُمۡ لَا يُكَذِّبُونَكَ

وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ يَجۡحَدُونَ

“They indeed are losers who deny their meeting with Allah until, when the Hour cometh on them suddenly, they cry: Alas for us, that we neglected it! They bear upon their backs their burdens. Ah, evil is that which they bear!

Naught is the life of the world save a pastime and a spot. Better far is the abode of the Hereafter for those who keep their duty (to Allah). Have ye then no sense?

We know well how their talk grieveth thee, though in truth they deny not thee (Muhammad) but evil-doers flout the revelations of Allah.

Messengers indeed have been denied before thee, and they were patient under the denial and the persecution till Our succour reached them. There is none to alter the decisions of Allah.”

(Qur’an: Surah An’am: 33: 31-34)

These three aspects are the primary and basic creed held by every Muslims, irrespective of variety of interpretations in their details held by diverse schools of thought (madzaa-hib) amongst Muslims. Muslims always find new and yet profound understandings and relevance in this Islamic creed, which serves as guidance to teach and orientate them to the true meaning of life and Existence. Just like a traveller whose understanding of symbols on his map is confirmed ever profoundly when he encounters the reality of the landscape during his actual journey, so too with the unfolding of his life, a Muslim will recognize more profoundly the truth in the creed.

At later times, Muslims may differ in their understanding of the details of these (regarded as secondary or branched "Furu'iyah"), because as the reality of life is being unfolded, understanding actual reality becomes clearer. Yet they are unanimous with regards to the essential principles of the creed, unchanging from what had already been stipulated. Just as travellers share common maps, they cannot be expected to share identical experience in their journey in life. Although the maps always remain the same, the perspective of each travellers and his understanding of its interpretation may differ in accordance to where they are in the historical journeying. Thus, because of this, Muslims are not to judge as unbelievers, other Muslims who may not subscribe to their detailed interpretation of these ("furu'iyah"), as long as these three aspects ('usuliyyah" or principles) of the general Creed are not opposed to or contradicted by them.

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