purpose of life in islam powerpoint presentation

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What Is the Real Purpose of Life?

Short Answer: 

As Muslims, we understand that Allah is far above His creation insofar as He is not dependent on any part of it. Quite simply, it is out of His mercy that He has created us.

………….

Assalamo Alaikom Dear Kamal,

Thank you for your questions and for contacting Ask About Islam.

Why did Allah command us to worship Him

5 things will make you content with your life.

You are correct when you say that Allah is all-powerful and not in need of our worship. So why did He command us to worship Him? The answer is really very simple if we understand Allah’s nature properly.

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Islam has the best insight into Allah’s nature and attributes to Him what is most appropriate and respectful. As you mentioned, the Quran definitely answers the question, “Why are we here?”

{I have only created jinns and humans that they may serve Me.} (Quran  51:56 )

You are also correct when you say that Allah is self-sustaining and has Angels that worship Him non-stop. So again, why the command to humans and Jinn to worship him? If we say that Allah is in no need of anything from us yet He commands us to worship him, it is not necessarily a contradiction.

Command and Forbid

Why did He command certain things and forbid others? It is not Allah that benefits from the commands He gives us, we are the ones who benefit.

For example, if Allah commands us to abstain from eating pork, blood, and animals found dead, or if He forbids the drinking of alcohol, it is not Allah who benefits from this if we obey nor is He harmed if we disobey. We are the ones who suffer from disobeying Him and we are the ones who benefit from obeying.

This applies to anything that Allah commands us to do and anything He commands us to avoid.

Hadith Qudsi

In a hadith qudsi (revelation from Allah expressed in Prophet Muhammad’s words), we read the following:

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) once said that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said,

“O My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Me and unlawful for you, so do not commit oppression against one another. O My servants, all of you are liable to err except whom I guide on the right path, so seek right guidance from Me so that I should direct you to the right path. O My servants, all of you are hungry and needy except whom I feed, so ask food from Me, so that I may feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except whom I provide garments, so ask clothes from Me, so that I should clothe you. O My servants, you commit error night and day and I am there to pardon your sins, so ask pardon from Me so that I should grant you pardon. O My servants, you can neither do Me any harm nor any good.

Everlasting Power

O My servants, even if the first in creation among you and the last in creation among you and even the whole of human race of yours and that of Jinns even, become God-conscious like the heart of the most God-conscious person among you, that would add nothing to My power. O My servants, even if the first in creation among you and the last in creation among you and the whole human race of yours and that of the Jinns too in unison become the most wicked like the heart of a single person, that would take nothing of My power. O My servants, even if the first in creation among you and the last in creation among you and the whole human race of yours and that of Jinns also all stand in one plain ground and you ask Me and I confer upon every person what he asks for, it would not in any way cause any loss to Me any more than that which is lost to the ocean by dipping a needle in it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him who finds good praise Allah; and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself. (Muslim)

Allah forbids what is harmful and enjoins on us what is beneficial

The only source of peace.

If we study prohibitions closely and use available science, it is easy to see that actions and things Islam prohibit are clearly harmful. Allah forbids what is harmful and enjoins on us what is beneficial. This is true mercy.

Were Allah not merciful and only intended to serve Himself, we would find some commands that were beneficial to Him only and harmful to us. We find no such commands in any part of the Quran or in anything that Prophet Muhammad has commanded us.

{Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own scriptures, in the Torah and the Gospel; for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good and pure and prohibits them from what is bad and impure; he releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the light that is sent down with him, who will prosper.} (Quran 7:157 )

Allah Most Exalted

When you say that Allah becomes infuriated by blasphemous speech or thoughts, you run the risk of attributing to Allah what is not true. He likes and dislikes different things, and He may even get angry, but to say He becomes infuriated, which is not a description found anywhere in the Quran, is to say that He loses control to some degree or does not conduct Himself in a manner becoming of the Creator of all things.

Allah is far above this type of character. He is Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful. To become infuriated, as you put it, would be to say that someone could affect Him negatively, and that is impossible.

It goes without saying, that we as Muslims do not believe that Allah is a mere thought that is invented by our imagination. Minds have limited capacities. If that idea of Allah being a thought were true, we would find many contradictions and shortcomings in what we attribute to Him, since it would merely be an invention of our own minds. I would go as far as saying that if Allah were merely a concept of the mind, we would be denying our own existence.

Did Universe come about on its Own?

10 tips for finding inner peace in a turbulent world.

If we assume for a moment that everything in the universe came about on its own, and that all plant and animal life, bacteria, fungus, etc. evolved from a single-celled organism, what is it that caused that first cell to take shape, come to life and later reproduce? How would that organism know that it needs to divide itself into two separate parts and multiply?

That would imply a level of intelligence and will to survive and carry on its species. Is it reasonable to expect an amoeba to possess that level of intelligence on its own without outside help? What are the chances of that happening? I would say zero.

What is that “life force” that got everything going in the first place?

Allah created us out of His mercy

Allah created us out of His mercy. He created good and evil and gave us the ability to choose between right and wrong, knowing full well that some of us would choose what is harmful to us and some would follow His guidance. He will reward us for choosing good and following His guidance and punish us for harming ourselves by choosing evil.

Part of this guidance involves recognizing all of the incredible blessings, which He has created along with us, enabling us to lead a beneficial life.

{All that are in the heavens and the earth entreat Him. Every day He exercises universal power.} (Ar-Rahman 55:29)

Eternity in Paradise

The beauty of islam changed my life.

He has given us everything we need to sustain this life, but more importantly, He has shown us the way to achieve something even more incredible, the chance to live in eternity in Paradise in His glorious presence.

To achieve this, it is absolutely necessary to remain in close contact with Him on a regular basis as much as we can, and if possible, at all times of the day and night. Hence, comes the necessity of prayer and piety. We do ourselves a great disservice if we miss this opportunity.

I hope this has been helpful. I ask Allah Almighty to lead us to what is beneficial and to protect us from what is harmful.

And Allah knows best.

I hope this helps.

Walaikum Assalam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh.

Please keep in touch.

(From Ask About Islam archives)

Please continue feeding your curiosity, and find more info in the following links:

Knowing Your Purpose in Life is Key to Happiness

How is God’s Life and What Is His Purpose to Exist?

Why Having a Purpose in Life is Important?

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The Purpose of Life (part 1 of 3): Reason and Revelation

Description: is “reason” a sufficient source in the search for the purpose of life.

• By Imam Mufti
• Published on 20 Mar 2006
• Last modified on 25 Jun 2019
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Introduction

Is Reason a Sufficient Guide?

‘Why do we eat?’  ‘Why do we sleep?’  ‘Why do we work?’  The answers we would get to these questions would be similar.  ‘I eat to live.’  ‘I sleep to rest.’  ‘I work to support myself and my family.’  But when it comes to what the purpose of life is, people are confused.  We see their confusion by the type of answers we receive.  Youths may say, "I live for booze and bikinis."  The middle aged professional might say, "I live to save enough for a comfortable retirement."  The old man would probably say, "I’ve been asking why I’m here most of my life.  If there’s a purpose, I don’t care anymore."  And perhaps the most common answer will be, "I really don’t know!"

How, then, do you discover the purpose of life?  We basically have two options.  The first is to let ‘human reason’ - the celebrated achievement of the Enlightenment - guide us.  After all, the Enlightenment gave us modern science based on careful observation of the natural world.  But have post-Enlightenment philosophers figured it out?  Camus described life as "absurd"; Sartre spoke of "anguish, abandonment and despair."  To these Existentialists, life has no meaning.  Darwinians thought the meaning of life was to reproduce.  Will Durant, capturing the predicament of postmodern man, wrote, "Faith and hope disappear; doubt and despair are the order of the day… it is not our homes and our treasuries that are empty, it is our ‘hearts’."  When it comes to meaning of life, even the wisest philosophers are just guessing.  Will Durant, the most noted philosopher of the last century, and Dr. Hugh Moorhead, a philosophy professor at Northeastern Illinois University, both wrote separate books titled ‘The Meaning of Life.’ [1]  They wrote to the best-known philosophers, scientists, writers, politicians, and intellectuals of their time in the world, asking them, "What is the meaning of life?"  Then they published their responses.  Some offered their best guesses, some admitted that they just made up a purpose for life, and others were honest enough to say they were clueless.  In fact, a number of famous intellectuals asked the authors to write back and tell them if the purpose of life was discovered!

Let the Heavens "Speak"

If the philosopher has no definitive answer, perhaps the answer can be found within the heart and mind that we ourselves possess.  Have you ever looked at the open sky on a clear night?  You will see an incalculable number of stars.  Look through a telescope and you will see gigantic spiral galaxies, beautiful nebula where new stars are being formed, the remnants of ancient supernova explosion created in a star’s final death throes, the magnificent rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter.  Is it possible not to be moved by the sight of these countless stars in the night sky shining like diamond dust on a bed of black velvet?  Multitudes of stars beyond stars, stretching back; becoming so dense that they appear to merge into delicate wisps of sparkling mist.  The grandeur humbles us, thrills us, inspires a craving for investigation, and calls for our contemplation.  How did it come into being?  How are we related to it, and what is our place in it?  Can we hear the heavens "speak" to us?

"In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day, there are surely signs for all who are endowed with insight, who remember God when they stand, and when they sit, and when they lie down to sleep, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: "O our Lord, You have not created this without meaning and purpose.  Limitless art You in Your glory…" (Quran 3:190-191)

When we read a book, we accept that an author exists.  When we see a house, we accept that a builder exists.  Both of these things were made with a purpose by those who made them.  The design, order, and complexity of the universe as well as the world around us are evidence of the existence of a supreme intelligence, a perfect designer.  All the heavenly bodies are controlled by precise laws of physics.  Can there be laws without a lawmaker?  Rocket scientist Dr. von Braun said: "The natural laws of the universe are so precise that we have no difficulty building a spaceship to fly to the moon and can time the flight with the precision of a fraction of a second.  These laws must have been set by somebody."  Paul Davies, a professor of physics, concludes that man’s existence is not a mere quirk of fate.  He states: "We are truly meant to be here."  And he says regarding the universe: "Through my scientific work, I have come to believe more and more strongly that the physical universe is put together with an ingenuity so astonishing that I cannot accept it merely as a brute fact.  There must, it seems to me, be a deeper level of explanation."  The universe, the earth, and living things on the earth all give silent testimony to an intelligent, powerful Creator.

Figure 2 Central region of the Trifid Nebula taken by the Gemini Telescope on Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii, June 5, 2002.  Located in the constellation of Sagittarius, the beautiful nebula is a much-photographed, dynamic cloud of gas and dust where stars are being born.  One of the massive stars at the nebula’s center was born approximately 100,000 years ago.  The nebula’s distance from the Solar System is generally agreed to be somewhere between 2,200 to 9,000 light years away.

Image courtesy of Gemini Observatory Image/GMOS Commissioning Team.

If we were made by a Creator, then surely that Creator must have had a reason, a purpose, in creating us.  Thus, it is important that we seek to know God’s purpose for our existence.  After coming to the realization of this purpose, we can choose whether we want to live in harmony with it.  But is it possible to know what is expected from us left to our own devices without any communication from the Creator?  It is natural that God Himself would inform us of this purpose, especially if we are expected to fulfill it.

Alternative to Speculation: Ask God

This brings us to the second option: the alternative to speculation about the meaning and purpose of life is revelation.  The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the inventor.  To discover the purpose of your life, ask God.

[1]  "On the Meaning of Life"  by Will Durant . Pub: Ray Long & Richard R. Smith, Inc. New York 1932 and "The Meaning of Life"  by Hugh S. Moorhead (ed.). Pub: Chicago Review Press, 1988.

The Purpose of Life (part 2 of 3): The Islamic Viewpoint

Description: the explanation islam gives to the meaning of life, and a short discussion on the meaning of worship..

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Can Christianity Answer the Question?

In Christianity, the meaning of life is rooted in faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, in finding Jesus as Savior.  " For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life ."  However, the proposition is not without serious problems.  First, if this is the purpose of creation and the precondition for eternal life, why was it not taught by the prophets to all the nations of the world?  Second, had God turned into man close to the time of Adam all mankind would have had an equal chance to eternal life, unless those before the time of Jesus had another purpose for their existence!  Third, how can people today who have not heard of Jesus fulfill the Christian purpose of creation?  Naturally, such a purpose is too narrow and goes against divine justice.

Islam is the response to humanity’s search for meaning.  The purpose of creation for all men and women for all times has been one: to know and worship God.

The Quran teaches us that every human being is born conscious of God,

"(Remember) when your Lord extracted from the loins of Adam’s children their descendants and made them testify [saying]: ‘Am I not your Lord?’  They said: ‘Yes, we testify to it.’  (This was) in case you say on the Day of Judgment: ‘We were unaware of this.’  Or you say: ‘It was our ancestors who worshipped others besides God and we are only their descendants.  Will you then destroy us for what those liars did?’"(Quran 7:172-173)

The Prophet of Islam teaches us that God created this primordial need in human nature at the time Adam was made.  God took a covenant from Adam when He created him.  God extracted all of Adam’s descendants who were yet to be born, generation after generation, spread them out, and took a covenant from them.  He addressed their souls directly, making them bear witness that He was their Lord.  Since God made all human beings swear to His Lordship when He created Adam, this oath is imprinted on the human soul even before it enters the fetus, and so a child is born with a natural belief in the Oneness of God.  This natural belief is called fitra in Arabic.  Consequently, every person carries the seed of belief in the Oneness of God that lies deeply buried under layers of negligence and dampened by social conditioning.  If the child were left alone, it would grow up conscious of God - a single Creator - but all children are affected by their environment.  The Prophet of God said,

"Each child is born in a state of ‘fitra’, but his parents make him a Jew or a Christian.  It is like the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring.  Have you noticed any young born mutilated before you mutilate them?" [1]

Figure 1 The marvel of life.  An unborn fetus sucking its thumb.

So, just as the child’s body submits to physical laws, set by God in nature, its soul submits naturally to the fact that God is its Lord and Creator.  However, its parents condition it to follow their own way, and the child is not mentally capable of resisting it.  The religion which the child follows at this stage is one of custom and upbringing, and God does not hold it to account for this religion.  When a child matures into an adult, he or she must now follow the religion of knowledge and reason.  As adults, people must now struggle between their natural disposition towards God and their desires in order to find the correct path.  The call of Islam is directed to this primordial nature, the natural disposition, the imprint of God on the soul, the fitra , which caused the souls of every living being to agree that He Who made them was their Lord, even before the heavens and earth were created,

"I did not create the jinn and mankind except for My worship." (Quran 51:56)

According to Islam, there has been a basic message which God has revealed through all prophets, from the time of Adam to the last of the prophets, Muhammad, peace be upon them.  All the prophets sent by God came with the same essential message:

"Indeed, We have sent a messenger to every nation (saying), ‘Worship God and avoid false gods...’" (Quran 16:36)

The prophets brought the same answer to mankind’s most troubling question, an answer that addresses the yearning of the soul for God.

What is Worship?

‘Islam’ means ‘submission’, and worship, in Islam, means ‘obedient submission to the will of God.’

Every created being ‘submits’ to the Creator by following the physical laws created by God,

"To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and the earth; all obey His will." (Quran 30:26)

They, however, are neither rewarded nor punished for their ‘submission’, for it involves no will.  Reward and punishment are for those who worship God, who submit to the moral and religious Law of God of their own free will.  This worship is the essence of the message of all the prophets sent by God to mankind.  For example, this understanding of worship was emphatically expressed by Jesus Christ,

"None of those who call me ‘Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."

‘Will’ means ‘what God wants human beings to do.’  This ‘Will of God’ is contained in the divinely revealed laws which the prophets taught their followers.  Consequently, obedience to divine law is the foundation of worship.  Only when human beings worship their God by submitting to His religious law can they have peace and harmony in their lives and the hope for heaven, just like the universe runs in harmony by submitting to the physical laws set by its Lord.  When you remove the hope of heaven, you remove the ultimate value and purpose of life.  Otherwise, what difference would it really make whether we live a life of virtue or vice?  Everyone’s fate would be the same anyway.

[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim. The Arabs would cut the ears of camels and the likes as a service to their gods in pre-Islamic times.

The Purpose of Life (part 3 of 3): The False Gods of Modernity

Description: modern society has created false gods which it serves, throwing the world into chaos..

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Who Needs Worship?

God is in no need of our worship, it is mankind that needs to worship God.  If no-one were to worship God, it would not take away from His glory in any way, and if all of mankind were to worship Him, it would not add to His glory.  It is we, who are in need of God:

"I need no provision from them, neither do I need that they should feed Me for, surely, God Himself is the Provider of all sustenance, the Possessor of mighty power." (Quran 51:57-58)

"…But God is Rich, and it is you that are poor..." (Quran 47:38)

How to Worship God: And Why.

God is worshipped by obeying the laws He revealed through the prophets.  For example, in the Bible, Prophet Jesus made obedience to the divine laws the key to paradise:

"If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17). 

Also Prophet Jesus is reported in the Bible to have insisted on strict obedience to the commandments, saying:

"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:19)

Why do human beings need to worship God by obeying the divinely revealed laws?  The answer is simple.  Obedience to divine law brings peace to this life and salvation in the next.

Divine laws provide human beings a clear code to guide every sphere of human life and interaction.  Since the Creator alone knows best what is best for His creation, His laws protect the human soul, body, and society from harm.  In order for human beings to fulfill their purpose of creation, they must worship God by obeying His commandments.

The False Gods of Modernity

God is Who gives meaning and orientation to life.  On the other hand, modern life lacks a single center, a single orientation, a single goal, a single purpose.  It has no common principle or guideline.

Since Islam considers a god to be an entity that is served out of love, deep respect, and anticipation of reward, one can say that the modern world serves many gods.  The gods of modernity give meaning and context to the life of modern man.

We live in a house of language, and our words and expressions are the windows through which we look out at the world.  Evolution, nationalism, feminism, socialism, Marxism, and, depending on how they are employed, democracy, freedom, and equality can be listed among the indefinable ideologies of modern times.  "Plastic words," to borrow the words of Uwe Poerksen, a German linguist, have been used to usurp God’s power and authority to shape and define the goal of society, or even of humanity itself.  These words have connotations with a ‘feel good’ aura.  Indefinable words become a limitless ideal.  By making the ideal limitless, unlimited needs are awakened, and once these needs are awakened, they appear to be ‘self-evident.’

As it is easy to fall into the habit of worshipping false gods, people then have no protection against the multiplicity of gods that modern ways of thinking demand that they serve.  The "plastic words" give great power to those ‘prophets’ who speak on their behalf, because they speak in the name of ‘self-evident’ truths, so other people keep silent.  We must follow their authority; the axiomatic pundits who lay down the Law for our health, welfare, well-being, and education. 

The window of modernity through which we perceive reality today is marked by cracks, smudges, blind spots, and filters.  It covers the reality.  And the reality is that people have no real need except toward God.  But nowadays, these empty ‘idols’ have become the objects of people’s devotion and worship, as the Quran states:

"Have you not seen the one who takes his desires as his god?..."(Quran 45:23)

Each of these "plastic words" makes other words appear primitive and out-of-date.  ‘Believers’ in idols of modernity are proud of worshipping these gods; friends and colleagues consider them enlightened for doing so.  Those who still insist on holding onto the "old" God can cover up the embarrassment of doing so by worshipping the new ‘modern’ gods along with Him.  Obviously, many people who claim to worship the "old-fashioned" God will twist His teachings in this event, so that He also seems to be telling us to serve these "plastic words."

The worship of false gods entails the corruption not only of individuals and society, but also of the natural world.  When people refuse to serve and worship God as He has asked them to serve Him, they cannot fulfill the functions for which He has created them.  The result is that our world becomes ever more chaotic, just as the Quran tells us:

"Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea because of what the hands of people have earned." (Quran 30:41)

Islam’s answer to the meaning and purpose of life fulfills the fundamental human need: a return to God.  However, everyone is going back to God willy-nilly, so the question is not merely going back, but how one goes back.  Will it be in shameful agonizing chains awaiting punishment, or joyful and grateful humility for that which God has promised?  If you await the latter, then through the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, God guides people back to Him in a manner that will ensure their eternal happiness.

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• What is the Purpose of Life?

Islamic Pamphlets - What is the Purpose of Life?

Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? One of the first questions that comes to mind when considering our purpose of life is, “where did we come from?” Are we here based on random natural coincidences or is there a higher intelligent being, a creator? Acknowledging the existence of a creator is the first step in understanding our true purpose in life. There are many logical and rational reasons for believing in a creator. Three reasons are briefly mentioned below.

Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?

      One of the first questions that comes to mind when considering our purpose of life is, “where did we come from?” Are we here based on random natural coincidences or is there a higher intelligent being, a creator? Acknowledging the existence of a creator is the first step in understanding our true purpose in life. There are many logical and rational reasons for believing in a creator. Three reasons are briefly mentioned below.

1. Beginning of the Universe

         The first evidence that points to the existence of God relates to understanding the origin of the universe.

         Imagine walking in a desert and finding a watch. We know a watch consists of glass, plastic and metal. Glass comes from sand, plastic from oil, and metal extracted from the ground – all these components are found in the desert. Would you believe that the watch formed itself? That the Sun shone, the wind blew, lightning struck, the oil bubbled to the surface and mixed with the sand and metal, and over millions of years the watch came together by random or natural coincidences?

         Some may ask, “Who created God”? God, the Creator, is different to His creation. God is eternal, has always existed and has no beginning; therefore the question of who created God is irrational.

         Human experience and simple logic tells us that something that has a beginning does not simply come from nothing, nor can something create itself. Therefore, the most rational explanation is that a higher “being” created the universe. This “being” must be powerful and intelligent as it brought the whole universe into existence and created the ‘laws of science’ which govern it. We can also reason that this “being” is timeless and spaceless, because time, space and matter began at the creation of the universe. All of these attributes make up the basic concept of God, the creator of the universe. This is in perfect agreement with modern science which concludes that the universe is finite and has a beginning

2. Perfection of the Universe

          The second evidence that points to the existence of an intelligent creator is the order and perfect balance of our complex universe.

          Many features in the universe clearly indicate it to be specially designed to support life, such as the earth’s distance from the sun, the thickness of the earth’s crust, the speed at which the earth revolves, the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere, and even the earth’s tilt. If these measurements were slightly different to what they currently are, life could not exist.

         In the same way that a watch has an intelligent maker to keep accurate time, so too must the earth have an intelligent maker to keep accurate time around the sun. Could this occur by itself?

         When we see the order, precise laws and systems within ourselves and throughout the universe, is it not rational they have an organiser? This ‘organiser’ is best explained by the existence of God – the one who brought about this order.

3. Revelation from God

           The third evidence that points to the existence of God is the actual revelation that God has sent to humankind as a sign of His existence. There are clear signs that the book of Islam, the Quran, is the word of God. Below is a brief summary of reasons that support this claim.

• Is over 1400 years old and contains many scientific facts that were unknown to people of that time and which have only been discovered recently by science. Examples include: water being the origin of all living things (Quran 21:30); the expanding universe (Quran 51:47); and the individual orbits of the sun and moon (Quran 21:33).
• Contains many historical facts that were unknown to the people of that time as well as numerous predictions which have proven to be correct.
• Is free from any errors or contradictions despite gradual revelation over 23 years and covering a wide variety of topics.
• Has been preserved, word-for-word, since its revelation in its original Arabic language, unlike other scriptures which no longer exist in their original form.
• Has a simple, pure and universal message which appeals to Man’s intellect and inherent beliefs about Almighty God.
• Has a deep and moving effect on people.
• Was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was known to be illiterate, yet contains a unique style of language that is universally known as the pinnacle of Arabic eloquence and linguistic beauty.

        The most rational explanation for the many unique and miraculous aspects of the Quran is that it is from God.

God Sends Guidance

        Upon acknowledging that we have been created by the All-Wise Creator, we would expect to be informed of our purpose. How can we know what God expects from us? Do we live in trial and error, or make our own purpose? Do we “go with the flow” by following others? No. God sent Prophets and revelation to inform us of our purpose.

         God sent thousands of Prophets, at least one to every nation, with the same message: to worship God alone and to follow His guidance. They included Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them all).

          Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last in the chain of Prophets, was the perfect example of an honest, just, compassionate and brave human being. He was sent with the final revelation from God, the Quran, to demonstrate how its teachings should be applied.

           The Quran is a book of guidance and explains many concepts such as the purpose of our existence; who God is; the actions liked and disliked by God; the stories of the Prophets and their lessons; accounts of Heaven, Hell, and the Day of Judgement. It aims to clarify misunderstandings about the nature of God, such as clarifying the nature and role of Jesus compared to the nature of God.

{ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ }

Jesus, like all the other Prophets, performed miracles and called to the worship of The One true God (Quran 19:36).

The Nature of Jesus

           When trying to understand the concept of God in Islam, it is important to discuss the status of Jesus, given the widespread confusion and claims about his nature.

           Some Christians claim that “Jesus is God” or part of a trinity – that is, he is the incarnation of God on earth and that God took on a human form. However, according to the Bible, Jesus was born, ate, slept, prayed and had limited knowledge – all attributes not befitting God. God has attributes of perfection whereas Man is the opposite. So how can anything be two complete opposites both at the same time? This is not rational.

           However, some may ask, “If God can do anything, why can’t he become a man?” By definition, God does not do ungodly acts, so if God became man and took on human attributes, he would, necessarily, no longer be God.

            Furthermore, the Bible contains many verses in which Jesus speaks and behaves as if God is a separate being to himself. For example, Jesus “fell on his face and prayed” [Matthew 26:39]. If Jesus was God, then would a God fall on his face and pray? And, who would he be praying to?

             Some Christians claim that “Jesus is the Son of God.” We should ask ourselves, what does this actually mean? Surely God is far removed from having a physical and literal son. Rather, we find that the term “Son of God” is symbolically used in the earliest biblical languages for a “righteous person” . It is used throughout the Old Testament for many righteous people such as David, Solomon and Israel – not exclusively for Jesus, “…Israel is my firstborn son,” (Exodus 4:22) is one such example.

{ مَا كَانَ لِلّٰهِ اَنۡ يَّتَّخِذَ مِنۡ وَّلَدٍ​ۙ سُبۡحٰنَهٗ​ؕ اِذَا قَضٰٓى اَمۡرًا فَاِنَّمَا يَقُوۡلُ لَهٗ كُنۡ فَيَكُوۡنُؕ }

   Translation : “It is not befitting for Allah to take a son; He is perfect and flawless!” [Maryam 19:35]

             The Islamic belief about Jesus explains who the real Jesus was, whilst maintaining the pure belief about God and His complete Greatness, Uniqueness and Perfection. Jesus was as an honourable Prophet sent by God to call to the worship of God alone.

So…Why am I here?

           Everyone would acknowledge that our body parts, such as our eyes, ears, brains and hearts, have a purpose. Wouldn’t it then make sense that the individual, as a whole, also has a purpose?

           God, the All Wise, did not create us to simply wander aimlessly or to only fulfil our basic instincts and desires. Rather, we have a higher purpose – to acknowledge and worship God alone, so that we live upon the guidance of our Creator. This guidance enables us to live a successful and blessed life in all aspects. This includes personal acts of virtue like prayer, as well as beneficial acts to society, like being good to one’s neighbours, supporting one’s family, honesty, and caring for animals.

           God forbids us from worshiping anything else (e.g. statues, the sun, moon, saints, priests or even Prophets). He does not need any partners or intermediaries. Everyone can always worship God directly.

        God describes this life as a test, and people are tested in different ways. We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we react. Patience during adversities, and gratitude for blessings, are a means of getting closer to God and attaining eternal Paradise. We are also warned of a terrible punishment in Hell if we choose to disbelieve and ignore His commands.

So… what do I do now?

         The test of one’s faith is in using one’s intellect to contemplate and recognise God’s signs and live according to His guidance. This is done by submitting to God’s commands, which in Arabic means to become a “Muslim” .

          God, the One and only Creator – ‘Allah’ in Arabic – has made Islam accessible to everyone, regardless of their history, background or present situation. Therefore, anyone can become a Muslim by simply believing in, and uttering the following testimony of faith:

    “I testify that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger.”

         Isn’t it time for you to fulfil your purpose of life, submit to the truth and acknowledge your Creator?

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Unit 6: World Religions Islam

Sep 13, 2014

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Daily Question: How did the religion of Islam develop? Warm-up Question: When you think of Islam and Muslims, what do you know? what do you think of? (You can write or draw a picture of what you know) What is one question you have about Islam?. Unit 6: World Religions Islam.

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Daily Question: How did the religion of Islam develop? Warm-up Question: When you think of Islam and Muslims, what do you know? what do you think of? (You can write or draw a picture of what you know) What is one question you have about Islam? Unit 6: World ReligionsIslam

The Origins of Islam • Islam started in the Middle East around the year 600 C.E. (AD). • Islam means “surrender” or “submission”

The Origins of Islam • The religion was founded on the teachings of Muhammad as a surrender to the will of Allah (God). • The Qur’an, the sacred text of Islam, has the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as told to him by Allah.

The Revelation of the Qur’an to Muhammad • Read through the story. • Decide who is saying what in the story. • Insert the missing lines into the story. • Re-read the completed story

The Origins of Islam • Muhammad is not considered a God. He is only thought of as a prophet – or a messenger who delivers Allah’s (God’s) word to the people.

Muhammad’s Wisdom • One day the Ka’bah in Makkah was burnt down and it had to be rebuilt. The sacred black stone was kept in a safe place until the Ka’bah had been rebuilt. Different tribes helped to rebuild the Ka’bah but when it came to putting the black stone in place, everyone wanted to be the one who placed it there. They started to argue and argue about who should replace the black stone. Finally they agreed that they needed somebody else to be a judge and decide who was important enough to place the black stone in the Ka’bah. • Muhammad was chosen. He placed a white sheet on the ground, placed the black stone in the middle of the sheet, and asked each of the tribal leaders to hold a side of the sheet and then carry the stone to the right place. Muhammad then fixed the stone in its place. After that, Muhammad became known as Al Amin – ‘the trustworthy.’

Mecca CITY IN HIJAZ AND CAPITAL OF MAKKAH PROVINCE IN SAUDI ARABIA. THE BIRTHPLACE OF MUHAMMAD AND SITE WHERE THE QUR’AN WAS WRITTEN, MAKKAH (MECCA) IS CONSIDERED THE HOLIEST CITY IN ISLAM. MUSLIM PILGRIMS CROWD AROUND THE KA’BA DURING THE HAJJ

The Origins of Islam • Mohammad began spreading Islam from the city of Makkah (Mecca)– the most holy city in Islam today – and within a few hundred years the religion had grown tremendously.

Mosque • A Muslim place of worship, usually having one or more minarets (tall slender tower with a balcony from which a muezzin calls Muslims to prayer) and often decorated with elaborate tracery and texts from the Qu’ran

The Spread of Islam • Islam spread quickly across the Middle East from North Africa to Spain, and across Asia almost to China. • Muslims share a faith and share in a single Islamic community, called the ummah, which brings together many different peoples and cultures.

The Origins of Islam • Today, Muslims live all over the world. • Islam is the world’s second largest religion (one in five people in the world is Muslim) • It is one of the fastest growing religions. Many beliefs and customs have changed little since it was founded.

Islam: Today

Major Teachings of Islam • Monotheistic (belief in one God) • Islam believes all three religions (Judaism, Christianity & Islam) trace their origins to Abraham – Father of religions • Islam’s sacred texts include people like Adam, Noah, Moses, etc. (just like Judaism & Christianity) • Muslims believe Jews & Christians worship the same god they do.

The Holy Book – The Qur’an • Muslims consider Jews and Christians to be “People of the Book” (Bible). God revealed messages to Moses, Jesus, and others just the same as he did to Muhammad before the Qur’an. • The Qur’an says that God “earlier revealed the Torah (Judaism) and the Gospels (Christianity) as a source of guidance for people.” • For Muslims, the Qur’an is God’s final revelations to the world. It contains the most accurate messages about how God wants his followers to act and worship.

The Holy Book – The Qur’an • The Qur’an is written in Arabic (many memorize all or parts) • God describes his laws and moral teachings, or the “straight path.” • Contains passages of that Muhammad was told by the angel Gabriel, which Muhammad and his followers recited and memorized. • Muhammad couldn’t write so scribes wrote down his words. • In 651 C.E., Caliph Uthman establishes an official edition of the Qur’an (other versions are destroyed). • Muhammad called the Qur’an God’s “standing miracle” • Most Muslims don’t allow the sacred book to touch the ground and handle it with ritual purity (care).

The Sunnah • Sunnah means “practice” and it is the example that Muhammad set for Muslims in his life. • Muhammad’s actions are said to be an example of how to live life as a Muslim. • Honor your parents • Hospitality (take care of visitors/guests • 300 years after Muhammad’s death, scholars compiled the stories of his words and actions in his life into collections – these “reports” or “tradition” were called hadith

Shari’ah • Shari’ah is a collection of Jewish law based on the Qur’an and Sunnah. • Mentions Muslim duties toward God (obedience to Qur’an and respect of others) • Islamic law divides actions into categories: forbidden, discouraged, allowed, recommended and obligatory (required) • Duties to other people are grouped: criminal, commercial, family and inheritance law.

Vocabulary • Ummah: Islamic community • Mosque: Islamic place of worship • Qur’an: the holy book of the religion in Islam • Sunnah: the example that Muhammad set for Muslims about how to live

Sayings of Muhammad • Instructions: • As a group, take turns reading out the sayings of Muhammad. • After reading each one, write out what it means in your own words. • After you read all the sayings, go back and put a star or check next to the ones you identify/agree with. • Discuss with your group members the ones you identify/agree with and why – which ones are similar? Which ones are different?

Sayings of Muhammad • “God does not look upon your bodies and appearances. He looks upon your hearts and your deeds.” • “One who has nothing of the Qur’an inside him is like a desolate or ruined house.” • “Hurt no-one so that no-one may hurt you.” • “Aid the poor and clothe them as you would clothe yourselves. Remember! One day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds.” • “I leave behind two things, the Qur’an and my example, and if you follow these guides you will not fail.”

Sayings of Muhammad • “To bring about a just, reconciliation between two contestants is charity, helping a person mount his animal or load his baggage onto it is charity, a good word is charity, to remove obstacles in the street is charity, smiling upon the face of your brother is charity.” • “No father gives his child anything better than good manners.” • “The world is green and beautiful and God has appointed you his steward over it.” • “The whole earth has been created as a place of worship, pure & clean.

Sayings of Muhammad • “You will be rewarded by Allah for your acts of kindness towards living creatures.” • “God is gentle and loves gentleness in all things.” • “Prayer is like a refreshing stream into which you dip five times a day.” • “Forgive him who wrongs thee: do good to him who does evil to thee. Speak the truth although it be against thyself.” • “Beware of envy for envy devours good works like the fire devours fuel.”

Journal Reflection • Answer at least 3 of the following questions: • How did Islam become the fastest growing religion in the world? • Who is Muhammad and why is he important? • Where do Muslims worship? • After reading the sayings of Muhammad, what can you guess are the basic beliefs of Islam? Come up with at least 5 “teachings of Islam.”

Homework • Pick one of Muhammad’s sayings, then draw a detailed illustration OR write a short story that explains what the saying means to a Muslim.

Daily Question: What are the beliefs and practices of a Muslim? Warm-up Question: What do you SEE? What do you THINK ? What do you WONDER? Unit 6: World ReligionsIslam

The Five Pillars of Islam • Shahadah (declaration of faith) • Salat (daily ritual prayer) • Zakat (charity) • Sawm (fasting) • Hajj (pilgrimage)

Shahadah • “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.” • This is the basic statement of the Islamic faith: anyone who cannot recite this wholeheartedly is not a Muslim. • In Arabic: “Ashadu Alla Ilaha Illa Allah Wa Ashhadu Anna Muhammad Rasulu Allah” • When a Muslim recited this they proclaim: • That Allah is the only God, and that Muhammad is prophet • That they personally accept this as true • That they will obey all the commitments of Islam in their life. • The Shabadah is written in Arabic on the flag of Saudi Arabia (a state that contains Islam’s holiest places)

ShahadahBecoming a Muslim • Reciting this statement: • “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.” • Three times in front of witnesses is all that anyone need do to become a Muslim. • A Muslim is expected to recite this statement out loud, with total sincerity, fully understanding what it means.

Shahadah Discussion Questions • ANSWER QUESTIONS ON WORKSHEET • How is this statement of belief similar to other religions? How is it different? • Some examples are the Shema Israel and the Thirteen Articles of Faith in Judaism or the Nicene Creed in Christianity.

Pillar #2: Salat • Obligatory Muslim prayers performed five times each day. • God ordered Muslims to pray at five set times of day: • Salat al-fajr: dawn, before sunrise • Salat al-zuhr: midday, after the sun passes its highest • Salat al-’asr: the late part of the afternoon. • Salat al-maghrib: just after sunset • Salat al-’isha: between sunset and midnight • All Muslims as young as seven years old are encouraged to pray

Pillar #2: Salat • This prayer gives a pattern to the day. • In Islamic countries, the public call to prayer from the mosques sets rhythm of the day for the entire population, including non-Muslims. • The prayer ritual is over 1400 years old. • The prayer ritual is highly spiritual and connects Muslims around the world as they have the same words and movements at the same time. • Prayer involves uniting mind, soul and body in worship. Muslims make sure they are in the right frame of mind before they pray; they put aside all everyday cares and thoughts to concentrate on God.

Pillar #2: Salat • Muslims do not pray for the benefit of God. They pray because God told them to pray and they believe they obtain great benefit from praying. • Muslims pray direct to God (as if standing in the presence of Allah) • Muslims can pray anywhere, but it is especially good to pray with others in a mosque. Praying together helps Muslims to realize that all humanity is one, and all are equal in the sight of Allah. • Muslims must be clean before they pray. They make sure of this by performing ritual washing, called wudhu. Mosques have washing facilities.

Salat Discussion Questions • ANSWER QUESTIONS ON WORKSHEET • Describe the process of prayer. How many times each day? When do you pray? What do prayers sound like? What do the movements look like? In which direction do Muslims pray? Why do they face this way? What are some of the things Muslims say during prayer? Why do Muslims pray? • How is prayer in Islam similar to prayer in other religions? How is it different? • Why is prayer important in Islam?

Zakat • Zakat is giving a set proportion of your wealth/money to charity. • It is considered a type of worship and self-purification. • Zakat is not charitable gifts given out of kindness or generosity, but a systematic giving of 2.5% of one’s wealth each year to benefit the poor.

Zakat • The benefits of Zakat: • Obeying God • Helping a person acknowledge that everything comes from God on loan and we do not really own anything ourselves. And since we can’t take anything with us when we die, then we don’t need to cling to it. • Acknowledging that whether we are rich or poor is God’s choice, so we should help those he has chosen to make poor. • Learning self-discipline • Freeing oneself from the love of posessions and greed • Freeing oneself from the love of money • Freeing oneself from love of oneself • Behaving honestly • Pay a rate of 2.5% on cash, gold and silver and commercial items. There are other rates for farm, mining, produce and animals.

Zakat Discussion Questions • What is Zakat? • What is emphasized in Zakat? • Why do Muslims make donations? • How much money is a person expected to give to charitable causes? • What is the relationship between prayer and money? • How is Zakat different from ordinary charity that Muslims might give?

Sawm • Sawm is fasting. • Muslims are required to fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. • During the 29/30 days of Ramadan all adult Muslims must give up the following during the hours of daylight: • Food or drink of any sort • Smoking • Sexual activity

Sawm • Muslims who are physically or mentally unwell may be excused from fasting or those under the age of 12 or those who are pregnant. • If an adult doesn’t fast, then he/she should fast at a later date or make a donation to the poor instead. • Muslims abstain from physical acts during Ramadan. • Muslims are expected to avoid evil thoughts and deeds.

Sawm • Reason’s for the fast: • Obeying God. • Learning self-discipline. • Becoming spiritually stronger. • Appreciating God’s gifts to us. • Sharing the sufferings of the poor and developing sympathy for them. • Realizing the value of charity and generosity. • Giving thanks for the Holy Qur’an, which was first revealed in the month of Ramadan. • Sharing fellowship with other Muslims.

Sawm • Eating in Ramadan • Muslims will usually eat a large meal, called suhur just before dawn. • When daylight is over, Muslims will break or open the fast with dates (fruit) or water, following the example of the Prophet Muhammad, before having a proper meal later. • The evening meals during Ramadan are occasions for family and community get-togethers.

Sawm • Eid ul-Fitr • The month of Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid ul-Fitr. This involves dressing up and visiting the mosque for prayer, and with visits to family and friends for celebratory meals. • Because Islam uses the lunar calendar, the month comes around 11 days earlier each year.

Sawm Discussion Questions • As part of the Muslim religion, what does it mean to fast? • Why do Muslims fast? • What and when is Ramadan? • What is Eid al-Fitr? • How does fasting from eating and other activities affect people’s spiritual state of mind? • What other religions include fasting? • How is Sawm similar to fasting in other religions? How is it different?

Hajj • Once a year, Muslims around the world gather together in Mecca and stand before the Kaaba praising Allah together. • The pilgrimage to Mecca is designed to promote the bonds of Islamic brotherhood and sisterhood by showing that everyone is equal in the eyes of Allah. • The Hajj makes Muslims feel real importance of life here on earth, and the afterlife, by stripping away all markers of social status, wealth, and pride. In the Hajj all are truly equal.

Hajj • During the Hajj, Hajji’s or pilgrims wear simple white clothes (called Ihram) and perform acts of worship to renew their sense of purpose in the world. • Mecca is a place holy to Muslims and no non-Muslims can enter. • The Hajj occurs in the month of Dhul Hijjah (12th month of lunar calendar). • Every healthy adult Muslim must make the Hajj at least once in their lives if they can afford it and are physically able.

Hajj Discussion Questions • How often must Muslims participate in Hajj? • Where do Muslims go during Hajj? • How many Muslims participate in Hajj? • What is the goal of Hajj? • What and where is the Ka’bah? Describe this place. • What does it mean to enter spiritual purity? • What is the purpose of the special garments? • How does Mubarek describe his experiences as a pilgrim?

Hajj Discussion Question • What do you think it is like to be a pilgrim in Mecca? • Why do they think Hajj is one of the Five Pillars? • What is the significance of Abraham to pilgrims? • What other religions incorporate the idea of pilgrimage?

POSTERS • Each group will be assigned a Pillar to make a poster to be displayed in the room to educate others on the Five Pillars of Islam. • A description of the practice • How people fulfill these obligations • Illustrations/images that relate to the pillar • Share the posters with the class

Journal Reflection • Answer at least 3 of the following questions: • Do you agree with any of the pillars of Islam? Which one(s)? Why? • Do you disagree with any of the pillars of Islam? Which one(s)? Why? • Which is the most important pillar in Islam? Why? • What would your daily life be like if you were Muslim?

Homework • FAITH INTERVIEW • Interview someone who practices a faith we will be studying (Judaism, Christianity, Islam or Hinduism) – ideally a different religion than the one you interviewed last time. • At least ten questions • Write down both questions and answers

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