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The concept of

Faith and Iman in Islam
By Aleem Faizee

Allah’s Prophets and Messengers including Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad have conveyed Islam dates back to the edge of Adam and its message to man. Islam's message has been restored and enforced in the last stage of the religious evolution by Allah's last Prophet and Messenger Muhammad.

The word Allah in the Arabic language means Allah, or more accurately The One and Only Eternal Allah, Creator of the Universe, Lord of all lords, King of all kings, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. Arabic speaking Jews and Christians also uses the word Allah to mean Allah.

A Muslim believes in ONE ALLAH, Supreme and Eternal, Infinite and Mighty, Merciful and Compassionate, Creator and Provider. Allah does not have father nor mother, no sons nor was He fathered. The Holy Qur’aan says:

None equal to Him. He is Allah of all mankind, not of a special tribe or race. Allah is High and Supreme but He is very near to the pious thoughtful believers; He answers their prayers and helps them. He loves the people who love Him and forgives their sins. He gives them peace, happiness, knowledge and success. Allah is the Loving and the Provider, the Generous, and the Benevolent, the Rich and the Independent the Forgiving and the Clement, the Patient and the Appreciative, the Unique and the Protector, the Judge and the Peace. The Qur’aan says:

Allah creates in man the mind to understand, the soul and conscience to be good and righteous, the feelings and sentiments to be kind and humane. If we try to count His favors upon us, we cannot, because they are countless. In return for all the great favors and mercy, Allah does not need anything from us, because He is Needless and Independent. Allah asks us to know Him, to love Him and to enforce His law for our benefit and our own benefit and our own good.

A Muslim believes in all the Messengers and Prophets of Allah without any discrimination. All messengers were mortals, human beings, endowed with Divine revelations and appointed by Allah to teach mankind. The Holy Quran mentions the names of 25 messengers and prophets and states that there are others. These include Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Says the Holy Qur’aan:

Their message is the same and it is Islam and it came from One and the Same Source; Allah, and it is to submit to His will and to obey His law; i.e., to become a Muslim.

A Muslim believes in all scriptures and revelations of Allah, as they were complete and in their original versions. Allah, the Creator, has not left man without guidance for the conduct of his life. Revelations were given to guide the people to the right path of Allah and sent down to selected people, the prophet and messengers, to convey it to their fellow men.

The message of all the prophet and messengers is the same. They all asked the people of their time to obey and worship Allah and none other. Ibrahim, Moses, David, Jesus and Muhammad who were revealed their own book of Allah, were sent at different times to bring back straying human being from deviation to Right Course.

The Quran is the sacred book of the Muslims. It is the last book of guidance from Allah, sent down to Muhammad, peace be upon him, through the angel Jibraeel (Gabriel). Every word of it is the word of Allah. It was revealed over a period of 23 years in the Arabic language. It contains 114 Surahs (chapters) and over 6000 verses.

There are purely spiritual and splendid beings created by Allah. They require no food or drink or sleep. They have no physical desires nor material needs. Angels spend their time in the service of Allah. Each charged with a certain duty. Angle cannot be seen by the naked eyes. Knowledge and the truth are not entirely confined to sensory knowledge or sensory perception alone.

A Muslim believes in the Day of the Judgment. This world as we know it will come to an end and the dead will rise to stand for their final and fair trial. On that day, all men and women from Adam to the last person will be resurrected from the state of death for judgment. Everything we do, say, make, intend and think are accounted for and kept in accurate records. They are brought up on the Day of Judgment. People with good records will be generously rewarded and warmly welcomed to Allah's Heaven. People with bad records will be fairly punished and cast into Hell. Allah knows the real nature of Heaven and Hell only, but Allah describes them in man's familiar terms in the Quran. Allah and Allah alone only know the time of the Day of Judgment.

A Muslim believes in Qadaa and Qadar, which related to the ultimate power of Allah. Qadaa and Qadar mean the Timeless Knowledge of Allah and His power to plan and execute His plans. Allah is not indifferent to this world nor is He neutral to it. It implies that everything on this earth originates from the one and only creator who is also the Sustainer and the sole source of guidance.

Allah is Wise, Just and Loving and whatever He does must have a good motive, although we may fail sometimes to understand it fully. We should have strong faith in Allah and accept whatever He does because our knowledge is limited and our thinking is based on individual consideration, whereas His knowledge is limitless and He plans on a universal basis. Man should think, plan and make sound choice, but if things do not happen the way he wants, he should not lose faith and surrender himself to mental strains or shattering worries.

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