𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐦

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✍️𝐃𝐫. 𝐌𝐝. 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐙𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐫

One of the serious misconceptions about Islam is that it began with Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib (PBUH). Therefore, people in general express Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as the progenitor (प्रवर्तक) or the founder (संस्थापक) of Islam. But the question arises, whether this conception is as per the teachings and messages of the Holy Qur’ān, the primary source of Islam. The answer is absolutely no. When one goes through the Holy Qur’ān, he reaches a very different conclusion. As per the Holy Qur’ān, prophet Muhammad (PBUH) didn’t come with a new religion, he propagated the same religion which was propagated by his predecessors like prophet Noah (A), Abraham (A), Moses (A) and Jesus (A) etc.

The Qur’ān, in this regard says:

 شَرَعَ  لَکُمۡ مِّنَ الدِّیۡنِ مَا وَصّٰی بِهِ نُوۡحًا وَّ الَّذِیۡۤ  اَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ  اِلَیۡکَ وَ مَا وَصَّیۡنَا بِهِ  اِبۡرٰہِیۡمَ  وَ مُوۡسٰی وَ عِیۡسٰۤی اَنۡ  اَقِیۡمُوا الدِّیۡنَ وَ لَا تَتَفَرَّقُوۡا فِیۡهِ ﴿الشورى: ١٣﴾ 

"He has ordained for you people the same religion as He had enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and that which We had enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus - by saying, 'Establish the religion and not be divided therein.’" [Holy Qur’ān, Surah Ash-Shura 42:13]

So as per the Holy Qur’ān, the religion of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and other messengers of God was the same. At another place the Holy Qur’ān specifies that it was Islam. The Qur’ān states:

اِنَّ الدِّیۡنَ عِنۡدَ اللهِ الۡاِسۡلَامُ ۟ وَ مَا اخۡتَلَفَ الَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡکِتٰبَ اِلَّا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ الۡعِلۡمُ بَغۡیًۢا بَیۡنَہُمۡ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یَّکۡفُرۡ بِاٰیٰتِ اللهِ فَاِنَّ اللهَ سَرِیۡعُ  الۡحِسَابِ ﴿آل عمران: ١٩﴾ 

"Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam. And those who were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity among themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the verses of Allah, then indeed, Allah is swift in [taking] account." [Holy Qur’ān, Surah Aali-'Imran 03:19]

Therefore in the light of the above verses it is very clear that Islam has been the religion of all the prophets before Muhammad (PBUH). So how could he be called the progenitor or the founder of Islam? In fact he is the last prophet of Islam i.e. Islam which was in practice during the periods of different prophets, culminated into the most perfect form in the hands of prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the last prophet. This point has been made clear at another place in the Holy Qur’ān. The Qur’ān says:

اَلۡیَوۡمَ اَکۡمَلۡتُ لَکُمۡ دِیۡنَکُمۡ وَ اَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ نِعۡمَتِیۡ وَ رَضِیۡتُ لَکُمُ الۡاِسۡلَامَ دِیۡنًا ﴿المأئدة : ٣﴾ 

"This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you 'Islam' as religion." [Holy Qur’ān, Surah Al-Maidah 05:03]

The thesis that ‘Islam’ has been the religion of all the prophets can be authenticated and accepted by understanding its meaning. Lisan al-Arab, one of the most authoritative lexicons of the Arabic language, mentions that the word ‘Islam’ is derived from the root verb ‘Istaslama’ (استسلاما) which means ‘to submit’ or ‘to surrender’. In the religious sense, Islam means voluntary submission to the will of God and obedience to His laws. The word ‘Muslim’ means ‘obedient’ i.e. one who submits to the will or commandments of God, regardless of his/her language, race, nationality or ethnic background. Its implication is also not limited to a particular era. The people who lived by the faith in Allah and His commandments in any era of the history of civilization may be termed as Muslims. In this sense the very first man and the first messenger of Allah on this earth, Hazrat Adam (A) was a follower and propagator of Islam hence a Muslim. Regarding him and some other prophets the Qur’ān says:

اِنَّ اللهَ اصۡطَفٰۤی اٰدَمَ وَ نُوۡحًا وَّ اٰلَ اِبۡرٰہِیۡمَ  وَ اٰلَ عِمۡرٰنَ عَلَی الۡعٰلَمِیۡنَ ﴿آل عمران: ۳۳﴾

"Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds." [Holy Qur’ān, Surah Aali-'Imran 03:33]

Obviously this selection was for the prophethood and for the guidance of the people. When God sent Prophet Adam (A) down on the earth, he was told:

قُلۡنَا اہۡبِطُوۡا مِنۡہَا جَمِیۡعًا  ۚ فَاِمَّا یَاۡتِیَنَّکُمۡ مِّنِّیۡ ہُدًی فَمَنۡ تَبِعَ ہُدَایَ فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَیۡہِمۡ  وَ لَا هُمۡ یَحۡزَنُوۡنَ ﴿البقرة: ٣٨﴾

"We said, "Go down from it (paradise), all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve." [Holy Qur’ān, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:38]

If we consider all the above facts, the thesis becomes very much clear that the original religion has always been one and the same, i.e. ‘Islam’ which dates back to prophet Adam (A). For this reason, Islam may be called the true Sanātana Dharma (सनातन धर्म, meaning “eternal religion” or “natural religion”). In Arabic Language the term for the Sanātana Dharma is Deen-e-Qayyim (दीन-ए-क़य्यिम) which means established religion (“शाश्वत धर्म”). The  Qur’ān has used this word in surah Al-Baiyyinah 98 verse  05.

وَ مَاۤ  اُمِرُوۡۤا اِلَّا لِیَعۡبُدُوا اللهَ مُخۡلِصِیۡنَ لَهُ الدِّیۡنَ ۬ ۙ حُنَفَآءَ وَ یُقِیۡمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ  وَ یُؤۡتُوا الزَّکٰوةَ وَ ذٰلِکَ دِیۡنُ الۡقَیِّمَةِ ؕ ﴿البینة: ٥﴾

"And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the established religion. (Al-Quran, Al-Baiyyinah 98: 5).

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also described Islam as “Deen-e-Fitrat” (दीन-ए-फ़ितरत) which means “Natural Religion” (प्राकृतिक धर्म या सनातन धर्म). [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1358, 1359, 4775 etc.]

The conclusion that the religion of God has always been the same can also be understood in the light of the fact that the fundamental beliefs, morals, teachings and the fundamental principles of theology as reflected in all the Scriptures irrespective of their language and the place of origin, have been nearly the same. Of course there have been some differences in Shariah (Jurisprudence or the constitution) but only to suit the demands of the changing social order. This is why the Qur’ān directs us to believe in all the revealed books of God. It also directs us to believe in all the messengers of God.

Despite the above facts the people differed in religion.  As indicated in the Surah Aali-'Imran 03: verse 19 quoted above, the followers of the earlier prophets distorted the above facts after them due to personal grudge and envy, and gave the religion their own nomenclature like Judaism, Christianity etc.. The Qur’ān being the last revealed book of God and teachings of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH, the last messenger of God), now represent the latest and perfect form of Islam. Hence in the following it only lies the success of humanity in this life and in the life hereafter.

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