From: hyder@cs.utexas.edu (Syed Irfan Hyder)
Subject: Re: Confusion about "Islam": La illaha illallah Muhammad ar RasulaAllah
Originator: zeeshan@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Zeeshan Hasan -Moderator)
Organization: Oberlin College Computer Science
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 16:40:00 GMT
X-Posted-From: occs.cs.oberlin.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

In article <1jkn72INN36i@life.ai.mit.edu> davidh@cascade.ens.tek.com (David Hatcher) writes:
>
>  I find myself back to the question of "what IS Islam"? I've read a lot 
>of very good email and postings. But still, why is it that someone like 
>myself can know and experiences the Islamic essence and experience of "La 
>illah illallah", with out the dogma, beliefs and traditions that so
>many call the religion of Islam? And why is it that so many outside of
>the Mulsim religion also know and experience Allah in this way if the 
>5 Piller is Islam, as it is practiced and manifested within the Muslim 
>religion, is the only true way one may worship and praise God?

1: Islam (lit) means submission. That is, submission to Allah

2: "La illah illa Allah" is ONLY the first part of 
    the assertion of the Truth i.e. testimony or "shahadah".
    This relievs man from bowing to anyone except Allah

3:  "Muhammad ur Rassul Allah", the other part of the shahadah, tells
    us how to submit.

   i.  The truth of the assertion "La illaha Illah Allah" is measured
       by the degree of our emulation of the USWA-TUN-HASSANAH
       of "Muhammad ar Rasul Allah"; 
   ii. That is, "Muhammad ar Rasul Allah" offers the best possible 
       model worthy of emulation as mentioned by Allah in Quran.
   iii. It gives a blue print of how to get near to Allah and be dear to Him.
         One can not be a Muslim unless and untill 
         he, also, accepts the second half of the "shahadah" (testimony of the 
         truth), namely, "Muhammad ur Rassul Allah".

Let's see each part of what shahadah means:

3: "La illaha" asserts the negation of every thing imaginable which we
   may consider as any thing or any bein. 

   i. We assert here that there is no being or
      nothing worthy of respect, worthy of emulation, worthy of obeying,
      worthy of significance, worthy of worship.... 

   ii. "Illah" includes self styled deities, other gods,
       our own self, our desires, a man made constitution, rule, law, custom,
       nation, geographical entity,.... Any thing or being that is
       given any of (i).

   iii. Eg: A constitution, a king, a ruler, a covenant, a god
            are all included in the defintion of what "illah" means.

   iv. Note that when we assert "la Illaha", then a nothingness or a vacum
       obtains.

4: "Illal Allah": In this nothingness we assert Allah is the  ONE; 
   the only law giver, the only constitution, the only being worthy of worship
   the only God, the only the provider, the only merciful, the only 
   beneficient, the only omniscient, the only ominpotent.....

   i.  What ever we see around us is from Him, and to Him it will return;
        whether it is good or evil.
   ii. What ever happens, happens by His will and by His knowledge.
   iii.He endowed the mankind with the will, intellect and understanding 
        to decide whether they want good for themselves or evil.
   iv. He provided signs for the mankind so that they can use their 
        intellect and understanding to make the right choice.
    v. The intellect, understanding and will are trust from Him to mankind.
        
   vi. As such, mankind is answerable on the day of Judgement of how
        it  dispensed with  this trust.
   vii. Thus, this life is only a test for the mankind, an examination.

5: "Muhammad ar Rasul Allah": This assertion provides the believer with
   the coursework for which he will be responsible on the day of judgement.
  
    i: The examination is an open book. The life of Prophet
        Mohammad (pbuh) tells us how to submit to Allah.

    ii. The degree of our submission to Allah is measured by the degree
        with which we can emulate the perfect model.

    iii. Mohammad (pbuh) being the last prophet, and no new prophet to come
         after him, the responsiblity of spreading the message of submission
         devolves collectively and individually on every Muslim.

The truth of the assertion "La illaha Illah Allah" will, therefore, be
measured by our readiness emulate "Muhammad ar Rasul Allah"

Qusestion: Is it possible for a "Muslim", one who submits wholely and solely 
    in front of  Allah, to accept some of the commands of Allah 
    and go against others?

2:85:   Do you then believe in a part
        of the Book and disbelieve in the other? What then is the re ward
	of such among you as do this but disgrace in the life of this
	world, and on the day of resurrection they shall be sent back to
	the most grievous chastisement, and Allah is not at all heedless
	of what you do.

Conclusion: Thus a Muslim can NOT decide by himself/herself the part
 he should submit to or the part he should not submit to.

He either sumbits completely [Ud-khiloo fi-silm-e- Kaafah]        
or does not submit. The part he does not submit to, or does
not act upon is what he has hidden or rejected [kafara].

2:112. Yes! whoever submits himself entirely to Allah and he is
	the doer of good (to others) he has his reward from his Lord, and
	there is no fear for him nor shall he grieve.

3:20. 	 But if they dispute with you, say: I have submitted myself
	entirely to Allah and (so) every one who follows me; and say to
	those who have been given the Book and the unlearned people: Do
	you submit yourselves? So if they submit then indeed they follow
	the right way; and if they turn back, then upon you is only the
	delivery of the message and Allah sees the servants.

4:125. And who has a better religion than he who submits
	himself entirely to Allah? And he is the doer of good (to others)
	and follows the faith of Ibrahim, the upright one.....


3:187. And when Allah made a covenant with those who were
	given the Book: You shall certainly make it known to men and
	you shall not hide it; but they cast it behind their backs and took
	a small price for it; so evil is that which they buy.

	3:188. Do not think those who rejoice for what they have done
	and love that they should be praised for what they have not
	done-- so do by no means think them to be safe from the
	chastisement, and they shall have a painful chastisement.

3:71	O followers of the Book! Why do you confound the truth with
	the falsehood and hide the truth while you know?