Who is a Muslim?
According to the common understanding prevalent around the world, a Muslim is one who believes in Allah and in Muhammad as his messenger.
This understanding is totally ERRONEOUS since it is based neither on the Arabic language nor on facts.
This deliberate falsification of history and theology, was propagated by the recently converted pagan Arabs during and after their worldwide conquests. From then on, they imposed their will upon the subject peoples and unjustifiably arrogated to themselves alone and later on, to other none Arabian converts- the term MUSLIMS.
It is important that the reader be made aware of the following:
Islam/Muslim-
It is derived from the Arabic verb Aslama meaning to Submit to (the will of the one and only Allah). It is the religion PAR EXCELLENCE of SUBMISSION and a follower of Islam is called a Muslim.
Contrary to all the deliberate and mendacious claims by the current followers of Muhammad, ISLAM means SUBMISSION only, and has nothing to do with PEACE which is SALAM.
Muslims before Muhammad-
Another form of Islam is Hanif; those who submit to the will of the God of Abraham. They too, preceded Muhammad and his form of Islam in their monotheism by decades if not centuries.
Among the most important Hanifs, some are mentioned in the Quran: Hud of the Ad people; Saleh of the Thamud and Sho'ayb of the Medyan.
The Arabic sources mention the following also:
Hanzala bin Safwan; Khaled b. Senan; Amer b. Zareb al Adwani; Abdullah al Quda'I; Amr b. Fadl; the eloquent poet and orator, Qass b. Sa'eda al Iyadi and last but not least Omayya b. Abi's-Salt, a contemporary of Muhammad and a member of the Thaqif tribe at Ta'ef , a renowned Hanif who advocated monotheism.
Sahih Al-Bukhari HadithHadith 8.168 Narrated byAbu Huraira
The Prophet said, "The most true words said by a poet were the words of Labid. He said, i.e. 'Verily, everything except Allah is perishable and Umaiya bin Abi As-Salt was about to embrace Islam
Also mentioned in Ahadith:
Khadija bint Khuwylid (Muhammad's first wife); Waraqa b. Nawfal (Khadijah's uncle) who was a Christian; Obaydullah b. Jahsh; Uthman b. al Howayreth and Zayd b. Amr b. Nufayl.
All of the above, actually knew of and used the name ALLAH since it was very familiar to them as the SUPREME god of the Ka'ba, long before Muhammad appeared on the scene.
The path to Monotheism in Arabia was already laid down a long time before Muhammad was borne, by the Jews of Arabia.
3:67 Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian but he was true in faith and bowed his will to Allah's (which is Islam) [Hanifa Musliman] and he joined not gods with Allah.
*** Abraham - who preceded Muhammad by some twenty five centuries - is the best example of a Muslim in that he totally surrendered to the will of God.
When the Almighty instructed him to sacrifice his one and only son by Sarah, Isaac, he did not argue, prevaricate or hesitate in obeying God's extremely harsh but seminal demand***
In fact, the Quran itself asserts, that all and every Israelite or Jew is a Muslim:
2: "127 And remember Abraham and Isma`il raised the foundations of the House (with this prayer): "Our Lord! accept (this service) from us for thou art the All-Hearing the All-Knowing.
*** Abraham and Ishmael were HEBREWS after all, and NOT Arabs ***
128 "Our Lord! make of us Muslims [Muslimeen] bowing to Thy (Will) and of our progeny a people Muslim [ummata Muslimata] bowing to Thy (Will) and show us our places for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn unto us (in mercy); for Thou art the Oft-Returning Most-Merciful.
131 Behold! his Lord said to him: "Bow (thy will to me)" [aslima] He said: "I bow (my will) to [aslamtu] the Lord and Cherisher of the universe."
*** Not once in the Quran can one find any connection between Abraham, Ishmael and the Arabs.
The Quran only asserts, that Abraham and Ishmael were Muslimoon/ Muslims and as such, the FATHERS of Islam but NOT of the Arabs ***
132 And this was the legacy that Abraham left to his sons and so did Jacob; "O my sons! Allah hath chosen the faith for you; then die not except in the faith of Islam [Muslimoona]"
133 Were ye witnesses when death appeared before Jacob? Behold he said to his sons: "What will ye worship after me?" They said: "We shall worship thy Allah and the Allah of thy fathers of Abraham Isma`il and Isaac the one (true) Allah to Him we bow (in Islam) [Muslimoona]"
134 That was a People that hath passed away. They shall reap the fruit of what they did and ye of what ye do! of their merits there is no question in your case!
135 They say: "Become Jews or Christians if ye would be guided (to salvation)." Say thou: "Nay! (I would rather) the religion of Abraham the true [Hanifan] and he joined not gods with Allah."
136 Say ye: "We believe in Allah and the revelation given to us and to Abraham Isma`il Isaac Jacob and the Tribes [Israelites] and that given to Moses and Jesus and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord we make no difference between one and another of them and we bow to Allah (in Islam)[Muslimoon]"
*** Hence, according to the Quran, it should be obvious to anyone reading the above verses, that the personalities named such as Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Tribes, Moses, David, Solomon, the Prophets, Zakharia, Yahya, Jesus and the Apostles were either Hebrews, Israelites or Jews; all of whom believed in the one and only Allah and hence were MUSLIMS.
Most important of all is the fact, that they were ALL Muslims centuries BEFORE Muhammad and his Quran. Hence being a Muslim does not require believing that Muhammad was or is the messenger of Allah, but only that the person believes in the One and Only God ***
3:64 Say: "O people of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not from among ourselves Lords and patrons other than Allah." If then they turn back say: "Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah's will) [Muslimoona]."
3:84 Say: "We believe in Allah and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham Isma'il Isaac Jacob and the Tribes [Israelites] and in (Books) given to Moses Jesus and the Prophets from their Lord; we make no distinction between one and another among them and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam) [Muslimoona]"
3: 85 If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah) never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).
4: 163 We have sent thee inspiration as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him; We sent inspiration to Abraham Ismail Isaac Jacob and the Tribes to Jesus Job Jonah Aaron and Solomon and to David We gave the Psalms.
5: 5 This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers but chaste women among the People of the Book revealed before your time when ye give them their due dowers and desire chastity not lewdness nor secret intrigues. If anyone rejects faith fruitless is his work and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).
5: 44 It was We who revealed the law (to Moses); therein was guidance and light. By its standard have been judged the Jews by the Prophets who bowed (as in Islam) [Aslamoo] to Allah's will by the Rabbis and the doctors of Law: for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's Book and they were witnesses thereto: therefore fear not men but fear Me and sell not My Signs for a miserable price. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed they are (no better than) unbelievers.
22: 78 And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive (with sincerity and under discipline): He has chosen you and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the cult of your father Abraham. It is He Who has named you Muslims both before and in this (Revelation); that the Apostle may be a witness for you and ye be witnesses for mankind! So establish regular Prayer give regular Charity and hold fast to Allah! He is your Protector the Best to protect and the Best to help!
*** This very clear verse asserts that it was Allah after all, who called those who believe in him 'MUSLIMS'; among whom were the People of the Book, those who had received the PREVIOUS revelations: The Israelites and the Jews ***
28: 52 "Those to whom We sent the Book before this [the Torah] they do believe in this (Revelation); 53 And when it is recited to them they say: "We believe therein for it is the Truth from our Lord: indeed we have been Muslims (bowing to Allah's Will) [Muslimeena] from before this".
***Thus do the People of the Book declare their Islam***
29: 46 "And dispute ye not with the People of the Book except with means better (than mere disputation) unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury): but say "We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam) [Muslimoona]."
42: 13 The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah----the which We have sent by inspiration to thee----and that which We enjoined on Abraham Moses and Jesus: Namely that ye should remain steadfast in Religion and make no divisions therein: to those who worship other things than Allah hard is the (way) to which thou callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him).
*** The SAME RELIGION, is obviously, ISLAM ***
Hence, according to many of the most important verses of the Quran, all Israelites and Jews are Muslimoon/ Muslims, believing in the one Allah. This should not be a surprise to the Jews of the Mosaic faith since their forefathers, the Hebrews and later the Israelites were obviously the first to conceive of, believe in, and submit to, the will of the One and Only God; the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.
It is also a corollary that to be a Muslim, is independent of the belief that Muhammad was the messenger of Allah nor in the contents of the Quran since all of the above leaders/prophets did not know of either of them. It was only for the pagan Arabs and other pagans that it was incumbent to believe in Muhammad as the messenger of Allah, just as it was incumbent upon the Israelites to believe that Moses was the Prophet of God.
That is why, a clear and unambiguous distinction must be made by the terms: MUSLIM and MUHAMMADAN (Followers of Muhammad). Any MONOTHEIST is a Muslim but not all Muslims are Muhammadans; some Muslims are of the Mosaic faith (Moussawi); some are Hanifs and in fact, any Christian who believes that Jesus was only a prophet but not the son of God, such as Unitarian Christians, is also a Muslim.
Muslim Disciples of Jesus-
Since Jesus and his disciples were of the faith of the Jews, then obviously they were pure monotheists and hence automatically MUSLIMS: believers in the One and Only God.
3: 52 When Jesus found unbelief on their part he said: "Who will be my helpers to (the work of) Allah?" Said the Disciples: "We are Allah's helpers we believe in Allah and do thou bear witness that we are Muslims [Muslimoon].
3: 136 Say ye: "We believe in Allah and the revelation given to us and to Abraham Isma`il Isaac Jacob and the Tribes [Israelites] and that given to Moses and Jesus and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord we make no difference between one and another of them and we bow to Allah (in Islam)[Muslimoon]"
4: 171 O people of the Book! commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of Allah aught but truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an Apostle of Allah and His Word which He bestowed on Mary and a Spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His Apostles. Say not "Trinity": desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is One Allah: glory be to him: (for Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.
*** Every prophet sent by Allah was a MUSLIM ***
5: 46 And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary confirming the law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light and confirmation of the law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.
*** Anyone who has ever read the New Testament would know that neither Gabriel, or Allah nor the God of Israel, ever 'sent' Jesus the Gospels.
the Gospels were not REVELATIONS to Jesus but books hat were written LONG AFTER JESUS WAS DEAD
Whoever was 'revealing' the verse above was obviously wrong and not telling the FACTS ***
5: 111 "And behold! I inspired the Disciples to have faith in Me and Mine Apostle: they said `We have faith and do thou bear witness that we bow to Allah as Muslims' [Muslimoona]"
33: 7 And remember We took from the Prophets their Covenant as (We did) from thee: from Noah Abraham Moses and Jesus the son of Mary: We took from them a solemn Covenant.
Conclusion-
Any creature from anywhere in the Universe who declares belief in the One and Only God, is automatically a MUSLIM.
Muhammadanism-
The foundation of the whole of the Muhammadan belief system, rests on the Quran (Linked to Allah) and the Sunna (Linked to the person of Muhammad).
Muhammad did not declare the founding of a new religion but that his 'Islam' was only the continuation and culmination of the previous revelations. At no point, does the Quran imply otherwise.
Since it is incumbent upon all of Muhammad's followers to emulate his Sunna as the representative of the perfect man, then in reality, his followers must henceforth belong to the CULT of Muhammad. Hence, their form of 'Islam' can only be designated as MUHAMMADAN ISLAM. This is not dissimilar to Buddhism whereby the followers of the Buddha, are called BUDDHISTS.
As a corollary, the Jews are MOUSSAWI MUSLIMS (followers of the Mosaic Law) while those Monotheistic Christians are YASSOUI MUSLIMS (Unitarian followers of Jesus).
The 'Shahada' of a Jew, in similitude to that of a Muhammadan Muslim, can be as follows:
" La Ilah illa Allah, Wa Moussa, Kalimu'Allah" / There is no god but Allah and Moses is the one who talked directly to Allah"
The unilateral claim by Muhammadan Arabs especially, for primacy in their 'Islam' over the Jews and other Monotheists, is utterly false and cannot be substantiated either on historical or theological grounds as demonstrated here.
The Jews and their ancestors, the Israelites, preceded Muhammad and the Arabs in 'Islam' by at least 2100 years if counting only from the giving of the Torah in Sinai. Allah after all, according to the Quran, is the God of the Hebrews, the Israelites and the Jews.
It is also a very clear fact, that there is not even one single new and practical spiritual or intellectual precept, concept, thought or idea in the whole of the Quran which, in any way shape or form, is equal to, or superior to any thing that it, the Quran, has plagiarised, plundered, pirated and/or perverted from the Bible and/or the traditions of the JEWS and OTHERS.
In fact, most of the Quran only paraphrases and recites in a different manner episodes, precepts and laws copied entirely from the Bible and Hebrew Scriptures as well as the New Testament and the Scriptures, Traditions and Fetishes of Other people.
Contrary to all the false and falsified assertions made by Muhammadan theologians and historians, the Quran itself and the Hadiths show, that it was never a religion of PEACE (read 2:190,192;4:74,76;5:34/5; 8:39,65; 9:5,29,73; 47:8 for a few examples).
The Muhammadan version of Islam flourished because of its propensity for aggression, terror, pillage, rape and plunder during the life of Muhammad, on his orders, and by his examples.
His followers continued the processes of conquest and subjugation in the Arabian Peninsula to start with, followed by invasions of tens of countries and millions of peoples on three continents, and imposed upon them Muhammad's - the Arabian - version of Islam, not through dialogue or conviction, but by force, terror and oppression.
In the present time as in the past, it is not 'Islam' that is holding the Muhammadans back, but the self appointed theologians and religious leaders who cling tenaciously to outdated, unverifiable and irrational, mostly fabricated 'traditions'.
In fact, although the text of the Quran is rife with clear messages of rationality and the search for religious knowledge, ideas of social order and individual rights - all of which have been perverted by the religious self appointed elite - none the less, it is also a minefield littered with extreme and hatemongering concepts and ideologies that are FIXED in the TIME WARP of the 7th century and have very little relevance to the present or the future time.
