14. WHY ISLAM?
We have to become Muslims because God has sealed and superseded all previous messages with Islam. God says to all people in the Qur’an: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5:3)
We have to become Muslims because people of every age must worship their Lord (Allah) according to the Law prescribed by Him as revealed to His prophet. The tribes of Israel, for example, were ordered to worship God according to the Law of Moses (mercy and peace of God be upon him). When Prophet Jesus (mercy and peace of God be upon him) was sent to them, they were ordered to worship God according to what was prescribed in the Gospel (Al-Injeel). Then, when God sent Prophet Muhammad (mercy and peace of God be upon him) with the message of Islam to all people, it became incumbent on all people, the tribes of Israel and all others, to enter Islam.
If, for whatever reason, man rejects the message of Islam, then he has committed the greatest sin. Unfortunately, if he dies in this state, then he will be punished and cast into the Hellfire to live eternally therein. This concept is emphasized hundreds of times in the Qur’an and in the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (mercy and peace of God be upon him). God says in the Qur’an: “If anyone desires a Religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.” (3:85) Also, Prophet Muhammad (mercy and peace of God be upon him) said: “Whoever among the Christians and Jews hears of me and does not follow what I have brought, and dies in this state will be among the inhabitants of Hell fire.”
Some people may not accept Islam because they think that becoming a Muslim means to turn one’s back on all previous prophets sent by God! This is a false concept because of the following: First, the belief in all messengers of God is a pillar of Islamic faith and hence, no Muslim is a Muslim if he doesn’t believe in Jesus, Moses or any other prophet. Second, belief in the messengers is a part of what each messenger taught (i.e., every prophet called his people to believe in the next prophet who comes after him and follows him whenever he appears). So, rejecting a prophet means rejecting the predecessor. Thirdly, rejecting any messenger means rejecting his sender: God.
Hence, in the Islamic perspective the relationship between the messengers is like the relationship between the links in a chain, where rejecting one of them means rejecting all. However, becoming a Muslim means having the honor of believing in all the prophets who came before Prophet Muhammad (mercy and peace of God be upon them) and not to turn one’s back on all previous prophets as some people may think.
by Majed S. Al-Rassi
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