ISLAM ESSENTIALS

Islam means to Submit to Allah (The One God)

Stages/Degrees granted by Allah parallel to 

How the worldly certificates are as follows :

1 - Islam/Muslim/Submit/ University Entrance

2 - Iman/Momin/Belief/BA

3 - Taqwa/Motaqi/God Conscious/MA

4 - Motmaen/Assured/PhD and beyond.

Quran Ayas :

قَالَتِ الْأَعْرَابُ آمَنَّا قُل لَّمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَلَٰكِن قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الْإِيمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَإِن تُطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ لَا يَلِتْكُم مِّنْ أَعْمَالِكُمْ شَيْئًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

The Desert-Arabs say, “We have believed.” Say, “You have not believed; but say, ‘We have submitted(1),for belief(2) has not yet entered into your minds.But if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not diminish any of your deeds. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (49: 14)

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَذْكِرَةٌ لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ 

Surely, it is a reminder for the God Conscious(3). (69: 48)

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ  

But as for you, O assured soul(4). (89: 27)

The whole purpose of creation was to know Allah, starting by initial submission to lasting and full submission, at all times.

According to this Hadith al- Qudsi, Allah says:

کنت کنزاً مخفیاً فأحببت أن اُعرف فخلقتُ الخلق لکَی اُعرف

"I was a hidden treasure; I loved to be known. Hence I created, creation so that I would be known."

Knowing Allah is called معرفة الله (Marefat Allah) in Arabic.

Due to Allah's immense mercy he created, creations so that we can Realize him. Marefat Allah should be attained thru the Quran , The prophet and ahlul bayt/Imams (divinely chosen leaders) prescribed to us in Islam .

Anything else is personal styles ( sufi chanting , spinning ,seeking allegiance with sufi master to enter into group etc)

The way to know Allah is thru worshipping:

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ (51:56)

I did not create the jinn and the humans except to worship Me. (51: 56)

And worshipping is thru:

1. Zekr

2. Salat

3. Ikhlas

4. Taqwa

5. Fasting

6. Seeking Knowledge of Religion, Patience,Good works/deeds,etc.

However a true believers whole life is a life of worship, as he/she lives a life style in accordance to his Creator's will.

***The most Important thing to understand in Islam is to work towards perfecting the obligatory acts of Worship before threading into voluntarily acts, as The Prophet mentioned in a hadith to Imam Ali:

Hadith:

قالَ النّبيُّ صلى الله عليه و آله : يا عليُّ ، تُريدُ سِتَّمِائةِ ألفِ شاةٍ ، أو سِتَّمِائةِ ألفِ دينارٍ ، أو ستَّمِائةِ ألفِ كَلِمةٍ ؟ قالَ : يا رسولَ اللّه ِ ، سِتَّمِائةِ ألفِ كَلِمَةٍ . فقالَ صلى الله عليه و آله : أَجمَعُ سِتَّمِائةِ ألفِ كَلِمَةٍ في سِتِّ كَلِماتٍ ؛ يا عليُّ إذا رَأيتَ الناسَ يَشتَغِلُونَ بالفَضائلِ فاشتَغِلْ أنتَ بِإتمامِ الفَرائضِ ، و إذا رَأيتَ الناسَ يَشتَغِلُونَ بِعَمَلِ الدنيا فاشتَغِلْ أنتَ بعَمَلِ الآخِرَةِ ، و إذا رأيتَ الناسَ يَشتَغِلونَ بِعُيوبِ الناسِ فاشتَغِلْ أنتَ بِعُيوبِ نفسِكَ ، و إذا رَأيتَ الناسَ يَشتَغِلونَ بتَزيينِ الدنيا فاشتَغِلْ أنتَ بتَزيينِ الآخِرَةِ ، و إذا رَأيتَ الناسَ يَشتغِلونَ بكَثرَةِ العَمَلِ فاشتَغِلْ أنتَ بصَفوَةِ العَمَلِ ، و إذا رَأيتَ الناسَ يَتوسَّلُونَ بالخَلقِ فَتَوَسَّلْ أنتَ بالخالِقِ

 المواعظ العدديّة - میزان الحکمه-جلد3-صفحه2403

Oh Ali do you want six hundred thousand Sheeps, or six hundred thousand dinar or six hundred thousand sentences?

Imam Ali (a.s) said:Oh Messenger of Allah ! Six hundred thousand sentences.

The messenger ( pbuh ) said :

I will Summerize Six hundred thousand sentences in Six sentences:

-When you see people busy with voluntarily acts of worship, you perfect your obligatory acts.

-Whenever people are busy with the affairs of the world, you fullfill the acts of the hereafter.

-Whenever you see people busy with other people's faults, you seek your own faults.

-Whenever you see people beautifing the world, you occupy yourself with beautifing the here after.

-Whenever people are busy with increasing their quanity of acts , you focus on perfection, and the quality of your acts.

-Whenever you see people resorting to creation you resort to God All mighty.

( Moaez adadiyah - mizan Al Hikmah vol. 3 page 2403)

********************************************************************************************************************************

Imam Ali: Many persons get nothing out of their fasts but hunger and thirst, many more get nothing out of their night prayers but exertions and sleepless nights. Wise and sagacious persons are praiseworthy even if they do not fast and sleep during the nights.