Submission Made Clear

"Submission Made Clear" was established to help preserve and uphold the original principles of Submission (Islam in its Quranic form), as revealed in the Arabic Quran and reinforced by GOD's Messenger of the Covenant, Dr. Rashad Khalifa.

Our mission is to encourage a return to the central principle consistently emphasized and practiced by the messenger: follow the Quran alone, the whole Quran, and nothing but the Quran.

We recognize the extraordinary importance of Dr. Khalifa's work, teachings, discoveries, and contributions to understanding the Quran. His materials deserve to be studied, trusted, respected, and appreciated. At the same time, it is essential to preserve the distinction he himself emphasized: the Quran is GOD's infallible revelation, while explanations and interpretations of that revelation, including those of the messenger, must ultimately be evaluated against the Quran itself.

This initiative is not directed against the Submitter community. Rather, it addresses a particular approach to religious authority that has become increasingly visible among a relatively small segment of that community, especially through online discussions and platforms.

Our purpose is to help both established and newer Submitters understand this distinction and appreciate the original message of Submission without confusion over the respective authority of the Quran and the messenger's teachings.

1. Why the Submission Made Clear Initiative Was Created

Submission Made Clear arose in response to a developing difference in how the principles of Submission are being understood and presented within certain parts of the Submitter community.

Although the most Submitters continue to recognize the Quran as their foundational scripture, a relatively small but increasingly vocal group has adopted an interpretation that appears to extend the authority of Dr. Rashad Khalifa's teachings and explanations beyond their original purpose.

Under this approach, some of his interpretations, translations, explanations, and other educational materials are presented as having an authority equivalent to the Arabic Quran itself. In some online discussions, this equivalence is now expressed quite openly.

The concern is not that Submitters should question the messenger's legitimacy or disregard his work. Quite the opposite. The concern is whether this approach accurately reflects what the messenger himself instructed his followers to do.

Dr. Khalifa repeatedly directed people to the Quran as the ultimate criterion for determining religious truth. His explanations were intended to illuminate that scripture, not replace its authority.

Submission Made Clear exists to preserve this distinction and encourage a careful examination of the original principles of Submission.

This is particularly important for newer believers who may encounter different presentations of Submission without knowing how to distinguish the messenger's actual instructions from interpretations subsequently developed by others.

2. Honoring the Messenger by Upholding His Instructions

Dr. Rashad Khalifa made an important statement concerning the relationship between obedience to the messenger and obedience to GOD:

"The criterion of obeying the messenger is that whatever he says must be in the Quran and be backed up by what GOD is saying. If it is not in the Quran, it is your obligation to disobey him."

This statement establishes a fundamental principle: the Quran remains the criterion by which religious teachings are verified, including explanations attributed to the messenger himself.

Recognizing Dr. Khalifa as GOD's Messenger of the Covenant does not require treating every explanation, translation choice, or personal understanding expressed in his work as equivalent to divine revelation.

His teachings are extremely valuable, and the appropriate starting position is to trust them and study them carefully. However, the messenger also instructed his followers to verify religious information against the Quran.

These two principles are complementary, not contradictory.

Honoring the messenger means respecting both his contributions and his instructions concerning how those contributions should be used.

Our mission is therefore not to override his teachings, but to uphold the distinction he established between the authority of GOD's revelation and the explanatory work of His non-prophet messenger.

3. Understanding "Obey GOD and the Messenger"

The Quran repeatedly instructs believers to obey GOD and His messenger. This command is fundamental to Submission and is not in dispute.

The question concerns how that command should be understood and applied, particularly when examining recorded explanations, translations, or Quran-study discussions left by Dr. Khalifa.

Some Submitters interpret obedience to the messenger as requiring acceptance of all his recorded explanations without further examination, even when questions arise concerning their consistency with the Quran.

Others understand obedience to include following the messenger's own instruction to verify what he teaches against the Quran.

These are materially different approaches, and the distinction deserves careful consideration.

The distinction becomes especially important when the process of verification is reversed. If a messenger's explanation is accepted as unquestionably correct before the Quran is examined, and the Quran is then interpreted to confirm that predetermined conclusion, the explanation has effectively become the criterion rather than the scripture itself. This can unintentionally establish an additional source of religious authority alongside GOD's revelation, even while the individual sincerely believes they are following the Quran alone. The issue is not whether we respect or trust the messenger, but whether the Quran remains free to confirm or correct our understanding of his teachings. This is why GOD's instruction to verify information (17:36) and the Quran's emphasis on GOD as the source of law (6:114) are so important.(See Dietary Laws Case Study) 

A recorded explanation of a Quranic verse is not necessarily the same as a judgment rendered by a messenger in response to a specific dispute brought before him. An explanation provides understanding; a judgment resolves a particular matter. The two should not automatically be treated as interchangeable.

This distinction becomes especially important now that Dr. Khalifa is no longer present to examine new questions, consider evidence, clarify his explanations, or render judgments on disputes arising today.

The Quran itself establishes a principle of verification:

[17:36] "You shall not accept any information, unless you verify it for yourself. I have given you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brain, and you are responsible for using them."

This instruction is especially relevant when differing interpretations are presented as religious obligations.

The purpose of verification is not to find fault with the messenger or to approach his work with suspicion. It is to establish understanding through the very scripture he instructed us to follow.

Obedience to the messenger and verification through the Quran should reinforce one another, not be presented as opposing responsibilities.

4. Maintaining the Distinction Between the Quran and the Messenger's Explanations

One of the most important matters addressed by Submission Made Clear is the distinction between the Quran itself and the body of educational materials produced by Dr. Khalifa.

These materials include his English translation, appendices, audio recordings, video presentations, Quran studies, newsletters, pamphlets, periodicals, and other publications.

They represent a substantial and valuable body of work that has helped countless individuals discover and better understand Submission.

However, an increasingly visible interpretation within a small segment of the community treats these materials as though they collectively carry the same divine authority as the Quran.

This raises a fundamental question:

What exactly constitutes the Quran, and what constitutes an explanation of the Quran?

The Quran is the Arabic revelation given to Prophet Muhammad. It is the scripture identified in 2:2 as the Book in which there is no doubt, and it is the Arabic text that contains the mathematical miracle discovered by Dr. Khalifa.

Translations communicate the meaning of that revelation in other languages. Appendices provide explanations and supporting information. Audio and video presentations offer instruction and interpretation.

Each serves an important purpose, but they are not identical to the revelation itself.

Recognizing this distinction does not diminish the messenger's accomplishments. It preserves the relationship between the original scripture and the resources used to understand it.

For those newly discovering Submission, this distinction is essential. The Quran is the source of divine authority; the messenger's educational materials are resources that help us understand and follow that source.

5. His Materials Are Invaluable Resources, but the Quran Remains the Final Criterion

Dr. Khalifa's work has provided an extraordinary foundation for studying the Quran and understanding Submission.

His translation, appendices, mathematical research, newsletters, and recorded Quran studies remain among the most valuable and trustworthy resources available to Submitters.

They should not be dismissed merely because a particular explanation raises a question or because someone identifies a possible inconsistency.

The appropriate approach is to begin with confidence in the messenger's work, study it carefully, and examine any apparent discrepancy objectively.

We approach his teachings with the understanding that he was probably correct, not probably wrong.

However, when a sincere and thorough examination establishes that a particular explanation or translation is inconsistent with the Arabic Quran, the Quran must take precedence.

This principle is not an exception to obedience to the messenger. It is consistent with the very standard of verification that he taught.

It is equally important to distinguish between a demonstrated contradiction and a difference of interpretation.

Not every disagreement establishes that someone is mistaken. Some questions require further study of the Arabic language, relevant Quranic verses, context, and supporting evidence.

A conclusion should follow the evidence rather than a prior commitment to defending or rejecting a particular interpretation.

We therefore encourage Submitters to study Dr. Khalifa's work with appreciation and respect, while retaining the responsibility to examine religious conclusions against the Quran.

The messenger's explanations (tafseer) help us understand the Quran. They do not replace the Quran as the final authority.

6. Preserving the Integrity of the Quran's Mathematical Miracle

The mathematical miracle of the Quran, based on the number 19, represents one of Dr. Khalifa's most significant discoveries.

For many Submitters, this discovery provided compelling evidence of the Quran's divine origin and mathematical structure.

Its significance deserves serious study, careful documentation, and responsible presentation.

It is therefore important to distinguish the mathematical evidence itself from the differing religious interpretations and community positions that have developed around it.

The validity of the mathematical miracle should be evaluated through the underlying Arabic text, clearly defined counting methods, reproducible calculations, and independently verifiable results.

It should not depend on accepting the opinions or authority claims of any particular group within the Submitter community.

This distinction is particularly relevant when newer believers first encounter the mathematical miracle through websites, videos, discussion forums, or social media.

Different sources may present different mathematical observations, and not every proposed numerical relationship necessarily carries the same evidentiary strength.

Some observations are based on clear, consistent counting rules and readily reproducible results. Others depend on selective counting, flexible groupings, or connections that require additional justification.

For example, discovering that a particular number is divisible by 19 does not automatically establish that the relationship is meaningful or intentional.

A convincing mathematical observation should be supported by a clearly defined method, consistent application, and a defensible reason for considering the relationship significant.

The objective should always be to discover and document the mathematical structure that genuinely exists, rather than attempting to make the data produce a desired result.

This is especially important because presenting speculative numerical relationships with the same confidence as strongly established findings can make it more difficult for others to distinguish compelling evidence from interesting coincidences.

For this reason, Submission Made Clear encourages a careful, evidence-based approach to the mathematical miracle.

We believe that genuine mathematical evidence becomes more compelling when it is open to examination, transparent in its methodology, and distinguished from exploratory observations.

The mathematical miracle belongs to the Quran, not to any particular interpretation, individual, organization, or segment of the Submitter community.

By keeping the evidence separate from community disagreements and by applying consistent standards of verification, we can help preserve the integrity and significance of Dr. Khalifa's discovery for present and future generations.

Final Word: An Invitation to Return to the Original Principle

Submission Made Clear is not an initiative against Dr. Rashad Khalifa, nor is it a criticism of Submitters as a whole.

It is an invitation to reflect on the foundational principles of Submission and ensure that those principles remain central to how the religion is understood, taught, and practiced.

We recognize Dr. Khalifa as GOD's Messenger of the Covenant. We appreciate his extraordinary contributions, trust his teachings as a starting point, and acknowledge the importance of the mathematical miracle he discovered.

At the same time, we uphold 17:36 and his instruction that the Quran must remain the sole criterion.

There is no contradiction between respecting the messenger and examining his explanations against the scripture he was commissioned to uphold.

Indeed, this is precisely the relationship between the messenger and the Quran that we believe deserves to be preserved.

The Quran presents a particularly important warning in 25:30:

[25:30] "The messenger said, 'My Lord, my people have deserted this Quran.'"

This verse invites every believer, including every Submitter, to reflect on an essential question:

Are we keeping the Quran itself at the center of our religion, or have we gradually allowed our understanding of the Quran to become dependent on explanations that we no longer permit ourselves to examine?

This is a question for sincere personal reflection, not a basis for judging the faith or intentions of others.

Our purpose is not to create another division within Submission, but to encourage a return to the common foundation that originally brought Submitters together.

We welcome sincere questions, respectful disagreement, independent verification, and open examination of the evidence.

Our commitment is to the Quran, to the principles taught by GOD's messenger, and to the responsible study of the mathematical miracle.

Let us honor the messenger by following the guidance he emphasized: the Quran alone, the whole Quran, and nothing but the Quran.

Let the Quran remain the criterion. Let the evidence speak for itself. And let our shared commitment to GOD's revelation guide us toward greater understanding.