Amid all the accelerating challenges we may encounter, the genuine teachings of Islam appear to be timeless consistent and compatible with the global community. They present a vital ideal for fraternity, moderation, interfaith dialogue, building intercultural bridges, and more. Let's briefly highlight some of these motivational ideas and principles.
- The core of religion is about integration, not collision. If the Bible is considered the Old Testament, and the Gospel is considered the New Testament, the Holy Quran is the Last. All are Allah’s books revealed to His messengers, respectively. The Last Testament is the Quran revealed upon prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to be the last word of Allah for Humans. The sequence is not about changing but Allah’s ultimate knowledge of the needs and development of His creatures.
- The opening sentence in the Qur’an gives an insightful understanding of its messages. This sentence reads: “In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Giver of Mercy,” which serves as a key for grasping Islam’s genuine teaching. It is “Mercy” which constitutes the ultimate Islamic attribute, as it embodies a manifestation of love and the companionate treatment with all creatures who you may love or not. Quran is Allah’s Word, signifying that every letter has a definite purpose and significance. Thus, whoever treats others with mercy echoes the most heavenly attribute.
- Muslims enjoy their lives through harmonious balance between two distinct texts: the first is a written text which is the Divine Book, the Qur'an, Revealed by Allah, and the second is the sighted text, which is the vast universe created by Allah, of which we constitute a part. Allah created the universe and revealed the Quran to be a book of guidance to lead a happy life, establishing ethics and human values that guarantee saving lives and protecting and developing the universe. Allah the Almighty says, “And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.”
- Being a vicegerent of Allah on earth has nothing to do with monitoring and judging others, as radicals act. Allah created humans to be heavenly individuals whose behaviors reflect the maintainers of the universe. Allah says, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority…," (Al-Baqara 30). Being a vicegerent of Allah on earth means being responsible for preserving the world, a duty that represents obedience to Allah, as it is the second reason for creation next to worshiping Allah. It requires purifying your mindset by interacting wisely with the whole universe.
- According to the genuine Prophetic teachings, worshipping is not about isolation but rather a holistic approach to existence: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “the earth has been made for me a place of worship.” This means that life, for a Muslim, constitutes a large mosque where every good word or action can be accepted and well paid for; this means that all of man’s actions, even if his efforts for worldly affairs will be rewarded and he will be always connected to God as long as he carries a good intention. Therefore, worship in Islam includes acts like smiling, cuddling babies, respecting elders, helping the needy, gaining knowledge, working, and more…these acts are like prayers and fasting from the Islamic perspective.
- The humanitarian standard depends on how kind-hearted one is. Having a charismatic personality begins with your merciful traits. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Shall I not tell you whom the (Hell) Fire is forbidden to touch? It is forbidden to touch a man who is always accessible, having polite and tender nature.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
- Volunteering is not about feeling superior due to one’s high ability to give, spare time, or power, but rather serving humbly. The genuine teaching of Islam enhances the value of volunteerism. Muslims feel grateful for every chance to help or give charity as it is a means to echo a heavenly attribute, which is “The Giver”. The core of volunteering is serving by time, financial, physical, or emotional support. Volunteering starts with one’s desire to help others as they need you to help them.
All of the lessons mentioned above are but a handful of the many that are full of compassion, cooperation, humaneness, mercy, and integration. Let's reflect on the true teachings of Islam, where each one of us will be a model for a peaceful mindset and combating radical appeal.