Part One: The Reality of Islam, the Sources of its Legislation, and its Pillars.

Part One: The Reality of Islam, the Sources of its Legislation, and its Pillars.
Prologue: The History of Humanity
The history of the human race begins with the creation of Adam –may peace be upon him– the father of humankind. Allah created him with His Noble Hand from clay, breathed into him the soul He created, and taught him the names of everything – from birds, and animals etc.

Allah also commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, an indication of nobility and honour, so they all prostrated except Satan who was of the jinn. Rather he refused and was arrogant. Therefore, Allah expelled Satan from the kingdom of the heavens in humiliation and disgrace, and because of his disobedience he earned Allah’s wrath and curse, and for which he will dwell in misery in Hellfire.

After that, Satan requested Allah to allow him a respite until the Day of Resurrection.

Allah –the Almighty– said:
]إِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُنظَرِينَ]

 Sura al-A`raaf (7):15
]Meaning: You are of those allowed respite.]

Then Satan said:
]فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لَأُغۡوِيَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٨٢ إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنۡهُمُ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ]
Sura Saad (38):82-83
]Meaning: By Your Might, then I will surely mislead them all, except Your chosen slaves from amongst them.]

Then Satan said:
]فَبِمَآ أَغۡوَيۡتَنِي لَأَقۡعُدَنَّ لَهُمۡ صِرَٰطَكَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ ١٦ ثُمَّ لَأٓتِيَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَيۡنِ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِمۡ وَعَنۡ أَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمۡۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ شَٰكِرِينَ]

 Sura al-A`raf  (7):16-18
 ]ٱخۡرُجۡ مِنۡهَا مَذۡءُومٗا مَّدۡحُورٗاۖ لَّمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنۡهُمۡ لَأَمۡلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ]
]Meaning: Because You have sent me astray, surely I will sit in wait for them on Your straight path. Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as grateful. Allah said to Satan: “Exit it (i.e. Paradise) disgraced and expelled. Whoever of them follow you, then surely I will fill Hell with you all.”.[1]

So Allah expelled Satan from the Heavens, and gave him the ability to whisper to mankind and misguide them, and He granted him respite until the Day of Resurrection, so that he would increase in sin, and his punishment would be magnified, and his penalty would be multiplied; and Allah made him the criterion so that mankind can distinguish between good and evil.

Thereafter Allah created Adam's spouse, Eve, so that he may enjoy the pleasure of living with her and enjoy her company. So, he ordered them to dwell in the abode of bliss –Paradise– which has within it that which no eye has seen, and no ear has heard, and no mind has ever perceived.

However, Allah warned them about the enmity of Satan towards them both, and He forbade them from eating fruit from a tree of the trees in Paradise. This restriction which Allah imposed on them was merely to test their resolve toward His instructions.

Satan whispered to them, beautifying the prospect of eating from that particular tree, and swore that he was from the sincere advisors. He encouraged them to eat the fruit convincing them that they would be immortal if they did so.

Satan continued in his attempts until he tempted them to eat from the tree, by which they disobeyed their Lord.

Having violated the orders from Allah, they were guilty and regretful, so they turned to their Lord in forgiveness, seeking His repentance. Allah accepted their plea, but He expelled them from the abode of bliss –Paradise– to the abode of fatigue and tiredness, earth.

Adam lived upon the earth, and Allah granted him offspring, and caused them to multiply and expand up until today. Then Allah caused him to pass away and entered him into Paradise.

Since Allah expelled them to the earth the enmity between the children of Adam and Satan and his progeny –from that time– is still ongoing. His goal is to turn them away from the guidance, deprive them of all good, beautify sin and evil to them, and to distance them away from that which pleases Allah. This will lead to their misery and disappointment in this world, and their entering the Hellfire in the Hereafter.

However, Allah did not create His creation pointlessly and in vain, nor did He leave them neglected. Rather He sent to them Messengers who showed them how to worship their Lord, and who illuminated for them the paths of life leading to happiness in this world and the Hereafter.

Allah instructed both mankind and jinn to listen whenever they receive any divine books or there comes to them a Messenger to guide them that they must accept them and their teachings and strictly adhere to what they come with.

Those who follow the guidance of Allah, believe in His Books and Messengers, and believe in that which the Books contain, and that which His Messengers command then he should not fear, nor will he go astray, nor will he be miserable. Rather for them is the ultimate happiness in this life and the Hereafter.[2]

This is how humanity began, with Adam and the ten generations that succeeded him living upon obedience to Allah, and His monotheism. After that polytheism was introduced, and other than Allah was worshipped alongside Him. So, Allah sent the first of His Messengers, Noah –may peace be upon him–, to call the people to the worship of Allah, and to warn them of polytheism.

Allah continued to send Prophets and Messengers after Noah throughout the eras, in various places, with some variation between the detailed rulings of their legislations.

However, the original message, and the fundamental of all of their teachings remained the same; and it is: their inviting and calling the people to the religion of Islam, and to the worship Allah alone, and warning against polytheism and setting up false deities besides Allah.

Then prophet Abraham –peace be upon him– came, calling his people to abandon idol worship and to single out Allah with all worship.

Ishmael and Isaac succeeded their father Ibrahim –may peace be upon them all– in prophethood. After them, Allah has sent many other Prophets from the offspring of Prophet Isaac.

The most prominent Prophets from Isaac’s lineage were Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus –may peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all–. There was not a prophet that was sent after Jesus from the children of Israel.

After this, the succession of Prophets shifted to the progeny of Ishmael, the other son of Prophet Abraham –may peace and blessings be upon them–.

From this lineage, Allah chose Muhammad –peace and blessings be upon him– to be the seal to all of the Prophets and Messengers. His book –the Quran– was the final word of Allah to mankind.

Therefore, his message is comprehensive, perfect, and universal throughout all of time, in all places, for the whole of mankind and jinn, whether Arab or non-Arab, regardless of colour, creed or caste.

There is no good except it indicates towards it and instructs with it, and there is no evil except it warns us and forbids from it. And Allah does not accept from anyone a religion except that which Muhammad (Peace be upon him) came with.[3]

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 (1) See: 'Da`watut–Tawhid' of Dr. Muhammad Khalil Harraas (pp. 89–91).

 (2) See: 'al–Bidayah wan–Nihayah' of Ibn Kathir for more detail (vol. 1 pp. 161–236); & 'Da`watut–Tawhid' (pp. 89–92).