_____________________________________________ WHO DESERVES TO BE WORSHIPPED? _____________________________________________ Majed S. Al-Rassi Edited by Ann Ronayne (Umm Abdullah) Revised 2018 This book may be copied and distributed for free as long as no changes are made. Who Deserves to be Worshipped? An open call to seekers of truth from different faiths, to encourage dialogue and understanding in the spirit of tolerance and respect This book focuses a light on: ❖ Islam’s basic principles and characteristics ❖ Eleven facts about Jesus (peace be upon him) and his mother, Mary ❖ Proof that Islam remained a sound revelation NO DOUBT THIS LIFE IS AN EXAMINATION WHICH NEEDS YOUR FULL CONSIDERATION AS TO WHAT YOU WILL TAKE TO YOUR FINAL DESTINATION ONLY TRUE BELIEF AND GOOD DEEDS ARE YOUR WAY TO SALVATION (Muhammad Sherif) CONTENTS HONORIFIC PHRASES IN THIS BOOK .......................................................... 13 ABOUT THE WORD ‘LORD’ ........................................................................ 14 ABOUT THE WORD ‘ALLAH’ ...................................................................... 15 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 17 1. PROOF OF ALLAH’S EXISTENCE .......................................................... 19 2. THE PURPOSE OF CREATION ............................................................. 21 3. MONOTHEISM: THE MESSAGE OF ALL THE PROPHETS ...................... 23 4. THE BASIC MESSAGE OF ISLAM ......................................................... 25 5. PROOFS THAT ONLY ALLAH DESERVES TO BE WORSHIPPED .............. 26 6. THE MESSAGE OF FALSE RELIGIONS .................................................. 32 7. ALLAH AND HIS CREATION ................................................................ 35 8. THE MEANING OF THE RELIGION’S NAME: ‘ISLAM’ ........................... 39 9. THE SIX ARTICLES OF ISLAMIC FAITH ................................................. 41 9.1 Belief in Allah ................................................................................ 41 9.2 Belief in the angels ........................................................................ 42 9.3 Belief in the scriptures ................................................................... 43 Distortion of the Old Testament ........................................................... 46 Biblical proofs of the Bible’s distortion ................................................. 50 Who distorted the Bible (Old and New Testaments)? .......................... 51 Distorting revelations is the biggest sin ................................................ 53 An important note ................................................................................ 54 8 Who deserves to be worshipped? Revelation of the Quran........................................................................ 54 The entire Quran is a proclamation of monotheism ............................ 56 The Prophet’s teachings ....................................................................... 56 Preservation of Islamic teachings ......................................................... 57 9.4 Belief in the messengers of Allah .................................................. 58 Obedience to the Prophet (bpuh) ......................................................... 62 Loving the Prophet (bpuh) .................................................................... 62 9.5 Belief in the Last Day ..................................................................... 65 9.6 Belief in predestination ................................................................. 66 10. THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM ........................................................... 67 10.1 The declaration of the two testimonies of faith ............................ 67 10.2 Prayers .......................................................................................... 68 10.3 Zakah (obligatory charity) ............................................................. 68 10.4 Fasting the month of Ramadan .................................................... 69 10.5 Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) ......................................................... 70 11. THE MEANING OF WORSHIP IN ISLAM .......................................... 71 12. THE MORAL SYSTEM IN ISLAM ...................................................... 72 12.1 Relationship with the Lord ............................................................ 72 12.2 Relationships with people in general ............................................ 72 12.3 Relationships with parents ............................................................ 73 12.4 Relationships with other relatives ................................................. 74 12.5 Relationships with neighbours ...................................................... 75 12.6 Food — moral conduct .................................................................. 75 12.7 Hygiene — Islamic moral conduct ................................................. 76 12.8 Spiritual — Islamic moral conduct ................................................ 76 12.9 Family structure and rights ........................................................... 77 12.10 Decency and veiling .................................................................. 78 Contents 9 12.11 The rights of the wife ................................................................ 78 12.12 Polygyny .................................................................................... 79 12.13 Divorce rules.............................................................................. 79 12.14 Protection of life ........................................................................ 80 12.15 Protection of property ............................................................... 80 12.16 Maintaining health ................................................................... 81 12.17 Animal rights ............................................................................. 83 12.18 Rights of the deceased .............................................................. 83 13. ISLAM AND OTHER RELIGIONS ...................................................... 84 14. ELEVEN FACTS ABOUT JESUS (PBUH) AND HIS MOTHER (MARY) IN ISLAMIC TEACHINGS ................................................................................. 85 14.1 The status of Jesus (pbuh) in Islam ............................................... 85 14.2 The beginning of Jesus’ lineage ..................................................... 86 14.3 The status of Mary ........................................................................ 87 14.4 The news about Jesus (pbuh) ........................................................ 88 14.5 The birth of Jesus (pbuh) ............................................................... 88 14.6 Subsequent miracles of Jesus (pbuh) ............................................ 89 An important note ................................................................................ 92 14.7 Human qualities of Jesus (pbuh) ................................................... 92 14.8 The prophethood of Jesus (pbuh) .................................................. 94 14.9 The mission of Jesus (pbuh)........................................................... 94 14.10 The ascension of Jesus (pbuh) ................................................... 96 14.11 The second coming of Jesus (pbuh) ........................................... 96 Conclusion ................................................................................................. 98 15. THE AMAZING PROPHECIES OF MUHAMMAD (BPUH) IN THE BIBLE: TWENTY-EIGHT PROOFS FROM THE BIBLE OF MUHAMMAD’S PROPHETHOOD ........................................................................................ 99 10 Who deserves to be worshipped? The main attributes of Prophet Muhammad’s profile in the Bible ......... 100 15.1 His name ................................................................................. 101 15.2 His characteristics ................................................................... 101 15.3 The location from which he was to emerge ........................... 119 15.4 The message to be revealed through him .............................. 121 15.5 Fulfilment of prophecies which he foretold ........................... 123 15.6 The time when he was to appear ........................................... 125 15.7 The unique proof .................................................................... 128 15.8 The lack of warnings from previous prophets ........................ 128 15.9 The consistency between Muhammad’s and Jesus’ teachings129 16. THE FACTS ABOUT ORIGINAL SIN ................................................ 132 Background ............................................................................................. 132 Analysis ................................................................................................... 133 Original sin and atonement from an Islamic perspective ....................... 141 17. ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF THE BASIC TEACHINGS OF JESUS .............. 144 Introduction ............................................................................................ 144 17.1 Revival of the creed of Allah’s Oneness of essence ..................... 144 17.2 Revival of Allah’s supremacy in terms of His attributes and qualities................................................................................................... 148 17.3 Revival of the doctrine of monotheism (worship of Allah alone)