Quran Garden

Session 348

Chapter 3

Verse 19

Indeed, the true religion in the sight of God is Islam. Those who were given the Book did not differ except after true knowledge had come to them, out of envious rivalry among themselves. Whoever disbelieves in the revelations of God should know that God is swift to take account.

(Chapter 3: Verse 19)

In the previous verse, Allah laid out the case for 'there is no god but Him' 'upholding justice.'It was further confirmed by the angels and by anyone who took time to contemplate the wonders of the universe. Wouldn't it be logical for you to follow the One God who is fair? Why would you go anywhere else?

Since God is one and God is just, we should ask ourselves: What are His teachings? Allah answers 'Indeed, the true religion in the sight of God is Islam.'  The word 'religion' is translated from the Arabic origin الدين' Deen.' The verb 'dana' means 'to return to' or 'surrender to.''Al deen' is also used for accountability; in fact, the Day of Judgment is called 'Yaoum Al-Deen' 'the day of recompense.' It is a day of reward and punishment. 

The word 'Deen' is sometimes used for religion and sometimes for religious law.  The system of rules which Islam recognizes for regulating the actions of Muslims is what we call Shariah Law, while belief in God, obedience, and creed, are what we call faith.  Both fall under the umbrella of 'religion.'

When you hear the phrase 'Indeed, the true religion in the sight of God is Islam,'you understand that there are other religions out there that people follow that are not considered valid in the sight of God.  God instructed our beloved Muhammad to say to the disbelievers: 

Nor will you worship who I worship; you have your religion, and I have mine. (109:5,6)

The word 'Islam' comes from the Arabic root 'Sa La Ma,' the meaning of which revolves around peace and protection from corruption.  It also holds the meanings of harmony between a person and his soul, his Lord, and the universe.  It refers to integrity and righteousness, which are the opposite of corruption.  Since the word 'Islam' holds all these meanings within, isn't it worth following? 

Furthermore, Islam means submission and surrender; Islam means to be a servant of God, a slave of God.  I understand that these words hold very negative connotations in human terms, but when it comes to Allah, they mean the exact opposite.  How, you may ask? Let's compare the most negative of these term 'slavery' as it related to humans and to God.  A human slave is held against his or her will.  He or she is exploited for laborto benefit the master who reaps all the rewards, while the slave gets the absolute minimum for sustenance.  The children of slaves are born into slavery, and they are often denied education to keep them ignorant about their condition.  A slave is severely punished for every mistake, often unreasonably.  In short, the human master-slave relationship is most unjust.

             On the other hand, submission to Allah is a source of pride and elevation.  I am a proud slave of God because my Lord is just.  Allah sent me prophets and messengers to educate me so I can choose Him freely.  He prepared for me an entire universe and put it at my service.  Allah did not ask anything of me until I chose to come to Him.  Allah does not need my labor;rather, my labor earns me immense rewards.  Allah does not pay me the bare minimum; He rewards me ten times or more for every deed I do.  I have made countless mistakes, and I found my Lord to be the most forgiving.  My children are free to choose their way in life.  Allah does not ask anything of them until they reach the age of maturity so they can make a thoughtful decision.  They have the Quran to show them the exact consequences of their choices.  Yes, I am a very proud servant of God, and I willingly submit to Him and only to Him.  It brings me peace and harmony.  This is the essence of the word 'Islam.'

             As for those who choose to associate partners to Him.  God says:            

God puts forward an example: can a man who has for his masters several partners at odds with each other be considered equal to a man devoted wholly to one master? All praise belongs to God, though most of them do not know. (39:29)

Would you like to have ten different bosses at work, each at odds with the others? How would you handle that situation? If you please one boss, you anger others.  One tells you to go home, and another tells you to stay.  You cannot win, and all your efforts are wasted. Wouldn't you prefer to have one boss with a transparent and fair agenda? That is the difference between polytheism and monotheism.