We have spoken about the individual and the community in philosophical thought, as well as the individual and the universe in philosophical thought. We then followed that by discussing the individual and the community in Islam, and the individual and the universe in Islam. In Islam, we find solutions that eluded us in philosophy. Allah has granted us success in attaining what we sought, and thus it has become necessary for us to know the ground upon which we stand!

What is Islam?

Aslama means to submit and surrender, and Islam, in essence, is submission and surrender. By “essence,” we mean the inherent nature upon which things are created. Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, refers to this when He says: "So is it other than the religion of Allah they desire, while to Him have submitted all those within the heavens and the earth, willingly or by compulsion, and to Him they will be returned?" (3:83). Here, religion means a way, conduct, or law, and the religion (deen) of Allah refers to the law of Allah in His creation, which is the natural disposition (fitrah) upon which all things are created. All things have been created in submission to Allah: "To Him have submitted all those within the heavens and the earth, willingly or by compulsion, and to Him they will be returned." (3:83). Islam, in this sense, is the religion of all creation - at the beginning, at the end, and throughout the time in between. The human being is no exception to this.
However, divine mercy did not will for creation to submit without will. In the subtlety of its grace, this mercy extended to the foremost of creation - the human being - the ability to imagine that they differ from the rest of creation. This illusion is the source of their suffering in the present, but it is also the source of their happiness in the end. This illusion arose from the freedom of will that Allah instilled within them. This is alluded to in His saying: "Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant." (33:72) "Unjust and ignorant" is a praise in the guise of reproach. For it is because of this Trust that the dignity of human beings was bestowed. Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, says: "And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference." (17:70).
Regarding the human being’s illusion of being distinct from the rest of creation, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, speaks to us, saying: "Do you not see that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth - the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the moving creatures, and many of the people? But upon many the punishment has been justified. And he whom Allah humiliates - for him there is no bestower of honor. Indeed, Allah does what He wills." (22:18). The word “prostrate” (yasjud) has many meanings, one of which is submission to willful compulsion. This submission occurs in humans just as it occurs in inanimate elements. Another meaning is the prostration of worship, which is what is intended in His saying: "And many of the people." These are the ones who prostrated their bodies in the niches of worship - something that did not occur with some others. These others are referred to in His saying: "But upon many the punishment has been justified." Their deserving of punishment is not because they failed to prostrate in submission to willful compulsion, for they have done so. However, it was not accepted from them because what was required of them was the prostration of worship, which they did not perform. Thus, punishment was justified upon them.
Another meaning is the prostration of servitude, which no one has ever completed, nor will anyone ever achieve in its entirety. This is because servitude, like lordship, is infinite. However, the forerunners of humanity, the prophets of truth, have attained varying degrees of it. The fact that the prostration of servitude has not been perfected by anyone, nor will it be, is supported by the beginning of the following verse, where Allah, Exalted is He, says: "These are two adversaries who have disputed concerning their Lord." (22:19). This applies to every worshiper, as it points to the division of the human personality into an outward and an inward aspect. This division will never cease, for duality is its share. True servitude can only be fulfilled through oneness, and how distant that seems! The prostration of worship is a means to the prostration of servitude. Through it, the veil of illusion is lifted from the human being, freeing them from their confinement into liberation, from ignorance into knowledge, and from misery into happiness.
This occurs when they prostrate in submission to willful compulsion, but with awareness, understanding, and comprehension - distinguishing them from inanimate elements. The subtle reference to this elevated prostration is found in His words, Exalted is He:
"And who is better in religion than one who submits his face to Allah while being a doer of good and follows the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth? And Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend." (4:125). The subtle reference here lies in the phrase "while being a doer of good," which is the essence of this verse. It is also the essence of another verse that says: "And whoever submits his face to Allah while being a doer of good has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. And to Allah will be the outcome of all matters." (31:22)
The phrase "while being a doer of good" is the essence of both verses because all inanimate elements have already submitted their face to Allah, but they are not muhsin - they lack awareness and understanding. Therefore, their submission carries no significance, as it exists within the realm of compulsion (irada) but does not extend to the realm of contentment (rida). This distinction is reserved for humanity alone and is the reason Allah sent the messengers. This has already been referenced earlier.
Islam, in this sense, is the religion of humanity. Its purpose is to align the human illusion inspired by the will of freedom, so that humanity may gradually transcend this illusion with deliberate wisdom, culminating in conscious Islam. The Islam that serves as humanity’s religion emerged with the advent of the mind and has continued to keep pace with the growth of the mind throughout its long evolution - from its simple, weak beginnings to its mature, well-developed wisdom. And Islam, which is the religion of humanity, is the same Islam that is the religion of God, in the verse that has been previously mentioned, where Allah says: "So, is it other than the religion of Allah that they desire, while to Him has submitted all that is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him they will be returned." And regarding Islam as the religion of humanity, the verse was revealed: "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter, he will be among the losers."
And His saying, "And in the Hereafter, he will be among the losers," means that all of his attempts will fail, and in the end, he will be returned to submission after all his efforts have been exhausted.” In the same meaning, the verse states: "Indeed, the religion with God is Islam. And those who were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them, out of envy among themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the signs of God, then indeed, God is swift in account." (3:19)
The word “with” does not denote time or place, for God is not encompassed by time or space. Rather, it signifies the utmost perfection. Islam, as the religion of humanity at its peak, moves in parallel with Islam as the religion of the elements, demanding submission akin to theirs - but with awareness and complete understanding of this submission. And how distant that remains! His saying, "And those who were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them" (3:19) means that they only differed concerning the laws. This is one of its meanings and aligns with the notion that the essence of religion is one, while the laws differ.
Allah, Exalted is He, says: "Mankind was [of] one community; then Allah sent the prophets as bringers of good tidings and warners and sent down with them the Book in truth to judge between the people concerning that in which they differed." (2:213)
They were one community in their primitive ignorance. "And sent down with them the Book" refers to "There is no god except Allah" (La ilaha illa Allah) and the laws appropriate to their communities and their modes of worship. At this point, differences arose, leading to His saying: "to judge between the people concerning that in which they differed."
Regarding the unity of religion, the Qur'an tells us: "To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allah. But if you disbelieve - then to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And ever is Allah Free of need and Praiseworthy." (4:131). His saying, "And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allah," means: We commanded them, just as We commanded you, to say "There is no god except Allah" (La ilaha illa Allah), for this is the pinnacle of piety (taqwa). It is the "word of piety" referenced in His saying: "When those who disbelieved had put into their hearts pride - the pride of ignorance - then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers and imposed upon them the word of piety, and they were more deserving of it and worthy of it. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing." (48:26)
The "word of piety" is "There is no god except Allah." From this comes the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: "The best thing I and the prophets before me have said is: 'There is no god except Allah.'"
The reference to the unity of religion is found in His saying, Exalted is He:
"He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus - to establish the religion and not be divided therein. Difficult for the polytheists is that to which you invite them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him]." (42:13). His saying, "He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah," means that He has clarified for you of religion what He mandated for Noah, which is also what He mandated for Adam. By clarifying it to you, He has also mandated it for you. This does not refer to the law (shari‘ah) but rather to monotheism (tawhid), upon which the law is established, as evidenced by the unity of monotheism and the diversity of laws. This is further supported by His saying: "To establish the religion and not be divided therein. Difficult for the polytheists is that to which you invite them." What burdens the polytheists, those who associate others with Allah, is being called to monotheism. This is always the case. The reflection of monotheism in legislation is what exposes legislation to opposition, as the self (nafs) finds no share in monotheism.
Islam, as a religion, began its emergence with the appearance of the first human individual. We have discussed this in the chapter dedicated to the relationship between the individual and society. At its peak, Islam seeks to align closely with the divine will. We have addressed this in our discussion of the creative command (amr takwini) and the legislative command (amr tashri‘i). Thus, Islam has a beginning but no end, for its ultimate end is with Allah:
"Indeed, the religion with God is Islam." (3:19)
The emergence of this singular idea began within primitive, scattered paganisms. It then progressed through stages of development, evolving into more advanced forms of paganism. This progression continued until the monotheistic scriptural religions emerged, with the advent of Judaism and Christianity. This development was crowned by the mission of Muhammad, and the revelation of the Qur'an. This singular idea has a pyramidal shape: its base consists of the lowest forms of pagan polytheism, with the greatest multiplicity, while its apex lies with Allah, where absolute unity resides. The difference between the base and the apex, as is evident, is a difference in degree, not in kind.
This singular idea sprouted on earth, just as life sprouted between water and clay. It has remained suspended between the influences of the heavens and the influences of the earth. It remained in constant pull between the causes of the sky and the causes of the earth. Whenever it was touched by the causes of the sky, its peak would rise to a summit. Then, when touched by the causes of the earth, its peak would lower toward the base until it settled, the base expanded, and the peak declined. This expansion of the base serves as preparation for the peak to rise again to a new summit, higher than its predecessor, with the renewed touch of the causes of the sky.
The touch of the sky at its zenith we call the time of a mission (prophethood), and the touch of the earth at its nadir we call the time of a gap (interval between revelations). Thus, this great idea continued to ascend toward perfection, much like a wave that moves between a peak and a base - each peak higher than the one before, and each base broader than the one before - until the earth nearly aligned with the causes of the sky. At that point, the revelation of the sky settled on earth within the covers of the Qur'an, on the earth, though it still awaits its full application.