Notis: Det följande är en reproduktion av artiklen "Submission To God Alone: A Beginner's Thoughts" i Mars-upplagan 2002 av Submitters Perspective, den månatliga bulletinen av United Submitters International.

I was a “Traditional Muslim.” Not just an average Traditional Muslim but a staunch Traditional Muslim. My appearance, my deeds, my religious practices, my lifestyle were all in accordance with Sunna, Hadith and the supposed lifestyle of Muhammad. I did believe that there is no god but God; I believed in the angels; I believed that Quran is one of God’s scrip-tures and that Muhammad was one among the various prophets and messengers God sent to this world with the message “La Elaaha Ella Allah,” and I believed in the Day of Judgment. But all this was mere lip service. I never actually observed the five daily Salat (Contact) prayers. I only went to the Friday prayer [once a week] and “Eid prayer [twice a year].”

It all began in 1992. There was a beggar who used to pass by my house every morning saying loudly “Rab ne paida kiya bandagi ke liye” (Translation: “The Lord has created us to worship Him.”) God made me realise that there was a purpose of my existence and it is mentioned in Quran in 51:56 “I did not create the jinns and the humans except to worship Me alone.”

This set the ball rolling and I decided to follow Islam more religiously. I started saying the five Salat prayers reverently in congregation. I started attending Ijtema’s (religious meetings). But as per the traditional Muslims, my source of guidance was Hadith and Sunnah because according to their claim it was very difficult to understand the Quran, and was only meant to be recited. I removed the TV from my house and changed my dress code. I began to analyse every act and deed of mine, and if it was not in accordance with Hadith or Sunnah, I would refrain from doing it.

Despite my doing all this for years, there was no joy in my life. I was always confused and thought that there was something wrong with this type of traditional form of worship — something was missing. Wherever and whenever I attended religious get-togethers, I found them praising prophets and messengers, especially Muhammad and the Saints.

I could not digest this practice as this was contradicting verse 1:2 which says “Praise be to God, Lord of the universe.”

After coming into submission by the grace of God, I retrieved the “missing link” which was Submission to God Alone in the true sense and not mere lip service as God says in 2:112: “ Indeed, those who submit themselves absolutely to GOD alone, while leading a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.”

Today by the grace of God I have submitted myself absolutely to God Alone. Now what do I mean by submit? If you look up in the dictionary “Submit” means surrender or comply. This immediately brings to my mind the feud in the High Society that was triggered by Satan’s challenge to God’s absolute authority. This is definitely the most important event in the history of the human race that I was not aware of when I was a traditional Muslim. I was not aware that I failed to make a firm stand regarding God’s absolute authority and this life represents the third and final chance to redeem ourselves.

So by submitting myself absolutely to God alone, I surrender to God and accept God’s absolute authority — recognizing the most important information from the verse 3:18 where God says: “ GOD bears witness that there is no god except He, and so do the angels and those who possess knowledge. Truthfully and equitably, He is the absolute god; there is no god but He, the Almighty, Most Wise.”

The proclamation of faith (Shahaadah) that is decreed by God is: “There is no god except God,” — in Arabic “La Elaaha Ella Allah” The corrupted Muslims insist upon adding a second “Shahaadah” proclaiming that Mu-hammad is God’s messenger and that God loves Muhammad so much that he has added Muhammad to His name in the Shahaadah. This contradicts 47:19 which says: “You shall know that: ‘There is no other god beside GOD,’ and ask forgiveness of your sins and the sins of all believing men and women. GOD is fully aware of your decisions and your ultimate destiny.”

Significantly, this First Pillar of religion is stated in the Sura entitled Muhammad, and is utterly devoted to God alone. Muhammad’s name was added by his idolizers against his will. This is by definition ‘Shirk’ (idolatry) and a flagrant defiance of God and His messenger. Additionally, it violates the major commandments in 2:136, 2:285, 3:84, & 4:150-152 prohibiting any distinction among God’s messengers. By proclaiming that ‘Muhammad is a messenger of God’ and failing to make the same proclamation for other messengers such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Saleh, and Jonah, a distinction is committed and a major commandment is violated.

Now we come to 2:112 which says “Indeed, those who submit them-selves absolutely to GOD alone, while leading a righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.”

We immediately realize that the words “while leading a righteous life” mean that submitting ourselves absolutely to God alone by itself without leading a righteous life is not sufficient for our redemption. This may have been sufficient in the first and second chance but in this life, which represents the third (and last) chance, it is essential that we accept God’s absolute authority and also lead a righteous life.

Now how do we lead a righteous life? Let us look in Quran, God’s Final Testament and the only and sufficient source of guidance for Submitters. God tells us in 2:177 “Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the east or the west. Righteous are those who believe in GOD, the Last Day, the angels, the scripture, and the prophets; and they give the money, cheerfully, to the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the travelling alien, the beggars, and to free the slaves; and they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat); and they keep their word whenever they make a promise; and they steadfastly persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and war. These are the truthful; these are the righteous.”

The first part of the verse deals mainly with believing, i.e. believing in God, the day of judgment, the angels, the scriptures, and the prophets. The second part deals with giving money cheerfully to the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the traveling alien, the beggars, and to free the slaves.

The third part of 2:177 deals with observing Contact Prayers (Salat) and giving of Obligatory Charity (Zakat)? may God help us in observing Contact Prayers more reverently, punctually and to give Zakat on harvest as it should be given.

The fourth part of 2:177 deals with keeping their word whenever they make a promise. This is one field in which I find myself to be very weak. All I do about this is ask God who has guided me so far to help me in analysing the word or the commitment before giving it by applying the carpenter’s rule, i.e. to measure twice and cut once.

The fifth part deals with steadfastness and persevering in the face of persecution, hardship and war. This can be handled by holding fast to the rope of God while you go through the Inevitable Test. Regarding which God says in 3:186 You will certainly be tested, through your money and your lives, and you will hear from those who received the scripture, and from the idol worshipers, a lot of insult. If you steadfastly persevere and lead a righteous life, this will prove the strength of your faith.

As we learn also from the Quran, the proven worshipers of God ALONE start reaping the benefits of their steadfastness right in this world, and their recompense in the Hereafter will be even greater. For example, 16:97 states that Anyone who works righteousness, male or female, while believing, we will surely grant them a happy life in this world, and we will surely pay them their full recompense (on the Day of Judgment) for their righteous works.

Going back to 2:112, it says that those have submitted themselves absolutely to God alone will receive their recompense from God. And the last part of the verse says they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. Today if we look around we find that fear and depression are two problems spread all over the world. One can find large collections of books prescribing methods of dealing with them.

I myself was the victim of both these problems when I was not a true submitter. I bought books of various national and international authors to solve my problems but all in vain. It gave me a temporary relief and again I was back to square one. I was fearful, sad and worried until I entered submission. Therefore, I now have a better appreciation of the statement “Happiness is Submission to God alone.”

May God help us to read, understand, and practice the verse 2:112 and many such verses in the ultimate book of guidance —Quran, the Final Testament; and Redeem us back to His kingdom.

Asif M.
Mumbai