What do you consider to be a beauty of Islam?
I asked this question to dozens of my revert friends, and everyone had various things they found beautiful about Islam.
I got numerous replies to my question, and I would like to share the most common answers.
So, what do people find beautiful about Islam?
Let’s find out!
Simplicity of the Concept of God
Tawheed in Islam focuses on the oneness of Allah, with no intermediaries to repent to unlike in Catholicism where you confess your sins to a priest, or ask Jesus to forgive you for your sins.
Say, “Who is Lord of the heavens and earth?” Say, “Allah.” Say, “Have you then taken besides Him allies not possessing [even] for themselves any benefit or any harm? (13:16)
Allah is not born, nor does He have offspring, nor needs to fulfill any human desires such as eating, drinking … etc. Allah is the personal name of the One True God. Nothing else can be called Allah. “Allah” cannot be made plural. He is ONE, and is All Hearing, and All Knowing of all things.
Allah tells us about Himself, so that we are not left to question Him:
Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent. (112)
Clear Concept of Worship
Islam is a complete way of life, and thus requires believers to follow the Quranic and Sunnah teachings in all matters, including how to worship. Islam regulates human life on all levels including but not limited to: the individual, social, political, economical, and the spiritual aspects of life. All activities are forms of worship, as long as they are done according to his guidance and instruction.
Allah has told us how to worship Him, and gave Prophet Muhammad the revelation, and made him the perfect teacher for us. Our ways of worship are clearly defined in the Quran and Sunnah.
We are not left wondering which way we should worship, because anything that is added to the religion in matters of worship is rejected as an innovation. If we worshiped however we please, we would find people making statues, and believing that only imams are qualified to “talk to Allah”.
Worship is an all encompassing term for everything that Allah loves of our sayings and actions that are following His guidance.
Personal Relationship with Allah
Each and every individual has a personal relationship with Allah. No mediators to speak on our behalf, and if we are in need of something, we ask Allah directly. It is a personal matter, and no one else has the ability to interfere with your life, and your relationship with your Creator. Allah is most merciful and is more loving and kind than a mother to her child. His love cannot be compared to another for His creation.
Muslims do not require a hierarchy of priests, bishops, cardinals, and popes to converse with Allah. We speak as individuals, directly to Him!
Allah is so close with each of us, that He knows what we are thinking. This means He knows when we are thinking of Him, and He responds to us directly, although we may not recognize His response to us. He tells us:
And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein. (50:16)
The Quran – A Guide for Mankind to Live by
The Quran is divine revelation given to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), as an instruction manual for us that tells us how to live our lives. Islam is a way of life, and none is worthy to tell us what is good or harmful to us other than Allah, after all He did create us, and He knows best, and even tell us so:
…And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings. (16:89)
Agreement with Human Logic
…I have created My servants as one having a natural inclination to the worship of Allah but it is Satan who turns them away from the right religion… (Muslim, 2865)
Islam is often referred to as the deen al-fitrah, the religion of human nature, because its laws and teachings are in complete harmony with the natural inclination of humans to believe in and submit to the Creator.
All humans are born in a natural state of submission to Allah, but become misguided to believe and worship as believers of another religion. If we resort back to that natural state, then we are in a state of Islam.
Purification of the Heart and Soul (Tazkiyah)
Islam nourishes the heart and the soul. Purifying ourselves is easily accomplished by reading and contemplating the meanings found in the Quran and Sunnah, and holding to the five pillars. Prayers wash away our sins.
Equality and Respect
Islam teaches mankind to be respectful of all people on Earth, regardless of their skin color, social status, etc. Allah tells us that no one is greater than the other except in piety.
Balance
Allah makes it clear in the Quran when He told past nations to avoid extremes, because it results in changing the religion from what He gave us.
Say, “O People of the Scripture, do not exceed limits in your religion beyond the truth and do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way. (5:77)
Islam is balanced in all things: belief, worship, conduct, and legislation. This is the straight path which is distinct from all the others. Balance is not only a general characteristic of Islam, it is a fundamental landmark.
The Prophet Muhammad teaches us that Islam is a middle path, which we are supposed to remain upon instead of leaning towards one extreme or the other.
Ruined, were those who indulged in hair-splitting. He (the Holy Prophet) repeated this thrice. (Muslim, 2670)
Imam An-Nawawi commented that this referred to those who were excessive in utterance and action, resulting in loss of this life and the Hereafter.
Brotherhood & Sisterhood
The connection between the believers is a strong bond that should never be broken. We must respect and honor our brothers and sisters in Islam, and when they face hardships, we are all responsible to relieve them. Muslims should consider each other as a single unit as the Prophet explained:
A believer to another believer is like a building whose different parts enforce each other.” The Prophet then clasped his hands with the fingers interlaced (while saying that). (Bukhari, 2446)
Elevated Status of Women
Before the revelation of the Quran, women were subjected to unfair treatment by man, and Islam raised the status of women, giving them roles and rights that were previously unheard of.
Before Islam, women were transferred like property, taking the names of their husbands as a sign of “ownership”. Women were not allowed to hold positions of authority, to own property, to vote, and many other things. It wasn’t until after Islam that women were lifted to have a status in society.
Equality
Islam grants equality to mankind in more than one form. Islam declares that all people are equal, regardless of their skin color, nationality, ancestry, rich or poor, or even male or female. They can only be viewed differently based on their piety.
If any do deeds of righteousness,- be they male or female – and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the least injustice will be done to them. (4:124)
Prophet Muhammad stated in his last sermon:
All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.
Charity for the Poor
Islam implements a poor tax (zakah) that is due from every Muslim that has the means to pay it. Islam is a mercy on the poor by not requiring them to give a prescribed amount, if they are unable to provide for themselves, and make them qualified to be the receivers of the poor due.
Muslims also have an optional charity (sadaqah) that is not obligatory, that is given to the poor, and can be given to any cause worthy of assistance. All forms of charity bless the giver with rewards from Allah in this life as well as the hereafter.
Blessings of Fasting
Fasting is a deep act of personal worship to God in which Muslims seek to raise their level of God-consciousness. It is a special act of worship because it is a purely secret sacrifice of an individual, that only that person and Allah knows is done, and can’t be done to show off, because only they know if it is upheld or not.
The act itself redirects the heart away from worldly things and activities and towards the remembrance of God. It is a time for spiritual reflection, prayer and doing of good deeds.
Fasting improves one’s self-discipline, self restraint and generosity. It reminds the believer of those who are less fortunate and instills mercy and empathy into their hearts for others.
Indeed, anyone who fasts for one day for Allah’s Pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years. (Al-Bukhari 2840)
Islam Has a Solution to Every Problem
In Islam, there is a solution to all problems we might encounter in either the Quran or the Sunnah, but it is up to us to seek those solutions out. Allah promises us in the Quran:
…Whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent. (65:2–3)
May we all find the inner beauties of Islam, and implement them in our lives, and open the minds and hearts of all non-Muslims to the glory of Islam.
Ameen
(From Discovering Islam archive)