The Origin

As already mentioned, Islam (meaning Submission to the Will of God) is as old as Universe itself, and for Man, it is as old as the first man that appeared on earth. It was Islam that was the theme of the Message of all the Messengers of God and it was the community of Muslims which they all raised. These communities were not intended to become hostile groups against one another or put man against man. They were meant to serve as a nucleus of virtue and goodness, to absorb the rest of men in their folds and to lead mankind on to the right path.

These communities deteriorated one after the other, forgetting the aim and the essence of the Religion. They mistook their salvation in the praise and worship of the founders of their religions and in declaring all others false. They limited their religion to a few ceremonies, and freed themselves to do whatever they liked. They misinterpreted the Book of God to suit their fancies and added own writings to it. They were, then, confused and could not differentiate between truth and falsehood.

Muhammad Appears

Thus marched the humanity till the time it reached an intellectual level whence it could fully perceive God’s Message and preserve it in letter and spirit. It was now capable to see bigger horizons and appreciate the ultimate goal clearly.

At this stage, the last Messenger of God, Muhammad (may God bless him) appeared with the final Book of God, containing clear, unambiguous, well-explained Message, in which the Almighty directly addressed mankind, so that it should become an ever-glittering Light for all times to come. Spoon-feeding of the child had now to stop and the adult was to find his own way under the light of the torch provided. The institution of the Prophethood was closed, being no longer required.

We gave the Children of Israel the Book, the Kingdom, and the Prophet hood, and We provided them of good things, and exalted them above all people. And We gave them the clear Signs of the Affairs. Yet they differed, only after the knowledge had come to them, being rebellious to one another; thy Lord shall decide between them, on the Day of Resurrection, in that they differed. Now We have set thee on a defined path of the Affair, so follow it and follow not the caprices of those who have no knowledge. (45:16-18)

It was 610 A.C. when Muhammad (may God bless him) called his people to God, their Creator. A people submerged in traditions of their forefathers, with a life without purpose, opposed him. The opposition increased with time, so much so that, after five years, a batch of 100 Muslims had to migrate to Anyssinia and, after seven years, movements of the Prophet and his family were restricted to a nearby place, where he stayed for three years. The persecution continued till, after thirteen years, Muslims found refuge and helpers in the city of Medina. All Muslims were then ordered to migrate to Medina to gather their strength and meet the Meccans’ hostility effectively so as to end the persecution. Soon after, the two sides met in the battle-fields till, eight years after, Mecca was peacefully captured. The whole Arab was then under the sway of Islam.

Forces of Islam then moved out to destroy idolatry and dethrone people of the Book. Muslims succeeded invariably. The defeated people soon saw the light and joined the Religion of God, as brothers and sharers of kingdom --- all in the service of God. The die-hard Rejecters were granted peace on payment of compensatory tax (Jizya).

Unity of mankind was near its fulfillment, when this last community of Muslims also showed deterioration and turned towards the pleasures of life. Three centuries after the Holy prophet, their progress came to halt. Spread of Islam, thenceforth, was due to the force of its truth or example set by godfearing persons.

The Message of the Quran was picked up by other people, who thereby progressed and prospered. However, they failed to appreciate the crux of the Message that unity of mankind is a prerequisite to peace and conquest of the universe. They started deadly wars among the "nations", and seem to be heading towards decimation of human race.

The Present

Millions of people claim to be Muslims and name them so in the world of today. But they are Muslims by birth only. Their lives are as much un-Islamic as those of non-Muslims. They are politically and economically so weak that they beg help from outside. They carry out the five-points programme given to them half-heartedly, as a dead rite, without purpose, only for personal salvation in the next world. Their faith, especially that of the educated classes, is shaky because of defective teachings of religion and influence of dominant western ideas. Instead of adopting the Quran and presenting their own social, economic and political systems to the world, they ape the West and suffer not only from the defects of those systems, but aping has produced in them inferiority complex and further downfall. It seems that Islam has come to a dead end.

The Future

But Islam does not depend on professing Muslims only. The Quran warned the Muslims that if they turned back they would be substituted by another people.

If you turn back, He will substitute another people in place of you, and they will not be like you. (47:38)

As the Quran is intact and preserved, a willing soul can always know the truth by carefully going through its pages. Let, therefore, people outside the pale of Islam come and lead mankind with the help of the Quran.

Now let us see what instructions the Quran has given to the last community of Muslims.

Purpose of Community

It is to be the leader-community so to set example and to serve as watchman to the rest of the world.

Thus We have made you a central community that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger a witness over you. (2:143)

You are a beneficent community that is brought forth for mankind, you bid the Desirable, forbid the Dejected, and have faith in God. (3:110)

This shows that the community is raised for the benefit of mankind and its objective is to bid and forbid certain things. It must have, therefore, power to enforce the requirements. Again, to have such power, it must be a well-knit society, organized from top to bottom in a chain of commanders and under-commands, trained to strike in time of need any aggressor form outside or home. Its military power should be unparalleled and its members should be ready to lay down their lives in hour of need.

O Believers, fear God as He should be feared, and die not but in surrender. And hold fast the bond of God together and scatter not; and remember God’s blessing on you when you were enemies and He joined your hearts, so that by His blessing you became brothers. You were upon the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus God explains to you His Signs that you may be guided. And let there be among you a community calling to the beneficence (unity), bidding the Desirable and forbidding the Dejected; and those alone shall succeed. And be not like those who scattered and fell into variance after clear Signs had come to them, and they shall receive a mighty punishment. (3:102-105)

The Believers are only brothers; so reform between your two brothers and fear God, that you may find mercy. (49:10)

Remember God’s blessing on you and His covenant that He ratified with you; when you said, ‘we have heard and we obey’, and fear God; surely God knows the thoughts in the breasts. (5:7)

Woe to every liar, sinner, who hears the signs of God recited to him, then insists haughtily as if he heard them not; give him the good news of a painful punishment. (45:7-8)

O Believers, seek help in patience and the Prayer, for God is with the patient. And do not say of those who are killed in God’s way as dead; no, they are living, but you perceive not. Surely We shall try you with some fear and hunger, and loss of property, life and fruits; so give thou the good news to the patient, who, when an affliction befalls them, say, ‘we belong to God and to Him we are returning.’ Upon them rests the blessings and mercy from their Lord, and they are the guided ones. (2:155-157)

Do you think that you shall enter Paradise, while there has not come upon you the like of those who passed away before you? Hardship and misery afflicted them and they were so shaken that the Messenger and the Believers with him said, ‘when comes God’s help’—God’s help is nearby. (2:214)

O Believers, take not for your intimates other than your own people; they spare nothing to cause you sufferings; they wish your ruin; hatred has already shown form their mouths, and what is hidden in their breasts is yet greater; We have made clear to you the signs, if you understand. (3:118)

Let not the Believers take the unbelievers for friends rather than the Believers; and whoso does that, he has nothing to do with God, unless you have a fear of them. (3:28)

Those whom angels take while still wronging themselves, they ask them, ‘in what state were you?’ They say, ‘we were oppressed in the land.’ They say, ‘was not God’s land spacious that you might have emigrated in it?’ Their abode is Hell, an evil abode. But the oppressed among men, women and children, who find no means, nor find a way, God may pardon them, for God is Pardoning, Forgiving. And whoso emigrates in the way of God will find in the land many refuges and plenty; and whoso goes forth form his home as an emigrant to God and His Messenger, then death overtakes him, his wage has fallen on God; and God is Forgiving, Merciful. (4:97-100)

O Believers, betray not God and the Messenger, betraying your trusts, while you know. (8:27)

The Bedouins say, ‘we have believed.’ Say, ‘you have not believed; rather say, we have surrendered, for belief has not yet entered your hearts; however, if you obey God and His Messenger, He will not diminish you anything of your works; God is Forgiving, Merciful. The Believers are only those who believe in God and His Messenger, then doubt not, and struggle hard with their wealth and their selves in the way of God; they are the truthful.’ (49:14-15)

Say, ‘He has the power to send forth on you a punishment from above you or from under your feet, or by confusing you in sects and making you taste the violence of one another.’ See how We turn about the Signs that they may understand. (6:65)

Fear a trial which will not exclusively afflict the wrong-doers among you, and know that God is terrible in retribution. (8:25)

How shall God guide a people who disbelieved after they had believed and had testified that the Messenger was true, and the Clear Signs had come to them, for God does not guide a wrong-doing people. Those, their recompense is that the curse of God, of the angles, and of men all together rests on them, abiding therein forever; their punishment will not be lightened, nor will they be given respite; but those who repent after that and reform, then God is Forgiving, Merciful. (3:86-89)

Hast thou not seen those who assert that they believe in what has been sent down to thee and what was sent down before thee, yet desiring to seek judgement of the idols, though they were commanded to deny them; but the Devil desires to lead them astray far away. And when it is said to them, ‘come to what God has sent down and to the Messenger, thou seest the hypocrites stopping from thee with aversion. But how shall it be, when an affliction befalls them due to what their hands have forwarded; they come to thee swearing by God, ‘we desired not but good and conciliation.’ No, by thy Lord, they believe not, until they make thee a judge in their dispute, then find in their hearts no impediment against what thou decidest, and they surrender in all submission. (4:60-62,65)