Friday 25 December 2015

Will you explain the pillars of Belief briefly?



Will you explain the pillars of Belief briefly?

Belief has six pillars: They are the belief in Allah, the hereafter, angels, books, prophets and predestination (qadar). A person needs to believe in all of these six pillars in order to be a believer. A person who does not believe in one of these pillars cannot be a believer. For, the pillars of belief are connected with one another.

1. Belief in Allah: 
The first pillar of belief is the belief in the existence and oneness of Allah. A Muslim, firstly, believes that Allah exists and that He is One; this universe is His work. He has no partners or counterparts in His personality, attributes or deeds. His attributes do not resemble the attributes of creatures.   

All creatures show both the existence and oneness of Allah.

Only Allah is pre-eternal and post-eternal, free from time and space, free and protected from change, need, weakness and faults.

Allah’s attributes have encompassed everything. Everything is subject to His will. He has names of beauty like ar-Rahman (the All-Merciful), ar-Rahim (the All-Beneficient), al-Ghafur (the Forgiver) and names of majesty like al-Qahhar (the Subduer), al-Jabbar (the Compeller), al-Muntaqim (the Avenger). He treats those who believe in Him with grace. He inflicts His wrath upon those who disbelieve and rebel.

One can worship only Allah. The worldly and otherworldly bliss of people can be attained by obeying His orders and prohibitions. This is a divine law; no change can take place in it.

The human mind cannot understand Allah’s personality, nature and truth. For, the mind is something that was created later and it is limited. The personality and attributes of God Almighty are unlimited. It is a clear fact that what is limited cannot encompass what is unlimited. That is, Allah is different from whatever one can think of.

Allah has no partners in His personality and in His deeds. He is the only creator, owner and ruler of the realm of existence. It is Allah who creates both the causes and effects; He creates both the tree and the fruit.

Thanking, worship and praise belong to Him only. Believers worship only Allah and ask only His help:

“Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.” (al-Fatiha, 1/5)

When they commit a sin, they repent directly to Allah. For, No one but Allah can forgive the sin that man commits against Allah.

2. Belief in Angels: 
Another pillar of belief is a belief in angels. Every Muslim believes that God Almighty has fine creatures called angels. They glorify Allah and fulfill the other duties given to them by Allah. These creatures, which never rebel, Allah, are not subject to testing like human beings are. Their nature is pure; they are innocent and their ranks are fixed. 

God Almighty, who makes thousands of feelings like the mind, memory, imagination, love, fear and curiosity fulfill duties, has not left this magnificent universe empty and filled it with angels.

3. Belief in Books: 
Another pillar of belief is a belief in the heavenly books. Even if a man knows the existence and oneness of Allah through his mind, he cannot realize what His orders and prohibitions are, how he will fulfill his duty of worship, in short, what Allah will be pleased with. Therefore, God Almighty sent heavenly books. One hundred of the heavenly books were sent down in the form of pages and four of them in the form of books. These four heavenly books are the Torah (the Old Testament)the Psalms, the Gospel (the New Testament) and the Quran in the chronological order.     

A Muslim has to believe in all of them. However, when the Quran was sent down the other heavenly books ceased to have an effect. The Quran has reached today without undergoing any change not even in one letter. Thus, God Almighty realized the following decree of His:  “We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption).” (al-Hijr, 15/9)

4. Belief in Prophets: 
Another pillar of belief is the belief in prophets. It is a divine law that God Almighty warns people through prophets who are human beings. 

Prophethood is a big need and great bounty for humanity. God Almighty showed people the ways of guidance through these teachers and guides. 

The duty of prophets is to convey the orders they receive from God Almighty through revelation and inspiration to people and to show them the ways of bliss in the world and the hereafter. These prophets have two aspects: One of them is "slavery (worship)" and the other is "prophethood (divine messengership)". In terms of slavery, they obey Allah’s orders and prohibitions perfectly; they serve as examples to people regarding the issue. In terms of prophethood, they convey the truth to people.

Prophets are Allah’s slaves and creatures. A Muslim has to believe in all of them. If he denies the prophethood of any of them, he exits Islam. For instance, someone who does not believe in Hazrat Musa (Moses) or Hazrat Isa (Jesus) cannot be a believer. It is stated definitely in the Quran that they are prophets. To believe in them is a necessity of belief in books and prophets.

The first prophet is Hazrat Adam and the last one is Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). The institution of prophethood ended with Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). Therefore, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) is called, “Khatam al-Anbiya (Seal of the Prophets)”.

As it is stated in the following verse, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) was sent as a prophet to the whole humanity, not to a certain nation: “We have not sent thee but as a (Messenger) to men, giving them Glad tidings, and warning them (against sin).” (Saba, 34/28)  

As it is stated by the decree of the following verse, he has become a constant bounty and an eternal mercy for all creatures: “We sent thee not, but as a mercy for all creatures.” (al-Anbiya, 21/107)

5. Belief in the Hereafter: 
One of the important pillars of belief is the belief in resurrection after death and life in the hereafter. God Almighty, who granted people both material and spiritual bounties in this worldly life, will grant His beloved slaves, who pass the test of the world, both bodily and spiritual endless bounties in Paradise.

Allah, who revives all of the plants and animals that die in fall in spring, will definitely revive the people who die in the hereafter. This is a necessity of His mercy and justice.

6. Belief in Predestination:
One of the pillars of belief is a belief in predestination (qadar). Predestination has two parts: The first one is that every being, "with their essence, shape and properties", is predestined in the knowledge of Allah and is created accordingly. This part is not subject to testing. 

The second one is related to man's partial free will. Allah creates whatever man prefers and does with his partial free will whether it is good or bad. The man is held responsible for this second part. Paradise and Hell are the fruits of this right of preference given to man.


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