Islam cannot be seen as a religion separate from Christianity
and Judaism. The Prophets of Judaism are also our Prophets.
The Prophets of Christianity are also our Prophets.
Also the behavior demanded of us by our ” religions is,
firstly, in our Holy Book; secondly in the life example of our
Prophet of Islam, Muhammed, prayers and peace be on him, and
thirdly in the model life of Muslims whom we have known to be
recorded in the history and tradition of Islam. We know that
Muhammed the Prophet obligated us also to follow their
examples.
It says: “Follow the Prophet, and also those who follow in the
excellence prescribed by Islam.” We are not only obligated to
follow Muhammed the Prophet. We also have to follow those who
follow in the excellence prescribed by Islam, those who follow
Muhammed in that excellence.
G-d says in our scripture something that as a student studying
this, it really touched me and held me for a long time -
because of the experience I had of trying to find light in the
dark, to find harmony and consistency of what I was given as a
boy and as a young man as religion. G-d says: “And follow the
best thereof.” That is in the Qur’an and is exactly what G-d
says.
Allah has revealed the whole Book to mankind through Muhammed
the Prophet, and Allah says of His Book, to those who will
follow it, “follow the best thereof.” Is there something in
the Book that can get me in trouble, G-d? I am to search Your
Book and follow that and to avoid something else? “Yes!”
Like the Bible, the Qur’an is also history. And you might be
reading something that is condemned by G-d and you are
thinking that it is part of the Qur’an that you should follow.
But it will be the history of those who deviated, of those who
missed the mark, of those who went astray or the history of
enemies of mankind. Then you will take something out of
context and follow it, and it will lead you to the hellfire.
G-d says: “And take the-best thereof.” This also applies to
the whole Book. There are some things in the Qur’an that are
good and for us to accept, but there are allowances made for
people who are weak, who are sick and who can’t do better.
Allah permits them to do that little bit as their religion. He
makes an exception for those.
(Imam W. Deen Mohammed 11-06-01)
