Majed S. Al-Rassi
Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 143 | Size: 1 MB
Every individual is born into a religious environment that is not necessarily in accordance with his or her choice; children are raised to follow the religion or ideology of their family, society or culture. Even as new-borns, they are assigned either the religion of their family or the ideology of the state; in some countries, the child’s assigned religion is even recorded on the birth certificate. By the time individuals reach their teens, they have usually accepted the beliefs of their parents or their particular society, feeling that they have little choice in the matter.
However, individuals often encounter, or are exposed, to various beliefs and ideologies throughout the course of their lives, leading many to question long-held beliefs, traditions or philosophical ideas. They begin to question the validity of their own beliefs. Seekers of truth often reach a point of confusion, especially upon realizing that the believers of every religion, sect, ideology and philosophy claim to profess the one and only truth.
There are only three possibilities: either everyone is correct or everyone is incorrect; or, only one is correct and the rest are incorrect. It is impossible for all of them to be upon the true religion as the fundamentals of all religions are different. On the other hand, to claim that they are all incorrect is to deny that Allah (Subhânahu wa Ta‘âlâ – Glorified and Exalted is He) revealed His will to humankind. This proposition will seem absurd to those who believe in a Wise Creator. After all, why would Allah create human beings and not reveal a way to the truth? So, which religion is the right one and how can the seeker of truth come to know it? This is the main subject of this work.
When beginning the search for the true religion, one should keep the following four things in mind:
Firstly, Allah has given us the ability and the intellect to discover the answer to this crucial question, which is also a lifechanging decision: What is the true religion?
Secondly, Allah, the Most Compassionate, has not left us to go astray without any guidance. Indeed, He sent us prophets with scriptures to show us the right path.
Thirdly, always remember the underlying reason for this search: the ever-lasting life to come depends upon finding the true religion in this life. This should be your ultimate motivation, and a driving force to keep you searching until you are completely satisfied.2
Fourthly, one can only determine the true path and make a rational and correct decision if one willingly puts aside all the emotions and prejudices, which often blind one to reality.
2 The Bible, in its present form, confirms that seeking the truth is the main cause for salvation. In John 8:32, it has been stated, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Muslims believe that the existing form of the Bible contains elements of the original true message, although it has been altered significantly.
Wise individuals know that they exist for a purpose and a final destination, whether or not they are aware of the exact nature of that destination. Wise individuals also understand that if they do not know where they are going, they will never strive to reach there. This little book has shed some light on the following:
# Why were human beings created?
# What is their final destination?
# How can they reach that destination ‘safely’?
With this short preface, I leave you to peruse the book. Continue reading →