On The Common Eternal Principles, And That Islam Reigns
by Omar K Neusser

This is an abstract of seven+ chapters to discuss perennialism and if it is relevant for Islam. It can be said right from the beginning that traditional Islam and this site * LivingIslam - IslamicTradition * do not endorse perennialism [4b], or any perennialistic interpretation. If it is claimed - as perennialism does - that the world-religions or religious traditions are all equally valid roads to God, the Supreme Being, then this is not the case and contradicts the teachings of Islam [4b]. But this issue is a rather delicate one, because there are common principles of those world-religions or religious traditions, because these principles are eternal [4b]. As a matter of fact "sound Islamic doctrine affirms the oneness of heavenly religions although the dispensations and scriptures are more than one."[fn22] Furthermore the diversity of religions must not lead to hatred and hostility.
The term 'tradition' is explained in chapter [5a]. For why it is Islam that reigns, see [6a], and what Ibn `Arabi wrote about the different religions or their legal systems - see [7]. These issues will be clarified below.
And most importantly:
O Lord! - let us grow in knowledge (`ilm) !

1a.
Today's dominant mentality is postmodernism which is being spread globally by the elites of West and ever more by those of the East. This one-dimensional mentality, which has become a sort-of-ideology, does not only deny the validity of any spiritual tradition for the purpose of human life at its different levels, but also any absolute and eternal values as expressions of a reality which is beyond sensual perception [lk6].
René Guénon (Shaykh `Abd Al Wahid Yahya) expressed this fateful development of Western civilization already around the year 1940 and more so later in his various works: lk6: Modernism And Postmodern Thought
lk22: Symbole der heiligen Wissenschaft

1b.
There were some searchers for truth who were ganted a lot of insight in some areas, but who allowed for a perennialistic interpretation, for example one of René Guénon's (Shaykh `Abd Al Wahid Yahya's) early followers, F. Schuon. There was also the question of the Holy Mary and her redeeming function for Christians. In this respect at least, it seems that F. Schuon, together with his group – deviated from traditional Islam in their neglect of the Shari`ah. However, according to recent information, even for Schuon the choice of religion was an important matter and he was a practicing muslim.
R Guénon (Shaykh `Abd Al Wahid Yahya) himself had no influence over those events, but those who came after him broke off relations with Schuon. They took it on themselves to reconnect to an authentic spiritual path - thus preserving the spiritual heritage of Shaykh `Abd Al Wahid Yahya and the islamic tradition.[5a]
lk25: Book review: Sufism: The Essentials, Mark J Sedgwick

1c.
Furthermore R Guénon's name has been abused in the most problematic and non-traditional contexts and even some anti-traditional circles have tried to instrumentalize RG for their aims, so what is at stake here is really to sift critically. [fn1] There is certainly much intentional desinformation, just as in the case of Islam itself.
fn1: M Sedgwicks homepage on RG is problematic

1d.
Compromising with truth and blurring the traditional doctrine was not a characteristic trait of R Guénon. On the contrary, when the sense of the sacred or the knowledge of the sacred had been lost, which is widely the case in the West and in parts of the East, he rediscovered the sacred knowledge of Tradition, described it clearly and and defended it decisively.
He lived his last 30 years as Muslim and even well-respected Shaykh in Egypt. Many are those who found their way to Islam through his writings, therefore we also recommend some of them.[lk13] And knowledge is vast and the quest for it a life-long commitment.
5a: the significance of Tradition
lk13: Some of his most important works

1e.
At the *livingIslam* homepage we follow the word of truth wherever it is. Those persons - as mentioned above [1b] - were all people of good faith with their own faults and shortcomings. However “many are more interested today in Guénon’s individuality than in his intellectual works” (M A Tamas), whereas we don't think that it is important “to know a lot of authors or to judge them, but [what is important is] to study deeply the traditional teachings in order to apply them.” (G Ponte) [fn16]
So we take from the learned and the scholars what we find true and what corresponds to the teachings of Islam and we leave what does not, applying to the rule “take what you are sure of and leave what causes doubt.” When it comes to following someone entirely and striving as much as possible in this, while reminding us of his noble mission of rahmah - being an expression of mercy to the worlds, then this is the beloved and revered guide of men and women, Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah blessings and greetings of Allah upon him.
fn14: Prophet Muhammad , guide and healer of humanity
lk4: From The Life Of Prophet Mohammed

2a.
For a muslim who wishes to preserve his dîn (religion) in today's world of profanity and confusion and even understands the need to strengthen his religion intellectually, and who wishes to be able to invite others to the fold of Islam, it is important to understand the prevalent mentality of the Global West, its contradictions and different currents and also where and how one-dimensional West went wrong, when they gave up their own spiritual tradition. [fn13] [lk23]

This will serve as a warning example for people of religion, including Muslims, who will then understand how the (post - ) modern mentality of the West emerged, how it functions when it casts into doubt any absolute, metaphysical truth, how it influences the public at large and which are the forces producing it. How do the proponents of this post-modern 'ideology' look at religion (in general and at Islam specifically) and how do they numb people's genuine yearning for God?
fn7: Christianity of the 11th century
fn10: Descartes, 'father of rationalism'
fn13: What Muslims Also Have To Do
lk8: Notes On The New Age Movement
lk17: Descartes limited intelligence to reason
lk23: Protestant Islam by Mohammed Al-Abbasi

2b.
Had Allah willed, He could have made the whole world – each and every one of its inhabitants – muslim, but He - in His infinite knowledge - did not. { Mankind was one single nation, and Allah sent Messengers with glad tidings and warnings; ... } Sura 2, v. 213
One should therefore strive to also understand Islam in its wider – universal meaning, for the message of Islam aims at the same eternal kernel: to worship the One True God and to surrender to His Will with heart and soul. { It is Allah Who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him. This is a Way that is straight. } Sura 3, v. 51
Sheikh Ahmad Kuftaro said: “God gave the same revelation in quality and topic: thus, all prophets draw from one main spring or source; moreover, it is evident that the Quran orders the Muslims to believe in all God's prophets and to obey their commandments.” [lk21]
fn17: "We make no distinction between any [of the prophets]" Sura 2, v. 136
fn2: The essential content of earlier religions
lk21: Islam and Christianity: Two Religions, One God; Sh. Ahmad Kuftaro

2c.
The classical imams of Islam, such as Abu Hanifa, Malik, al-Shafi'i, and Ibn Hanbal and those who came after them deserve all our respect and many of today's scholars do have the requisite knowledge to solve the problems of Muslims in the West (in post-modernity) and to respond to today's postmodern challenges. [fn18]

Sometimes it is necessary to search for new answers within the scope of the Shari`ah concerning those issues touching on this our life in the (post-)modern era which is of course very different from that of traditional societies.
In traditional societies it was almost unimaginable for someone to call himself an atheist and to comport himself as quite a few of our contemporaries do, even if we have Quranic verses and hadith predicting this state of affairs of the Last Times.
To search for new answers within the scope of the Shari`ah has be done as expressed by Shaykh A. H. Murad by “extension and development of the fiqh in response to modern conditions (ijtihad).” [lk19]
This is the normal way to do it, because Islam is not rigid for the muslims, but ease - and Islam is not difficult - but good tidings:
As the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad
said in a sound hadith:
“yassirû wa lâ tu`assirû
wa bashshirû wa la tunaffirû”
Make things easy for people,
Don't make things difficult for them and give them good tidings, and don't chase them away (from Islam).
Al-Bukhari B1-69
lk19: Al-Tahawî's `Aqîdah

3.
At * LivingIslam - IslamicTradition * we are addressing ourselves to two groups of readers:
Muslims and those non-muslims who have an inner tendency toward monotheism (m~ is the worship of One God).[lk16]
Regarding non-muslims we try to examine and warn against misguided syncretic sects, such as today's New Age-movements. In his days, this was done by R Guénon when he analysed thoroughly non-traditional 'spiritual' movements of old, [fn3] and disclosed their errors and deceit. They seduced (then and today even more) many of our fellow-beings – especially the young, who usually yearn for God – with a call of devastating consequences.

By his untiring work, René Guénon (Shaykh 'Abd al-Wâhid Yahya) gave us the intellectual tools to see through the true being and methods of those anti-traditional movements. He “disclosed as no-one else the mechanisms of counter-initiation and those psychic conditions which are a part of it” (M.S.). This way as muslims we will be able to respond to those destructive, satanic forces in the best possible way, without being confined to namecalling; f ex to do takfir, i.e. calling others "kafir".
fn3: RG analysed the Spiritists (forerunners of New Age)
lk16: Tolerant Monoteismen
lk8: Notes On The New Age Movement
lk11: Eleven False New Age Principles

4a.
Many traditional terms and concepts from the great world-religions are now-a-days being misused by New Age-movements and other sects. They have already become seemingly respectable in large areas of societial discourse and are able to attract many clueless searchers for truth.
However they are concocting their evil soup mixing 'the Higher' with 'the lower', confusing spirituality with psychology [lk15] [lk15b] and eventually treating truth as falsehood and vice versa. Or they use eminent concepts such as 'the Self', 'the Soul' and even 'Sufism', etc. to mislead our fellow-beings. But with those steadfast believers they will never succeed! -- Some weak-hearted muslims too, may be susceptible to their schemes, so read the hadith of the Prophet who referred to the practices Jews and Christians:
"You shall follow the practices of those before you, inch by inch and mile by mile, to the degree that if they enter into the hole of a lizard, you will follow them." ... (Agreed, Abu Sayeed)
fn6: De vill skapa nya religioner eller "icke-religioner".
lk11: Eleven False New Age Principles
lk15: Difference Between Spirit And Soul
lk12: see: Charles Upton; The System Of Antichrist

4b.
From the above follows, that the world-religions and religious traditions comprise common [fn12] metaphysical principles, which were then expressed in different ways;
These items of faith were cleared and updated by the islamic message, where doubtful metaphors such as 'reshaping the world' or 'children' or 'sons of God' were eliminated. Therefore only what is correct according to the message of Islam will be accepted,
as it was brought by Prophet Muhammad , and further developed by Islam's schools of law, spirituality, saintity, etc.
A definition of perennialism would be that it describes the false idea that all world-religions are valid ways to God. And it is up to God to pass the final decision.

But to see similarities with the eternal principles of other religions, which have to be there because the divine message is universal (God sent prophets to all nations), does NOT imply that one regards all religions as equally valid and that it is of no importance which one to follow!
This means that we recognize that there is a unity of principles -- because these principles are eternal -- , but we emphasize at the same time, that the • authentic and final highway to God • is indicated by the living example of Prophet Muhammad may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him - in the religion of Islam [6c].
fn2: Islam - summit of the earlier messages
fn8: Instinctive knowledge of the Supreme Being in each human soul.
fn12: Islamic principles are clearer and based on an authentic sources.
lk3: World-religions have common core principles, bec. they are eternal.
[6c]
lk10: Why it matters which religion to follow!
3a: anti-traditional designs

5a.
Concerning the term Tradition it does refer to the divine, eternal message [fn5] which has been sent or revealed since the time of Adam. As people and nations are prone to forget, it has been necessary to confirm and actualise the divine guidance over and over again. This was - on the one level - the function of those different prophets who rose throughout the course of history (some of them came with new legal systems) and on another level of those special people of insight (basîrah) and knowledge (`ilm) of Allah, may His Majesty be exalted. And those with most knowlege are those who are most sincere and upright and most eager not to lose Allah's good pleasure. Allah says:

{ Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous [with most taqwâ] of you. } Sura Al-Hujurat (49), v.13

In the specific case of the islamic tradition, which was conveyed to mankind by the final Messenger of Allah , it can be seen that this message is directed to all nations and peoples irrespective of age and culture. This is the reason for *Islam* reigning today and until the end of time [see chapters 6a] and [ 7 ].

To summarize: what makes Islam ”traditional” or that Islam is an authentic ”Tradition” is not peoples' usages or customs, nor their culture or civilisation, but the following two conditions:
(1) the fact that the truth of Islam was revealed from a non-human, Divine origin!
(2) the fact that this truth was formed in the way it was by Prophet Muhammad's message and pattern (sunnah) and the whole religion of Islam, its schools of law, spirituality, saintity.
— Therefore what is not meant here is what is usually called 'traditions', or usages and customs, or (Islamic) civilisation, but only the above mentioned.
see chapter [6a]
lk14: Tradition Islamique - Islamic Tradition
lk24: In the Spirit of Tradition, Sidi Nazim Baksh
fn5: human reason cannot alone lead man to Truth.

5b.
Shaykh Abdu-l Wahîd Yahya (René Guénon) restored the correct ethymological and above all traditional [5a] meaning of different terms [fn19], especially those of 'Tradition', because they constitute the kernal of Islam and of every authentic religion.
The word 'tradition' is derived from Latin 'tradere', i.e. to hand over, deliver, entrust something from God - Allah via His prophets. What is handed over is the Quranic revelation, the âyah (Quranic verses) and - through those - the barakah Divine blessings, which are heavenly powers, all of these leading to sacred knowledge. They constitute one of the ongoing wonders of Islam.
fn4: Tradition is not customs and usages, or civilisation
fn9: a primeval time when harmony existed
lk6: Postmodernist Mentality

6a.
There is no god except Allah, Muhammad is His Prophet!
 It is only Islam which has all possibilies left to guide sincere men and women unto a truly spiritual path [fn21], for Islam absorbes the messages and spiritual powers (barakah) of earlier, antique religions. It also responds to all levels of human nature, not just the mind or human thinking processes.
Also because Islam is based on authentic traditions with known chains of transmitters, preserved and taught up to the present day.
On the contrary, previous religions have lost their 'salt' [fn20] and 'strength', they have no validity or actuality left.
All this explains why it is Islam that reigns, today - until the last day; [lk1] and anyway "the most perfect manifestation of the primordial tradition, which in the Quran in sura 30, verse 30 is called the din al-qayyim [the eternal religion], is in our times Islam." [fn23]
{ inna - ddîna `inda-LLahi-l islâm }
{ Truly! The religion with God is Islam }, so that His dîn (religion) will surpass and replace all the others, which becomes ever more evident as we approach the last times - the latter days.
lk1: The reason why Islam was revealed
lk5: Earlier revelations came to certain peoples only


7.
Concerning other religions' validity or non-validity, we have this precise definition by Shaykh Muhyiddîn Ibn `Arabi:

lk2: Ibn `Arabi on the religious laws

8.
When Islam is attacked from many sides
– the fortress has to be fortified,
when its outer walls of defence have fallen (the Ottoman kalifat),
– its inner walls of defence have to be manned.

For Islam will exist until the end of times,
which is also the time of the Dajjâls (Anti-Christs), of Al-Mahdi and Jesus (peace be with them both).

But Allah knows most and best!

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