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

1a post-modernism
1b Schuon
1c non-Islamic
1d RG-tradition
1e a word of truth
2a ideology
2b isl: wider meaning
2c modern issues
3 anti-tradition
4a New Age movemts
4b def perennialism
5a tradition explained
5b RG restored meaning
6a Islam reigns
6b faith in
6c acting how
7 other religions' val.
8 end

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:
“Modern civilization appears in history as a real anomaly: Among all those we know, it is the only one which developed in a purely materialistic direction and the only one which does not rely on any principle of higher order.” [lk22]
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 MHMD blessings and greetings of Allah upon him.
fn14: Prophet Muhammad MHMD, guide and healer of humanity
lk4: From The Life Of Prophet Mohammed MHMD

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 MHMD
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 MHMD 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;
such as faith in God = the Absolute, the Highest Power or Ultimate Reality; as well as faith in a “greater life” in the Hereafter, in holy scriptures; and in a process where divine knowledge was (is being) revealed to mankind.
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 MHMD , 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 MHMD 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 MHMD , 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 MHMD 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:

"The religious laws (shara'i' ) are all lights, and the law of Muhammad MHMD Allah bless him and give him peace -
among these lights is as the sun's light among the lights of the stars:
When the sun comes out, the lights of the stars are no longer seen and their lights are absorbed into the light of the sun ..."
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!



footnotes:

.
fn1. What is problematic with Sedgwick's homepage is his way of lumping together all those authors who may have got some intellectual input from R Guénon, without for that reason having reached the deeper implications of his 'rediscovery'. So for example M. Eliade, professor in religious studies and non-muslim, who obviously looked down upon R Guénon's work, but nevertheless used copiously traditional notions from him.
Then not to forget that Sedgwick's project is at another level, not so much concerned with (metaphysical) concepts of truth and falsehood, but academical (i.e. inside the framework of the academical, secular method) and possibly because of the growing interest in the studies of Tradition.
His study is still useful, not the least from a history studies point of view, and as the author M Sedgwick holds that: "Academic scholarship certainly follows set forms and conventions for its own purposes, but even so can also be of use to others."
[ up back to text]
.
fn2. The essential content of the religion which was taught by earlier prophets is the same as the one proclaimed by Prophet Muhammad MHMD . The message concerned the same core: worship of one true God and submission to Him.
This fact - that all prophets preached the same divine message of Islam to their peoples - has been misunderstood and ignored by two groups of people:
One group are those who don't know Arabic and the correct meaning of the word Islam. They just use this word as a label for the religion which was preached by Muhammad MHMD. The other group are those muslims who don't use the word Islam in its wider meaning. Islam is a mindset and a plan for action, not just the name of the teaching brought by M. This is what is aimed at in the following verse (3: 102):
{O ye who believe ! fear ALLAH as HE should be feared (taqwa); and let not death overtake you except when you are in a state of submission.}

God made it abandontly clear that the final revelation to mankind, the Quran, which was given to the last of the messengers, Muhammad MHMD, constitutes not a new religion or a new message but is the pinnacle of the earlier messages and a correction of the mistakes which had crept into them over the centuries.
Call To The One God, Asra Rasheed; p. 47/48
[ up back to text]
.
fn3. As with the Free-Masons or Blavatsky. His books in which he disclosed them are:
- The Spiritist Fallacy (September 2003)
- Theosophy (September 2003)
www.seriousseekers.com/Books
[ up back to text]
.
fn4. It is not difficult to recall instances of supposedly 'tradition' within Islam, examples which don't have much to do with the timeless message of Islam, freed from cultural and social (and political!) influences.

What quite a few people believe is Islam is instead often 'traditionalism', ie. customs and usages, or civilisation; (a quote by sister E. T.: "too much culture is brought into religion these days.")

Islam is fundamentally and originally Tradition - its timeless, divine message, this is why the Islamic Tradition defines the Islamic religion, not the other way round.
[ up back to text]
.
fn5. From time to time Allah sent His chosen servants, meaning His prophets and messengers to mankind, because human reason cannot alone lead man to the knowledge of Truth. This knowledge is sacred, metaphysical knowledge which transcends our sense perception or our rational thinking. Therefore it is the duty of everyone to have faith in the fact that God - Allah has really sent them.

Note 65 to sura 22:52; Mohammad K Bernström, 'Koranens budskap':
"Messengers (rasûl, pl. rusul) are mediators of revelations which include new doctrinal systems or new religious forms, whereas the term prophet (nabîy, pl. anbiyâ) refers to the one entrusted with the function of reminding people of the ethical principles which are at the base of an already existing religious system or which are common to all revealed religions."
[ up back to text]
.
fn6. Furthermore there are those who would most of all like to create a new religion as an amalgam of the others. They are using among other aspects 'perennialism' to boil an anti-traditional draught. Others start "non-religions", which however are strictly hierarchical organized with 'god-like' leaders, in their malign quest to attract followers for their invented movements, for which they don't have any authority.
[ up back to text]
.
fn7. Christianity of for example the 11th century is lightyears from today's form of Christianity. They don't even follow their own God-given law. So their pretention of 'loving God' is just not true. On top of this today "many Christians uncritically mix non-Christian values with (allegedly) Biblical values."
See f ex 'The Young Marriage of `Aishah' by A R Squires
at: www.muslim-answers.org
[ up back to text]
.
fn8. "Instinctive knowledge of the Supreme Being is embedded in each human soul as an inborn part of human nature. Moreover, all peoples on earth have received divine messengers at some time in the course of human history or pre-history. Consequently, God and his names are part of a universal human legacy. They are hardly unique to anyone, nor are the Abrahamic religions the sole residuaries of divine names expressing the Creator's perfection and glory." p.4
www.nawawi.org
[ up back to text]
.
fn9. "Numerous micro-religions (i.e. primitive religions) commemorate a primeval time of the 'old religion,' when harmony existed between the Supreme Being and their forebears, an age of pristine happiness which was brought to an end through wrongdoing, estrangement, and alienation." p.5
www.nawawi.org
[ up back to text]

.
fn10. Descartes was the real founder of "rationalism". It meant the limitation and decline of intelligence by denying intellectual intuitionen and by setting reason above everything else.
Almqvist, Kurt; I tjänst hos det Enda, Ur René Guénons verk; 1977

René Guénon expressed it in the following way:
"Modern philosophy originates with Descartes; but, the influence exerted by him ... could never have extended so far had his conceptions not been in agreement with pre-existing tendencies already largely taken for granted by the majority of his contemporaries; the modern outlook saw its own reflection in Cartesianism ...
Moreover ... a movement as conspicuous as Cartesianism ... is not spontaneous, but the product of widely diffused and inconspicuous labours; if a man like Descartes happens to be particularly representative of the modern deviation, if he can be said to incarnate it to some extent and from a certain point of view, nevertheless he is neither the only person nor the first person responsible for it and it would be necessary to look much further back to discover its origins. Similarly, the Renaissance and the Reformation, which are usually regarded as the first great manifestations of the modern spirit, completed rather than provoked the rupture with tradition ..." p. 55
[Descartes saw the rational] facuty as the highest part of the intelligence, or even regarding it as coinciding with the whole of intelligence; it is this which constitutes "rationalism", of which [he] was the real originator. This limiting of the intelligence moreover was only a first stage; little time was to elapse before reason itself became degraded to the fulfilling of mainly practical functions ... p. 52
Crisis Of The Modern World; René Guénon / `Abd al-Wâhid Yahya
[ up back to text]

.
fn11. From the Holy Quran:

{ Mankind were one community, then they differed among themselves, so ALLAH raised Prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, ...}
Sura The Cow (Al-Baqara) (2) verse 213

{ And certainly We sent apostles before you: there are some of them that We have mentioned to you and there are others whom We have not mentioned to you, ...}
Sura The Believer (Al-Mumin) (40) verse 78

{ And (We sent) apostles We have mentioned to you before and apostles we have not mentioned to you; ...}
Sura Women (an-Nisâ) (4) verse 164

[ up back to text]

.
fn12. These are core principles especially of the monotheistic world-religions. Then what is believed to be true in Islam differs of course from other religions, for Islam retains the exact and unblended information about God's - Allahs Unicity, may His Majesty be exalted, about the cosmos, about the nature of man, about the best way to travel from this life to the next, about the rescue (liberation) of the souls from the Fire and their entry into the Garden. The principles of Tradition have been guarded in their purest form in Islam.
lk19: God's Oneness as stated for example in the `Aqîdah Al-Tahawi
lk26: On The Transmission And The Guarding Of The Islamic Tradition
[ up back to text]

.
fn13. What Muslims Also Have To Do

What muslims also have to do is to get rid of this attitude of victimization...
“Look, you [muslims] are responsibe - if you have the feeling that people around you don't know you or are scared of your presence, [then] it's up to you to reach out. It's exactly what you have to do. It means to say who you are, reach out, talk to people and try to walk with them and at the same time - within the community - we need more education. What we call an Islamic education is not only to spread Quran and ahadith – the prophetic tradition. If you are true and sincere in the fact that this is your country, [then] education means to know the constitution, to know the law, the history, to respect the collective psychology, to respect the surrounding culture - ... this is what I'm trying to do at a grassroots level and in my books.”
A quote from Tariq Ramadhan
(in a BBC-WS interview, 2005-04-03)
[ up back to text]

.
fn14. This unlettered man – the Prophet of Islam MHMD – came out of the cave with a new, wholly authentic message to heal all the wounds of humanity and challenged all the literary geniuses to produce a like of his message. This alone is enough to show that he is a Messenger sent by God to guide humanity to truth. (From www.mlife.org/Muhammad -> 6. )
[ up back to text]

.
fn16. Comment by a reader:
"While there is of course a difference between perennialism and seeing 'similarities with the eternal principles of other religions, which have to be there because the divine message is universal', as your article says, there still seems to be some disturbing points in Guenon's teachings that seem not to adequate to a merely perspective of seeing similarities."
Then the dear reader presents some excerpts from - what he calls - R. Guenon's teachings, for example:
"He said: 'the fact of the matter is that I am attached to the Islamic initiatic organizations for thirty years, which, of course, is completely different' ... [than 'embracing the muslim religion']."
This is an example of focusing on minor details which do not help us as Muslims on the way. Whatever RG meant here with being 'attached to' in contrast to having 'embraced' Islam and other such - at first sight - unclear instances in his writings, he was a believer and a practicing Muslim!
Wouldn't it be better for us to embrace the dîn of Islam wholly and whole-heartedly, drinking from its live-giving nectar?! [1e]
[ up back to text]
.
fn17.
{ Say you, 'We believe in ALLAH and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob and his children and what was given to Moses and Jesus, and what was given to all other Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them; and to HIM we submit ourselves.' } Quran, Sura 2, verse 136.
[ up back to text]

.
fn18. See for example the fatwa or response by a qualified Muslim Scholar against the killing of civilians by the jurist of the Shafi`i School Shaykh Muhammad Afifi al-Akiti or [lk27].
[ up back to text]

.
fn19 At Signposts [lk28] key metaphysical terms are presented as explained by René Guénon based on his expositions in various places,
as one of his main concerns was on the one hand to produce an unsentimental analysis of Western ideological and religious development since the Renaissance, focusing on the degradation of various key terms in Western theory and philosophy; while on the other hand - with the better understanding so produced - to guiding toward true spirituality and God-fearingness.
[ up back to text]

.
fn20 Jesus (peace be upon him) said: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot." (Matthew 5:13)
Meaning he exhorts the believers to faithfulness, to fidelity, or to their role in purifying themselves to be useful to other people.
[ up back to text]

.
fn21
1.) What does a godfearing believer (al-muttaqû ) believe in? (NB: among other elements of faith [lk18])
Allah says in the Quran in the beginng of sura al-Baqara:
{ wa-lladhîna yuminûna bimâ unzila ilayka wa mâ unzila min qablika ... }
{ And who have faith in what has been revealed to you and
in what has been revealed before you ... }
The meaning of this verse according to Ibn Kathir och At-Tabari is:
“They believe in what Allah sent you with (O Muhammad) and in what the previous Messengers were sent with, they do not distinguish between (believing) them, nor do they reject what they brought from their Lord.”
This also means according to Muhammed K Bernström: “This refers to one of the main themes of the Quran, namely that the divine revelation is a phenomena of historical continuity.” ( Koranens budskap, p. 4, not. 5 )
[7.] & lk18: Items of belief & the fundamentals of faith

2.) How should therefore the godfearing believer (al-muttaqu ) act? Which is the best of deeds?
Who created death and life that He may try you - which of you is best in deeds;
and He is the Mighty, the Forgiving, Sura The Kingdom (Al-Mulk) 67, verse 2
The answer is: He acts righteous (s.âlih ).
But this will be just hypocracy IF it is not done solely for Gods face, ie. for Allah's good pleasure. Therefore he will only choose such acts which are done for Gods face, ie. for Allah's good pleasure. But then it will still be inadequate, and Allah will not accept those acts, IF they are not done according to the prophetic Sunna!
(Hadith about the man who prayed in the mosque but who had to repeat his prayers twice because the Prophet MHMD rejected them.)
.
fn22.
"Sound Islamic doctrine ... affirms the oneness of heavenly religions although the dispensations and scriptures are more than one.
However, the perverting of the Qur'anic meanings through unheard-of interpretations is no object to those who push the agenda of what Sayyid Muhammad al-Ya`qubi called a campaign of neutralization through co-option posing as interfaith activity."
GFH
[ up back to text]

.
fn23. Intervju med Hamza Agostini - more later, inshah Allah.
[ up back to text]



Related pages:

•  lk1 The reason why Islam was revealed
•  lk2 Ibn `Arabi on the religious laws
•  lk3 Common core principles
•  lk4 From The Life Of Prophet Mohammed
•  lk5 Earlier Revelations To Certain Peoples Only
•  lk6 Modernism And Postmodern Thought
•  lk8 Notes On The New Age Movement
•  lk9 The wider sense of the word 'Islam'
•  lk10 Is Being Muslim Necessary?
•  lk11 Eleven (False) New Age Principles
•  lk12 Charles Upton; The System Of Antichrist
•  lk13 Some of René Guénon's works
•  lk14 Tradition Islamique - Islamic Tradition
•  lk15 Difference Between Spirit And Soul Or Psyche
•  lk15b Danger of mind (psyche) divorced from Spirit
•  lk16 Tolerant Monoteismen
•  lk17 Descartes limited intelligence to reason
•  lk18 Items of belief & the fundamentals of faith
•  lk19 Al-Tahawî's `Aqîdah
•  lk20 Understanding The Four Madhhabs, footn. 74
•  lk21 Islam & Christianity: Two Religions, One God; Sh. A Kuftaro
•  lk22 Symbole der heiligen Wissenschaft
•  lk23 Protestant Islam by Mohammed Al-Abbasi
•  lk24 In the Spirit of Tradition, Sidi Nazim Baksh
•  lk25 Book review: Sufism: The Essentials, Mark J Sedgwick
•  lk26 On T Transmission And The Guarding Of T Islamic Tradition
•  lk27 Defending the Transgressed by Censuring the Reckless
against the Killing of Civilians, Sh M Afifi al-Akiti

•  lk28 Directions from Signposts at *LivingIslam*







next page

 

 

vs.5.2


home

latest update: Mon, 8 Jun 2009

2005-03-12

* living Islam – Islamic Tradition *
http://www.livingislam.org