3- What is the reality of the religion of Islam?
The reality of the religion of Islam was explained by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in response to Angel Jibril (Gabriel). When Angel Jibril asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about Islam, he said:
« اَلْإِسْلَامُ: أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ، وَتُقِيْمَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُوْمَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيْلًا »
“Islam is to testify that there is no deity but Allah and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger, to establish prayer, to give zakat, to fast during Ramadan, and if able, to perform Hajj to the House (Kaaba).”
And in reality, it includes belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and the good and bad of divine decree, as well as Ihsan (excellence in faith). Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve that, then certainly know that Allah sees you, because the word Islam encompasses all these things. The proof of this is Allah’s statement:
إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ
“Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.”
And the second proof is the Hadith of Jibril. In it, the Prophet (peace be upon him) also clarified that Jibril asked these questions to teach the people their religion. It is as clear as daylight that the religion of Islam is to obey Allah’s commands outwardly and inwardly and to refrain outwardly and inwardly from what He has forbidden.
