9- Why is there not only one correct belief in the world?
The reason for this is that the wisdom of Allah Almighty requires that different kinds of beliefs exist, as Allah Almighty says:
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنْكُمْ كَافِرٌ وَمِنْكُمْ مُؤْمِنٌ
“He it is Who created you; then some of you are disbelievers, and some of you are believers.”
And He said:
وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ النَّاسَ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً
“And if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community.”
Meaning, if Allah Almighty had willed, He could have gathered all people on one religion and belief. But:
وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ إِلَّا مَنْ رَحِمَ رَبُّكَ وَلِذَلِكَ خَلَقَهُمْ
“And they will always differ, except whom your Lord has mercy on, and He created them for that.”
If there were no difference in beliefs, then the creation of Paradise and Hell would be pointless, because for Paradise there must be those who enter Paradise and for Hell those who enter Hell, and this is impossible without the difference in beliefs.
Yes, it is necessary to know what is the law and standard for recognizing the correct and incorrect belief? Regarding this, we say that the correct belief is that which is in accordance with the belief of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his companions, and that which opposes it is false and corrupt belief. This same rule applies to bodily deeds; therefore, righteous deeds are those which are in accordance with the deeds of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his companions, and those which are not are not righteous deeds but are called corrupt deeds. This is the principle about which we should investigate whether indeed our belief is that belief and whether our deeds are in accordance with the deeds of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his companions or opposed to them?
