Text Box:  OPENING SPEECH ~ JALSA SALANA (Summary of Speech of the Khalifatullah Hazrat Munir A. Azim (atba)) 07 October 2011 (After Jummah prayers till Maghrib/Esha prayers) After greeting everybody with the Salutation of Peace in Islam, the Messenger of Allah (atba) read the Tashahhud, Taouz, and then said: Each person is born in a circumstance which is not of his own choosing. The religion of his family or the ideology of the states is thrust upon him from the very beginning of his existence in this world. By the time he reaches the teens, he is usually fully brain-washed into believing that the beliefs of his particular society are the correct beliefs that everyone should have. However, when some people mature and are exposed to other belief-systems, they begin to question the validity of their own beliefs. The seekers of truth often reach point of confusion upon realizing that each and every religion, sect, ideology and philosophy claims to be the one and only correct way for man. Indeed, they all encourage people to do good. So, which one is right? They cannot all be right since each claims all others are wrong. Then how does the seeker of truth choose the right way? God gave us all minds and intellects to enable us to make the crucial decision. It is the most important decision in the life of a human being. Upon it depends his future. Consequently, each and every one of us must examine dispassionately the evidence presented and choose what appears to be right until further evidence arises. Like every other religion or philosophy, Islam also claims to be the one and only true way to God. In this respect it is no different from other systems. However, it must always be kept in mind that one can only determine the true path by putting aside emotions and prejudices, which often blind us to reality. Then, and only then, will we be able to use our God-given intelligence and make a rational and correct decision. The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word “Islam” itself means. The Arabic word “Islam” means the submission or surrender of one’s will to the only true God, known in Arabic as “Allah”. One who submits his will to God is termed in Arabic a “Muslim”. The religion of Islam is not named after a person or a people, nor was it decided by a later generation of man, as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gautama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, Marxism after Karl Marx, and Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam (submission to the will of God) is the religion which was given to Adam, the first prophet of God, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. Further its name was chosen by God Himself and clearly mentioned in the final scripture which He revealed to man. In that final revelation, called in Arabic the Quran, Allah states the following: “This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour upon you, and I have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5: 4). “If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to God), never will it be accepted of him.” (3: 86) Hence, Islam does not claim to be a new religion brought by Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) into Arabia in the seventh century, but rather to be a re-expression in its final form of the true religion of Almighty God, Allah, as it was originally revealed to Adam and subsequent prophets. At this point we might comment briefly on two other religions that claim to be true path. Nowhere in the Bible will you find God revealing to prophet Moses people or their descendants that their religion is called “Judaism” and Christianity. In other words the names “Judaism” and “Christianity” had no divine origin or approval. It was not until long after his departure that the name Christianity was given to Jesus religion. What, then, was Jesus religion in actual fact, as distinct from its name? His religion was reflected in his teachings, which he urged his followers to accept as guiding principles in their relationship with God. In Islam, Jesus is a prophet sent by God and his Arabic name is Issa. Like the prophets before him, he called upon the people to surrender their will to the will of God (which is what Islam stands for). For example, in the New Testament it is stated that Jesus taught his followers to pray to God as follows: “Our father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. (Luke 11: 2; Matthew 6: 9-10) This concept was emphasised by Jesus in a number of his statements recorded in the Gospels. He taught, for example that only those who submitted would inherit paradise. Jesus also pointed out that he himself submitted to the will of God. “None of those who call me “lord” will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) “I cannot do anything of myself. I judge as I hear and my judgement is honest because I am not seeking my own will but the will of Him who sent me”. There are many reports in the Gospels which show he was not the one true God. For example, when speaking about the final hour, he said: “No-one knows about the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, not the son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13: 32) Thus, Jesus like the prophets before him and the ones who came after him, taught the religion of Islam – submission to the will of the one true God. Thank you for your kind attention.