WHY ISLAM?
The Pursuit of Truth
The pursuit of truth and purpose is something every human being should aim for sincerely. Why do we exist? How did we get here? Where do we go from here? Given our innate desire to understand the world we live in; questions such as those will enter the minds of every person at least once in their lifetime. Some may give importance to the question and seek for answers, and some may wait for the truth to find them or even let it pass whilst they are indulged in the distractions of the worldly affairs.
Knowing your purpose will provide direction in life in many ways, such as guiding your decisions, actions and priorities. It gives us a framework for setting goals and making choices that align with our values and aspirations. It also serves as a source of motivation and inspiration, driving us to pursue our passions, overcome obstacles and strive for excellence.
In a world where satisfaction is temporary and hardships are inevitable, one can only obtain true contentment when their purpose is being fulfilled. What better satisfaction than fulfilling ones own true purpose.
Not only does Islam provide answers to these fundamental questions, it even encourages mankind to seek the truth and purpose when Allah (God) questions humanity, prompting reflection and self-examination. In simple words to answers Why Islam? Because it’s the truth.
إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًۭا ۖ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقًّا ۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَبْدَؤُا۟ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ لِيَجْزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌۭ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍۢ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ ٤
"To Him is your return all together. Allah’s promise is ˹always˺ true. Indeed, He originates the creation then resurrects it so that He may justly reward those who believe and do good. But those who disbelieve will have a boiling drink and a painful punishment for their disbelief."
Revelation
Everything around you contains signs of an all intelligent designer who is beyond anything we could fathom, in all the complexity of life, in the order and laws of nature, your very own existence could not have come to be itself without a cause.
Surely, in the time we are living in, after all of mankind’s progressive discoveries we now have knowledge of creation which would drastically exceed the imagination of those before us. With all we have discovered one thing is for certain, that the fundamental constants and physical laws of the universe are perfectly designed to allow for the existence of life as we know it. Not to mention, it is all evidently being preserved right before our very eyes.
No matter what society or land you are born into, the moment you arise into civilisation you will inevitably hear of claims which all point to a creator. These claims all share something in common, they mention societies upon which messengers were given revelations by the creator in order to convey the message to the people. In order for the message to be preserved and communicated to others who were not present, it would be inscribed on suitable materials of their time such as tablets of clay or animal skins.
Revelations, when conveyed to the people can very easily be subjected to corruption. Over time inscriptions may become lost or altered which can happen for a number of reasons. The desires and luxuries of the people that the revelation reaches to can potentially become a barrier for them to follow and this can lead to animosity for the message. In some cases, the message may even be watered down, removed or completely changed to suit the needs of the people. When this would happen, after some time a messenger would be sent among them to expose and rectify what was corrupted along with further guidance and rulings regarding matters related to the people at the time.
There are many factors that will change varying from every revelation depending on the people it is initially sent to, the language it is introduced in will dictate a lot of the terms used such as the title for the followers of the revelation and even the name called upon to the creator. Think of it as updated versions according to the people of the time and their conditions but the primary message which never changes according to all three of the Abrahamic faiths is to worship the one true God and to not associate any partners to him.
With that being said,
The Holy Qur’an is the book in which the latest message of God is inscribed, revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Peace be upon him) over a period of 23 years in the land of Arabia dating back to the year 623 AD. The term specified for the followers of this revelation is Muslim which simply means one who submits their will to God. This book addresses a wide range of topics, including guidance for personal conduct, moral values, social justice, theology and law.
أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ عَبَثًۭا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ
"Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?"