Why do we need Islam as a Religion? This is a question that crosses many people’s minds, especially those who do not follow any religion. Sometimes, it even occurs to religious individuals. Today, I will discuss why we need Islam as a religion and its necessity for human beings. Inshallah (If Allah wills), I will try my best to answer this question as well and as clearly as I can.
First of all, let me clarify that I am a religious person. Though I’m not the highest level of Muslim. I follow Islam as a religion, and I firmly believe that Islam is the complete code of life. I have no doubt about why we need Islam as a religion. This post is for those who actually want to understand why human beings need a true religion and why Islam is called a true religion. I am writing this post for them, so that they can understand the importance of Islam as a religion for human beings.
I pray to Allah Almighty not to give any misinformation that can harm anyone. If you find something good in this blog, then it’s the blessing of Allah Almighty. If you find anything bad, it’s from Satan (devil) and my lack of knowledge. Jazakallah (thank you).
Why do we need Islam as a Religion?
To understand the answer to this question properly, you first need to know what Islam actually is as a religion and where it came from. So, let’s start with the definition of a religion.
Please note: this is my own definition. If you like it, you can take it; if you don’t, you can avoid it. No problem.
Definition Of Islam As A Religion
“Islam as a religion is a guideline or a constitution from Allah Almighty for human beings to maintain a meaningful and successful life in this world and also hereafter.
Now you know the definition and you also know about the guideline. Now you can ask me why we need a guideline? Even if we need a guideline, why don’t we create our own? Why do we need guidelines from the creator? Lots of questions. Right?
To make it understandable for you, I will give you an example. Please don’t think I’m comparing creation with the Creator. It’s just an example.
Imagine you buy a computer. Now you need to operate it, but you can’t. Because you don’t have enough knowledge about that computer. Even if you have some knowledge, you can’t understand all the mechanisms of that computer. If your computer behaves abnormally, you have to go to the mechanic to fix the problem. Why? Because you’re not an expert on this. You’re not the creator of that computer either.
Now think about us as human beings. We are created by Allah Almighty. How can we know the wisdom of Allah Almighty about what’s good for us and what’s bad, what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s suitable and what’s not, etc.? Here we need a guideline from the Creator Himself.
You might say, why don’t we create a guideline for ourselves? We have morality, we have sense, we have experience, etc.
Fine! Sounds good. But it won’t work because it varies from person to person. Your morality might say drinking alcohol is good, while my morality says no, it’s bad. Your experience might say we need to kill a thief, while my experience says we should warn the thief and let him go. There is no single point on which all human beings can agree. It will always vary. The funny part is, everyone will think that his or her opinion is best for all human beings. Again, here we need a guideline from the Creator.
You just can’t live a good life without a proper guideline. And the proper guideline can only come from the Creator of all things. Our Creator is Allah Almighty, and He has given us Islam as a guideline. Allah Almighty call it a religion.
A question can be asked: Is Islam really from Allah Almighty? Or is Islam the only accepted religion to Almighty Allah?
These are valid questions. They have valid answers too. Even answers from Allah Almighty Himself.
Islam as a Religion: some answer from Allah
Allah says in the Holy Quran,
- “اِنَّ الدِّيْنَ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ الْاِسْلَامُ” “Truly, the (recognized) religion in the sight of Allah is Islām”. [¹]
- “وَمَنْ يَّبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْاِسْلَامِ دِيْنًا فَلَنْ يُّقْبَلَ مِنْهُ ۚ وَهُوَ فِي الْاٰخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخٰسِرِيْنَ” “Whoever seeks a faith other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers”. [²]
- ” اَلْيَوْمَ اَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِيْنَكُمْ وَاَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِيْ وَرَضِيْتُ لَكُمُ الْاِسْلَامَ دِيْنًا” “Today, I have perfected your religion for you, and have completed My blessing upon you, and chosen Islam as Dīn (religion and a way of life) for you”. [³]
These are the verses from the Holy Quran where Allah Almighty clearly speaks about Islam being the true religion. I think now you should not have any doubt about Islam being a true religion because I gave you proof from the Creator Himself.
Now, coming back to my definition of Islam as a religion. I mentioned in my definition that to maintain a meaningful and successful life in this world and the hereafter, we need Islam as a religion.
Why did I say this? Because Islam as a religion gives us everything we need to make our lives meaningful and successful. There is no problem in human life that is not discussed in Islam with its solution. This is because Islam came from the Creator, Allah Almighty, who knows everything, who has all the power, and to whom we have to return.
Some Additional Points about Islam as being a true Religion
- Monotheism: Islam emphasizes the belief in one God (Allah), promoting a clear and direct connection between the believer and Allah Almighty, which is important for any religion to be a true religion. It can also appeal to those seeking a straightforward and personal faith.
- Inclusivity: Islam teaches that everyone is equal in the eyes of Allah Almighty, regardless of race, nationality, or social status. This principle of equality is fundamental in Islam.
- Compassion and Mercy: The teachings of Islam always emphasize compassion, mercy, and forgiveness. The Quran repeatedly describes Allah as “the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.” There are many verses in the Holy Quran where you can find this.
- Charity (Zakat): One of the Five Pillars of Islam, Zakat, mandates charitable giving to those in need, fostering a sense of community and responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also shows the acceptance of Islam as a religion.
- Respect for Prophets: Islam respects and acknowledges all Abrahamic prophets, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, creating a sense of continuity and respect with other major religions. I don’t think you can find any other religion besides Islam where all prophets are similarly respected.
- Focus on Community (Ummah): Islam places a strong emphasis on the concept of the Ummah, or global community of Muslims, promoting unity and support among believers. A true Muslim always cares about his fellow Muslim brother. There are many instructions from the Quran and the Hadith where we are told to care for other Muslims. Let me give you an authentic hadith about this matter: Narrated Anas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself”. [⁴]
- Spiritual Practices: Regular practices like daily prayers (Salah), fasting during Ramadan, pilgrimage (Hajj), and remembering Allah Almighty provide structure and spiritual growth, appealing to those seeking discipline and a deeper spiritual connection. Islam would be the best choice as a religion.
- Ethical Guidelines: The Quran and Hadith provide comprehensive guidelines on personal conduct, business ethics, and social justice, promoting a balanced and just way of life.
- Interfaith Dialogue: Islam encourages respectful dialogue and coexistence with people of other faiths, emphasizing common values and mutual understanding. Even Allah says in the Holy Quran, “وَلَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِيْنَ يَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللّٰهَ عَدْوًۢا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ” “Do not revile those whom they invoke other than Allah, lest they should revile Allah in transgression without having knowledge”. [⁵]
- Intellectual Tradition: Historically, Islam has a rich tradition of scholarship and intellectual inquiry, promoting science, mathematics, philosophy, and medicine, which highlights its compatibility with reason and knowledge. Islam always encourages us to become more productive and to solve problems for others.
The list could be even longer than this. But I’m not trying to expand the list. I hope I have given you many reasons why Islam is a true religion.
One Last Thing About Islam as a Religion:
There are many things in Islam that we may not understand because our brains have limitations. Sometimes, we don’t understand the wisdom of Allah Almighty. It is like trying to explain Einstein’s theory of relativity or any programming language or any bit of complex knowledge to an elephant, which is easy for human beings but not for animals.
Now, if I ask you why an elephant doesn’t understand Einstein’s theory of relativity or why it doesn’t have any programming knowledge, even though it has a brain like us, what would your answer be? You might think that it’s a very silly question. Or you might say that an elephant’s brain doesn’t have the same capacity as a human brain.
I am saying exactly the same thing: we human beings also have limitations in our brains. Not only in our brains, but we have many other limitations. We don’t have the power of an elephant, we can’t fly like a bird, we can’t remain underwater without oxygen like a fish, and much more. This is because Allah Almighty created us without these powers, and this is also part of His wisdom.
Remember, when you recognize that you are a creation and Allah Almighty is the Creator, then there is no problem at all. Our job is to abide by Allah’s commands. We have to please Allah Almighty for our success because we are created for this reason. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran,
- “وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوْنِ” “I did not create the Jinns and the human beings except for the purpose that they should worship Me”. [⁶]
This verse is a reminder for all of us of the reason why Allah Almighty created us. We should organize all the activities of our lives in such a way that through each activity, we can get closer to Allah Almighty and fulfill the purpose for which He created us. And the only way to do that is to follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). If you want to know how to decorate your life in such a way, then you can read this post, Importance of the Sunnah of Prophet (P.B.U.H)
May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala grant all of our good deeds and forgive all our mistakes. Ameen.
If you want to learn more about Islam in detail, I would recommend reading my three posts below.
footnote
- Surah Al Imran, 3:19
- Surah Al Imran, 3:85
- Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:3
- Sahih Sahih al-Bukhari, 13 In-Book Reference: Book 2, Hadith 6 USC-MSA web (English) reference: Vol. 1, Book 2, Hadith 13 (deprecated numbering scheme
- Surah Al-An’am 6:108
- Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:56
