In
the age of the internet, we hear time and time
again the phrase ‘GOD Alone’
being used is some chat rooms and appearing
on some websites…
What
does this phrase mean and what are its origins?.
GOD
Alone in its most basic form means:
following the laws of GOD and NO ONE ELSE.
GOD,
being represented by His words, is the ultimate
authority with which all matters are to be returned
and all matters to be judged:
“Shall
I seek other than GOD as a JUDGE, when He has
revealed to you this book fully detailed? Those
who received the scripture recognize that it
has been revealed from your Lord, truthfully.
You shall not harbor any doubt. (Quran 6:114)
The
Book of GOD has been revealed to take mankind
out of the darkness and into the light…It
has come after an age where the message of previous
prophets was lost and/or distorted…It
has come at a time of our great need.
What
strikes traditionalists when reading the above
statements is the question: ‘What about
the prophet!’.
Traditional
Islam places GOD through the Quran, and the
Prophet through the Hadith & Sunnah (transmitted
traditions). Traditional Islam justifies this
union by the verses “Obey Allah, and obey
the Messenger”, whereby obeying GOD is
the Quran, and Obeying the Messenger is the
Sunnah.
To
claim that we need nothing but the laws in the
Book is preposterous even to the most liberal
Muslim of today…
However,
this is where Islam based on ‘GOD
Alone’ differs and splits from
its counterparts.
The
views of GOD Alone are that
GOD inspired His words (Al-Quran) through the
prophet and that the prophet was to use this
book to judge amongst mankind:
"And
We have revealed the Book to you which has the
clear explanation of everything, and a guidance
and mercy and good news for those who submit."
(16:89)
“Surely
We have revealed the Book to you with the truth
that you may judge between people by means of
that which GOD has shown you; and be not an
advocate on behalf of the treacherous."
(4:105)
"And
We have revealed to you the Book with the truth,
verifying what is in it of the Book and a guardian
over it, therefore judge between them by what
GOD has revealed, and do not follow their low
desires (to turn away) from the truth that has
come to you;" (5:48)
The
Prophet was commanded not only to deliver the
word of GOD (an honor in itself for any creature
or being), but to LIVE the word of GOD and show
its application.
“The
messenger of GOD has set up a good example for
those among you who seek GOD and the Last Day,
and constantly think about GOD. When the true
believers saw the parties (ready to attack),
they said, 'This is what GOD and His messenger
have promised us, and GOD and His messenger
are truthful.' This only strengthened their
faith and augmented their submission.”
(33:21-22)
This
is where GOD Alone and traditional
Islam take different paths…
Traditional
Islam believes that the example of the prophet
was captured in the narrations of the Hadith,
which were then compiled into several books
by the 3rd century A.H. These example show us
how he lived the life of the Quran, and thus
following this example will attain salvation
as well as fulfilling the command to obeying
the messenger.
The
view of GOD Alone is that the
life of the messenger has been recorded and
captured in the most detailed manner…not
in the books of Hadith…but in the Holy
Book itself. The questions that he was asked,
and the answers (inspired by GOD) that he gave:
"They
question thee about strong drink and games of
chance. Say: In both is great harm and utility
for men; but the harm of them is greater than
their usefulness." (2: 219).
"And
they ask you about menstruation: say, "It
is harmful; you shall abstain from the women
during menstruation and do not approach them
until they are cleansed. Once they are cleansed,
you may approach them in the manner ordained
by GOD. GOD loves the repenters, and He loves
those who are pure." (2:222)
The
list of questions and answers goes on throughout
the Holy Book…This is the life of the
Messenger, and this is the most authentic narration
authorized and inspired by GOD which we have
been commanded to follow…
“Nor
does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It
is no less than inspiration sent down to him”
(53:3-4)
It
was not left to the companions of the prophet
or Bukhari, Muslim or any other men to come
along and complete GOD’s religion for
us…The religion was complete on the day
GOD said it was so:
“Today,
I have completed your religion, perfected My
blessing upon you, and I have decreed Submission
as the religion for you…” (5:3)
By
following the words inspired by the messenger,
we have followed and obeyed the words of GOD.
Therefore:
"Whoso
obeys the Messenger he has obeyed Allah; and
he who turns away - We have not sent thee as
a warder over them." 4:80
For
to us the prophet ruled and lived by the word
of GOD Alone…
"Say,
'Whose testimony is the greatest?' Say, 'GOD's.
He is the witness between me and you that this
Quran has been inspired to me, to preach it
to you and whomever it reaches. Indeed, you
bear witness that there are other gods beside
GOD.' Say, 'I do not testify as you do; there
is only one god, and I disown your idolatry.'
(6:19)
It
must be noted that GOD Alone
only restricts itself to the Quran (word of
GOD) when dealing with issues of ‘law’;
as for all other matters in our world not covered
by the law, they are left for the person to
examine and comprehend using the miracles of
the hearing, sight, and heart for us to examine…Followers
of GOD Alone have a passion
for science, for archeology, for nature, and
for reason and logic…for GOD tells us:
“We
will show them our proofs in the horizons, and
within themselves, until they realize that this
is the truth. Is your Lord not sufficient as
a witness of all things?” (41:53)
Now,
after having said and done all of the above,
it might be important to HIGHLIGHT the core
differences that occur when a person follows
the laws of ‘GOD Alone’
Vs. ‘Traditional Islam’:
