Messenger Audio 14.2 (1982)

Minimum Requirements for Salvation, the places of worship belong to God do not call on anyone else besides God

(0:01) She wants a document to go into Iran. (0:04) Whether this has anything to do with her beliefs or convictions or not, I don't know. (0:09) If a person believes in God, this is what we're saying about Abraham going through Jesus, isn't it? (0:16) How about the people before Muhammad? (0:19) Or the people before Jesus? (0:20) It's not required to believe in any particular prophet, (0:26) but you have to believe that God did send messengers. (0:31) Even that is not required. (0:33) If you remember the minimum requirements for salvation at the beginning of this surah? (0:36) Anyone who believes in God, the last day, and lives a righteous life. (0:40) That's what's required. (0:43) You don't need to know about any prophet. (0:45) So we make a distinction between Muslim in the sense of Abraham was a submitter, (0:49) and Muslim in the sense of people who believe in the Quran. (0:54) And then Mohammedans in the sense of people who believe in the Quran. (0:57) People - reading the Quran now, and it says, (0:59) do not make any distinction among the prophets. (1:02) That's what the Quran says. (1:05) But there are some people who believe in God, (1:08) but don't believe that the Quran is the word of God. (1:10) That's not required. (1:13) that's the problem that most of the Jews have. (1:16) They believe in God, they believe in la ilaha illallah. (1:18) They're perfectly all right. (1:19) But what they don't believe in, what they won't be able to say, (1:23) is that Mohammed was a prophet and that the Quran was therefore (1:25) That's not required, they go to heaven. (1:28) It says here, any Jewish Christian, (1:31) obviously the Jew doesn't recognize Mohammed or Jesus. (1:35) And the Christian doesn't recognize Mohammed, obviously. (1:38) But if they believe in God, the last day, and lead a righteous life, they go to heaven. (1:42) This is the Quran. (1:43) What about the Christians who also idolize Jesus? (1:46) They're go to hell. Just like the muslims (1:48) To be a Christian, I mean, if you ask any Christian, (1:52) they have all kinds of different definitions. (1:54) And I know, because I come out of a Christian background, (1:56) all of them will tell you, I mean, the fundamental doctrine is (2:00) that the blood of Christ sacrificed, saved us from our sins. (2:05) This is the fundamental doctrine. (2:07) I mean, the Catholics have a different belief from us. (2:09) I know Christians who don't say that. (2:11) I know Christians who they have a book out here called The Myth of God Incarnate, (2:14) written by the top Christian clergymen, (2:18) who say that Jesus was a teacher. (2:21) They don't believe in the divinity of Jesus. (2:23) No, not even in the sonship of Jesus to God. (2:25) Not in the Trinity. (2:32) These are people who actually came to that conclusion (2:36) through studying and researching in the Bible and so forth. (2:40) I think Carl knows about this book more than anyone else. (2:42) I don't read it as much detail as you do. (2:44) Well, actually, I don't read it that well either. (2:47) No? (2:47) But I glance through it. (2:51) I glance through the whole thing and I underline many things. (2:55) But there are, the Quran says, (2:58) among the Christians and Jews are people who worship God alone (3:00) and do not idolize anything, and they go to heaven. (3:06) Because I've always been confused about that. (3:09) Because it seems to me that from my contact with Christianity, (3:13) which has been all in my own... (3:14) It's the majority, just like the muslims (3:14) Which is all in my own... (3:16) Which is all in my own... (3:18) It's the same. (3:19) Why should the Muslims be any smarter than human beings? (3:23) As a matter of fact, when Islam came, (3:26) I mean, when Muhammad came, (3:28) and Islam that's associated with Muhammad, (3:30) Satan was a lot smarter. (3:32) He had practiced with the Jews and the Christians. (3:37) Because they deny, this is what the Quran in Surah 6, verse 22 says, (3:42) that these people will swear by God that they were not idol worshippers, (3:46) but they were. (3:47) Because Satan made them idol worshippers without them realizing it. (3:51) The Christian tells you, I idolize Jesus. (3:53) Jesus is God, or Son of God. (3:55) They tell you that. (3:56) But the Muslims never tell you Muhammad is God, (3:59) or Son of God, or an idol. (4:01) Never. (4:02) But for all practical purposes, (4:04) they idolize Muhammad. (4:06) Because they believe that Muhammad has the power to intercede. (4:08) Like I told you, you go to an Islamic center here, (4:11) and tell them, I declare that (4:13) la ilaha illallah. (4:16) Continue, okay? (4:17) Go on. (4:18) Because they believe that... (4:18) I'm finished. (4:19) Because they believe that... (4:20) What do you mean finished? (4:21) What about Muhammad? (4:22) See? (4:23) They believe that Muhammad has the power to intercede. (4:26) Exactly. (4:28) But they're saying, (4:30) that there's asserting that Muhammad is a prophet (4:32) doesn't necessarily mean that we believe that... (4:35) We don't need to assert that Muhammad is a prophet. (4:37) We know he's a prophet. (4:39) Because we know from the Quran. (4:39) In that word sense, we don't have to say God is God, (4:41) because we know that God is God. (4:42) Exactly. (4:43) What? (4:43) We don't have to say God is God, (4:45) because we know that God is God. (4:46) Exactly. (4:46) So what we say is... (4:47) Say, la ilaha illallah. (4:48) This is exactly why we don't say God is God. (4:51) We don't say God is God, do we? (4:53) No, there's no... (4:54) I mean, la ilaha illallah. (4:54) Exactly. (4:55) We are negating any other God. (4:59) So really, the first point... (5:01) See, what we're saying is Muhammad is a prophet, (5:03) but we don't say God is God. (5:05) Because Muhammad is a prophet, we know that. (5:08) It's not a double negative. (5:10) No, it is not a double negative (5:12) I've seen it before. (5:13) Whereas, la ilaha illallah is a double negative. (5:17) That's a very good point. (5:19) So, Dr. Khalifa, (5:22) you said this prophet, (5:33) i said la ilaha ill Allah, and secondly he sincerely accepts Quran as my guidance (5:37) if he doubts what you said, something like this, (5:43) he automatically accepts the prophet. (5:46) Right. (5:47) Right? (5:48) But why should you worry about accepting him or not accepting him? (5:53) No, no, no, no, no. (5:53) This is not the point. (5:55) The point is, (5:56) if he has a worry, (5:59) he says, (6:00) I believe in Koran, (6:02) I believe in God, (6:03) and then I have to stop believing Muhammad as a prophet. (6:06) No, that's a contradiction, (6:07) because the Koran says Muhammad is Rasulullah. (6:10) The Koran says Muhammad is a messenger of God. (6:14) So, that person obviously doesn't believe in the Koran. (6:19) She has never seen the Koran. (6:22) Had she seen the Koran and she said she doesn't like it, (6:25) then she is not a believer. (6:28) Whatever her religion may be. (6:30) But those who reject this truth, (6:32) they say the Koran is ... (6:35) Yeah? (6:38) But you are saying that you don't have to, (6:42) it's not required to accept the prophet Muhammad as a prophet. (6:46) Right. (6:47) But if you don't accept him as a prophet, (6:49) then you don't accept the Koran as a book. (6:51) No, I'm talking about people who never saw the Koran. (6:55) They never heard of it, (6:56) they never seen it, (6:57) they don't know what it says. (6:58) It's not possible not to hear it, (7:00) because the whole world knows about the Koran. (7:01) Oh, are you kidding? (7:02) I had a colleague at work yesterday, (7:08) the day before, (7:09) and this fellow says, (7:11) he reads the sign at the back of my car and it says read the Quran, (7:13) and he looks at me and says, (7:14) is this the Jewish scripture? (7:16) No, no, no, I'm not saying that. (7:17) What I'm saying is that it's not possible not to hear the Koran. (7:21) Yeah, well, they know the Koran, (7:22) but they don't need to read it. (7:24) And the Koran maybe they didn't read in their life, but... (7:27) They don't know the Koran? (7:29) They don't need to know it. (7:31) They already know the Koran. (7:33) When you say it, (7:34) it's going to look like, you know, (7:35) they're dependent, (7:36) they know what it is, (7:37) and they don't have all the right things, (7:39) and you have all the evil things. (7:41) Or it's just some trivia, (7:43) like the Book of Mormon, (7:45) or some little book. (7:47) Well, it's pretty compared to the Book of Mormon, (7:48) more than the Koran. (7:50) People really don't know, (7:51) you don't know, (7:52) because I personally really, (7:53) you know, (7:58) it's just something like me, (7:59) and it's nice, you know? (8:01) One of the classics of world literature. (8:03) Really, that's how we think of it. (8:05) You know, not so much now. (8:07) We're hungry right now, (8:07) it's getting more and more, (8:09) but even 20 years ago, you know? (8:12) This verse 136 is very important to you, (8:16) because in this mosque, (8:17) we do not mention now that... (8:20) Surah 72 is a commandment that says (8:22) do not mention anyone else besides God. (8:25) Do not call upon anyone else besides God in the mosques. (8:30) So they call, you know, (8:32) I hear now they call, (8:33) in my mind's eye, (8:34) they call to prayer, (8:35) you know, (8:36) which I've heard so many times (8:37) from the mosques in Morocco. (8:39) And they say, (8:40) you know, (8:40) they said, (8:41) ash hadu- (8:41) wa ash hadu anna muhammadan rasullallah (8:45) they're breaking God's law right there (8:46) they're breaking the law because they're saying (8:54) but you don't make a distinction, (8:56) because some people can take it wrong, (8:57) some people don't understand. (9:00) But both of them... (9:00) But you are making a distinction. (9:02) You're only mentioning the last one, (9:05) because if you don't recognize (9:07) the last one in one sense, (9:08) you don't recognize the Quran. (9:09) But that's the tip of the iceberg. (9:11) They call him the Imam of the messengers. (9:13) They call him the master of the messengers. (9:15) And they call him... (9:16) He's the seal of the prophets. (9:18) Well, he is the seal of the prophets. (9:19) Okay, well that's sufficient. (9:21) The seal of the prophets is sufficient. (9:24) But just to assert that Muhammad is a prophet, especially if you're a Christian coming to Islam, it's only to assert, it's only another way of saying that the Qur'an is divinely revealed. (9:36) It shouldn't make any difference. (9:37) It's just, and I'm saying, it's just another way of saying that. Now, if you go on from there and start to say other things like the Hadith were divinely revealed or that we have to follow the Hadith too, (9:47) that's another, that's a step beyond saying that Muhammad is a prophet. That's a step beyond that for me. (9:52) To assert that Muhammad is a prophet, (9:54) you are breaking God's law right there (9:56) to assert that Muhammad is a prophet is only to assert that the Qur'an is divinely revealed, nothing more than that (9:59) First of all, what you say is not important. What's important is what's in your heart. I mean, if you want to be Muslim, if you want to convert from Christianity to Islam, God knows what's in your heart. (10:10) You don't need to declare anything. (10:16) I wanted to pray in the mosques. That's why I declared myself to be a Muslim. Because until I went to declare that, I couldn't pray in the mosques. (10:24) Maybe you've never had that problem in your whole life. (10:26) I mean, they're keeping you from the mosque. They're keeping the believers away. (10:31) No, it's the truth. It's the truth. You can't, if you, if you want to convert. (10:35) Isn't that against the virtue that once it prevents the believers from being being in the mosque? (10:42) Somebody was pulling your leg. Because first of all, when you go in the mosque and pray, you are saying, according to them at least, ash-hadu an la ilaha illallah, ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasool Allah. (10:51) In the prayer. When you pray there, you're supposed to be in the tashahud. You're supposed to be saying ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasool Allah. (11:01) It is part of the prayer. (11:02) Somebody wanted you to go and declare it officially and assert it. (11:06) It's only because in areas where there have been a lot of Europeans, and tourists, that they go in the mosque, not to worship, but just because they're curious. (11:17) So, I mean, if I, I think if I would have been a black skin, no matter what my, you know, or African looking, I don't think they would have. (11:25) I mean, I was, I had been refused entrance into mosques when I wanted to go and pray in Morocco. (11:30) And with the paper I did, I wasn't refused entrance. (11:33) That's the reason I did it. Not because, because I felt that, that it was, so that I could do it. (11:39) They have other problems, like colonialism, and the French were desecrating the mosques. (11:42) No, exactly. I mean, this is, they don't, they don't want to. (11:45) I'm talking about this particular commandment. We are not to make any distinction. (11:51) This is why we do not say ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasool Allah. (11:55) But you're, you're completely right in saying that every Arab mosque that has ever been here, they say that as part of the prayer. (12:01) This is, this is the only mosque in the world. I assure you. (12:05) This is the only mosque in the world where the adhan- (12:07) I've been to some, I've been to some old mosques too, not just the ones around town. (12:12) I've been to the old, one of the oldest mosques in Tanzania. They've probably been praying there since the 10th century A.D. (12:19) This is, this is the only mosque in the world. (12:21) They even mention Hassan Tali's name. (12:24) Talking about idolatry. (12:26) Let us all listen. Let's have one person talk. (12:31) There is a one verse in the Quran that says that do not mention any names besides God. (12:38) 72:18. (12:41) And there is a, the Quran also says that there is a person you cannot worship in the mosque that do idol worship in. (12:52) I remember something that I read in the Quran. (12:56) But then it also says that we have to be thankful. (13:00) I mean, we cannot worship any girl, we cannot pray. I don't think so. (13:04) No, no, there's no such thing. (13:07) You may be thinking of another verse. (13:11) Right. (13:14) That's in Surah 9. (13:17) In Surah 9? (13:18) What did you say about that? (13:20) That's not, that has nothing to do with idol worship. (13:22) It's a mosque that was built to oblige against Islam. (13:33) It was a specific, related to a specific incident that happened during the Prophet's lifetime. (13:40) So it has to do with, some people said this is a mosque. (13:43) And they used it as a jumping ground on the Muslims to attack them, plot against them and so forth. (13:51) And the direction, the instruction is in the Prophet, personally in his lifetime, not to go and pray in the mosque. (14:00) Yes? (14:01) If you go to a mosque, you see one verse says Allah and one verse says Muhammad. (14:10) Do you know their names? (14:11) Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman, Ali, yes. (14:17) Also Al-Hassan and Al-Hussain, Fatima. (14:19) I don't know Al-Hassan and Al-Hussain, but they have Ali, Uthman. (14:30) If you go and make a footprint in the mosque and say that this is not a ground mosque. (14:41) You don't need those names (14:43) That's right. (14:47) Yes you can. (14:50) When you know that there is idol worshiping going on there, would you pray in that mosque? (14:54) It doesn't matter. (14:55) What does the idol worshiping have to do with it? (14:57) It has nothing to do with your prayer. (14:59) You are not idolizing. (15:01) First of all, it's not Friday you are supposed to go to the mosque. (15:07) Friday you are supposed to go to the mosque. (15:08) Yes, but when you go on Friday, they start to talk Muhammad, Muhammad, Muhammad. (15:12) Do you listen to that? (15:13) Maybe someday. (15:14) Maybe someday... (15:55) And do not worship in such a mosque. (15:58) A mosque is for sometimes like this one. (16:01) From the first day and before worship, they worship in the area. (16:06) Yes, you have a choice of course. (16:08) But you see when you go to Egypt or Saudi Arabia or any of those places, you have no choice. (16:14) We were going to go and make hajj in the big mosque of Mecca (16:18) and they were giving hadith and worshiping Muhammad, Muhammad, Muhammad. (16:21) What can you do? (16:24) There is nothing you can do. (16:25) But he is going to worship in the area. (16:28) The Prophet himself and the early Muslims were praying in the Kaaba with the idols there. (16:35) The statues were there. (16:38) So, if you have a choice of course, you go to the mosque only in the name of God's blessings. (16:46) Don't worry. (16:48) But, I mean. (16:49) There are few places. (16:52) I mean, it mentions specifically that he protects the places where the names of God are commemorated. (17:02) It is not exclusive. (17:04) A lot of names are mentioned there. (17:07) There are mosques and churches and synagogues that would be torn down. (17:15) There are several verses that refer to it. (17:21) I mean, they mention so many and since we know that not a law, it still must be allowing you. (17:29) Well, like I said, the Kaaba, they have the statues there. (17:32) The Prophet had no choice but to go there. (17:34) He was signing around there. (17:35) It is the hope and calling that God appointed for us. (17:39) You have to go there. (17:41) You have to make hajj there. (17:43) Even if the whole land becomes disbelievers, you have to go there and do hajj there. (17:48) Because among the hajjis, I am sure there are hundreds of people who believe in God alone and they abhor the idol worship that is going on. (17:57) Now, if you go to Iran, the Adhan adds also, Ash hadu ann mawlana ali, waliallah (18:05) I had it on tape. (18:11) That is part of the Adhan. (18:12) When the Iranian folks was praying here, they did that. (18:21) He noticed they are not here anymore. (18:23) If God says His law is the idol worshippers will not pray in my mosque. (18:33) Some of you people remember telling me, why do you let these idol worshippers pray here? (18:38) And I say, this is God's place. (18:40) Maybe one or two of them will light sometimes. (18:44) And if God wants them, He will let them. (18:46) If He doesn't, He will kick them out. (18:49) True enough, He did. (18:51) We didn't do anything. (18:58) But this is a very important commandment. (19:01) Remember, Satan is quite powerful and he wants to make you an idol worshipper. (19:12) Ash hadu an la ilaha illaAllah That's all that is required. (19:14) That is what every prophet brought. (19:29) if there is a mosque where they are specifically fighting against the message... (19:44) yeah