ABOUT THIS BOOK: Islam Is the Religion of the Truth

 Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

1-  We have received a question via email about the reason behind ending many of our articles all the time with this phrase: (As always, God says nothing but the Absolute Truth). Our answer took an article form within the section (Quranic Terminology) and the yields of this Quranist research increased and a series of articles has been written; we combine these articles in this short book titled "Islam Is the Religion of the Truth".

2- The methodology adopted in this book is the same one within the section (Quranic Terminology); i.e., to trace and explore how certain Quranic terms, with their cognates and derivations, are used through the entire Quranic text. The articles of the genre named (Quranic Terminology) paves the way for other Quranist researchers to write articles in the same vein. Turning our articles in the form of a short book does not entail any change in our methodology of writing, as most of the content of this series of articles are referred to in our previous writings. The new item here is the title of the book: "Islam Is the Religion of the Truth".

3- We have tackled in our previous writings how Islam is the religion of peace, justice, Shura consultation (i.e., direct democracy), etc. This short book titled "Islam Is the Religion of the Truth" is an addition to these writings. The articles comprising this book tackle the topic from different angles as per the derivations and cognates of the term truth in the Quranic text: truth, truly, true, and truthful. This book tackles also the contradictions between Islam (i.e., the Quran), which is based on the Truth, and the Satanist earthly religions which are based on lies, falsehoods, and myths that drive people to reject and deny the Quranic Truth, in addition to the contradictions between true believers, who adhere to the Truth when dealing with people and in believing in the Divine Truth revealed within God's Word, and disbelievers who are addicted to telling lies and to denying and rejecting the Truth, and how the stances of both sides will be on the Day of Resurrection.

4- There is a certain issue that entails some explanation in detail in this introduction to this short book. This issue is mentioned only en passant in one of the articles; since the Quran is the only Absolute Truth concerning God's religion, this query is raised: do Quranist preachers have the right to claim to monopolize the truth since they quote the Quranic verses to prove their views?   

5- We say that the answer is of course not; the reasons for this answer are given in the points below.

5/1: Quranist preachers/researchers offer their views in articles published online and ascribe these views to themselves and their names, and NOT to Islam per se. This is because human beings are liable to err and change their views and they may present right views. For instance, within our book titled "The Quran: Sufficient as a Source of Islamic Legislation", we quote Quranic verses in almost every paragraph, but after all, it is a book authored by us and it carries our name, our ijtihad (i.e., innovative) ideas. Thus, readers must verify notions they read in it. Likewise, any writers may quote Quranic verses, which represent the Absolute Truth, but they may use this quotations in a wrong way to prove a wrong view that has nothing to do with the Quranic Truth. Hence, no writers can claim they monopolize the meanings within the Quranic Truth. Any Quranist writings are ascribed to their authors and may contain right or wrong ideas based on Quranist ijtihad.      

5/2: Prophet Muhammad's sole mission was to convey the entirety of the Quranic Truth as it is; he never provided 'interpretation' or 'explanation' for the Quran; otherwise, he would have been punished before his people as per these verses: "It is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds. Had he falsely attributed some statements to Us.We would have seized him by the right arm. Then slashed his lifeline. And none of you could have restrained Us from him." (69:43-47). Hence it was impossible for Muhammad to fabricate any verses to the Quran imprinted inside his heart since the first time he met the Holy Spirit: the arch-angel Gabriel; see 53:1-12 and 2:97. God says in the Quran: "Or do they say, "He forged a lie about God." If God so willed, He could have sealed your heart. But God obliterates the false, and confirm the true by His Words. He knows what is in the hearts." (42:24). The is one feature, among others, of how God preserves the Quranic text, which is the Absolute Truth, till the end of days. Muhammad's mission of conveying the Quran subsumed preaching it, warning with it, bringing glad tidings, testifying with it, and teaching it. this was done only using the Quran, without anything else added or any verse less from its text. Even when people posed questions to him, he'd wait for the answer revealed in the Quran; this is why many verses contain the collocation "They ask you about...Say...", and we have published online a book about verses of that type that assert the fact that all words of Muhammad about Islam are included in the Quran, and NEVER in any other sources at all. Islam has but one source: the Quran the contains the Absolutely Truth in which we are to believe. Hence, Muhammad has no words, sayings, or narratives outside the Quran about Islam. Muhammad's talks with people as a person is never part of Islam; he was a mortal who could err or say something right about ordinary matters of daily life at the time. Let us be reminded that the Quran mentions how Muhammad has been reproached and rebuked in the Quran for some of his words and praised for some others. Hence, as a mortal human being, Muhammad never claimed to monopolize the truth about anything; he only conveyed God's Word, the Quran, as the Absolute Truth.       

5/3: If any mortals claim to monopolize the truth, this means that they contradict the absolute religious freedom in Islam; everyone has the right to discern from the Quranic text whatever notions while ascribing them to his/her ijtihad. Muhammad has been commanded to assert this absolute religious freedom (to choose to believe or not) to disbelievers among his people in the following verses: "Say, "O my people! Work according to your ability, and so will I." You will come to know to whom will belong the sequel of the abode." The wrongdoers will not prevail." (6:135); "And say to those who do not believe, "Act according to your ability; and so will we." "And wait; we too are waiting."" (11:121-122); "Say: "O my people, work according to your ability; and so will I. Then you will know. Who will receive a humiliating torment, and on whom will fall a lasting torment." We sent down upon you the Book for mankind in truth. He who follows guidance does so for the good of his soul. And he who strays in error does so to its detriment. You are not their overseer." (39:39-41). This means Muhammad was to respect their choice of faith/belief and worship and wait until God's Judgment is done on the Last Day. This applies to all people as well; they are to respect this absolute religious freedom of one another.

6- Yet, this respecting absolute religious freedom of one another does NOT contradict that preachers have the right to declare certain notions/practices/deeds as pertaining to disbelief as per the Quran used as the criterion. Some Quranic verses mention deeds and words of disbelievers; when Quranist preachers and writers assert that these verses apply to certain people now, this is NOT monopolizing of the Truth and NOT violating absolute religious freedom, for two reasons that we assert in the two points below.

6/1: Foes of Quranists among the Muhammadans have the same right to declare certain notions/practices or deeds as pertaining to disbelief. To declare this is a main feature in the Divine, Celestial Religion (Islam: the Quran itself) and in all the earthly, man-made religions as well. The most frequent Quranic words are ''polytheism'' and ''disbelief'', and other synonyms related to these two words: injustice, unjust ones, criminals, immoral ones, sinners, etc.

6/2: Within most of the earthly, man-made religions, to declare someone as 'infidel' or 'apostate' means to put him/her to death! In contrast, within Islam (i.e., the Quran), persons/names are never declared as such; rather, notions, deeds, beliefs, practices, etc. are deemed as pertaining to disbelief, for the purpose of warning and preaching so that people may repent and spare themselves eternity in Hell. Hence, repentant ones are no longer disbelievers or polytheists; we are not to declare someone as an 'infidel'; rather, we can judge their deeds, practices, notions, etc. as pertaining to disbelief.       

7- Hence, it is the Quran only that is described as the Absolute Truth; this applies to other scriptures given to previous messengers/prophets of God of course. We are to believe in the Quran, God's Word, as representing the Perfect, Absolute Truth, without the belief in any other books beside it authored by anyone. This was also the belief embraced by Prophet Muhammad: "The messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, as did the believers. They all have believed in God, and His angels, and His scriptures, and His messengers: "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. Your forgiveness, our Lord. To you is the destiny."" (2:285); "O you who believe! Believe in God and His messenger, and the Book He sent down to His messenger, and the Book He sent down before. Whoever rejects God, His angels, His Books, His messengers, and the Last Day, has strayed far in error." (4:136); "... and say, "I believe in whatever Book God has sent down, and I was commanded to judge between you equitably. God is our Lord and your Lord. We have our deeds, and you have your deeds. Let there be no quarrel between us and you. God will bring us together, and to Him is the ultimate return."" (42:15).

8- Within real Islam, there is no belief in words of any mortals, because belief must be in the Absolute Truth: God's Word.

9- This is why we write all the time this phrase: (As always, God says nothing but the Absolute Truth).