Universality Of Religion

the universality of religion one point that makes a religion the true religion of god is universality. it must be universally understandable and universally attainable in the past, present and future and it must continue eternally to be understandable and attainable throughout the entire world. this religion cannot depend on one man at one given period of time. unlike christianity where belief in jesus christ (pbuh) is the only way to salvation or buddhism without buddha and judaism with moses (pbuh), in islam it is the submission to the one only god. so even if the messenger who brought the message it not present, this will not affect the religion. just like those who were present before the prophet mohamed (pbuh) was given his message, those monotheists who believed in the message of the prophets before them and did righteous deeds allah has promised them a great reward. 2:62 verily, those who believe (in the qur’an), and those who follow the jewish faith, and the christians, and the sabians (angel-and-star-worshippers) -- any of these who believe in allah and the last day and work righteousness shall have their reward with their lord. they will not be overcome by fear or grief. so the belief in one god alone as in those days does not negate the islam. whereas, in christianity the whole belief system is based upon jesus coming and dying to save mankind. those who do not believe in this will not enter the kingdom. we can ask the question what happens to those who came before jesus (pbuh) who did not hear his message. will they not be saved? the jews who reject belief in christ as god or even son of god they too what will happen to them, or the early christians who submitted only to the will of the one god. the message of islam being the submission to one god anyone can do this, one does not need the presence of the prophet mohammed (pbuh) to submit to one god. prophet jesus (pbuh) submitted to the will of the one god, prophet moses, abraham and all the prophets before them (peace be upon them all) too. so they were practicing islam, but it was called something else in their language. 2:132 and this was the legacy that abraham left to his sons, and so did jacob; "oh my sons! allah hath chosen the faith for you; then die not except in the faith of islam." the name of the religion for it to be universal, a religion cannot be named after a tribe, nation, place or a person. judaism was for the people of judea. hinduism for the people who lived in the indus valley, christianity for those who followed jesus christ (pbuh) (although the name was not given by him, but by paul.) islam was actually named by allah in the quran, not after mohammed (pbhu), or from saudi arabia or from the tribe of the quraish that the prophet mohamed (pbhu) came from. the names of the other religions are not found in their scriptures since man gave them. the name bible is not in the bible, nor is the name buddhism in the buddhist book, nor the word hinduism in theirs. 3:19 the religion before allah is islam (submission to his will): 3:85 if anyone desires a religion other than islam (submission to allah., never will it be accepted of him; and in the hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all

spiritual good). so islam is for anybody at any given place or time. anybody can submit to the will of one god allah. whether he is on a mountain, in alaska, in the deepest jungle, or in any rain forest or anywhere on this planet. so islam was not the religion of mohamed (peace be upon him, he did not bring a new religion, but just as jesus(pbuh) he just came to fulfill the same word of god brought by previous prophets. 2:208 o ye who believe! enter into islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy. so by denying to follow the universal religion, the true religion of god one is denying to enter the kingdom of god, as islam of the present is the name given to same religion that was practiced by all prophets and their people. their languages differed so they called god a different name. in aramaic jesus referred to god as alaha, in hebrew ela and the arabic word for god is allah, even christian arabs use the same term to refer to god. islam is just the final form of the same message that was brought by all prophets. allah says in the quran: 5:3 this day have i perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you islam as your religion. prophet jesus in many places of the bible referred to the one god: joh 17:3 and this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true god, and jesus christ, whom thou hast sent. the message is clear, understandable and attainable by any one and every one who seeks it. whether he is in alaska, on the moon, in timbuktou he does not need the prophet or the name of the prophet of his time to believe in the one true god, my god and your god. it is clear there can be not be a religion more universal than islam. islam was made for you, me and every soul on this earth so why deny it? peace be upon those who are righteously guided. aboo mohammad {article published with author's permission}