WE ARE MUSLIMS

We are those who have rejected all gods other than Allah. Just as we believe in Allah, the living Creator, we believe in Allah, to whom judgment belongs, in His prophets, His books, His angels and the Last Day. We are the community of a Prophet sent as a mercy to all worlds. In him we have the finest examples to follow.

We know that the abode of the hereafter is better than this world. We were created to serve the Lord of all worlds. We came to earth for a single purpose: to worship Allah without associating any partners with Him. We are aware that we were not created and then left to our own devices. Our Lord wishes to see which of us will continue to serve Him with patience and perseverance as each of us undergoes different trials.

We know that life and death were created to determine which of us would do better deeds, and that afterward we will return to Allah. We understand that whenever we lose our way, we will find the straight path when we turn toward the Qur’an, which is healing and mercy, and toward the Kaaba.

Knowing that every living being will taste death one day, we choose a life centered on the hereafter. We believe that eternal salvation is possible only in this way, and that to reach the gardens of Paradise beneath which rivers flow, we must continue to serve Allah until death comes to us.

We take no protectors other than Allah; our protectors are Allah, His Messenger and Muslims. We know that the closer we draw to Allah, the further we move from disbelief. We seek dignity and honor only among those who stand with Allah, for dignity and honor belong only to Allah, His Messenger and the believers.

We have no protector or helper other than Allah, for dominion over the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. Allah, our protector, brings us out of darkness into light, whereas the false gods who protect the disbelievers lead people from light into darkness. We never take disbelievers as allies instead of believers, lest we lose Allah’s help. Allah knows our enemies very well and warns us; we recognize only Allah as our protector.

We know that if we take disbelievers as allies instead of believers, this will be evidence against us, and this alone will be sin enough on our part. If we take Allah, His Messenger and the believers as our allies, we will surely prevail, for those who stand with Allah always have the upper hand.

Our Lord commands us to wage jihad in His cause and wishes to punish the disbelievers at our hands, for He chose us from among billions of people and named us Muslims. He placed no hardship upon us in religion and bestowed upon us the blessing of faith, which matters more than anything in this world. This is a favor from Allah, and Allah has the power to grant His favor to whomever He wills.

If we do not struggle and make an effort as we should, Allah may withdraw His blessing from us at any moment. We must live with this awareness.

Allah has prepared blessings for us in eternal life beyond anything we can imagine. If we die while continuing to serve Him, He will reward us with these blessings and more. Paradise is the abode of those who do righteous deeds; there we will remain forever, Allah willing. We race toward Paradise, a gift of forgiveness from our Lord, as wide as the earth and the heavens.

 We believe that every soul will taste death. On the Day of Resurrection, we will surely receive our rewards in full. Whoever is kept away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has truly attained salvation. The life of this world is nothing but deceptive enjoyment. Our aim is to persevere patiently in serving Allah without being deceived by the world, and to die as Muslims in that state.

We describe ourselves only as “Muslims,” adding nothing before or after the name and giving ourselves no other designation. For Allah gave us this name and commanded us to die only as Muslims. Just as He gave us this name, He gave the same name to the people of faith who lived before us and referred to them all as Muslims.

Our religion is Islam, the true religion in Allah’s sight. We cannot follow any other path, doctrine or ideology, nor can we stray onto other paths. All human-made ideologies are misguidance; they are religions of human origin, forbidden by Allah and described as associating partners with Him. As Muslims, we have said “No” to them all.

Our guide is the Qur’an; it is healing and mercy for us. Everything concerning us is explained in this book, which is complete and preserved. This Qur’an guides to the straightest path and gives believers who do righteous deeds the glad tidings that a truly great reward awaits them. We act with this awareness and seek ways to draw closer to Allah. We know that righteous deeds are the means of doing so.

When Allah and His Messenger call us to what will give us life, we respond at once. We know that Allah comes between a person and their heart, and that our wealth and our children are trials for us, the outward splendor and adornment of this world. We obey Allah and His Messenger; we do not quarrel among ourselves or fall into discord. When a disagreement arises, we refer it to Allah and His Messenger. We know that if we become divided and fragmented, we will lose our strength and grow weak.

Whenever we face hardship, we seek Allah’s help through patience and prayer, for we know that Allah is with those who are patient, and that even our patience comes through His help. We understand that we can accomplish nothing without Allah’s help.

We fear Allah and guard against displeasing Him, seek ways to draw closer to Him and struggle in His cause. If we do so, we may hope to attain salvation. We obey Allah, His Messenger and those in authority among us. Those who do not share our religion have no right of authority over us. We give no credence to any human being’s claim to divinity; we reject them all.

We know that to distinguish right from wrong, we must fear Allah and guard against displeasing Him. If we do so, Allah will grant us a criterion by which to distinguish right from wrong, cover our misdeeds and forgive our sins. Allah is the possessor of great bounty.

We do not follow Satan’s footsteps, for he always urges sin and rebellion. Satan is our clear enemy, and we treat him as an enemy, following neither his footsteps nor those of his allies. We always strive to support Allah’s religion and seek ways to struggle as we should. We know that if we help Allah, He will help us and show us how to pursue our struggle.

We feel no affection for and form no friendships with anyone who rebels against Allah and His Messenger, even if they are our closest relatives, our parents or our siblings. We are Muslims who believe in Allah and the Last Day. We are Muslims; Allah has inscribed faith in our hearts and given us support. In eternal life, He promises to admit us to gardens of Paradise beneath which rivers flow. If we prove worthy of this promise, we will remain there forever, Allah willing. Muslims are Allah’s party. How blessed are those who stand with Allah, rise up against all false gods and reject every form of spiritual ignorance. Allah has decreed that He and His messengers will prevail. Allah possesses the greatest might; He is powerful and supreme.

Whether we do good or evil, the consequences are our own. Every soul is held in pledge for what it has earned. On the Day of Reckoning, Allah, the Lord of all worlds, will bring forth and set before us even a speck of good and a speck of evil. Everything we do is being recorded in a book.

We are Muslims, those who have submitted to Allah. Our Lord is Allah, our religion is Islam,  our book is the Qur’an, and our leader, example and guide is the Messenger of Allah. We reject all religions of human origin,  their false gods, their paths, their directions of worship and their principles. Whenever false gods intervene in life, the earth is corrupted and disorder and chaos arise. Only Allah’s laws can bring peace and  tranquility to humanity and the whole world. Allah knows His creation best. Our God is the Lord of all worlds.

Disbelievers impose what they have invented from their own desires upon Allah’s servants through oppression, tyranny and coercion, forcing people to obey them. We Muslims brush all of this aside, reject it and distance ourselves from it, worshipping Allah alone.

For we are Muslims, those who have submitted to Allah.

Yakup Döğer

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