Each\ue000 person\ue000 is\ue000 born\ue000 in\ue000 a\ue000 circumstance\ue000 which\ue000 is\ue000 not\ue000 of\ue000 his\ue000 own\ue000 choosing.\ue000 The\ue000 religion\ue000 of\ue000 his family\ue000or\ue000the\ue000ideology\ue000of\ue000the\ue000state\ue000is\ue000thrust\ue000upon\ue000him\ue000from\ue000the\ue000very\ue000beginning\ue000of\ue000his\ue000existence in\ue000this\ue000world.\ue000By\ue000the\ue000time\ue000he\ue000reaches\ue000his\ue000teens,\ue000he\ue000is\ue000usually\ue000fully\ue000brain-washed\ue000into\ue000believing that\ue000 the\ue000 beliefs\ue000 of\ue000 his\ue000 particular\ue000 society\ue000 are\ue000 the\ue000 correct\ue000 beliefs\ue000 that\ue000 everyone\ue000 should\ue000 have. However,\ue000 when\ue000 some\ue000 people\ue000 mature\ue000 and\ue000 are\ue000 exposed\ue000 to\ue000 other\ue000 belief-systems,\ue000 they\ue000 begin\ue000 to question\ue000the\ue000validity\ue000of\ue000their\ue000own\ue000beliefs.\ue000The\ue000seekers\ue000of\ue000truth\ue000often\ue000reach\ue000a\ue000point\ue000of\ue000confusion upon\ue000realizing\ue000that\ue000each\ue000and\ue000every\ue000religion,\ue000sect,\ue000ideology\ue000and\ue000philosophy\ue000claims\ue000to\ue000be\ue000the\ue000one and\ue000only\ue000correct\ue000way\ue000for\ue000 man.\ue000 Indeed,\ue000 they\ue000 all\ue000encourage\ue000 people\ue000to\ue000 do\ue000 good.\ue000 So,\ue000 which\ue000 one\ue000 is right?\ue000 They\ue000 cannot\ue000 all\ue000 be\ue000 right\ue000 since\ue000 each\ue000 claims\ue000 all\ue000 others\ue000 are\ue000 wrong.\ue000 Then\ue000 how\ue000 does\ue000 the seeker\ue000of\ue000truth\ue000choose\ue000the\ue000right\ue000way?

God\ue000gave\ue000us\ue000all\ue000minds\ue000and\ue000intellects\ue000to\ue000enable\ue000us\ue000to\ue000make\ue000this\ue000crucial\ue000decision.\ue000It\ue000is\ue000the\ue000most important\ue000 decision\ue000 in\ue000 the\ue000 life\ue000 of\ue000 a\ue000 human\ue000 being.\ue000 Upon\ue000 it\ue000 depends\ue000 his\ue000 future,\ue000 Consequently, each\ue000 and\ue000 every\ue000 one\ue000 of\ue000 us\ue000 must\ue000 examine\ue000 dispassionately\ue000 the\ue000 evidence\ue000 presented\ue000 and\ue000 choose what\ue000appears\ue000to\ue000be\ue000right\ue000until\ue000further\ue000evidence\ue000arises.

Like\ue000every\ue000 other\ue000 religion\ue000 or\ue000 philosophy,\ue000 Islam\ue000 also\ue000 claims\ue000 to\ue000 be\ue000 the\ue000 one\ue000 and\ue000 only\ue000 true\ue000 way\ue000 to God.\ue000In\ue000this\ue000respect\ue000it\ue000is\ue000no\ue000different\ue000from\ue000other\ue000systems.\ue000This\ue000booklet\ue000intends\ue000to\ue000provide\ue000some evidence\ue000 for\ue000 the\ue000 validity\ue000of\ue000 that\ue000 claim.\ue000 However,\ue000 it\ue000 must\ue000 always\ue000 be\ue000 kept\ue000 in\ue000 mind\ue000 that\ue000 one\ue000 can only\ue000determine\ue000the\ue000true\ue000path\ue000by\ue000putting\ue000aside\ue000emotions\ue000and\ue000prejudices,\ue000which\ue000often\ue000blind\ue000us\ue000to reality.\ue000 Then,\ue000 and\ue000 only\ue000 then,\ue000 will\ue000 we\ue000 be\ue000 able\ue000 to\ue000 use\ue000 our\ue000 God-given\ue000 intelligence\ue000 and\ue000 make\ue000 a rational\ue000and\ue000correct\ue000decision.

There\ue000 are\ue000 several\ue000 arguments,\ue000 which\ue000 may\ue000 be\ue000 advanced\ue000 to\ue000 support\ue000Islam\u2019s\ue000 claim\ue000 to\ue000 be\ue000 the\ue000 true religion\ue000of\ue000God.\ue000The\ue000following\ue000are\ue000only\ue000three\ue000of\ue000the\ue000most\ue000obvious.\ue000The\ue000first\ue000argument\ue000is\ue000based\ue000on the\ue000 divine\ue000 origin\ue000 of\ue000 the\ue000names\ue000of\ue000 the\ue000 religion\ue000 and\ue000 the\ue000 comprehensiveness\ue000 of\ue000 its\ue000 meaning.\ue000 The second\ue000 deals\ue000 with\ue000 the\ue000 unique\ue000 and\ue000 uncomplicated\ue000 teachings\ue000 concerning\ue000 the\ue000 relationship between\ue000 God,\ue000 man,\ue000 and\ue000 creation.\ue000 The\ue000 third\ue000 argument\ue000 derives\ue000 from\ue000 the\ue000 fact\ue000 that\ue000 Islam\ue000 is universally\ue000 attainable\ue000 by\ue000 all\ue000 men\ue000 at\ue000 all\ue000 times.\ue000 These\ue000 are\ue000 the\ue000 three\ue000 basic\ue000 components\ue000 of\ue000 what logic\ue000and\ue000reason\ue000dictate\ue000necessary\ue000for\ue000a\ue000religion\ue000to\ue000be\ue000considered\ue000the\ue000true\ue000religion\ue000of\ue000God.\ue000The following\ue000pages\ue000will\ue000develop\ue000these\ue000concepts\ue000in\ue000some\ue000detail.

The\ue000 first\ue000 thing\ue000 that\ue000 one\ue000 should\ue000 know\ue000 and\ue000 clearly\ue000 understand\ue000 about\ue000 Islam\ue000 is\ue000 what\ue000 the\ue000 word \u2018Islam\u201d\ue000itself\ue000means.\ue000The\ue000Arabic\ue000word\ue000\u201cIslam\u201d\ue000means\ue000the\ue000submission\ue000or\ue000surrender\ue000of\ue000one\u2019s\ue000 will to\ue000the\ue000only\ue000true\ue000God,\ue000known\ue000in\ue000Arabic\ue000as\ue000\u201cAllah\u201d.\ue000One\ue000who\ue000submits\ue000his\ue000will\ue000to\ue000God\ue000is\ue000termed\ue000in Arabic\ue000 a\ue000 \u201cMuslim\u201d.\ue000 The\ue000 religion\ue000 of\ue000 Islam\ue000 is\ue000 not\ue000 named\ue000 after\ue000 a\ue000 person\ue000 or\ue000 a\ue000 people,\ue000 nor\ue000 was\ue000 it decided\ue000 by\ue000 a\ue000 later\ue000 generation\ue000 of\ue000 man,\ue000 as\ue000 in\ue000 the\ue000 case\ue000 of\ue000 Christianity\ue000 which\ue000 was\ue000 named\ue000 after Jesus\ue000Christ,\ue000Buddhism\ue000after\ue000Gautama\ue000Buddha,\ue000Confucianism\ue000after\ue000Confucius,\ue000Marxism\ue000after Karl\ue000Marx,\ue000Judaism\ue000after\ue000the\ue000tribe\ue000of\ue000Judah\ue000and\ue000Hinduism\ue000after\ue000the\ue000Hindus.\ue000Islam\ue000(submission to\ue000the\ue000will\ue000of\ue000God)\ue000is\ue000the\ue000religion\ue000which\ue000was\ue000given\ue000to\ue000Adam,\ue000the\ue000first\ue000man\ue000and\ue000the\ue000first\ue000prophet of\ue000God,\ue000and\ue000it\ue000was\ue000the\ue000religion\ue000of\ue000all\ue000the\ue000prophets\ue000sent\ue000by\ue000Allah\ue000to\ue000mankind.\ue000Further\ue000its\ue000name was\ue000chosen\ue000by\ue000God\ue000Himself\ue000and\ue000clearly\ue000 mentioned\ue000in\ue000 the\ue000 final\ue000 scripture\ue000 which\ue000 He\ue000 revealed\ue000 to man.\ue000In\ue000that\ue000final\ue000revelation,\ue000called\ue000in\ue000Arabic\ue000the\ue000Qur\u2019an\ue000Allah\ue000states\ue000the\ue000following:

\u201cThis\ue000 day\ue000 have\ue000 I\ue000 perfected\ue000 your\ue000 religion\ue000 for\ue000 you, completed\ue000My\ue000favour\ue000upon\ue000you,\ue000 and\ue000have\ue000 chosen\ue000 for you\ue000Islam\ue000as\ue000your\ue000religion.\u201d\ue000[Qur\u2019an\ue0005:3]

\u201cIf\ue000 anyone\ue000 desires\ue000 a\ue000 religion\ue000 other\ue000 than\ue000 Islam (submission\ue000 to\ue000 God),\ue000 never\ue000 will\ue000 it\ue000 be\ue000 accepted\ue000 of Him.\u201d\ue000[Qur\u2019an\ue0003:85]

Hence,\ue000Islam\ue000does\ue000not\ue000claim\ue000to\ue000be\ue000a\ue000new\ue000religion\ue000brought\ue000by\ue000Prophet\ue000Mohammed\ue000into\ue000Arabia\ue000in the\ue000 seventh\ue000 century,\ue000 but\ue000 rather\ue000 to\ue000 be\ue000 a\ue000 re-expression\ue000 in\ue000 its\ue000 final\ue000 form\ue000 of\ue000 the\ue000 true\ue000 religion\ue000 of Almighty\ue000God,\ue000Allah,\ue000as\ue000it\ue000was\ue000originally\ue000revealed\ue000to\ue000Adam\ue000and\ue000subsequent\ue000prophets.

At\ue000 this\ue000 point\ue000 we\ue000 might\ue000 comment\ue000 briefly\ue000 on\ue000 two\ue000 other\ue000 religions\ue000 that\ue000 claim\ue000 to\ue000 be\ue000 the\ue000 true\ue000 path. Nowhere\ue000in\ue000the\ue000Bible\ue000will\ue000you\ue000find\ue000God\ue000revealing\ue000to\ue000Prophet\ue000Moses\u2019\ue000people\ue000or\ue000their\ue000descendants that\ue000 their\ue000 religion\ue000 is\ue000 called\ue000 Judaism,\ue000 or\ue000 to\ue000 the\ue000 followers\ue000 of\ue000 Christ\ue000 that\ue000 their\ue000 religion\ue000 is\ue000 called Christianity.\ue000 In\ue000 other\ue000 words,\ue000 the\ue000 names\ue000 \u201cJudaism\u201d\ue000 and\ue000 \u201cChristianity\u201d\ue000 had\ue000 no\ue000 divine\ue000 origin\ue000 or approval.\ue000 It\ue000 was\ue000 not\ue000 until\ue000 long\ue000 after\ue000 his\ue000 departure\ue000 that\ue000 the\ue000 name\ue000 Christianity\ue000 was\ue000 given\ue000 to Jesus\u2019\ue000religion.

What,\ue000then,\ue000was\ue000Jesus\u2019\ue000religion\ue000in\ue000actual\ue000fact,\ue000as\ue000distinct\ue000from\ue000its\ue000name?\ue000(Both\ue000the\ue000name\ue000Jesus and\ue000 the\ue000 name\ue000 Christ\ue000 are\ue000 derived\ue000 from\ue000 Hebrew\ue000 words,\ue000 through\ue000 Greek\ue000 and\ue000 Latin.\ue000 Jesus\ue000 is\ue000 the English\ue000and\ue000Latin\ue000form\ue000of\ue000the\ue000Greek\ue000Iesous,\ue000which\ue000in\ue000Hebrew\ue000Is\ue000Yeshua\ue000or\ue000Yehoshua\u2019\ue000(Joshua). The\ue000Greek\ue000word\ue000Christos\ue000is\ue000a\ue000translation\ue000of\ue000the\ue000Hebrew\ue000[for]\ue000'messiah',\ue000which\ue000is\ue000a\ue000title\ue000meaning 'the\ue000 anointed'.)\ue000 His\ue000 religion\ue000 was\ue000 reflected\ue000 in\ue000 his\ue000 teachings,\ue000 which\ue000 he\ue000 urged\ue000 his\ue000 followers\ue000 to accept\ue000as\ue000guiding\ue000principles\ue000in\ue000their\ue000relationship\ue000with\ue000God.\ue000In\ue000Islam,\ue000Jesus\ue000is\ue000a\ue000prophet\ue000sent\ue000by Allah\ue000and\ue000his\ue000Arabic\ue000name\ue000is\ue000Eesa.\ue000Like\ue000the\ue000prophets\ue000before\ue000him,\ue000he\ue000called\ue000upon\ue000the\ue000people\ue000to surrender\ue000their\ue000will\ue000to\ue000the\ue000will\ue000of\ue000God\ue000(which\ue000is\ue000what\ue000Islam\ue000stands\ue000for).\ue000For\ue000example,\ue000in\ue000the\ue000New Testament\ue000it\ue000is\ue000stated\ue000that\ue000Jesus\ue000taught\ue000his\ue000followers\ue000to\ue000pray\ue000to\ue000God\ue000as\ue000follows:

\u201cOur\ue000father\ue000in\ue000heaven,\ue000hallowed\ue000be\ue000your\ue000name,\ue000may\ue000your will\ue000 be\ue000 done\ue000 on\ue000 earth\ue000 as\ue000 it\ue000 is\ue000 in\ue000 heaven.\u201d\ue000 [Luke 11:2/Matthew\ue0006:9-10]

This\ue000concept\ue000was\ue000emphasised\ue000by\ue000Jesus\ue000in\ue000a\ue000number\ue000of\ue000his\ue000statements\ue000recorded\ue000in\ue000the\ue000Gospels. He\ue000 taught,\ue000 for\ue000 example,\ue000 that\ue000 only\ue000 those\ue000 who\ue000 submitted\ue000 would\ue000 inherit\ue000 paradise.\ue000 \ue000 Jesus\ue000 also pointed\ue000out\ue000that\ue000he\ue000himself\ue000submitted\ue000to\ue000the\ue000will\ue000of\ue000God.

\u201cNone\ue000of\ue000those\ue000who\ue000call\ue000me\ue000\u2018Lord\u2019\ue000will\ue000enter\ue000the\ue000kingdom of\ue000God,\ue000but\ue000only\ue000the\ue000one\ue000who\ue000does\ue000the\ue000will\ue000of\ue000my\ue000 Father in\ue000heaven.\u201d\ue000[Matthew\ue0007:21]

Since\ue000 the\ue000 total\ue000 submission\ue000 of\ue000 one\u2019s\ue000 will\ue000 to\ue000 God\ue000 represents\ue000 the\ue000 essence\ue000 of\ue000 worship,\ue000 the\ue000 basic message\ue000 of\ue000 God\u2019s\ue000 divine\ue000 religion,\ue000 Islam,\ue000 is\ue000 the\ue000 worship\ue000 of\ue000 God\ue000 alone.\ue000 It\ue000 also\ue000 requires\ue000 the avoidance\ue000of\ue000 worship\ue000 directed\ue000 to\ue000 any\ue000 person,\ue000 place\ue000 or\ue000 thing\ue000 other\ue000 than\ue000 God.\ue000 Since\ue000 everything other\ue000 than\ue000 God,\ue000 the\ue000 creator\ue000 of\ue000 all\ue000 the\ue000 things,\ue000 is\ue000 God\u2019s\ue000 creation,\ue000 it\ue000 may\ue000 be\ue000 said\ue000 that\ue000 Islam,\ue000 in essence,\ue000calls\ue000man\ue000away\ue000from\ue000worship\ue000of\ue000creation\ue000and\ue000invites\ue000him\ue000to\ue000worship\ue000only\ue000his\ue000Creator. He\ue000is\ue000 the\ue000only\ue000 one\ue000 deserving\ue000 of\ue000 man\u2019s\ue000 worship,\ue000 because\ue000 it\ue000is\ue000 only\ue000 by\ue000 His\ue000will\ue000 that\ue000 prayers\ue000 are answered.

Accordingly,\ue000 if\ue000 a\ue000 man\ue000 prays\ue000 to\ue000 a\ue000 tree\ue000 and\ue000 his\ue000 prayers\ue000 are\ue000 answered,\ue000 it\ue000 is\ue000 not\ue000 the\ue000 tree\ue000 which answers\ue000 his\ue000 prayers\ue000 but\ue000 God,\ue000 who\ue000 allows\ue000 the\ue000 circumstances\ue000 prayed\ue000 for\ue000 to\ue000 take\ue000 place.\ue000 One might\ue000 say,\ue000 \u201cThat\ue000 is\ue000 obvious\u201d.\ue000 However,\ue000 to\ue000 tree-worshippers,\ue000 it\ue000 might\ue000 not\ue000 be\ue000 so.\ue000 Similarly, prayers\ue000 to\ue000 Jesus,\ue000 Buddha,\ue000 or\ue000 Krishna\ue000 or\ue000 Saint\ue000 Christopher,\ue000 or\ue000 Saint\ue000 Jude\ue000 or\ue000 even\ue000 to Muhammad,\ue000 are\ue000 not\ue000 answered\ue000 by\ue000 them,\ue000 but\ue000 are\ue000 answered\ue000 by\ue000 God.\ue000 Jesus\ue000 did\ue000 not\ue000 tell\ue000 his followers\ue000to\ue000worship\ue000him\ue000but\ue000to\ue000worship\ue000God,\ue000as\ue000the\ue000Quran\ue000states:

llah\ue000 will\ue000 say:\ue000 \u2018O\ue000 Jesus,\ue000 the\ue000 son\ue000 of Mary!\ue000 Did\ue000 you\ue000 say\ue000 to\ue000 men,\ue000 worship\ue000 me\ue000 and\ue000 my mother\ue000as\ue000gods\ue000besides\ue000Allah?,\ue000He\ue000will\ue000say:\ue000\u201cGlory\ue000to you,\ue000 I\ue000 could\ue000never\ue000 say\ue000 what\ue000 I\ue000 had\ue000 no\ue000 right\ue000 (to\ue000 say).\u201d [Qur\u2019an\ue0005:118]

It\ue000is\ue000worth\ue000emphasizing\ue000that\ue000the\ue000basic\ue000message\ue000of\ue000Islam\ue000(namely,\ue000the\ue000worship\ue000of\ue000God\ue000alone)\ue000also proclaims\ue000that\ue000God\ue000and\ue000His\ue000creation\ue000are\ue000distinctly\ue000different\ue000entities.\ue000God\ue000is\ue000neither\ue000equal\ue000to\ue000His creation\ue000nor\ue000a\ue000part\ue000of\ue000it,\ue000nor\ue000is\ue000His\ue000creation\ue000equal\ue000to\ue000Him\ue000or\ue000a\ue000part\ue000of\ue000Him.

This\ue000 might\ue000 seem\ue000 obvious,\ue000 but\ue000 man\u2019s\ue000 worship\ue000 of\ue000 creation,\ue000 instead\ue000 of\ue000 the\ue000 Creator\ue000 is\ue000 to\ue000 a\ue000 large degree\ue000based\ue000on\ue000ignorance,\ue000or\ue000neglect,\ue000of\ue000this\ue000concept.\ue000It\ue000is\ue000the\ue000belief\ue000that\ue000the\ue000essence\ue000of\ue000God\ue000is everywhere\ue000 in\ue000 His\ue000 creation\ue000 or\ue000 that\ue000 His\ue000 divine\ue000 being\ue000 is\ue000 or\ue000 was\ue000 present\ue000 in\ue000 some\ue000 parts\ue000 of\ue000 His creation,\ue000which\ue000has\ue000provided\ue000justification\ue000 for\ue000 the\ue000 worship\ue000of\ue000 God\u2019s\ue000 creation\ue000 and\ue000 naming\ue000 it\ue000 the worship\ue000 of\ue000 God.\ue000 However,\ue000 the\ue000 message\ue000 of\ue000 Islam,\ue000 as\ue000 brought\ue000 by\ue000 the\ue000 prophets\ue000 of\ue000 God,\ue000 is\ue000 to worship\ue000only\ue000God\ue000and\ue000to\ue000avoid\ue000the\ue000worship\ue000of\ue000His\ue000creation\ue000either\ue000directly\ue000or\ue000indirectly.

\u201cFor\ue000 we\ue000 assuredly\ue000 sent\ue000 amongst\ue000 every\ue000 people\ue000 a prophet,\ue000 with\ue000 the\ue000 command\ue000 Worship\ue000 Me\ue000 and\ue000 avoid false\ue000Gods.\u201d\ue000[Qur\u2019an\ue00016:36]

When\ue000idol\ue000 worshippers\ue000 are\ue000 questioned\ue000 as\ue000 to\ue000why\ue000 they\ue000 bow\ue000 down\ue000 to\ue000 idols\ue000 created\ue000 by\ue000 men,\ue000 the invariable\ue000 reply\ue000 is\ue000 that\ue000 they\ue000 are\ue000 not\ue000 actually\ue000 worshipping\ue000 the\ue000 stone\ue000 image,\ue000 but\ue000 God\ue000 who\ue000 is present\ue000within\ue000it.\ue000They\ue000claim\ue000that\ue000the\ue000stone\ue000idol\ue000 is\ue000 only\ue000 a\ue000 focal\ue000 point\ue000 for\ue000 God\u2019s\ue000essence\ue000 and\ue000 is not\ue000in\ue000itself\ue000God!\ue000One\ue000who\ue000has\ue000accepted\ue000the\ue000concept\ue000of\ue000God\ue000being\ue000present\ue000in\ue000any\ue000way\ue000within\ue000His creation\ue000will\ue000be\ue000obliged\ue000to\ue000accept\ue000this\ue000argument\ue000for\ue000idolatry.\ue000Whereas,\ue000one\ue000who\ue000understands\ue000the basic\ue000 message\ue000of\ue000 Islam\ue000 and\ue000 its\ue000 implications\ue000 would\ue000 never\ue000 agree\ue000 to\ue000 idolatry\ue000 no\ue000 matter\ue000 how\ue000it\ue000 is rationalized.

Those\ue000who\ue000have\ue000claimed\ue000divinity\ue000for\ue000themselves\ue000down\ue000through\ue000the\ue000ages\ue000have\ue000often\ue000based\ue000their claims\ue000on\ue000the\ue000mistaken\ue000belief\ue000that\ue000God\ue000is\ue000present\ue000in\ue000man.\ue000Taking\ue000one\ue000step\ue000further,\ue000they\ue000claim that\ue000 God\ue000 is\ue000 more\ue000 present\ue000 in\ue000 them\ue000 than\ue000 in\ue000 the\ue000 rest\ue000 of\ue000 us,\ue000 and\ue000 that\ue000 other\ue000 humans\ue000 should