Our Approach
1. The fundamental principle that guides our beliefs is founded on the following Quranic verse
Al-Baqara {2:285} The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in God, His angels, His books, and His apostles. "We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His apostles." And they say: "We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys."
According to this verse, we consider all prophets equal. God may grant preferences to some over others but it is not for us to make preferences.
By following the instructions revealed to prophet Mohamed in the Quran we thereby follow in the footsteps of the other prophets:
6:90 Those were the (prophets) who received God's guidance: Copy the guidance they received; Say: "No reward for this do I ask of you: This is no less than a message for the nations."
2. We believe in the five pillars of Islam, but we consider them, as Prophet Mohamed himself maintained, to be the pillars of the religion - not the religion itself. Performing them is not the ultimate goal; rather, by doing them, we hope to establish a base of piety that should help us foster other religious values, equal to - if not more - pleasing to God, such as kindness, tolerance, and peace.
3. We respect other scholars and theologians who performed Tafseer (i.e., exegeses and interpretations of the Quran). However, as humans limited to a specific time and place, it is only normal to accept that much of their interpretations, while perhaps suitable to their time and place, may very well not at all be suitable to our much changed world. Accordingly, modern interpretations of the holy Quran (based on the one of the acknowledged roots of jurisprudence, Ijtihad) should be implemented to enhance and enrich our understanding of the religion.
We are further enlightened about the importance of Ijtihad by the well known Islamic saying:
"Ijtihad is the heart of the religion…whoever destroys it, is like one who destroys the religion [Islam] itself; and whoever enlivens it, enlivens the religion in its entirety."
And we trust the following prophecy as prophesized by prophet Mohamed:
"At the start of every century, God will send to my nation one who shall renew the religion for them"
4. We respect and follow any and all good values, wherever they may be found. This approach is based on the following Quranic verse:
Al-Zumar 39:17-18 Say the good news for those who worship me. Those who listen to the Word, and follow the best (meaning): those are the ones whom God has guided, and those are the ones endued with understanding.
5. We believe that the ultimate way of implementing true Islam in our lives is by living in peace and harmony with all mankind (2:208 O ye who believe! Enter into peace whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of Satan (the evil one); for he is to you an avowed enemy). Any historical event that may have contradicted this fundamental tenet in any way, shape, or form, is undoubtedly unacceptable to God and against the true teachings of the Quran.
6. We respect other civilizations and beliefs
Quran 49:11 O ye who believe! Let not any nation laugh at another nation: It may be that the (latter) are better than the (former):
And we trust that we should unite with other fellow human beings, irrespective of their faith, to do good deeds for humanity - which pleases God - such as finding a cure for cancer and other diseases, ending poverty, and relieving suffering throughout the world.
Quran 5:2 O Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and transgression: fear God. for God is strict in punishment.
7. We strongly believe that God is the ONLY one who can judge humans. None of us has the right or capacity to judge others.)
88:25-26 For to Us will be their return and verily, It is only for Us (God) to call them to account.
God can be reached by anyone. It is for Him alone to decide who ultimately will be accepted. Muslims can reach the divine through the Quran; Christians through the Gospels, as the disciples of Saiidna Isa (Jesus) did; Jews through the Torah, as Saiidna Musa (Moses) and many other prophets of the children of Israel did; and other faiths can reach him through their scriptures and creeds
18:28 And keep thy soul content with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face; and let not thine eyes pass beyond them, seeking the pomp and glitter of this Life;
(Note: The verses above said "their Lord" not "your Lord.")
As the Quran itself shows, the paths to God are many, and we are instructed to believe the Quran as stated by the tongue of our prophet Mohamed PBUH
22:17 Those who believe (in the Qur'an), those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Sabians (i.e., certain sects or peoples with no specific religion), Christians, Magians (i.e., Zorasterians and "fire-worshippers,") and Polytheists - God will judge between them on the Day of Judgment: for God (alone) is witness of all things.
8. We believe that dwelling on the wonders and beauty of God as made manifest in nature is an obligation according to the following Quranic verses.
10:101 Say: "Behold all that is in the heavens and on earth";
86:5 Now let man but think from what he is created!
80:24 Then let man look at his food, (and how We provide it):
Quran {18:109} Say: "If the ocean were ink (wherewith to write out) for the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we (God) added another ocean like it, for its aid."
Quran {22:18} Seest thou not that to God bow down in worship all things that are in the heavens and on earth,- the sun, the moon, the stars; the hills, the trees, the animals; and a great number among mankind?
Quran {24:41} Seest thou not that it is God Whose praises all beings in the heavens and on earth do celebrate, and the birds (of the air) with wings outspread? Each one knows its own (mode of) prayer and praise. And God knows well all that they do.
Quran {39:21} Seest thou not that Allah sends down rain from the sky, and leads it through springs in the earth? Then He causes to grow, therewith, produce of various colors: then it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then He makes it dry up and crumble away. Truly, in this, is a Message of remembrance to men of understanding.
Quran {35:27-28} Seest thou not that God sends down rain from the sky? With it We then bring out produce of various colors. And in the mountains are tracts white and red, of various shades of colour, and black intense in hue. And so amongst men and crawling creatures and cattle, are they of various colors. Those truly fear God, among His Servants, the scientists: for God is Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.)"
A true believer is the one who sees God in every thing, reflects his love on every creature, and praises his name everywhere.
3:79 "Be Godly (reflect God in your deeds and actions): For ye have taught the Book and ye have studied it earnestly."
9. We are clearly against any interpretation of the Quran or Islam that does not respect the value of human life, or that promotes hatred and violence against others.
5:32 On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew all humans in the world: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all of them whole people.
10. We believe that we - as Muslims - must always confess the truth, even if it be against ourselves or our ancestors, as based on the following verse:
4:135 O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for God can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well- acquainted with all that ye do.