Pathway to Paradise — Page 3
PATHWAY TO P ARADISE 3 Islam. The Holy Qur’an states that one should believe in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, His books and His prophets. It also states that Allah alone determines His Decree. (See Holy Qur’an, 2:178; 25:3) 1. Unity of Allah (Tauheed) Acknowledgment of the Oneness of Allah is the most important principle of Islam, being the cornerstone of the faith and the basis for salvation. The most emphasized aspect of Allah in Islam is His Unity. The Kalimah Tayyeba is the basic doctrine of Islam. It is: “La ilaha ilAllaho Muhammadur rasoolAllah. ” There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger. To deny Allah’s Oneness and to associate any other with Him (shirk) is the gravest sin in Islam. He is the sole Creator of the universe, and nothing can occur in it without His knowledge and His consent. One whole chapter of the Holy Qur’an (Sura Al - Ikhlas ) is devoted exclusively to Allah’s Oneness: “Say, He is Allah, the One; Allah, the Independent and Besought of all. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him. ” (112:2 - 5). 2. Angels (Malai’kah) Islam requires belief in angels. They are spiritual beings created by Allah to obey Him and carry out His commandments. Unlike man, angels have no free will and cannot act independently. They control the forces of nature by Allah’s