Understanding Islam — Page 50
WHO ARE THE TRUE MUSLIMS? 50 He instructed his Community to go to the core teachings of Islam. For instance, he said: I hold very firmly that for your guidance God has provided three things. The foremost among these is the Holy Quran, which sets forth the unity of God, His grandeur and greatness, and decides all points in dispute between Jews and Christians. Further, the Quran forbids that you worship anything other than God - neither man, nor beast, the sun nor the moon, nor any other heavenly body, nor material means, nor your own selves. Therefore beware! Do not take a single step in contravention of anything contained in the Holy Book. Verity, I tell you truly that whosoever evades even the least of the seven hundred commandments embodied in the Holy Quran, he slams the door of salvation upon himself. The real and perfect paths of salvation have been opened only by the Holy Quran; all others were only its shadows. Therefore you should study this holy Scripture with the utmost attention and deepest thought; and you should love it as you have never loved anything else. … The second instrument for guidance vouchsafed to the Muslims is the Sunnah, i. e. , the measures adopted by the Holy Prophet sa with a view to the exposition of the Holy