PART FOUR A BREAK: A BEAUTIFUL CONTRIBUTION

PART FOUR

A BREAK: A BEAUTIFUL CONTRIBUTION

The Religion of Adam and Eve

By Linda Barto* (USA)

One of the beauties of Islam is the discovery that God did not create humanity as spiritual beings, and then abandon us to figure out for ourselves the value and purpose of our spiritual selves.  He endowed us with questioning minds that search for truth.  He provided each person a cup of guidance that never empties as long as he or she continues to drink from it.  Through the prism of God’s perfection, His light casts a rainbow of mercy, grace, and justice; and our souls are colored with the perfect faith God created for us.

God created the world and everything in it for the benefit of humanity, so it just makes sense that His creation included a true and perfect religion.  What was the religion that God ordained for Adam and Eve? 

According to the Qur’an, the religion chosen for us was simply complete submission to God, which, in Arabic, is called Islam.  The Qur’an describes it as the religion of Abraham, who was called God’s friend; he simply submitted himself to God. 

The Islamic perspective is that every person is born with a soul in submission to God, but that he or she is free to make choices that conform to or divert from the life of righteousness for which he or she was created. 

At some point in life, each person must make a personal decision whether to stay the course of submission to God or to indulge in a corrupt lifestyle of self-centeredness, materialism, and impious gratification.  Of course, many people are led away from the true and good path by unbelieving parents or by abusive or tragic circumstances void of spiritual nurturing.  The Islamic perspective of God is One who judges according to each individual’s comprehension and innate tendencies; we can be sure that His decisions on the Day of Judgment will be fair.

When a person submits his or her whole self to God, every aspect of a person’s being - mind, body, and soul - must be devoted to God.  Keeping one’s soul pristine through prayer and worship is of vital importance, but it is also important to expose the mind to wholesome knowledge and to engage the body in a healthy lifestyle.  Islam offers the opportunity to discover your total being as you were created to be. By becoming a Muslim, you become your true self as you leave all arduous baggage behind and travel the road your feet were placed upon when you entered this life.

The dynamic truths of Islam can amplify and clarify truths of all religions while helping believers discern and discard falsehood.  The embrace of Islam is universal.

*Linda Barto is an American writer, poet, and artist.