Who are Muslims?

Who are Muslims?

A Muslim is one who is meant to follow what Allah asks and what Allah has revealed.
The requests of Allah are varied and are of different levels, spread throughout the Quran and the lifestyle of the Prophet Muhammad, and those that followed him in all that he advised us to follow him in. These are there to make all people who believe in the existence of a God become better believers but also more humane and constructive members of the world community.

The levels are;

1) Must do (Wajib/Fardh).

2) Better to do (Mustahab).

3) Don't do (Haram).

4) Disliked/better not to do (Makruh).

5) It is up to you (Mubah).

Some of the problems with Muslims come when they change the categorisations whether deliberately, mischievously or accidentally. As for those that change the categorisations deliberately and mischievously then it goes against the grain of being a follower of what Allah has revealed and how the Prophet showed us how to live. Therefore can such a person truly be called a Muslim? No, especially if that person’s basis for changing up the categorisations is baseless and purely of their own thinking with little or no reference to or understanding of the Quran the Sunna and Tafseers.

For example homosexuality; it is well known that in Islam acts of homosexuality are not allowed, whether between males or between females. Now if a Muslim admits that they are homosexual and are proud of it or finds nothing wrong with it or encourages it then this is classed as a big sin and fisq (corruption). This act takes away from them being a Muslim and if this act is compounded with other acts such as not praying or drinking booze then the person is on very dodgy ground, if they are left with any ground to stand on.

As for the Muslim who admits they have homosexual tendencies but they are not proud of it, but like most bad habits they try to give it up but slip back into it but keep trying throughout their life to rid themselves of it, then this person’s situation is different. They are still Muslim but of a lesser degree because one thing with sin is that they cover the heart and make it blind to further and increased continued guidance from Allah.

Yes there are degrees to being Muslim, not all Muslims are the same. Anyone can become a Muslim just by uttering the declaration of faith and it would take less than a minute to become a Muslim. But the question is will this Muslim go on to follow what Allah has revealed or will they be a lazy Muslim or a Muslim of convenience or a hypocritical Muslim or a Muslim just by name or Muslims for money getting paid to give Muslims a bad name.

In Islam Allah has allocated titles to the different types of Muslims based on what they do, and the increased belief and guidance that they receive. The least title is Muslim but it goes on to increase to being Mumin a believer because not every Muslim is considered a Mumin, but every Mumin is a Muslim, but a Muslim of better quality.

For example you have people today who call themselves Jews but they are secular non religious Jews. Amongst some Muslims you also find people who have gone astray and call themselves secular Muslims (Muslims without Allah). This statement makes no sense at all, but this is what adds to people’s confusion when it comes to the question of who are Muslims.

It does not stop there because even amongst Mumineen (believers) there are degrees of Imaan (faith). We have spoken about the topic of Sunni and Shia Muslims, but just to make clarify the title of Mumin (believer) we shall elaborate a little further.

A Shia is a Muslim and a Sunni is a Muslim but they may refer to each other as not being full believers. Both believe in Allah and the Prophet Muhammad as the last Prophet and the Quran as being revealed from Allah as complete with nothing missing. But one will say that the others Imaan (belief) is to a point, like the Sunni will say Shia are not true believers because they do not accept Abu Bakr as their Khalifa, who some of the early Muslims chose as Khlaifa.

The Shia would say that the Sunni are Muslims and believers up to the point where they do not accept the Imams (leaders of the household (Ahlul Bayt) that the Prophet advised us to cling to. And without this level of Imaan and Islam it is difficult to go on to other levels of Imaan and Ihsaan (perfection of faith).

So those who have not been poisoned or blinded with the mentality of Takfeer (calling Muslims non Muslims) would say both groups are Muslim but one is more of a believer than the other and this is where the dispute is being exploited and needless violence has occurred due to this point, which most have not understood. And other issues are being used as scapegoats to hide the real and main difference from where all other differences emanate.

It has been said before but I will say it again here that the idea that all Salafis are right and all Shia are wrong is a gross misunderstanding of the justice of Allah. The categorisation for right and wrong is not Shia or Salafi but how Muslim you are according to the categorisations used by Allah. No one group can be placed in hell jut because of a title like Shia or Sunni, but each individual is judged fairly by Allah. We should not put ourselves as the gatekeepers of hell entering into it who we see fit and saving who we see fit, it is not our job. This mentality which is to be found amongst some Christians too is not helping anybody, none should claim salvation until salvation has actually taken place. Confidence in salvation is one thing but the actuality and the reality of it happening is something else, so those that want to jump the gun it is up to them but let the rest of us should try to explain to them and not follow this mentality.

The levels of being a Muslim, and each level has its levels. All are considered Muslim but some Muslims are clearly not like others;

1) Muhsin the highest level of being a Muslim. This status is usually the preserve of Messengers, Prophets, Imams and Awliya of Allah.

2) Mumin ranges from low levels of Imaan (belief) to the highest levels which take you to a higher level of being a believing Muslim that of being a Muhsin, which is a rarity these days but not impossible.

3) Muslim ranges from just taking your Shahada (declaration of faith) and making little or no attempt to be a better citizen in the society where you live, but instead you wish death to your neighbour or you continue being unjust to yourself by drinking booze or taking drugs and sleeping around with sexual partners outside of wedlock or causing trouble. At the other end there are Muslims who keep away from these things and try to understand their Deen (religion/ way of life) a bit better every day. These are they; depending on what they read and who they listen to, go on to be better Muslims and not the type of Muslims who try to blow up planes etc.

Welcome to Islam and may you have a fruitful, constructive, positive and peaceful journey, and may we all enter the paradise by the grace of Allah,whether Muslim Sunni or Muslim Shia, Insahallah.

Peace.