can someone answer this question for me

aka2x2 wrote: Islam starts with: There is no god except the one God, and Mohammad is his Prophet... Everything after that is details. Some people choose to get bogged down with the details and some don't.

Greetings aka,

So Islam doesn't require you to follow laws?  Only believe in God and Muhammad and that is enough?  Is that what Muhammad taught?
Thanks and salaam,
Caringheart

Greetings aka,

Thank you again for trying to answer my question but I still have confusion about what you say.

'I believe in God, and that Muhammad is his messenger'
This is what you say to become a muslim, correct?
So you have to believe in Muhammad.  In order to believe in the qu'ran, you have to believe in Muhammad.
In order to be a muslim you have to believe in Muhammad, right?

In other words, is it enough that I believe in the one God and that I am submitted to His will and I live according to His teaching?

and here's the thing, if this is the simplicity of Islam... what, you are saved just by the mere fact that you say you believe in God and Muhammad, and nothing more is required... you have God's blessing regardless now of what you do, simply because you can now be called muslim because you say you believe these two things?  Is that what is meant by the simplicity of Islam, because I thought there was much more to being a muslim.

Thanks and peace to you,
Caringheart

Greetings aka,

I appreciate your patience with me.

As regards your statement;
"No, you do not have to believe in Mohammad"

What then does, 'I believe in God and that Muhammad is His messenger', mean, if not a statement of belief in Muhammad?  It is saying that you believe that Muhammad is a messenger of God.  This says that you believe in Muhammad and in anything Muhammad says.  You have to believe in a person to believe what they say.  You do have to believe in Muhammad to believe in the qu'ran.

"1- Yes, you have the correct statement of faith. Anyone who says this statement should be considered a Muslim. "
"Believing in God and submitting to His will are necessary conditions for being a Muslim, but they are not sufficient."

These two statements are contradictory to me.
What exactly does it mean to be a muslim, because according to the first statement, it seems it doesn't mean much, and according to the second statement it seems that it does mean much more than a simple statement of faith.
Sorry, I am still very confused.  Which is fine.  I don't have to understand your faith.  I just wonder why it is said that islam is simple when I find nothing simple about it.  So I wanted to understand what that statement means to muslims themselves... How do they consider Islam to be simple.  Do they consider Islam to be simple?   I want to understand people.

What does it mean,
"Salvation comes by living according to that statement"?
Salvation comes by belief in God?  That I believe, because if we believe in God, then we will seek His ways, and it is His ways that save us.  However, I do not need Muhammad to find God's ways. (I think the arab people needed Muhammad to find God's ways)  God has been leading His creation in many ways, however, ever since the time of Adam and Eve, if we sought Him.

Here's my point;
If,
"Salvation comes by living according to that statement",
does it make a difference whether or not you are technically called 'muslim', as long as you are
"living according to that statement"?  Living according to belief in the one God.
If muslim means submitted to God's will... aren't there many who are submitted to God's will without calling themselves 'muslim'?  I am submitted to God's will.  That should technically make me a muslim, even though I do not believe in, or follow Muhammad.  I follow Jesus.  Muhammad acknowledged that Jesus came to lead people to God, and Moses and all the other prophets came to lead people to God.  Therefore if we live in the way these prophets taught we are belonging to God.  To me that should be the 'simple' truth.

Salaam,
Caringheart


Edited by Caringheart - 28 January 2013 at 11:12am

Understanding the meaning of the word "Fitrah", should help.

http://www.missionislam.com/knowledge/DefinitionFitrah.htm
http://www.missionislam.com/knowledge/Fitrahmaintain.htm

"So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know." (30:30)

We are all born with Fitrah from God. By becoming muslims we are living in compliance with our Fitrah. We are living the way we should, the way we are created to. Spiritually, mentally, physically, socially, everything... All the boxes are ticked because God knows what's best for us.


Edited by Rational - 28 January 2013 at 1:58pm