- Friday, November 6th, 1998; Ragab 17th, 1419 AC.
- Translated by: Aisha Rafea
Master Ali Rafea teaches that followers of all religions can be much more tolerant with each other, and can coexist in peace and love. They can do so if they go beyond names and labels exploring the one essence of all Revelations, and their common teachings, which are aimed at guiding humans to the means by which to make their earthly journey spiritually fruitful. If humankind discern the core teachings of all the Prophets, they will recognize them not as mere persons, but rather, as expressions of divine love, light, and grace. People’s tendency to try to prove the superiority of one Prophet over another is out of ignorance of the essence of Revelations. Read more about the oneness of the Prophets in this Speech.
Servants of God, you who aspire to meet God, who seek His Face, and gather in His remembrance, the talk of the Truth is for you. He addresses you by words to reach your very souls. He teaches you how to live truly, how to be spiritually connected to Him, and how to evolve endlessly.
He teaches you that your ultimate objective is to be Servants of God. Then, your earthly journey becomes a means for you to realize that objective, i.e. your life on earth is but a means for your spiritual transformation. All religions have not come but to teach you that: how to attain Life, and how to make of this lifetime a fruitful one.
The secret of this Life lies in the Law that God created and perfected. He made you capable of discerning the operation of the Law in every thing around you; from the minutest atom on earth, to the biggest star you observe using your eyes or other means. Your Earth revolves in its own orbit:
He teaches you that your ultimate objective is to be Servants of God. Then, your earthly journey becomes a means for you to realize that objective, i.e. your life on earth is but a means for your spiritual transformation. All religions have not come but to teach you that: how to attain Life, and how to make of this lifetime a fruitful one.
The secret of this Life lies in the Law that God created and perfected. He made you capable of discerning the operation of the Law in every thing around you; from the minutest atom on earth, to the biggest star you observe using your eyes or other means. Your Earth revolves in its own orbit:
: each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to law)(HQ: 36: 40)
Every single thing is before His sight, in (due) proportion. (HQ: 13: 8)
Such is the Decree of (Him) the Exalted in Might, Full of Knowledge. (HQ: 41: 12)
Everything in His creation signifies wisdom and knowledge.
“(signs of the Truth) are within you; do not you discern!” (HQ: 51: 21)
Signs of the Truth are in your world, do not you discern!
Allah manifests to you through His Law; and He made it as part of His Law that Mercy exists. He manifested Himself to you in the form of Mercy when He manifested through His Messengers who were representations of Mercy for you.
“I am nothing but mercy bestowed (from the Divine to humans)[1]”
Every Messenger of God and Prophet of God actually represented divine Mercy to his people.
Allah manifests to you through His Law; and He made it as part of His Law that Mercy exists. He manifested Himself to you in the form of Mercy when He manifested through His Messengers who were representations of Mercy for you.
“I am nothing but mercy bestowed (from the Divine to humans)[1]”
Every Messenger of God and Prophet of God actually represented divine Mercy to his people.
"We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His Messengers." (HQ: 2: 285)
There is no distinction between the Prophets because all of them are manifestations of Mercy to humanity. The meaning of Mercy lies in the fact that they have taught man how to live truly, and how to be on the righteous Path, and that is a sign of Allah’s Mercy to man. Namely, it is Allah’s Mercy that enables you be on the Straight Way, and transforms you into a righteous person. All Messengers of Allah are manifestations of Allah’s Graciousness because they teach people, guide their way, tell them words that reach their very souls, maintain their patience with them, and walk amongst them by their light.
.. to whom We gave life, and a Light whereby he can walk amongst men(HQ: 6: 122)
Messengers were endowed by God with a great spiritual energy and an illuminating power with which they could reach people, guide them, and touch them with the light of God running forward before their hands manifested in their compassion, their prayers, and their asking Allah’s Forgiveness for them.
If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come unto thee and asked Allah's forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah indeed Oft-Returning, Most Merciful ) HQ: 4: 64)
And keep thy soul content with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face;(HQ: 18: 28)
All Messengers of God are but one; they all represent one meaning: the meaning of God’s mercy bestowed.
"We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His Messengers."
The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His Messengers. "We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His Messengers." And they say: "We hear, and we obey, (we seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys."(HQ: 2: 285)
There is one Messenger, one Book, one God, and one Law governing all that is on earth.
And this is in the Books of the earliest (Revelations), The Books of Abraham and Moses.(HQ: 87: 18, 19)
This Law exists in association with the existence of Earth, and it will continue to exist as long as it subsists; a Divine Law. Because of that, the Primordial Religion teaches us to regard all religions as One. The Prophet pointed frequently, and in several occasions to that (oneness), so he took from the Law that was revealed to Moses, applied it and said, “We are most worthy of the Law that was revealed to Moses[2]”. He honored Jesus saying: “I am the closest one to the Child of Mary[3]”.
What we witness today is that different religions are subject to man made conflicts due to people’s misunderstandings, and to lack of true awareness and genuine faith. Today, we do not live the One Religion that was revealed to Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. What we experience in all societies now-with the exception of those whom Allah overwhelms by His Mercy- is a fake representation of religion fabricated by professionals deluded by the thought that theirs is the true faith, and by the illusion that they value and express devotion to their prophet and their religion.
A true Muslim is he who believes in all the Prophets:
What we witness today is that different religions are subject to man made conflicts due to people’s misunderstandings, and to lack of true awareness and genuine faith. Today, we do not live the One Religion that was revealed to Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. What we experience in all societies now-with the exception of those whom Allah overwhelms by His Mercy- is a fake representation of religion fabricated by professionals deluded by the thought that theirs is the true faith, and by the illusion that they value and express devotion to their prophet and their religion.
A true Muslim is he who believes in all the Prophets:
"We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His Messengers." (HQ: 2: 285)
That belief is nothing to be uttered by the tongue alone but rather, reflected in proper understanding. There is no distinction because in every religion there are truths that are in accordance with the Law of Life. Any concepts or practices that violate the Law of Life, have been caused by some followers of that religion who misunderstood it and misrepresented it.
A true Christian is he who discerns the Law of Life, and does not refuse to be addressed by God in every Revelation. He would then accept what Islam has revealed as a completion to the meanings he already has in hand, while maintaining his religious affiliation and classification as a Christian.
A true Christian is he who discerns the Law of Life, and does not refuse to be addressed by God in every Revelation. He would then accept what Islam has revealed as a completion to the meanings he already has in hand, while maintaining his religious affiliation and classification as a Christian.
To each among you have We prescribed a Law and an Open Way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single People (HQ: 5: 48)
The issue is not one of names, rather, it is how a person can discern the Law of Life, and benefit from the Books of Allah, and the Messengers of Allah what would complement and refine what he already believes in. He would refine his approach to Jesus and his understanding of his existence, his life, and his spiritual path suluk. Names and labels will remain because we live in a world of names and labels. Truthfully speaking however, he who experiences that (Oneness of Religion), and believes in it deeply, learning from every source of knowledge, and every revelation; seeking Allah, serving Allah, believing in all the Messengers of Allah, will attain salvation.
Those meanings, simple as they are, and in spite of the fact that they exist in every religion, go unnoticed by people. They need someone to remind them of those meanings so that they might understand their life properly, appreciate their existence, and draw closer to each other by settling any differences among them by referring to the word of Allah; referring to what is better, more righteous, and more straightforward. Their reference then, will not be what they see according to their limited and egoistic desires, but rather what their minds perceive as better for their earth and for their existence.
Those meanings, simple as they are, and in spite of the fact that they exist in every religion, go unnoticed by people. They need someone to remind them of those meanings so that they might understand their life properly, appreciate their existence, and draw closer to each other by settling any differences among them by referring to the word of Allah; referring to what is better, more righteous, and more straightforward. Their reference then, will not be what they see according to their limited and egoistic desires, but rather what their minds perceive as better for their earth and for their existence.
Say: "O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than Allah." If then they turn back, say ye: "Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah's Will)."(HQ: 3: 64)
To "worship none but Allah" is what is better and more righteous; to live truly and existentially according to what is better, and not to be a servant to a ruler, to matter, or to any personal urge. To serve God is not something to be uttered by the tongue, it is a Law of Life and a whole approach to life. The approach to life of him who serves Allah is all together different from that of him who does not. To serve God is to witness La ilaha illa Allah.
Servants of God, we guide to what we believe is the truth. Guidance may or may not profit the hearer. However, we take an example in what the Prophet was commanded to do:
Servants of God, we guide to what we believe is the truth. Guidance may or may not profit the hearer. However, we take an example in what the Prophet was commanded to do:
Therefore give admonition in case the admonition profits (the hearer). 10- The admonition will be received by those who fear (Allah): 11- But it will be avoided by those most unfortunate ones, 12- Who will enter the Great Fire(HQ: 9-12)
Along with guiding, we ask for Allah’s forgiveness; we return to Allah and pray to Him to forgive us if we forget, or err for returning to the truth is always a virtue.
Servants of God, read well the Book of Allah that you have in hand, and consult the Sunna of the Prophet with pure hearts and open minds so that they might nurture you. You will then discern the origins of your Religion; the One Religion, the One Law, and the One Book. You will learn that the whole earth is but His Handful, His Law is manifest within and around you, His Message came to unfold to you this Law so that you might become servants of God who have attained life, not death.
Servants of God, read well the Book of Allah that you have in hand, and consult the Sunna of the Prophet with pure hearts and open minds so that they might nurture you. You will then discern the origins of your Religion; the One Religion, the One Law, and the One Book. You will learn that the whole earth is but His Handful, His Law is manifest within and around you, His Message came to unfold to you this Law so that you might become servants of God who have attained life, not death.
Think not of those who are slain in Allah's Way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the Presence of their Lord;(HQ: 3: 169).
The verse points to the law of life; the ultimate goal of your existence on earth is to attain the meaning of being Servants of God; to attain the meaning of life. That goal cannot be realized unless you follow what the Prophet has guided to and clarified; the Law of Life. He guided you to invite people to Allah only through communicating what is better.
And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation) (HQ: 29: 46)
What is better is that we witness la ilaha illa allah and Muhammad rasulu allah; a testimony of truth, a testimony of sincerity, and a testimony of the law of life. What is better is for us to discern what is inherent in our Religion in terms of symbols, meanings, and concepts expressed through all that we were guided to do, and in all that we were guided to refrain from so that we may become true Muslims, true believers, and true callers to Allah.
- This Hadith is narrated by Ibn Sa’d, Al Hakeem, and by Al Hakim in Al Gami’ Al Saghir of Al Siuti, P 1, pp 103. Also, a verse in the Holy Qur’an addresses the Prophet Muhammad saying, “We sent thee not, but as a mercy for all creatures”. (HQ: 21: 107)
- Narrated by al Bukhari
- Narrated by al Bukhari
