The Foundations And Concepts of Islam

O man! The Messengers have brought the truth and conveyed the will of Allaah, and man needs to know the Law of Allaah so as to live his life with sure knowledge and to be among the successful in the Hereafter. Allaah says,

"O Mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger (Muhammad) with the truth from your Lord. So believe in him, it is better for you. But if you disbelieve, then certainly to Allaah belongs all that is in heavens and in the earth. And Allaah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise."[343]

He also says,

"Say (O Muhammad): O Mankind! Now truth has come to you from your Lord. So whoever receives guidance, he does so for the good of his own self; and whosoever goes astray, he does so to his own loss; and I am not (set) over you as a disposer of affairs."[344]

O man! If you embrace Islaam, you benefit none but yourself, and if you disbelieve you harm none but your own self. Allaah is in no need of His slaves. Sin of the sinners does not harm Him nor does acts of obedience of the obedient ones benefit Him. He is not disobeyed unless by His knowledge and He is not obeyed except with His permission. Allaah says in what was reported from Him by His Prophet, "O My Slaves! I have made injustice forbidden for myself and I have also made it forbidden amongst you, so do not wrong one another. O My slaves! You are all in error except him whom I guide so seek guidance from Me, I will guide you. O May slaves! All of you are hungry except whom I feed so seek food from Me, I will feed you. O My slaves! All of you are naked except him who I clothe; so seek clothing from Me, I will clothe you! O My slaves! You commit sins by day and night, but I forgive all sins. So seek forgiveness from Me, I will forgive you. O My slaves! You can never be able to harm Me; and you can never be able to benefit yourselves, let alone benefiting Me. O My slaves! If the first and the last of you, and all the jinn and mankind among you were to be as pious as the most pious one among you, that adds nothing to My Kingdom. O My slaves! If the first and the last among you, and all the jinn and mankind of you are to be as sinful as the most sinful one amongst you, that decreases nothing from My Kingdom. O My slaves! If the first of you and the last among you were to stand at one place and ask Me and  I grant to each and everyone his request, that decreases nothing from My Kingdom except like what a thread reduces from the ocean when it is dipped inside it and then withdrawn. O My slaves! These are only your deeds that I enumerate accurately for you, and upon which I give you reward. So whoever finds good reward, let him thank Allaah, but whoever finds anything else, let him not blame but himself."[345]

All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of the worlds. May peace and blessings be upon the noblest of all Prophets and Messengers. Our Prophet Muhammad, as well as his household and companions together.