December 2001: Page 1, 2, 3, 4

Submitters Perspective

Page 2

Terror of Islam

Cont’d from page 1

Submission is a way of life encouraged from the time of Abraham by Jesus, Muhammad and all messengers who have followed. The one who is able to surrender the soul is called a Muslim in Arabic, or Submitter. There are Submitters in every faith; a Buddhist Submitter, a Christian Submitter, or a Muslim Submitter. They are those who place no limits on their belief in the Unseen and impose no judgments on the different forms of striving that grow the soul closer to the Almighty (Quran 2:3). This common striving towards God encourages unity within a diverse group of people who advance their personal strides by learning from one another.

It is only when the strokes of absolute and physical conditions are painted over God’s light that a menacing blindness begins to fester (Quran 9:32). Individual faith is resigned to the interpretation of others and the soul becomes confined with complacency. The personal, open passage to the Divine becomes layered with uncertainties each being imposes on their own God-given potential. Fear begets fear in this darkness. The desperate defense of a conditioned reality consumes what little remains of the soul. The consequence of losing one’s soul is to suffer misery both in this life and the Hereafter (Quran 7:9; 3:22).

Submission is a way to consciousness that conditions the soul against this disease of the heart. The history of messengers and scriptures has been

nothing more than a source of direction for each generation to surrender the soul. The nature of this recurring system is a testament to humankind’s forgetful and unappreciative disposition (Quran 48:23).

The Quran is a confirmation of the Torah and New Testament intended to serve as such a reminder for us today. There is no compulsion to read or follow, only an invitation to reflect. The intention of the stories, allegories, and teachings is to free the soul through the reverence of God (Quran 7:201).

Practices such as daily Contact Prayers “Salat” and prostration are simply an exercise of submission, an opportunity to appreciate God throughout the day, and a break in the rhythm of preoccupation that gradually numbs the soul (Quran 29:45). The emphasis is on feeling words of veneration move through your soul rather than what has become a fixation with the ritual form itself (Quran 107:4-5).

The Contact Prayer is not an end but rather a first step to maintaining a steady connection with God, even for the spiritual minded who may feel waning cycles in their own practice. Prayer is not limited to this form or frequency. The Quran instills sensitivity in the soul that inspires steady reflection on the grandeur of creation, the Creator, and beyond.

Descriptions for such beliefs as “Heaven,” “Hell,” or the “Hereafter” are merely allegorical representations of what our minds cannot fathom. How else can one describe the sensation of being in God’s presence? The Quran cultivates the meaning

of service, respect and tolerance in individuals who, together, can build what God deems as the best community; one that advocates righteousness (3:110).

There are the rare souls who need no reminders, who are able to live and breathe a steady flow of submission. The ones who feel the challenge for this awareness are invited to reflect on the Quran’s guidance.

What does the way of Submission (Islam) teach about violence and intolerance? Among the many beautiful attributes that stimulate our reverence, the Quran describes God as “Rahmaan er Raheem” (Most Gracious and Most Merciful). All but one of the 114 chapters of the Quran begin by introducing God with these qualities; an expression for a Creator who regards life as sacred (Quran 17:33).

There is no justification in the killing of innocent souls. A murder or horrendous crime against one person is considered an assault on humanity while the sparing of one life is sparing the lives of all people (Quran 5:32).

The notion of “jihad,” or holy war, is a misinterpreted oxymoron that represents the battle the soul must wage to surrender and serve God (Quran 22.78). Capital punishment is discouraged and suicide is admonished (Quran 2:178 & 4:29). Oppression is deemed to be worse than murder (Quran 2:217). God encourages kindness, tolerance and equitable reconciliation between the faithful who are fighting (Quran 24:22, 49:9).

Cont’d on page 3