Social issues week, for those new to the Congregation, is when I face the challenges of each faith head-on. I spend the first two weeks getting comfortable with the faith and its people, and inshallah, its people also get comfortable with me. Now, I start tackling the tough issues and ask the hard questions. In a way, I’m simulating a process I believe every spiritual seeker should go through.

So to kick things off, I want to do something a little different: I want to look back on what/who I’ve been this year in relation to who I am this month. In other words, what do I think of each religion I’ve given myself to now that I am a Muslim?

First of all, we need to make some categories. Within Islam, we roughly have the religions that were revealed before Muhammad showed up and those that came afterward.

Before Islam: Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Buddhism

After Islam: Baha’i, Latter-day Saints

The Qur’an makes it very clear that Islam (submission to God) is nothing new, in fact, there were many messengers before Muhammad came on the scene.

“We have sent messengers before you and We have made for them mates and offspring. It was not for a messenger to come with any sign except by God’s leave, but for every time there is a decree.” Qur’an 13:38

This is why, in particular, Christians and Jews are considered “People of the Book,” because they are among those recognized as having received an Apostle (translated above as “messenger”) who gave them a Book of revelation. In this way, many Islamic scholars assert that other religions–such as those listed in the “Before Islam” list–would also fall into this category, had Muhammad known about them.

Now we have an idea of what Islam is about and Muhammad’s relationship with this tradition. Allah (God) has a thing for sending messengers all over the place:

“We have sent (messengers) to communities before you, and we put them to the test through adversity and hardship, that they may implore.” Qur’an 6: 42

“Communities before you.” So, does that mean that Allah’s actions through Muhammad were meant for his community? Surely others may follow the religion Muhammad brought to his people, but God here is making an interesting point. Let’s say for the sake of argument that Islam in Arabia was meant for those in Arabia, just as the Islam in the Torah (remember, “Islam” is just a word that means “submission to God.” So Jews and Christians are Muslims) was meant for the Jews and Islam as preached by Jesus was meant for the Jews and Gentiles around Palestine (maybe elsewhere). Can we assume that, perhaps the “one Brahman” taught by the rishis of the Hindu Upanishads were also Muslims? And the Zarathushti’s who submit themselves to the “Wise Lord” Ahura Mazda? Surely they are Muslim. The Buddhist thing is a stretch, but there is a rather interesting link between the Buddhist refusal to articulate God and their “submission” to reality as it is as opposed to controlling it.

So from this standpoint, mostly everything up until Islam is revealed in Arabia is good to go. But what about those folks who came after Muhammad?

The Baha’is and the Latter-day Saints.

Hmm, this one’s tricky. Remember back in February when I was a Baha’i and I covered the persecution of Baha’is by Muslims in Iran? You should check out those stories. In fact, click on the Baha’i Category on the right sidebar here and navigate around “Baha’i Persecution.” Anyway, the reason Baha’is are persecuted by Muslims in Iran (and other places) is because the Baha’i Faith came about in the mid 1800’s as a new dispensation from God for this age. Mainstream Islam claims that revelation from God ended with Muhammad and therefore anyone who claims to be a messenger or prophet commits blasphemy. Looks like the Latter-day Saints fit this bill as well.

“Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but is God’s Apostle and the Seal of all Prophets. And God has indeed full knowledge of everything.” Qur’an 33: 40

This is probably one of the most quoted passages of the Qur’an, often because it shuts down many debates regarding Muhammad’s mission. As a current honorary Muslim, this has many implications for me on the surface and demands the question: Were the Baha’i Faith and Latter-day Saint a waste of my time? Were they truly revealed faiths? Did I spend 60 days in blasphemy?

Without looking any further, as a Muslim who believes in the Qur’an and by extension, this verse, I have to say “yes.” Man that hurts. It stings! Because those were some really good months. I felt something there just as I have with others. But now I have to cast them off?

I have to look deeper, and therefore, I’m asking you to look deeper. Because this post is getting long, I’m going to do something unprecedented in Project Conversion history…make a Part 2.

The suspense!

Really though, I think this subject is worth looking into simply because of the nature of what I’m doing. In the meantime, I want you to think about the verses I’ve shown you today. If you have a copy or translation of the Qur’an, read these verses and those around it for context (Here is a great site to help read the Qur’an http://quranix.com/). If you are a Muslim, I especially challenge you to open your mind and heart as even Allah demands that we never take anything for granted, that reason is our best avenue toward faith. Who knows what we’ll find.

With that I leave you…for now. Assalamu alaikum.