the Scenario-War-Scenario

Scenario # 1:

A long long time ago, when the heavens and the earth were created, man was also created - the first man that most of civilization acknowledges. This man, Adam, along with his wife, Eve, procreated and a series of incidents later, humankind, as we know it, was formed.

Scenario # 2:

A big explosion happened in a dark, dreary universe. Some huge shards of matter met and decided to agglomerate for an unspecified period of time. Masses hadn't really decided which 'cool' group they wanted to be a part of. So, they kept moving around, indecisive, for a few million years. And then some animate cells were specially flown in from outer space - the same place where the inanimate matter originated too. These cells had an IQ of 2,398,459. So much so that they know exactly how to get together and have a party AND create the complex human body. Okay, the complex monkey body, and that in turn 'evolved' into you, me, and the hot girl next door. Not to forget the inanimate matter that became rivers and valleys and mountains and sand and snow and trees. Some seriously convenient 'accident' that was! On a side note, I really wish that my rotting piece of mozzarella could 'create' some cows or ants or some such beautiful creature. Why do I get stuck with rotting green goo? *sob sob*

Lame attempts at humour aside, how does Scenario # 1 compare with Scenario # 2? Is it really THAT difficult to imagine that the beautiful human body, with all its complexities, was designed and created by a brilliance that the average human mind cannot perceive? Personally, I can't even fix a broken computer, let alone attempt to know everything about everything that ever was. So, even my limited intelligence (or the lack thereof!) tells me that some ingenious, supernatural being, commonly called God, created all of this and then some more.

Now that we've established the existence of God, we move onto the acknowledgment of this God. What if I told you that Islam is merely the acknowledgment of this God? Forget the cultural stereotypes, the gun-toting video terrorists, the black-clad women, quadruple wives, bearded men shouting fervent slogans. Forget all of that. Just understand that this God, who gave you everything that you have, just wants you to acknowledge His presence. Simple. If this is what you believe, then you are already a believer in Islam.

Once you've taken this step, you're going to know that immediately on the heels of acknowledgment is submission to this God. There is no point in mere acknowledgment without any action, is there?

“I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Quran 51:56)

This submission, in Islam, is within a framework - simplified and streamline for us mortals to follow easily. You and I cannot get together over a cup of coffee and decide what is the appropriate amount of worship due to a creator of such stature. Hence Allah, or God, decided to be more merciful; He simplified, decided and communicated this code of worship to us through some special people (called Prophets) and books. A very effective exercise in communication, if you ask me.

Ponder over these simple truths.Simple enough for your 2-year-old son to understand before you!