March 2024
Adnan Rashid – TMP Podcast with – Zambia
AI: Summary ©
The speakers stress the importance of acceptance of Islam and avoiding cheat on others. They provide resources for individuals to research and become a Muslim, including a YouTube video and local mosque. The importance of acceptance of Islam is emphasized, and individuals are encouraged to be honest and not cheat on others. The use of culture in people's behavior and the use of Dwa for non-Malicans to Islam highlight the need to empower people to do so and bring them to Islam to change their behavior and address their political needs.
AI: Summary ©
Islam was spread by the sword, territorial. territorially. In the first 100 years of Islam, Muslim armies went out, taking lands. But Islam as a faith was never spread by the sword. It is absolutely forbidden, prohibited in Islam to force anyone to accept the religion. In fact, the Quran has specific injunctions in this regard. In chapter two, verse 256 of the Quran, it is clearly stated there is no compulsion in religion and this verse was revealed specifically for the non Muslims you cannot compel non Muslims to accept Islam
Alright, it's not in my little hemisphere that he was the that was synonymous with joining us today. Mashallah. In Zambia, who started a nun. Rashid deserves credit for taking the time. Thank you so much for having me. Yeah. Humla. You know, I, I watched a video clip of you recently in in Pakistan with the legend Muhammad hijab. Right. And you were taking him out for some food, I think. Correct. So how's Zambia so far? How's the food? Absolutely amazing. Really? That food is absolutely amazing. That's why I took him. Okay. I wanted him to have a proper traditional Pakistani experience when it comes to food and you know, lamb cry. Yeah. Is it has to be the beginning. The starting point, the
initiation, exactly initiation into
and how's the food in Zambia so far? Absolutely amazing. Really. I really love the meat here. And the food has been very, very nice. Yeah. Alhamdulillah. So you haven't been here for so long? It's first time. I know. I've been here. Three times. Okay. At least three times. And every time I come, it's a very short trip. Yeah. And favorite part. loads and busy. Okay, hands down. Yeah, absolutely. Beauty. Oh, absolutely. So that place is something else, man. Yes. I saw the video clip of you guys on the boat. Yes, I did see quite a few bit of wildlife too, right? Yes. Yeah. We saw elephants. We saw hippos. We saw some crocs. And we went fishing as well. Oh, you did? Yeah. But it was just just
an experience. Yeah. So very good. Excellent. All right, let's get right into it. I was very excited. Because one of the things for myself also recently, moving to Zambia or returning back to Zambia, Zambian people extremely kind and soft. I'm sure you've noticed that, right? Canadians have this reputation, but I really find that Zambian specifically the the local Zambians very soft.
But there's this impression that Islam is meant for a specific race or culture. And so I wanted to take your time and kind of, you know, dispel some of those, those misconceptions about Islam. So I'm gonna ask you about five or six questions, but a minute long, just for those people who want to know about Islam. So let's kick it off with the first one.
Out there in your experience of all the religions that exist, what religions would you say are that are strictly monotheistic, that strictly worship one God? Okay, I would say as long as number one, right, Islam has the most strict focus on oneness of God, right, what we call dough sheet. And the other religion, I will say is Judaism. They also put an emphasis on strict monotheism, oneness of God. And even Sikhs believe in one God, right? Yeah. But Islam is from the Abrahamic line. And we, we believe that we are the followers, the original the real followers of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them all on all all of them, they all came from the same line
preaching the same religion worshipping in the same way right. Yeah. So this is why we have the strict emphasis on the message of monotheism and worshipping only one God right without any you know, other factors or elements involved. We cannot have the Trinity let's say we cannot worship a trinity or we cannot give too much attention to religious authorities that we turn them into Gods right like the Quran alludes to it that some people have made the call like they have made the scholars right know the scholars right the scholars the rabbis and priests as Gods right because they make Halal haram for them and haram halal for them. Right. So we have to have devotion towards
one God in all respects. Okay. Yeah. Excellent. Which brings me to number two, a follow up. Does Islam allow for Muslims to pray to Muhammad because you hear that sometimes, or people say that they pray to the Kaaba or pray to any creation? Absolutely not. Absolutely not. The devotion
is only towards God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. God of Abraham
The God of Moses, the god of Jesus and the God of Mohammed is exactly the same God. In fact, they refer to him in similar terms like Elohim is a term you find in the Bible. Okay? Even Ilahi the term is there. And Allah, the root word for all these three words is the same, which is Allaha.
Awesome, c'est la vie, right, right. Or L or L. Okay? For example, the name is smell eel, or Israa eel, the word eel is actually originally L or Allah. Right? So the word Allah is the common term used by all prophets in different times in different places. Possibly expressing in slightly different tone, or accent, but the word is the same. So we worship the same God. And that's the God we worship. We don't worship prophets. We don't worship objects. We don't worship any secret. spot or place.
Okay, excellent. Number three, this, this question came from a local Zambian Yeah, who asks, Do Muslims burn the body of the deceased? If no, can you describe what happens when a Muslim dies? Okay, Muslims do not burn the bodies of the deceased. This confusion may have come from some people from the subcontinent who do burn the bodies and they are Hindus, they are from a different religion, right? Okay. They are a completely different religion. In their religion, they burn bodies after someone passes away, they cremate the body, they burn the body. And this is done by the Hindus and the Sikhs. The Muslims are different Muslims do not burn the bodies, Muslims actually bury the
bodies following the traditions of the prophets. Okay, so the reason why I keep mentioning prophets is, is because we are the real followers of those prophets. We follow pretty much all the major traditions, they're taught and practiced. Right. And one of the things was when someone died, they were buried, right. Okay, so that's why Muslims bury their bodies.
And you will see Muslim cemeteries in graveyards all over the place. Right? And that's where we have our deceased right. And it's very simple process. We don't do the expensive caskets and we don't spend all that money to it's very simple in the white cloth. Right. And, and in the UK, probably have some extra laws, maybe like Canada, where they it's mandatory to put in a box, right? Yeah, in Zambia. Yeah, that's because of the law Islamically speaking, right, the burial has to be the simplest possible method. Because the logic is you come naked, you come alone, right? You go alone, right? Okay. And you are wrapped in a white cloth. Whether you are a king, or, or a businessman or a
general or a pilot, or a street vendor, or a vegetable seller, it doesn't matter. You all come in the same form from the mother's womb, and you go back to the Mother Earth in the same form in a white cloth. This is the logic and this is how the prophets are were entered into their graves. You might have seen videos of these, some of these royalty in the Middle East, when they are put into the release of billionaires. These are kings they are some of the richest people in the world. But when they put into the earth, they are wrapped in a cloth and they put into the earth and they become they become Earth with Earth. Right back to the everybody's the same. Yeah. Okay. Quick one
here. What is the fastest growing religion in the world? Statistically, it is definitely Islam Islam as long as the fastest growing region, right? Number five, what is the most memorized book in the world statistically, from cover to cover word by word? Absolutely. The Quran, the Quran and the Quran has already broken all records for the last 1400 years. Quran has been the most memorized book in human history. Absolutely. Yeah. Which is interesting, because I saw a comedian actually a UK comedian, I think Ricky Gervais who made a comment that if you know, he was kind of alluding that religions are false, because if you take the religious books and you burn them, right, the religion
will destroy itself. And I just wish somebody was there to say that now with Islam, right? There's so many people that have memorized it, it'll be 100%. I mean, if you do a comparison between other religious scriptures in the Quran, you will struggle to find anyone who has completely fully memorized, let's say the Bible, right? Okay. Or even the New Testament, right? Or the Old Testament, or the Bhagavad Gita, or the Vedas, or even let's say, the Guru Granth side, you will struggle to find anyone who has memorized one of these scriptures, okay, as they claim to be divine right? But the Quran is the only exception. You will find millions of people across the planet from Bangladesh
to Morocco, the entire length of the Islamic civilization as we know it today. You will find hundreds of 1000s of how fast we call them how fast the memorizers the protectors, the guardians of the
On and how they guard the Quran is by actually memorizing it by completely, you know, internalizing it into the minds and teaching it to the, to the future generations to posterity. And this is how the Quran has been preserved from generation to generation, we can take back the Quran
to the Prophet via a chain, right? So let's say you find a half is of the Quran today, in Lusaka in Zambia. And he, if he has any Java, Java is a certificate of authority to teach
the next generation, right that certificate or that authority from person to person via chain goes directly back to the Prophet uninterrupted there is no break in the chain. So you can trace back your teachers from person to person all the way to the prophets, Allah Allah. Quran is the only exception in the world that enjoys this. This privilege. Subhanallah Yeah, Okay, number six, a bit of a longer question. But this one I really wanted to also hear your take, because I know you're, you're qualified historian. This is what something you specialize in. Media always portrays Muslims as being violent. And you hear this term, you know, these buzz terms. Islam was spread by the sword,
right? So I'm sure you get that. What's the response? The response is to false definitely. Islam was spread by the sword. territorially, territorially, in the first 100 years of Islam, Muslim armies went out, taking lands. But Islam as a faith was never spread by the sword. It is absolutely forbidden, prohibited in Islam, to force anyone to accept the religion. In fact, the Quran has specific injunctions in this regard. In chapter two, verse 256 of the Quran, it is clearly stated there is no compulsion in religion and this verse was revealed specifically for the non Muslims, you cannot compel non Muslims to accept Islam, you they must remain non Muslim if they so wish, right?
If they want to accept, they are most welcome to join the family. Okay, so you could be again to do you could be a street vendor, you could be a street food seller, or you could be a general, but if you accept Islam, you become brothers equal in front of God. Okay, so but there is no compulsion. So Islam was never never spread by the sword as a religion. territorially, Muslims defeated the Persians and the Romans. Partly, in fact, one of the major reasons was because they were invited by the by the by the, by the nations by the natives of these territories, right? The Syrians, the Egyptians, and the Persians, and the Jewish people who lived in these territories, they opened the
gates for the Muslim armies as liberators from the persecution they were facing under the assassinate Persian Empire and the Roman Byzantine empire on the other hand, right. So, this is again, I have delivered lectures and talks about this, there is one particular talk, I would like to invite everyone to watch, and it is titled, this evidence will blow your mind. Okay, so I have specifically addressed this point how Islam was spread, right. Okay. And why the expansion of Islam in the first 100 years was so rapid, I have actually discussed the evidence from academic sources. So I invite everyone to watch that talk on my YouTube channel. This evidence will blow your mind so
you can check check out my YouTube channel is called Adnan Rashid, if you put a number sheet you will see this lecture inshallah. So, the details are there, okay. So, is it fair to say I mean, the first 100 years and I appreciate the honesty because a lot of Muslims back away from that particular statement, but is it fair to say at that particular time, I mean, the tapestry the way the world was is, I mean, it was conquered or be conquered. Yes, right. 100% It was necess on ashamedly Right on ashamedly right as a Muslim historian state and confirm that the territory of Islam geographically militarily was taken by force right. From from Arabia all the way to North Africa and into Persia
and India, some parts of India. Absolutely. And it was necessary because the Muslims were themselves being threatened by the Persians and the Romans, right. So, in many respects, this was a defensive onslaught at the same time. One of the reasons why this was done was to help the people the native people of these lands to liberate them from tyranny and oppression right yeah, okay. This is why my lecture is important to get the context right to get the get the get the undecided
tanning as to why this took place, right? But the religion on pain of death was never forced upon people, right? It's not ever. Yeah, it is not allowed. It is absolutely not allowed. And there is unanimity among all Islamic schools of thought, right that you cannot force non Muslims to accept Islam under any circumstances, whether they are weak or strong, right? Yes.
Okay, so I appreciate that. That's the first six questions. The next one, which I really want to utilize your time here as much as we can. Something in Zambia is not so common is Dawa, right. and inviting. You know, as I said before, there's there's people who think that Islam is for a particular race or for particular, you know, type of people. And when I speak to individuals, part of the problem is there is no structure on how to even approach a person and talk to them about Islam. So, I wanted to do a little Dawa, one on one. As for some practical, you know, examples, someone can take home from now, and start, you know, being able to engage with others, and just at
least share information. So first question, how can someone start up in like a conversation about Islam? Like an example? Like, how could they even engage a lot of people here they have, you know, employees, or they work for a company, indigenous Zambians, how can they engage even in starting up that conversation, it's the easiest thing. The first thing is to believe in Islam yourself to the extent that you can easily confidently talk about it. If you love Islam, right? If you are confident about Islam, if you are proud of Islam, and if you know, and you have the conviction that this is the truth, and there is no other option for human beings, then to worship Allah, according to the
way of the prophets and that way is Islam, then you should be able to share it should be able to talk about it just like you talk about your your, your your love marriage, you want to talk to people about how you got married, you want to talk to people about how you started your business. You want to talk to people about the car you bought, you want to talk to people about the education you acquired from the university. Why can't you just say, I'm a Muslim? And I believe this is the way forward. This is the solution. Look at the communists, right? Look at the socialists, right? Look at all these people look at the Christian missionaries. They talk about their faith openly,
unashamedly. I've had missionaries stand up in aeroplanes in jets start preaching.
Okay, I was in I was traveling within Africa. Amazing, right? And the plane landed, and a woman stood up and he started talking about Jesus Christ. Right? What what is wrong with you Muslims? Right, we claim to have the Huck, we believe that we have the truth. And the truth sets you free as the Bible states, right? If truth If truth sets you free, it needs to be spoken freely. Right? Right. So you have to have the confidence and the conviction and the belief to be able to talk to anyone, you shouldn't be able to talk to the tree, right? Okay. You should not be ashamed, you should not be scared, you should not have luck, lack of confidence, to talk about Allah and His
Messenger, why these are the solutions. It's like a doctor who has the vaccine. And he sees many people who are, who have symptoms of a particular condition, and you keep the vaccine to yourself. You don't have the confidence and the courage and the will to go and help people. This is how you are if you're a Muslim, right? And you have the conviction that Islam is the truth. And you keep it to yourself and don't share it right. In spite of the fact that you see all all all problems in the society, then you are that selfish doctor? You are that bad doctor who keeps the vaccine to himself, and allows everyone else to suffer and die, right of illness. Right, right. So you must have the
confidence, not only the confidence, you must have the drive and the will to share the message of Islam. And this is one of the greatest signs of your Eman. I hope I Yeah, in fact, that's good approach rather don't beat around the bush just done it. Yeah, direct. I don't know why people play long games. Like let me explain to you the beauty of the Muslim civilization. Islamic scientists are Razi abou costume of Dharavi. Yeah, and all those theories of the Islamic intellectuals and poets and you have to talk about Rumi and Omar Khayyam, and the great Islamic observatories and libraries. Put that aside. It's important Yeah, take them directly to Allah right. Tell them your Lord, your
God, your Creator, is Allah worship Him alone, right. There is no one else and there are no partners to him. And he sent prophets. This is Islam. This is Dawa Tao is not a long winded two hours long conversation to convince someone about your great civilization of Islam. That's that's a that's an important branch. Yeah, it's an important branch. You can get into details later. But Tao is
Initially means calling directly to Allah calling directly to Allah. Okay, so I work with an organization called IRA, and they have pioneered the system called go wrap, how to give Dawa in a very short span of time effectively, quickly, okay? And they have come up with this methodology
supported by supervised by the Alama Alama of all, pretty much most schools of thought, okay, and they all agree because no one can agree with this methodology disagree Sorry, no one can disagree with this methodology. What is it? Go rap and call it go rap. G stands for God's existence. O stands for oneness, or R stands for revelation which is the Quran and a stands for end and P stands for prophethood. So these are the four points you must convey to every single non Muslim you talk to right in as little time as possible. So you talk to them about God's existence, right? His Oneness that he has to be one they cannot be two or three. Okay? And you have to tell them about the
revelation, which was sent by God Quran is the final revelation and prophethood of Muhammad Rasul Allah salAllahu Salam, no Islamic scholar on the planet disagrees with this methodology because it's directly from the Quran, right? Quran talks about Allah's existence. Quran talks about Allah's oneness Quran talks about the revelation that the Quran came from Allah, and Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam is a prophet of God. So you must convey these four points before moving on to other branches and other things. So this is, this is our right, that's how you talk to people about Islam have the confidence, right, have the will have the drive to be very direct, straight. And Wallahi I'll tell
you one thing, when you are direct, people respect that people. They, they they actually admire your confidence and your belief in your faith. Because they don't have it. They don't have it right. And when they see the rational basis of your belief, right, they in many cases, they accept your faith, or they become sympathetic towards it right? They become friendly, right? They're no longer hostile. That's why Dawa is so important right? You should not be ashamed or scared of sharing the message of Islam because it will have many positive outcomes one you may bring people to Islam to you may gain the sympathy they're friendly now because they understand why you believe in this faith right they
may have many questions right why this why a job why you know all the political events around the world why noose you Muslims your bed your total union utopia and your your thought and your Juba and your masjid and your fasting and your Hajj and your Zakat and all these why why why why why is never ending, right? One answer to all these wise is that go rap methodology. Okay, oneness, God, His existence, his oneness, his revelation and profit once you explain this, every why false? It disappears. So in terms of okay, considering, again, the the dynamics of Zambia, it's a Christian nation. Yeah. So it'll always end up in the discussion about essential Islam, Jesus, Prophet Jesus,
okay. And, and so sometimes,
you know, a simple way of explaining the Muslim belief in terms of him being a mighty messenger, and versus the Christian belief and then again, depending on the Christian, now most subscribed to the Trinity, right, so how, what will be an easy way or a simple way to be able to contrast the Muslim belief versus the Christian belief? The Quran is the best guide in that respect. The Quran actually tells us how to argue our case, the Quran teaches us, okay, first of all, the Quran explains that God has to be one, they cannot be a second God or third God, if there was another one, the heavens and the earth would have crumbled, they would have been destroyed, okay. Why? Because think about
it, you have one ultimately, powerful, ultimately independent and
ultimately wise being and then you have another ultimately powerful, ultimately independent and ultimately wise being, they will never not clash, right, they will always clash because they ultimately independent, ultimate, ultimately wise and ultimately, powerful. And if that's the case, their wisdom, their will will not be in line, always. That's not going to happen, right. They will clash. And as a result of that clash, everything they have created will crumble because of the conflict. The conflict would be cosmic. It wouldn't be your little war on the planet earth right here and there with you nuclear nuclear bombs and rockets and missiles. Yeah, there
conflict would be cosmic that would mean everything they have created would be destroyed as a result of that conflict. That's why Allah subhanaw taala tells us in the Quran, if there was another one another God beside me, then there would be no universe, the universe would have been destroyed. Hence there is only one God right? Okay, so that's why you cannot have three persons in one Godhead because all of those three persons are supposed to be God. Okay? That's what the Christians believe in God the Father is God fully God, God, the Son is fully God, God the Holy Spirit is fully God, okay, if they are fully God, that means they possess the qualities the characteristics of God and
every single person has an independent will has an independent
power structure and have independent intelligence and and wisdom. In that case, they would conflict with each other. But then some come back and say no, God had is one but this God had manifests itself in three persons still is a problem, still is a problem. Because all three persons are divine, fully God. That means God has been split into three personalities, right? Okay, so it's like a split personality thing. Okay, so there are so many contradictions in and plus the doctrine of the Trinity. Allah even teaches us in the Quran Allah alludes to it in chapter four, verse 171, Allah subhanaw taala in the Quran tells us who Allah taco Thalassa okay, do not say three. However, you
may say it, whatever you mean by it, don't even go there. You know why? Because it is not from a lioness, messengers, right? Allah never taught it, messengers never brought it. They never,
you know, disseminated it, they never brought it, they never taught it. Okay? And if that's the case, then why would we follow a system?
Or an argument that has no origin with Allah and His prophets? When did Jesus talk about the Trinity? Absolutely, never. It's not absolute. It's not non existent in the New Testament. It's not there. What is the Trinity? What is the Trinity? A lot of people point to three entities, let's say in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 28, verse 19, there's a verse that says that Jesus allegedly claimed or said, go into the nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Spirit. Many Christians point to that verse and say, Oh, look at that. That's a trinity. No, that's actually not the Trinity. The Trinity, by necessity constitutes the following notion. And that is,
there is one God, but it this God has three persons, and each one of these three persons is fully God, and is CO equal to God the Father, okay, God the Father is equal to God the Son and God the Son is equal to God, God, the Holy Spirit, allegedly, right? This is not to be found anywhere in the New Testament. So in the New Testament, in terms of Jesus claiming divinity, unequivocally, absolutely nothing, there is nothing
unequivocal in the Bible that
that Jesus said, I'm God, none, non existent, there's nothing. Okay. In fact, we've been asking questions for the last 100 years since we've been debating since the days of Sheikh Ahmed Deedat onwards, right? almost 80 7080 years that give us one unequivocal statement in the New Testament where Jesus said, I am God, he had the time to curse the tree. He had the time to have dialogues with the Samaritan woman, as we are told in John chapter four. That is having a long dialogue with the Samaritan woman, he has time to curse the Pharisees and the temple authorities but he doesn't have the time to make one simple statement I am God, I am God. Not I mean, they Christians point to
a lot of verses John one one they bring it up. In the beginning was the Word the Word was God Word. The Word became God. They argued that this is an this is like an inference to his divinity. Right. Then they have John chapter eight, where Jesus is claimed to have said before Abraham was I am okay. This is like, again, another inference to his Definity. But all of these are inferences. Why was Jesus playing these games if he wanted people to believe his god, okay, he could have said I'm God. Simple. But when he had the chance to do so, he failed to do it. To the contrary, we find verses in the New Testament where he's denying His divinity
is denying His divinity clearly he clearly said he has a god. For example, in chapter 20
of the Gospel of John. Okay, verse 17, if I'm not mistaken, he tells me Magdalene
If I send on to my father, and to your father, to my God and to your God, if he's God, what games is he playing? In the same gospel, the gospel of John chapter 17, verse three, he categorically states that father is the only true God. The Father is the only true God Manasa Latinos in the Greek language that means father alone, uniquely solitarily is the only true God. That means, then, if father is the only true God, the Son is out, the Holy Spirit is also out there not true God, right. This is a clevers. This is one of the verses the Unitarians in the first 300 years of Christianity were using against the Trinitarians or the binary Tyrians. So they had an actual conflict between
absolutely in the first 300 years of Christianity, there was a huge conflict between the Unitarians, the biomaterials, and the Trinitarians. There was a treat there were different types of questions. Okay. Some believe that Jesus was a prophet of God. He was
an Israelite prophet who was sent by God to preach the message of monotheism. Others said, No, he was divine in some sense, okay. He was God with lowercase g with lowercase g. But he was below God, God the Father. Okay, so these were binary Tyrians, hierarchical binary Tyrians. They believed in a hierarchy, right? Okay. So there is God the Father, who is supreme with capital G, and there is God the Son with lowercase g below God the Father, but he's not equal to God the Father. So these are hierarchical biomaterials. Then they were hierarchical Trinitarians, like Tertullian, the first man to have used the term trinity trinitas, in the Latin language, okay, he believed that God the Father
is supreme, with capital G, then there is there is God the Son, who is below God, the Father, who was made from the essence of God the Father, and then there is God, the God, the Holy Spirit, who is below God, the Son was made from the essence of God the Son, so there is a hierarchy in the Trinity, even to Julian never said that God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, so called or equal to God the Father, which is absolute shirk, right. God the Father is basically God, the Creator, Allah, right. God Almighty, right. So, even Tertullian, who coined the term trinitas, or Trinity later on, as Christians used it, even he didn't have the audacity to put them on par with each other, each other.
So the doctrine of the Trinity has a history of development. It took questions, almost 400 years to formalize the doctrine of the Trinity as we know it today.
And where can Where Can Christians like references? Because if you were to bring it up, right, is this like common knowledge that it's a very basic history of Christian doctrine? Very basic history of Christian doctrine. I will quote one of them by J. N. D. Kelly. Okay. Okay. Dr. J. N. D. Kelly, published a book titled, The history of early Christian doctrines. Okay. You can easily find that book online. You might even find PDFs. Okay. You don't have to find hard copies. And I'm pretty sure it might be available in one of the major libraries here in Zambia, in Lusaka, as well. You go through that book, your mind, you will be blown away completely. Most Christians are not aware of
that evidence. Right. Most pastors are not aware of that evidence. I would go as far as to say most church, clergy, and officials from the church are not aware of the evidence because they don't study. They haven't studied it. Right. Okay. So if you study the development of the doctrine of the Trinity, right, okay, how it came about, right, how it was formalized, right, it was finally formalized in the 381 C II, in the city of Constantinople, where bishops came together, Christian bishops, and the finally formalized the doctrine, the doctrine of the Trinity, that there is one God, and there are three persons, God the Father, God, the Son, God, the Holy Spirit, all three are
co equal and CO eternal, this particular doctrine, the so called Gneisenau Constantinopolitan creed was formalized in the year 381 C in the city of constant Constantinople. First creed was the creed of Nicaea. But that was formalized in 325. See, when Constantine the Emperor, Constantine himself was present in that particular Council, right. And that creed was basically a binary terian creed, that creed only clarified the status of Jesus Christ in respect to God the Father, okay, that they are a
Uh, basically God, the Son is CO equal and CO eternal to God the Father. So that's the credo Nicaea or the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit's status wasn't clarified in 325. That was done 50 years later in 381. In Constantinople. That's when the doctrine of the Trinity became complete as we know it today. So this is almost 400 years later of debates, dialogues, discussions, conflicts, okay? So it's it's a very dynamic history. So if people if Christians today believe or claim that the doctrine of the Trinity the doctrine of the Trinity that was formalized in three at once he is found in the New Testament, this is a very, very, very misleading claim. Okay, it is not there. Absolutely not. Okay. In fact, we have monotheistic statements made by Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 12, verse 29,
we are told a Jewish man comes to Jesus Christ. Okay, asks him, Rabbi, our teacher, what is the most important commandment? And what does Jesus say to him, but as you say to him, hero, Israel, the Lord, our God is one Lord, worship the Lord, with all thy mind, with all thy soul with all thy heart. And having heard that the Jewish man who believes in only one God, who is one person, and they call him the father, he doesn't believe in the Trinity. So Jesus actually confirms his belief, instead of correcting him, telling him Hold on a second, you know, you you have been believing for hundreds of years, in one God, one person, the Father, but now we have a new revelation, that I am
also a person within Godhead, and there's another one called the Holy Spirit. So now we are three persons manifesting in one God, he just didn't do that. He didn't do those gymnastics. He just simply confirmed his belief. And then he responds, this person, this man responds to Jesus saying, Master your spoken the truth, there is no one else beside him. And when the Jewish man is saying him, he means God the Father, right? He doesn't mean the Trinity, right? And Jesus tells him, you are close to the kingdom of heaven. You are right, you're correct. You have a correct belief, right? This is Gospel of Mark, chapter 12, verse 29, and by the way, this incident is even alluded to,
alluded to in the Quran. In the Quran, in Surah, toma Ada, we are told that Jesus said to the Israelites, out of alignment shaitaan regime will call mercy Oh yah, Bani Israel, or De La Habra, b We're back in the home I usually Camilla forgot haram Allahu Allah Hill Jana wa Naru Amala dolly Mina mina anzar. This is the Quran chapter five.
And it states that Jesus said to the Israelites, oh the Israelites, okay. Worship Allah, your Lord and my Lord, anyone who commits partners with him or attributes partners to him, he will have no helper and he will be in hellfire. Which is chick. So if you put on par with the with God, the Father God, the Creator, someone else, right? Okay, then you're committing check, you are a polytheist according to Jesus Christ, right, according to the Gospel of Mark, chapter 12, verse 29, and according to chapter five of the Quran
so this is this is so clear, right? Right. So the Quran is very strict on monotheism. And Quran is very right. Even when we read the Bible, we see Quran being confirmed within the biblical text in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Yes, yeah.
Very interesting. And, you know, I think we have this also, problem with the Muslim community, and as even the Christian most is that the the lack of reading and actually looking at evidence, you know, it's all hearsay. So having said that, actually, that was a conversation that came up once I believe with another Christian coworker. And he told me that, you know, to get your opinion on, you know, using this as an example, so he said that he read, you know, Jesus is the way and then he started to think to himself, you know, did Jesus wear a cross? And he's like, No, that Jesus celebrate Christmas? And he said, No. So what about presenting an angle like that? If Jesus said, is
the way and you look at the actual actions of the Christians, okay, you know, yeah, if Jesus is the way let's say, Jesus is the way and we believe Jesus is the way when Jesus was the prophet of God walking on planet Earth. Absolutely. With the Muslims. We firmly strictly believe Jesus was the way when he himself was walking as a prophet of God as a messenger of God on planet Earth, right? And let's say Jesus the way for Christians, even today,
we still believe Jesus is the way right and Jesus
washed away. You know why? Because what Jesus did was exactly Islam. Right. So if Christians believe Jesus is the way, let's, let's test that claim, right? Jesus was circumcised, right? But let's look at let's start with his beliefs. Jesus believed in only one God, right? He worshipped a god. Right? And there was only one god he worshipped, right? We know that he worshipped one God clearly categorically stated in the New Testament, if the Christians believe Jesus is the way, let's follow Jesus, right, in every single thing he categorically stated himself, let's follow him, right? Let's go with that. Okay, let's see who resembles Jesus more, right? The Christians and the Muslims or the
Muslims, right? Okay. So Jesus said, categorically, in a number of places, there is only one God and you must worship that God with all thy mind with all thy heart with all thy soul with complete who sure and dedication, right, okay, gospel of Mark, chapter 12, verse 29, we've already discussed that, okay, then we go, go forward. We are told in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 28, verse, sorry, chapter 26, the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 26, verse 39, that Jesus went forward into the garden of Gethsemane, and he fell on his face
and pray to God, he fell on his face and prayed to God, so he's praying to God. Right? Then he has a dialogue with a Samaritan woman. We are told in the Gospel of John chapter four, verse 21,
he tells the Samaritan woman that the salvation is of the Jews are the Israelites. Why? Because they worship the Father in spirit. They worship the Father, God, the Father, the Creator, okay, we don't gotta call God the Father. We, I mean, we the Muslims. We don't call Allah the father, right? Okay. We don't give him biological. But at that time, the Israelites were conveniently calling God Almighty, the creator, the father, right, or the creating father. Right? So Jesus said, that salvation is with the Israelites because they worship God the Father, one God. Then in Gospel of John again, chapter 17, verse three, as mentioned earlier, father is the only true God. So if Jesus
is the way let's follow him in this, he believed in one God and worshipped him. Now, the next question is, how did he worship him? How did you worship Him? As I explained in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 26, verse 39, he fell on his face to pray to God, he fell in prostration. How do you fall on your face? You put your face on Earth, like this, right? Okay. That's what we call prostration. This is exactly what we Muslims do in our mosques right before we all fall on our faces, every single prayer, to pray to God, right? Jesus prayed exactly like that.
It doesn't stop there. Jesus was circumcised. On the seventh day, he was circumcised, right? Muslims are all circumcised, we have to circumcise right, our male children, right. But other Christians circumcised at circumcising as part of the religion.
From what I know, they don't have to, they don't write. In fact, the African governments now are paying people to circumcise to protect themselves against disease. I saw that on a billboard. So now amazingly, people are now forced to follow Jesus Christ and prophets and and Islam effectively, right? Because Islam makes it
an important tenant to to circumcise your male children, right? It doesn't stop there. If Jesus is the way, this is the way that what I'm explaining, Jesus did not touch pig. He did not eat pig meat. None of the Israelite prophets did, right? Why are the Christians eating pig? Why have they made it halal? Or per permitted for themselves? Jesus did not touch Pick Me aboard it. Right. So if Jesus is the way if Jesus is the way and if you're sincere about it, then this is the way there is only one God you worship by prostration you circumcised you? You don't eat pig. You look like him. You have a beard. You have a Juba like we the Muslims were looking at marry in hijab, right? Right. Yeah, this
is the way if you sincere.
Okay, but a lot of other things Christians may be doing in the churches, like singing and dancing and all those things. That's not the way of Jesus right or worshiping a trinity or paying respects to a cross. Okay. I mean, we don't mean any disrespect or any insult here we just trying to explain our belief, right? And
we have nothing but sympathy and respect for Christians. Right. Okay. So we're not trying to disrespect and hurt anyone's feelings by saying these things. We're trying to explain our perspective on religion.
Christians are free to disagree. You're free to disagree. But this is what we believe in that if Jesus is the way, then this is the way right and that way is Islam. Right? It's very clear. It's very visible to anyone who wants to see. Right. Yeah. But people are free to believe in what they want to believe in. If Christians want to be Christian as they have been, it's up to them. Right. And in Islam, we are told to convey the message and leave the rest to God. Right. God is the one who guides people, right? We don't have the power to guide people. Right? Yeah. Okay, two more questions. So say somebody listens to this podcast. And you know, they're true to themselves. They
go and look at the evidence themselves, which we encourage everybody to do. Do your own research. And you'll see what conclusion you'll come to. And they come to realize that wait, the what the Muslims are doing is exactly what you know, Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him did. And now they want to accept Islam as their way of life. They want to worship one God, they don't want to eat cake they want to write, what is the next step for somebody that wants to accept Islam. They simply go to a mosque, a local mosque, and tell them that they want to accept Islam. And if they don't have access to a mosque, they simply go online, and go on YouTube.
And check out
how to take shahada or how to accept Islam or how to become a Muslim, right, you will find videos, okay? And if you want a shortcut, then there is a website Title One reason.org One reason.org, which has on our new Muslim,
Muslim now dot.com I'm pretty sure it's called Muslim now.com Muslim now.com has all these details where you can actually initiate yourself into Islam you become a Muslim by stating the proclamation that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah. And Muhammad is his messenger. You simply repeat this even in the English language, you may be at home in a remote area, listen to this podcast and you want to accept Islam, you simply say, there is no God except Allah and Muhammad is his messenger, you are a Muslim, you're a Muslim. And then you start praying, you go and have a shower, have a bath, okay? And then you start praying how you pray, again, new muslim.com or.org
check out that website. And, and then you can even approach your local Masjid you go to local mosque, if you are, if there's a masjid in your close vicinity, you can go to the masjid and ask the people, the Muslims there to teach you how to pray and tell them there you have become a Muslim, you have accepted Islam, and you want to learn how to pray, and they will teach you how to pray Inshallah, and they will guide you to two sources, they might give you an English translation of the Quran, they might give you materials on how to pray. So you can access all of this.
If you are online, as I mentioned earlier, the websites are one reason.org and new muslim.com or.org check those websites. And everybody's welcome. There's no fee, you don't have to pay a membership. You don't have to give any money. It doesn't require anything like that. It's just about your personal connection with your Creator. Right. And you know, it's testify occation of your your tongue your your, your limbs, your heart, that you're worshiping one God. Absolutely right. I'm just confirming the website website. Sure. Yeah. I'm pretty sure it's near Muslim on Muslim now dot new Muslim. Yeah. is called a new muslim.ira.org. Yeah, there you have all the information, new Muslim
education. So it's called New muslim.ie R A dot o RG. Okay. You will get all the basic instructions how to believe and what to believe and how to pray. So the method to praise there.
Inshallah, so you can check out that website. Alright, does talk about last question. This is my personal question. So I'm actually stealing your time for myself here.
I've always, you know, when when trying to understand Indonesia and Malaysia, I know this might be a very long answer, but what is it or how did Islam spread?
Through those those areas? You know, to the point where the whole country is now yet the short answer is that Islam spread the, through dealings. For example, the Yemeni traders from Yemen, the spread throughout Southeast Asia and territory, even in India, on the on the western coast of India, Malabar coast, and even East Africa, the Yemenis because they are strategically placed in right in the middle on the Arabian Sea. They went out everywhere, right? He came to Africa, they went to Southeast Asia and Yemeni traders, they went to Southeast Asia in the 13th century. 1200s. Right. Okay. And they start to deal with the Malay P
Paul Wright who were up to this point, either Buddhist or Hindu, right. And they realize these people are extremely honest. Yeah, they are very honest in the dealings, right? So if there was, there was a bad product, they would say, this is not so good. And it's cheaper. But this one is a good product, and is slightly more expensive. They were very honest with the business. And people started to trust them. They realized that everyone else is cheating them when it comes to trade with them, right? But these people are the only people who are honest. So they started to inquire how is it that you guys don't like money, right? You don't like to cheat? Like, I mean, everyone's cheating
us, but you don't like money? I said, No. Our religion forbids us from being liars, and deceivers and cheaters. So they asked what religion is this? And they said, This is Islam. We believe in Allah. And we believe in Muhammad Rasul Allah and we believe in the Quran, they said, We want to learn this religion. And lo and behold, Islam spread like Subhan Allah so fast and rapidly that all of these people now the largest number of Muslims in the world is in Malay territories, right? Malaysia, Indonesia, parts of Philippines, Philippines was all Muslim, right? And it was only after Spanish colonialism in the 16th century, and many major Filipino Filipino islands became Catholic by
force, by force, by the way they were forced into Catholicism, right, okay. And there were those islands that resisted the Spanish colonialism, and they remain Muslim. So Mindanao Region to this day in Philippines is is Muslim, right. So this is how Islam spread to the Malay territories and Malay people, without any army Muslim army going there conquering land.
This happened simply through dealings, more Camelot fair dealings, just dealings, truthful dealings, and people accepted Islam just by the behavior Allah so this is a reminder for all Muslims out there listening to me, right? Yeah, you better deal fairly. Yes. You better do things justly. Because people are not stupid, right? People are very clever nowadays people I mean, even then, in the Middle Ages, people are so clever. How about today when you cheat people know you're cheating. And if you cheat with the with the with the coffee with the topi and authority and Juba, then you are the worst creature you know, walking on the planet you because you're not only doing haram, you're
harming Islam, right? Okay, so you better be very careful in your dealings. And when you do deal justly fairly, and you're honest, not only Allah gives baraka to your business, Allah puts more Baraka in your business. But Allah brings people to Islam through your character.
So it's double as a double whammy. Yeah, double the reward. So, South Africans, how did Islam came to the Cape region? Yeah, the Malays? Yeah. Dutch brought them as political prisoners, right. And they were already Muslim. So this is like in the, in the, in the in the 17th, century 1600s, when Malay people came to
Western Cape.
Okay, the cape region in South Africa, right. So Islam came to South Africa, okay with the Dutch, right? Okay, in the 17th century, 1600s. And that's why we still have traces of those Malay communities. So Subhanallah imagine Germany's went to Indonesia and Malaysia. Those guys were picked up later on by the Dutch and the Dutch brought them to South Africa and established Islamic Muslim colonies. They're how Allah works is absolutely wonderful. Yeah, yeah, exactly. But you know, it crossed my mind often is like Zambia's in particular. There's a lot of Muslim traders. And, you know, the other day I was thinking to myself, like, you know, I wish I could read something. I don't
know if there's any literature out there on this particular subject, but
you know, for you to clarify there the importance of honest dealings and o'clock and, you know, the baraka that can come with all that, yeah. Well, one final point I would like to make was Ambien Muslims in particular, you have no choice but to do Dara, if you don't, if you don't do Dawa, to non Muslims in particular, I'm not talking about Dawa efforts on Muslims, right. I mean, who has done absolutely amazing work for the last 100 years, right in making muslims stronger Muslims. Absolutely amazing work, right. But there are millions of non Muslims who need Dawa to Islam right. There is no excuse not to give the Dharma to them. If the Prophet sallallahu sallam was here today in Zambia.
Yeah, you're telling me he wouldn't go to Zambians that invite them to Islam. Definitely what he would mobilize all of you, right? All of you, he would get up and join me to go to the villages outside in the outskirts of the city and beyond. To go and invite people to Islam. Okay, make an effort. Just like we make effort for other things. We need to make an effort for call
being non Muslims to Islam specifically, because this is what all Prophets came for. Prophet sallallaahu Salam was stoned in the city of five because he went there to do the art to non Muslims, right? So we must all Zambian Muslims, we must all indulge in Dawa specifically to non Muslims. Okay, and reach out and you can do both. You could do both. It would be one or the other. The Evolution The Muslim is already happening here. Allah bless our brothers. Yeah, okay. The effort is already happening. Yeah, but why are the non roosters neglected? Yeah, are we do we have enough people doing Tao on that front? I don't think so. No, I don't think so. So we need to bring some
people have no fear. Have the confidence don't think oh, we have a peaceful situation. And if we do that our this will happen that will happen. Don't be like that. Right? Don't be like that. Nothing will happen. The law. This is a free country. Yeah. The law allows you to do Dawa. Right Okay, everyone is allowed to preacher right right. So why why not do it? Yeah. Okay. Why not even help the people empower the people at the same time right? Take your charity will work to them, help people right alleviate poverty from them, you know, take take away poverty, help them do social programs. Some people have this mentality that oh no, a lot of people are only interested in this for because
of money not because they will get so what? So what give them Islam help them help them change the social condition. We're not Allah we cannot change the whole population of the region, right. But we can at least do little, little by little do your sadaqa do your Kermani there, do your you know food distribution that do you the card there and you will see a change, you see a change, okay? And if the prophets Allah Salam was thinking like us,
if he was thinking like us, we wouldn't be Muslims today. Our ancestors in India, they would not accept Islam, there would be no one to give dower to them. The reason we are not worshipping idols today is because someone came to them and and they followed the example of the Prophet Allah license. So we need to start thinking about the prophet is x sacrifices and his final instructions. He told his companions go out and deliver the message of Islam, valuable labor, Shahid, Allah EB. Now those who are present at Hajnal vada. The final Hajj of the Prophet is a valuable labor Shahid, Allah. Now those who are present, take this message to those who are absent. What does that mean?
How will we face the profits and loss of judgment? If we have so much Islam, so many modalities and data looms, and we are not reaching out to non Muslims? How will we face Allah's Messenger on the day of judgment? And he will compete with other prophets in the numbers? are we increasing the numbers? Are we preaching and it's not illegal? It is perfectly legal to do so. Yeah, for sure. So may Allah give all of us? I mean,
I mean, who started the nanosheet? Is alcohol credit for taking the time I know you got a busy schedule. May Allah subhanaw taala take you safely bring you back again, safely accept all your work as you saw