"The monotheism testimony is so lively that it sticks out with one blow the idolatrous tree…A Muslim is blessed with security and safety because he can reach his highly model here on the earth….Islam is participle religion and simple one….Islam is a monotheist religion on a certain basic that is not open to question, realistic and includes everything on full-scale" .
The Orientalist Rom Landro
Muslims Worship Allah
"Allah" is simply the Arabic name of God used by Muslims of the world as well as Arab Christians. Allah for Muslims is the greatest and the most inclusive name of the Names of God, it is an Arabic word of rich meaning, denoting the one and the only God and ascribing no partners to Him. The name "Allah" was not a name invented by the Arabs, but It had been the name of God since the beginning of time. In the Torah, we can easily find the name that God gave to Himself, "Elah", or in some cases, "Eloh" (Elohim -[im] as a form of respect in the Hebrew language). It was also used in the Aramaic language, which was the language spoken by the beloved Prophet, Jesus. Therefore God has an identical name in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Muslims Believe that Torah, Gospel and Quran are all the word of the God.
All true Muslims realize that all their worship and prayers must be directed to Almighty God alone. Suffice it to say that worshipping anyone else along with Almighty God is considered to be the worst sin in Islam. Even if a person claims to be Muslim, but they worship and pray to o other than Almighty other than Almighty God, this cancels and nullifies their Islam.
In Islam, Allah is the True and the Only Creator, and only He deserves to be worshipped. Nothing else is worthy of worship; not stones, statues , tombs (of any religion), the sun, the moon, stars, temples, animals, Prophets (from any religion), messengers, saints, priests, movie stars, musicians, athletes, or religious scholars. All these examples are only created things, and are not worthy of worship in Islam. In fact, doing that means to associate partners with Allah, and it is the only sin that would never be forgiven on the Day of Judgment. Allah is the First; there was none before Him, and the Last, He has no end to His existence. Allah is the Ever-living; everything will end in death, except Him.
Who is Muhammad to Muslims?
According to the Islamic belief, Prophet Muhammad was the last Messenger of God. He, like all of God's prophets and messengers such as Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus were only a human being. Some people came to the mistaken assumption that Muslims worship Muhammad by formulating an incorrect analogy. He called people to worship only Almighty God, and he continually emphasized his humanity.
Muhammad (pbuh) was born in Mecca in 570. Since his father died before his birth, and his mother shortly afterwards, he was raised by his uncle from the respected tribe of Quraysh. As he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes.
He used to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near Mecca. At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad (pbuh) received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which lasted for 23 years, is known as the Quran. As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered from the bitter persecution which grew so fierce that in 622 God gave them the command to emigrate.
This event, the Hijra 'migration', in which they left Mecca heading to the city of Medina, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. After several years, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Mecca, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. Before the Prophet death at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as far East as China.
Muslims consider Islam to be the same divine guidance sent to all peoples before. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last and the final messenger sent to deliver the message of Islam. Muslims revere and honor him (pbuh) for all what he went through and his dedication, but they do not worship him.
"O Prophet, verily we have sent you as a witness and a bearer of glad tidings and a Warner and as one who invites unto God by His leave and as an illuminating lamp."(33:45-6)
By Nouran Radwan
References:
· http://www.jannah.org/
· http://muslimvillage.com/
· http://www.nicheoftruth.org/
· http://www.islamicweb.com/