Islam our beloved religion

Is the existence of Allah (swt) self-evident? Is the state of disbelief parallel to human nature? If man were left alone, without external influences, would he reach Islam? Is the creed of Islam based on human nature?. In a famous Hadeeth our beloved messenger (saws) said: ''Every child is born upon the pure fitra, it is only his parents that later turn him into a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian'' (narrated by Sahih Muslim)

Man is created with certain self-inherent attributes such as sight, and hearing, which is known as Fitra in Arabic; it is the creation of man in a certain fashion to aid him perform certain actions. So the question that arises: Is man born into this world with a belief in Allah (swt) as he is born to see and hear, or must he use these inherently created attributes correctly to reach to a belief in Allah (swt)? At first glance if we look at the ahadeeth (plural of Hadeeth) and verses related to this topic; we can be lead to belief in an inherent belief in Allah (swt) within man?But if we gather many evidences together and closely study the evidences dealing with this subject we will be lead to say that belief in Allah (swt) is not self inherent, nor is it the nature of man upon which he is created like sight and hearing. Rather Allah (swt) created man and created within him the ability to reach Imaan through thinking and learning.

The linguistic definition of Fitra is what is meant in the ahadith and verses dealing with the issue at hand. So Allah (swt) created man and placed in him the potential and ability to reach the truth if he used the power and ability, which Allah (swt) created in him. From this we understand the statement of Imaam As-Fahani when he states that the Fitra of Allah (swt) is the power and ability to reach Imaan.

If we use the Hadith quoted above and placed it in its correct context and gathered with it other evidences; then it will lead us to the position that the belief in Allah (swt) is reached via Fitra. Furthermore those who push the view of a self-inherent created belief in Allah (swt) seem to ignore the ending of the Hadeeth which states ''if they were Muslims (parents) then the child is a Muslim'' this addition to the Hadith which is ignored by many, shows that just as the child is influenced by his Christian, Jewish or Magian parents similarly is the case with a child of Muslim parents. In other words the child is not is not inherently called a disbeliever or Muslim, rather the ruling on the child is attached to his parents and not inherent, where the state of his/her parents apply on him/her. Otherwise how can a child be made a Muslim in accordance to his parents if he was born already on the state of Islam? Based on this: The belief of the child, whether Islam or Kufr, is not an original state but follows the state of his or her parents.

Imaam An-Nawawi in his exegesis of this Hadith as narrated in Saheeh Muslims states ''and what is more correct is that it means that every new born is born prepared to accept Islam, so whoever parents are Muslims or one of them continues upon Islam in the rulings of the world and hereafter, and if his parents were disbelievers then its rulings its rulings are implemented upon him in this world?''

On another note Imaam As-Shafi' says in his commentary of the Hadith as narrated by Abu-Abdur-Rahman Al-Baghdadi that Fitra in this Hadith means the Fitra or inherent creation which Allah (swt) created His creation, that the child, if he does not clarify his belief on his own account, will have no ruling for himself, but as explained previously their ruling will be in accordance to their parents, if Muslim then the child will follow in that ruling and if disbelief the child will hold the ruling of a disbeliever in this world.

Imaam Al-Manawi in his own study of Fitra concludes ''And what occurs is that man is inherently created to be strongly prepared to accept Islam, but he must learn it?''

Furthermore Allah (swt) says in the Koran ''It is He Who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when ye knew nothing'' This verse is general in it denotation, which negates the chance that the child has any knowledge whatsoever when he enters this world, and at most the child will have an inherent created ability through learning and striving to reach conclusions.
In addition, some Muslims adopted the stance that human beings are born naturally good. However, the Islamic point of view states that human beings are born in a state of Fitra, and ''Fitra'' refers to the natural state of the human being, which consists of his instincts, organic needs, and emotional complex. This natural state has the potential to be directed in the correct way or in the wrong way, and the direction which the human being chooses is done by his mind. Thus, Fitra does not mean ''good'' as many Muslims may misunderstand. The Fitra refers to the natural potential that the human being has, and this potential can be directed towards good or evil.To understand this issue this, we must realize that the human being proceeds in this life to satisfy his instincts and organic needs. The human being simultaneously possesses a mental capacity which distinguishes him from the animal. The animal would behave solely upon biological criteria without linking its behavior to any concepts for the simple reason that animals have no concepts and no ability to think and formulate concepts. While the instincts and needs require satisfaction, the method of satisfying these instincts and needs do not originate from them. No organic need or instinct mandates satisfaction in a specific way; they only mandate satisfaction. For example, the need to eat manifests itself in hunger, which pushes the human being to eat. There is no such thing as hunger which pushes a person to eat specific food items. Hunger per se does not impose upon the individual a specific choice to consume vegetables or animals slaughtered in a specific way or any type of animal. The concepts which a human being carries will determine for each individual what to eat. The same applies to thirst. No thirst necessitates drinking juice or wine. However, the concepts which man carries will push an individual to quench his thirst either by drinking wine, water or some other liquid. Therefore, satisfying these instincts and organic needs against the order that Allah defined cannot stem from any natural or intrinsic component of the human being.Hence, Al-Hassan i.e. the pleasant is what Shari'ah made pleasant and Al-Qabeeh i.e. the repulsive is what Shari'ah made repulsive.

Man is created with a mind that differentiates him from other creation, if he uses this mind correctly, and if he strives and learns he will surely reach Islam, as Imaam An-Nawawi stated ''every new born is born prepared to accept Islam''. So every new born is inherently created in a state prepared to accept Islam and in the belief of a Creator but he must use his mind to reach that conclusion. It is this enlightened thought that will in turn solve the fundamental question about man, life, and the universe and its relationship with that, that comes before it and after it. When this is solved then everything is then everything will follow as it is the basis which all thought and action will be built upon, and the first step on the road to revival?