Importance of pondering over the Quran
Fatwa No: 171669

Question

Assalamo alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu when I watch and read about new muslims or reverters that how they accepted islam, some says they researched too much about islam and then became muslim , some says that Quran touched their hearts and became muslim, some says they think too much about religion and faith , and so many people became muslim by different experiences. my question is sometimes i am too much scared and worried that we born muslims like me didnot do any research or do not understand much Quran, but in our heart we have faith on Allah and say we are muslims because our parents were muslims and follow the culture.we have very less knowledge about islam Are we really muslims and Allah swt will accept us as a muslim?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Whoever was born to Muslim parents, he is considered a Muslim; there is a consensus of the scholars on this issue. Similarly, if it is confirmed with certainty that someone is a Muslim, then his Islam cannot be overruled except with certainty, even if he commits violations (prohibited matters) whose doer is not Islamically considered as an apostate.

Therefore, any believer who submits himself to Allaah and believes in His Messengers, and believes in meeting Him while hoping for His Mercy, should endeavor to strengthen his Eemaan [faith] in order to hope more for that which is with Allaah [i.e. Paradise] and fear His Punishment.

Indeed, among the best matters by which one strengthens his Eemaan is to ponder over the Book of Allaah [Quran] and contemplate the universe so that he would increase his Eemaan and certainty even more. Allaah Says when addressing His Khaleel [intimate friend] Ibraaheem [Abraham] (what means): {And [mention] when Abraham said, “My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead.” [Allaah] said, “Have you not believed?” He said, “Yes, but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied.”}[Quran 2:260]

Besides, a Muslim should be keen on seeking Islamic knowledge, learning beneficial knowledge and being keen on performing righteous deeds. There is some knowledge which the person is obligated to learn; Al-Munaawi when commenting on the Hadeeth “Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim male and female.”, he said: “It means what one must learn, like knowing the Creator, the Prophecy of His Messengers, and how to perform the prayer and so forth, as knowing such matters is an individual obligation."

As regards the non-Muslims embracing Islam after doing what you mentioned in the question, then Allaah has created His Creation upon the Fitrah (natural predisposition) to believe in Him Alone [that there is no god worthy of worship beside Him], and to worship Him Alone; Allaah Says (what means): {And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam — from their loins — their descendants and made them testify of them selves, [saying to them], “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes, we have testified.”}[Quran 7:172]

Ibn Katheer said about the interpretation of this verse “Allaah tells us that He extracted the sons of Aadam from the loins of their fathers, while testifying of themselves that Allaah is their Lord and their Master, and that None has the right to be worshipped except Him, as He created them on the Fitrah of worshipping Him and believing in Him without associating any partners with Him."

Moreover, Ibn Katheer said about the interpretation of the verse in which Allaah Says (what means): {So direct your face [i.e. self] toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the Fitrah of Allaah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allaah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.}[Quran 30:30]; Allaah meant: “Direct your face [to Allaah] and continue to hold fast to the religion which Allaah has prescribed for you which is the religion of Ibraaheem [i.e. monotheism] to which Allaah has guided you, and which He has perfected for you. You should observe and abide by the sound Fitrah upon which Allaah created mankind, as Allaah, the Almighty, has created his creation upon the Fitrah of knowing Him and believing in Him Alone and that there is no god worthy of worship beside Him."

Also, it is confirmed that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet said: "Every child is born on the Fitrah (human disposition upon which Allaah created mankind – i.e. to believe in Him Alone and not associate with Him any partners), then his parents make him/her a Jew, a Christian or a Magi.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Another narration reads: “…on this religion. (i.e. the religion of Islam)…” For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 99189.

An-Nawawi said when commenting on this Hadeeth: “There is no child except that he is born on the Fitrah. As regards the Fitrah that is mentioned in these Ahadeeth, then Al-Maaziri said: “It means: the covenant that Allaah took from them when they were in the loins of their fathers [i.e. when He created them] and that they were born upon that, then the change may take place by the parents…” Then, Abu Zakariyyah (An-Nawawi) said: “The correct opinion is that its meaning is that every child is born while being prepared to accept Islam, so if both of his parents are Muslims or just one of them is Muslim, he continues to be a Muslim in regard to the rulings concerning this worldly life and the Hereafter."

On the other hand, the Quran is a book revealed from the All-Knower, the All-Aware Who knows what suits the souls (of His slaves), as He has put some features that help achieve that; Allaah Says (what means): {Allaah has sent down the best statement: a consistent Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver there from of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance [i.e. mention] of Allaah. That is the guidance of Allaah by which He guides whom He wills. And one whom Allaah leaves astray — for him there is no guide.}[Quran 39:23]

So, if the Quran encounters a heart that is ready to be affected, then the Quran influences it. Hence, whoever wants to be enlightened with the light of the Quran, he should recite it and ponder over it, and he will undoubtedly find this good outcome in the same manner that that non-Muslim found it and the light of the Quran entered his heart.

Allaah Knows best.

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