Non-Muslim Visitors

Say: We believe in Allah (GOD) and in what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the twelve sons of Jacob, and what was given to Moses, Jesus and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between them and to Him (Allah) we have submitted (in Islam).” [Qur’an, 3:84]

Non- Muslims visitors who want to gain a more basic understanding of Islam, or those who have an interest in Islam and are looking for additional information, resources or have a particular question, please send us e-mail: outreach@greenvillemasjid.com OR imam@greenvillemasjid.com

What we wish to explain to our non-Muslim friends is, first, why Muslims choose to follow Islam, and second, the rationale behind their commitment to it.

Islam is often misunderstood, and its beliefs are frequently misrepresented. Through thoughtful conversation, we hope to clarify some of these misconceptions and foster greater understanding of a faith followed by over 1.9 billion people worldwide.

Muslims believe that objective truth exists and that faith is not based on “imperfect knowledge,” as is sometimes suggested. From a logical standpoint, one of the following must be true:

1. There is only one god, OR

2. There are many gods, OR

3. There is no god.

Only one of these views must be correct, which necessarily means the others are false. This logical reality explains why Muslims believe that not all belief systems can be equally true. While Islam clearly teaches that “there is no compulsion in religion” (Qur’an 2:256), it also affirms that truth is distinct from falsehood.

The Qur’an, revealed to the final Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him), repeatedly invites readers to reflect, reason, and critically examine its message. It challenges people to consider whether such a book could have been produced by an unlettered man, as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was unable to read or write.

The Qur’an states: “Whoever wills, let him believe; and whoever wills, let him disbelieve” (18:29). An individual’s belief or disbelief neither benefits nor harms the Creator of the universe. Rather, belief is for the benefit of the individual. Importantly, Islam teaches that belief should rest on knowledge and clear evidence, not blind faith. Reason and revelation are not meant to contradict one another, for why would God create human intellect and then require belief in something fundamentally irrational?

This raises an important question: are there rational criteria by which we can assess claims to truth?

Islam affirms that such criteria do exist. Emotional commitment to a faith should follow intellectual conviction. Reason is, in fact, a primary tool for discovering truth.

Any religion or worldview may be evaluated by asking whether it is rational, universal, applicable across time and place, and relevant to people of all cultures and languages. One may also examine whether its scripture has been preserved without alteration and whether it is free from internal contradictions and external inconsistencies. A text is internally inconsistent if it contradicts itself, and externally inconsistent if it contradicts established facts of the natural world. It would be inconceivable for God to be ignorant of His creation.

When Muslims refer to God using the pronoun “He,” this is a matter of linguistic convention, not an attribution of gender. Muslims believe that God is entirely distinct from His creation and that nothing resembles Him. Human language and imagination cannot fully grasp His greatness except as He has described Himself in the Qur’an.

Islam affirms pure monotheism and rejects the attribution of human limitations or imperfections to God, such as weakness, dependency, mortality, or partnership. Likewise, it rejects elevating any created being to divine status. God, in Islamic belief, is far exalted above all imperfections, and uniquely perfect in every respect.

Muslims believe that the universe did not create itself, nor did it arise from nothing. Rather, it is the product of intelligence and purpose, not blind chance. We also believe in all the prophets sent by God, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). According to Islam, all of these prophets called to the same essential message: submission to the one Creator alone, without partners.

Human experience shows that even a brief period of careful reasoning can lead a person to affirm God’s absolute Oneness and uniqueness. Once this foundational truth is acknowledged, the next question becomes: which religion truly preserves and teaches pure monotheism?

One of the most important criteria for distinguishing truth from error is the authenticity of a religion’s scripture. Muslims hold that the Qur’an is the only major religious scripture that is claimed to have been preserved in its original form, without alteration to a single letter. This claim is distinctive. For example, many Jewish and Christian scholars acknowledge disputes over the authorship, transmission, and textual integrity of their scriptures, while most other religions openly recognize their sacred texts as human compositions.

If we accept that objective truth exists, and that God exists, it follows logically that God would guide humanity, commanding certain actions and prohibiting others. Islam teaches that God communicates this guidance through chosen prophets. If God did not leave humanity without reliable revelation, then the very claim of the Qur’an’s preservation warrants serious examination. Yet Islam does not ask people to accept this claim blindly; rather, the Qur’an itself calls for reflection, reasoning, and faith grounded in knowledge rather than inherited tradition.

The Qur’an challenges its readers with the following question:

"Do they not then consider the Qur’an carefully?  Had it been from other than Allah (GOD), they would surely have found therein much contradiction." [Qur'an,4:82]

This is only an introduction in which we wanted to raise a few issues regarding the criteria for knowing the Truth. We have by no means given an exhaustive list (of these criteria), and we encourage you to further explore the religion of Islam by contacting the Outreach Committee.

Outreach Committee: outreach@greenvillemasjid.com OR imam@greenvillemasjid.com