February 2003: Page 1, 2, 3, 4

Submitters Perspective

Page 2

Submitters

Cont’d from page 1

Although the word “Submitter” is the English equivalent of the Arabic word “Muslim,” and the word “Submission” is the English equivalent of the Arabic word “Islam,” the underlying implication of these words is very profound, and far from the superficial meanings that are traditionally understood or used. Therefore, Dr. Khalifa initiated extensive usage of these words in his newsletters and translation of the Quran in order for people to differentiate between a so-called Muslim and a true Muslim or Submitter, and between the corrupted religion of Islam and the true Islam or Submission.

A Submitter can be defined as a person who submits to the will of God. The state of Submission, which can only take place between the person and God Almighty, is considered to be the only acceptable form of worship by God. (3:19, 85). Therefore, Submission is not just a name of a religion; rather it describes one’s devotion to God alone.

Submission is a religion whereby one recognizes God’s absolute authority, and reaches a conviction that only God possesses all power; no other entity possesses any power that is independent of Him. The natural result of such a realization is to devote one’s life and one’s worship absolutely to God alone. This is the First Commandment in all the scriptures, including the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Final Testament (The Quran).

Hear , O Israel!
The Lord our God is One God!
Therefore you shall adore
the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
[Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Mark 12:29-30, Quran 3:18]

The commandment to worship God alone is also found in the Hindu scriptures:

Let us meditate on God,
His glorious attributes,
who is the basis of everything in this universe as its Creator,
who is fit to be worshiped
as Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient
and self existent conscious being,
who removes all ignorance
and impurities from the mind
and purifies and sharpens the intellect.
[Gayatri Mantra, Yajur Veda]

Submitters only in Islam?

While every religion has been corrupted by innovations, traditions, and false, idolatrous doctrines, there may be “Submitters” within every religion. There may be Submitters who call themselves Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or anything else. This is a concept the traditional and ignorant Muslims will fiercely object to, even though it is in the Quran, and we experience it constantly.

They are not all the same; among the followers of the scripture, there are those who are righteous. They recite GOD's revelations through the night, and they fall prostrate. [3:113]

One of the reasons for this objection could be due to the implication of the terminology used. For example,

the phrase “Christian submitter” may seem to introduce a conflict, since the traditional definition of a Christian is the belief in the divinity of Christ. However, there are Christians who consider this idea to be blasphemous, and consequently they believe that Jesus was only a messenger of God. Similarly, there are people in other religions who believe in God Almighty, believe that they are accountable for their works, and they are righteous. A criterion of the true submitters is that they will find nothing objectionable in the Quran when they encounter it.

All these people are Submitters, and they collectively constitute the only religion acceptable to God.

Minimum Criteria

There are many more people out there who are Submitters in heart, but we may not be aware of them. Furthermore, they themselves may not know where to fit in. How can one know if he or she might qualify to be called a Submitter? The minimum criteria to be a Submitter are given in the following verses.

Surely, those who believe,
those who are Jewish,
the Christians,
and the converts;
anyone who
(1) believes in GOD, and
(2) believes in the Last Day, and
(3) leads a righteous life,
will receive their recompense from their Lord.
They have nothing to fear,
nor will they grieve.
[Quran 2:62, 5:69]

Organizations

The Submitters have set up non-profit organizations over the years so that they can work in the cause of God more efficiently.

cont'd on page 3