Is Islam a cult? I don't understand how this religion can be embraced by so many.

It's
inconceivable that such hatred has ever been collected in a single population such as
that which calls itself Muslim. Mohammad, and indeed, his followers, are way off the
path. Stop your attacks on non-Muslims.
John Guerra

Ans. The two meanings of the word ‘cult’ according to the Oxford dictionary are as follows:
1) “A way of life, an attitude, an idea etc. that has become very popular”.
2) “A small group of people who have extreme religious beliefs and who are not part of any
established religion”.

By referring to Islam as a cult, if you intend to imply the first meaning, then yes Islam is a way
of life – in fact it is ‘THE way of life’ prescribed for humankind by the Creator. I am aware that
most widely, the second meaning of the word cult is implied. In that context, Islam is not a
cult.

Many people have a misconception that Islam is a new religion and Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) was the founder of Islam. However, let me clarify that Islam is not the name of some
unique religion presented for the first time by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who should, on that
account be called the founder of Islam.

The Qur’an states that Islam – the complete submission of man before his one and only
Unique Creator – is the one and only faith and way of life consistently revealed by God to
humankind from the very beginning. Noah, Solomon, David, Abraham, Moses, Isaac and
Jesus (pbut) – prophets who appeared at different times and places – all propagated the
same faith and conveyed the same message of Tawheed (Oneness of God), Risaalat
(Prophethood) and Aakhirah (the Hereafter). These prophets of God were not founders of
different religions to be named after them. They were each reiterating the message and faith
of their predecessors.

However, Muhammad (pbuh) was the last Prophet of God. God revived through him the same
genuine faith which had been conveyed by all His Prophets. This original message was
earlier corrupted and split into various religions by people of different ages, who indulged in
interpolations and admixture. These alien elements were eliminated by God, and Islam – in its
pure and original form – was transmitted to humankind through Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Since there was to be no messenger after Muhammad (pbuh), the Book revealed to him (i.e.
the Glorious Qur’an) was preserved word for word so that it should be a source of guidance
for all times.

Thus the religion of all the prophets was ‘total submission to God’s will’ and one word for that
in the Arabic language is ‘Islam’. Abraham and Jesus (peace be upon them) too were
Muslims, as Allah testifies in Al-Qur'an 3:67 and 3:52 respectively.

Islam is embraced by so many humans in all centuries because it is the Truth and it provides
practical and comprehensive solutions to problems of humankind. Islam not only teaches
good things but also shows practical ways of achieving that state of goodness.

Your surprise regarding many people embracing Islam is justified. Today, though Islam
happens to be the fastest growing religion in the world, it also happens to be the religion
about which people have maximum number of misconceptions. This is largely because of the
virulent propaganda by the media about Islam.

A Christian surveyor, Professor Edward reported in the Time Magazine of April 16, 1979 that
in a span of 150 years, from 1800 CE to 1950 CE “over 60,000 books have been written
against Islam by the Christian West.” Now, it is questionable, who has initiated, nurtured and
collected the hatred which you have referred to, the Muslims or the Christian West?
Many are surprised that despite such propaganda being made against Islam, it still happens
to be the fastest growing religion in today’s times. It is so, on the merits of its superior and
noble teachings. Says Allah swt in the Glorious Qur'an:

“They (the non-Muslim enemies and critics of Islam) plot and plan, and Allah too plans; but
the best of planners is Allah”.
(Al-Qur'an 8:30)

You have advised the Muslims not to attack non-Muslims; I request you to direct your advice
to those authorities, who only claim to be ‘peaceful, peace-loving people’ and ‘peace-keepers
of the world’, but ironically have attacked thousands of innocent Muslims under the theme
‘War on terror’. The noted writer Arundhati Roy states: "So now we know. Pigs are horses.
Girls are boys. War is Peace."

The terrorist acts attributed to Muslim suspects, should not be attributed to Islam or the
Muslims in general but to individual human weaknesses. Such human failings occur among
all religious and ethnic groups. Recorded history has not witnessed an incident similar to the
‘Holocaust’. However, one is not expected to and should not attribute the holocaust to
Christianity or to Christians in general.

A number of skeptics have made comments about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Skeptics
allege that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was “a violent man, a man of war”. Some further state
that "Jesus set the example for love, as did Moses … Muhammad set an opposite example”
(remember Jerry Falwell?). These skeptics somehow fail to realize that far from being a man
of war, “…he (Muhammad) must be called the saviour of humanity”, as described thus by
George Bernard Shaw.

Though the portrayal of Moses and Jesus (pbut) of being peace-loving people is fully in
accordance with the teachings of the Qur’an, the Biblical testimony is contrary to it. Many
quotations from these Biblical testimonies can be given to substantiate this claim, but
considering the length of the answer, I will simply furnish ONE incident that will prove my
point, because in this ONE incident, no less than three thousand people were killed by the
sword at the command of Biblical Moses. We read:

“(Moses said): ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from
one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbour’. The Levites did as
Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died.” (Exodus 32:27-
28, NIV)

It is also a well-known fact that the total number of deaths that took place in ALL the wars
fought during the time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was 1018. The biblical quotation given
above and many such quotations appear to escape the grasp of those who allege against
Muhammad (pbuh), further ignoring the words of Jesus:

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: and
with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
(Matthew 7:1-2 KJV)