Aqidah

A. Understanding Islam Faith

Well let us examine together the Islamic faith, that faith comes from the word عقد - يعقد - عقيدة means that confidence or belief. While understanding the Islamic faith by definition is something that is reliable and is believed to be true by the human heart, in accordance with the teachings of Islam based on the Quran and Hadith.

Well, once you understand the meaning of the Islamic faith, understand the scope of the Islamic faith.

Belief that Islam is derived from the Qur'an and hadith covers:

- Belief in the existence of God, with all His attributes, namely compulsory nature, characteristics and attributes allowed but impossible, and the existence of which can be evidenced by the regularity and beauty of the universe.

- The belief in the supernatural; believes that there is a natural behind the real world that can not be perceived by human senses. Similarly, the creature-creation that is in it, such as angels, demons and spirits.

- Belief in the scriptures of God revealed to His apostles. The books are written down so that people can make the guidelines in the natural wading along with all its problem. Using these guidelines so people can distinguish the good and the bad, and the halal and the haram.

- Belief in the Messengers of God sent and chosen to give instructions and guidance to manuisa to do things properly.

- Belief in the Last Day and the events that happened at the time, such as the resurrection (Ba'ath), there is merit and sin, heaven and hell.

- Belief in Qadar of Allah and making up about everything that happens in the universe.

B. Principles of Islamic Faith

Once you understand the meaning and scope of the Islamic faith, you have to understand about the principles of the Islamic faith, namely:

1. Islam as a faith revealed by Allah

Islamic faith that comes from God's revelation that is revealed through the angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad, to teach his people and maintained chastity until the end of time.

Islamic faith is not a feeling or thinking engineered Prophet Muhammad himself, but is the direct teachings of God as mentioned in the Quran, Sura al-Najm verses 3-4:

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"Nor was saying it (Al-Quran) according to desire. It is no less than inspiration (him). "(QS. Al-Najm: 3-4)

In this verse Allah states that what is conveyed by the Prophet Muhammad is truly an inspiration, not a modified or artificial Prophet himself.

2. The Islamic creed is essentially no different from the beliefs taught by the previous Prophets

Prophets and Apostles served to convey the teachings of God, for the sake of the teachings brought by the prophets and apostles it is one that comes from God, then the contents of the doctrine taught since Prophet Adam to Prophet Muhammad is the same, namely Islam. So that between them there is no difference in teaching the faith to his people.

Allah says in Surah al-Shura, verse 13:

He has ordained for you that religion which He enjoined upon Noah and that which was revealed unto us and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses and Jesus, saying: Establish the religion, and be not divided therein. .... (Quran, As-Shura: 13)

Religion is meant here is the Oneness of Allah, and believe in Him. So it is clear that the Islamic faith as taught by the Prophet Muhammad is the same as taught by the prophets and apostles earlier.

The difference in the teachings of the prophets and apostles earlier that lies only in the form of Shari'ah-syari'atnya practices. The difference was due to different law situation, mindset, social conditions, and in keeping with the way society of his time.

3. The Islamic creed straighten distorted beliefs-beliefs

Islamic faith who brought and taught by Prophet Muhammad is not a new creed or remodel beliefs taught earlier prophets and apostles. But merely rectifying the beliefs that brought them after being misled by his predecessors.

Perverted faith, for example, is fraud committed by Jews against the Prophet Solomon, son of David, they accused the prophet Sulaiman collect books that contain magic and stored it under his throne, then released and published. In an effort to confuse Islam (Islamic creed), the Jews tried to spread the magic that they ascribe to the children of Solomon. When in fact, the prophet Sulaiman does not teach or practice magic. He clearly knows and understands that sorcery is a denial of God Almighty. For real magic is trickery and deception that can only be done by a demon.

In this case, God says:

 and they follow that which the devils in the reign of Sulaiman (Solomon, and they said that it was doing magic), But Solomon did not disbelieve (not doing magic), only the devils who disbelieved (doing magic). Their teaching men magic and what was revealed to the two angels in Babel, Harut and Marut, are they not teach (a) without saying: "We just try (to you), so do not reject ...." , (Qs. Al-Baqoroh: 102)

Other examples of misappropriation of faith is a perversion of those Jews and Christians understand Jesus Christ. Islam makes it clear that Jesus is the son of Mary, who was appointed by God to be His apostles. Jesus is the holy child and not the child of adultery as alleged by the Jews. He is also a human being who has the upper hand, and then took him to his apostles. He is not the God of the Christians as charged to him.

Jews deny the existence of Jesus. They accuse Mary of adultery with a man named Yusuf al-Najjar, hence the birth of Jesus. They accused Jesus is the son of adultery.

In addition, the Jews and Christians made a mistake, he admitted to having killed and did the crucifixion of Jesus son of Mary, when they actually killed him not, nor crucified him. However, they killed and crucified Jesus is the one who likened his former pupil named Judas Iscariot.

It is obvious that Islam came to straighten out the abuses committed by those beliefs first. Providing information and strengthening the Islamic faith that Islam is a faith or belief true and straight and must be embraced and defended by all mankind.

C. Methods of Improving Quality of Faith

In understanding the beliefs, you should refer to the Quran and the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, and the consensus of the scholars to understand. There are some important principles to understand these things, among them:

1. In the event of a dispute in understanding the evidence available, the earlier scholars understanding from friends, tabi'in, and those who walk on their way, to be used as proof in order to understand the meaning of the evidence.

2. The scholars predecessors (Salaf al-Salih) had their methods of understanding the underlying beliefs with the direct guidance of the Prophet Muhammad through the revelation of the Qur'an and the Hadith he said.

3. Faith is prohibited taufiqiyyah tamper without the guidance of God because faith is a supernatural thing that the human mind will not be able to reach them.

4. Anyone who define and understand the issues based on the beliefs without arguments syar'i, then he lied in the name of God, and said, without basic knowledge

5. Faith is built on the foundation of sincerity towards Allah and ittiba '(follow) the instructions of the Prophet.

6. The Companions, Tabi'in and priests who followed them and Salaf al-Salih was above all the guidance and instructions of the Prophet. Atsar-atsar they are coaching and the right way.