Question: I am a deist. I believe in the existence of a creator, but I do not believe that this creator has sent religions, prophets, divine books. I do not believe in the life after death, either. Now am I irreligious?
ANSWER
You openly say that you do not believe in any religions. And a person who does not adhere to any particular religious belief is termed irreligious.

Saying that there is a creator is different from having belief in Allah. You believe in an imaginary being as a creator, who you think does not intervene in anything, like a scarecrow (never!). This belief is no different from atheism. Allahu ta’âlâ has sent humankind various religions, prophets, and divine books since the time of Âdam “alaihissalâm.” A person who denies and disbelieves them is not a believer in Allah.

All prophets exhibited miracles (mu’jiza) in the most advanced fields of their times and thus proved that they were Allahu ta’âlâ’s prophets. Hadrat Imâm-i Rabbânî declares:
Magic was at a very advanced level during the time of the Prophet Mûsâ (‘alaihis-salâm). In those days, those who practiced sorcery used to conjure up unreal, nonexistent things in others’ imagination as if they were existent. They were in the highest degree of magic. When they saw that the rod of Mûsâ (‘alaihis-salâm) became a large serpent and ate the snakes which were of their own witchery, they saw that it was beyond the boundaries of magic and above human power. Thus, they believed [in the prophethood of] Mûsâ (‘alaihis-salâm).

The same was the case with medicine during the time of ‘Îsâ (‘alaihis-salâm); it was at a very advanced level. Hadrat ‘Îsâ cured the diseases that medical specialists could not cure. He opened the eyes of congenital blind people and revivified the dead. He talked when he was in his cradle and proved his prophethood.

During the time of Muhammad (‘alaihis-salâm), the arts of literature, poetry, and eloquence had reached the highest levels in the Arabian Peninsula. Poets used to boast one another about the eloquence in their poetry. When Rasûlullah brought the Qur’ân al-karîm, most of them, seeing the i’jâz in the Qur’ân al-karîm’s eloquence, realized that it was the Word of Allah and became Muslims. (Ithbât-un-nubuwwa)

All prophets taught the same îmân and stated the same principles for their umma to believe. All of them communicated the existence and oneness of Allahu ta’âlâ, the endless life in the Hereafter, and the existence of Hell and Paradise. There is not any difference among them in the things to be believed.

A retrospective view of history will show us that when left alone with no guidance from Allahu ta’âlâ, humans have always deviated into degenerate paths. Using their minds, humans thought of the Omnipotent, who created them, but they could not find the way leading to Him. Those who did not hear about the prophets sent by Allahu ta’âlâ first looked for the Creator around themselves. The sun, being the most useful thing to humans, provoked some humans to think that it was the creative power, and therefore, they began to worship it. Later on, as they saw the great forces of nature, such as a gale, a fire, a furious sea, a volcano and the like, they thought they were assistants to the Creator. They attempted to symbolize each of them. This, in turn, gave birth to idols. They dreaded idols’ wrath and sacrificed animals to them. Unfortunately, they even sacrificed human beings to them. Every new event inspired a new idol, increasing the number of idols symbolizing events. When Islam first graced the earth, there were 360 idols in the Ka’ba. In short, humans, by themselves, can never understand Allahu ta’âlâ, who is eternal in the past and in the future. Even today, there are still people who deify the sun, as well as fire. This should not be amazing because without a guide one cannot find the right way in darkness. (Islam and Christianity)

All scientists, with a few exceptions, have declared unanimously that this universe did not come into existence by itself and that it has a Creator. No matter how much science progresses, humans can never create an ant, a bird, or a grain of barley. When a wise and learned person observes this universe, he or she will see that it has been created in a perfect order and harmony and understand that it did not come into being by itself. Think that when a machine is produced, an instruction manual is put for would-be users. If it is still difficult to understand, then a training course is initiated in order to instruct people how to use it. When a machine is not used properly, it breaks down. In the like manner, Allahu ta’âlâ, the Creator of all things, too, created this stupendous machine called human, but He has not left it uncontrolled. It is purported in an âyah (verse):
(Do you think that We have created you in vain?) [Sûrat-ul-Mu’minûn, 115]

Similarly, these machines called humans have instruction manuals, and these manuals are the holy books sent down by Allahu ta’âlâ by means of His prophets. The holy book He sent to Hadrat Muhammad (‘alaihis-salâm), the final of the prophets, is the Qur’ân al-karîm. Therefore, a person who says “I believe in Allah” has to believe in His Books and His prophets as well. If he or she does not believe in them, such a person is irreligious. An irreligious one, in turn, will go to Hell.

How wrong to consider Allah as a robot and to say that He does not intervene in anything. Do you claim that a prophet appeared in every century, that he spoke for Allah, and that he told lies (never!)?

There cannot be a prophet without miracles. Of course, there may appear people who show themselves as prophets and messengers, but they cannot exhibit miracles. Thus, the sham ones are easily distinguished from the real ones. Opening the eyes of the blind, revivifying the dead, water’s flowing from the finger and satisfying the need of the whole army, in a moment journeying from Mecca to Jerusalem and then ascending to the heavens and coming back, lifeless objects’ and animals’ talking are not simple events. Only the prophets sent by Allah can perform such things. If a prophet told a lie, would Allah not intervene? As a matter of fact, an âyah purports:
(If he [the Messenger] had added some sayings [to the Qur’ân] by ascribing them unto Us, We would certainly have seized him with power, cut off his jugular vein, and destroyed him. None of you could have prevented it.) [Sûrat-ul-Hâqqah, 44-47]

Therefore, a wise person who says “I believe in Allah” must also believe in the holy books and prophets, perform acts of worship, and avoid what is harâm. If one disbelieves even one of the fundamentals of îmân, then one is not considered to have îmân. One’s saying “I believe only in Allah” is nothing but to deceive oneself. In terms of their states in the Hereafter, there is no difference between an atheist and a person who believes in Allah but who denies the Hereafter. They will stay in Hell eternally. It is idiocy not to fear eternal torment. Hadrat Alî said to a person who did not believe in the Resurrection:
(We believe in the next world. If there were not a resurrection, we would not suffer any harm on account of our faith and acts of worship. But if what we say occurs, then you will suffer eternal torment.)

When an irreligious person dies, according to his or her belief, he or she will become annihilated and will no longer exist. But according to Islam, he or she will suffer eternal torment in Hell. A Believer, on the other hand, will live in eternal blessings. Even if being under eternal torment were only a probability, whichever wisdom would risk it? Nevertheless, the life in the next world is not a probability, but an obvious fact. Then a wise and knowledgeable person must believe in Allah and what He has revealed.