In this segment of the “Understanding Islam” series, Dr. Bilal Philips explores one of the most profound concepts in Islamic theology: how every human being, regardless of their background or environment, has an innate knowledge of God embedded in their very soul. This concept, known as “fitrah” (the natural disposition), explains why Islam is a universal religion accessible to every person on earth — and why no one has a valid excuse for not recognizing their Creator.
The Covenant Before Birth
The Quran describes a momentous event in Surah Al-A’raf (7:172-173): before human beings entered the physical world, God took all of Adam’s descendants in their spiritual form and asked them, “Am I not your Lord?” They all affirmed: “Yes, You are our Lord.” This spiritual covenant means that every soul carries within it an innate recognition of God — a recognition that the environment and upbringing may obscure but can never fully erase.
“The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said that every child is born in a state of natural belief in God — the state of Islam. It is their parents who convert them to Judaism, Christianity, or fire worship. Every soul has this awareness of God, regardless of the circumstances they grow up in.”
Signs That Cannot Be Ignored
- God shows every person signs throughout their life that false worship is false — whether through events, observations, or moments of reflection
- Even the greatest atheist, when facing genuine mortal danger, instinctively calls upon God — proof that the fitrah can be suppressed but never destroyed
- God sent messengers to every nation throughout history to reinforce the spiritual message already imprinted on every soul
- A person who was never properly exposed to Islam’s message will not be condemned — God’s justice requires that a messenger be sent before punishment
“Even the greatest atheist, when his plane is about to crash or his ship is sinking, does not call out to Marx or Lenin. He screams: ‘Oh my God!’ Despite never believing in God his whole life, in the moment of desperate need, he calls upon the Creator. This is the fitrah that can never be erased.”
This teaching demonstrates the beautiful mercy and justice of God in Islam: every human being is given the tools to find their Creator, and the door to truth is always open for those who sincerely seek it.
