Islam constructs its foundation of belief and action on the
principle of total submission to God alone. Its beliefs, forms
of worship and rules of life are uniformly an expression of this
submission and are a practical interpretation of the declaration
that there is no deity except God. The details of life are
derived from the practice of the Messenger of God - peace be on
him-and are a practical consequence of the declaration that
Muhammad is the Messenger of God. Islam builds its entire
structure in such a way that these two parts of the declaration
determine its system and its characteristics. When Islam builds
its structure in this manner, giving it a separate and unique
position among all other systems known to man, then Islam
actually becomes harmonious with the universal law, which is
operative not only in human existence but throughout the whole
universe as well. According to the Islamic concept, the whole
universe has been created by God. The universe came into
existence when God willed it, and then