The Mystery Of The Fitrah

In the name of Allah, the Ever Merciful, the Especially Merciful

فاقم وجهك للدين حنيفا 

fa-aqim wajhaka lid-dīni ḥanīfa(n)

So direct your face towards the religion, inclining to truth

فطرت الله التي فطر الناس عليها 

fiṭrataḷ-ḷāhil latī faṭaran nāsa ’alayhā

the nature of Allah upon which humanity has been fashioned

لا تبديل لخلق الله 

lā tabdīla li-khalqillāh(i)

no change in the creation of Allah

ذلك الدين القيم ولاكن اكثر الناس لا يعلمون

dhālikad-dīnul qayyimu walākin aktharan-nāsi lā ya’lamūn

that is the upright religion but most people do not know

Reference: Qur'an, Sūrah Ar-Rūm; Chapter 30, 'The Romans', Āyah (verse) 30 [30:30]

The concept of 'Fiṭrah', man's 'innate nature' or 'disposition' is one that, for me, evokes a feeling of wonder and amazement. Why? Because the implication of the Qur'anic verse is that every human being has been fashioned on a Divine nature by Allah. In other words, every single human being on earth has an innate nature that is Godly. Indeed, it is this very nature that is the cause of altruistic acts of self sacrifice that are often witnessed, irrespective of the belief system to which the person claims to adhere. 

Every human being recognises truth from falsehood, light from darkness and goodness from evil. 

و نفس و ما سواها

wa nafsiw-wa mā sawwāhā

and the soul and He Who perfected it

فالهمها فجورها و تقواها

fa-alhamahā fujūrahā wa taqwāhā

then He inspired it (to understand) what is right for it and what is wrong for it 

Reference: Qur'an, Sūrah Ash-Shams; Chapter 91, 'The Sun', Āyāt (verses) 7-8 [91:7-8]

The religion of Islam is 100% in sync with this innate disposition of the human being. That is why it is the fastest growing religion in the world: people research into Islam and find it compatible with their nature.  Interestingly, the word 'kāfir' that is used in the Qur'an, usually translated to 'disbeliever', actually means  'one who covers'; it was used to refer to farmers because they cover seeds with soil... so a 'kāfir' (male) or 'kāfirah' (female)  is a person who covers this innate, Godly nature that they possess. And that is exactly what makes such a person so wretched, even lower than an animal: the fact that despite possessing such a Divine nature, he/she insists on misguidance, darkness and delusion; despite being beside a pure stream of flowing water, he/she insists on drinking mud.

The word 'Islam' means submission. So a Muslim is a person who accepts and submits to his/her 'Fitrah'. 'Islam' comes from the word 'Salām', meaning 'peace': when one submits to the 'Fitrah', the way of innate nature, he/she receives a sense of peace that nothing can override. Indeed, the default state of every being is the remembrance, invocation and glorification of Allah.

يسبح لله ما في السماوات و ما في الارض الملك القدوس العزيز الحكيم

yusabbiḥu lillāhi mā fīs-samāwāti wa mā fīl-arḍil malikil quddūsil ’azīzil ḥakīm

Glorifies Allah whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, the King, the Holy, the Mighty, the Wise

Reference: Qur'an, Sūrah Al-Jumu’ah; Chapter 62, 'Friday', Āyah (verse) 1 [62:1]

Therefore, when a person submits to his/her 'Fitrah', he/she is one with the universe and joins the particles of existence in their glorification (tasbīḥ) of Allah.