There are different states of being or living in this world. One is Islam and the other is what Islam calls Jaahiliyyah.

Earlier or pre-existing forms and levels of Jaahiliyyah is how the Qur'an puts it.

Islam is living life within and according to God's laws and guidance. Jaahiliyyat is living life outside God's laws and guidance.

Don't worry, both spelling are correct. That is why I am mixing them up.

Total or partial commitment to things like Communism, Nationalism, Racism, Feminism and such is living with or in Jaahiliyyah in full or part.

That means living outside Islam.

Communism is communism. Marxism is one of its most complete and well-known formulations.

Islam is NOT Communism or Marxism.

Islam is Islam. Period.

Nationalism and Racism are putting your own nation and race above other nations and races. It is a form of Tribalism or Groupism. Generally speaking, it is driven by a sense of superiority using those markers of human difference.

Once, Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam, told a Sahabi -- a Companion of his -- that he still had remnants of Jaahiliyyat in him.

That is because the Sahabi in question was displaying a certain amount of Racism in the way he spoke to another Sahabi.

Feminism at one level may be regarded as preoccupation with what we may consider to be "Women's Issues," to the exclusion or dilution of other things and issues.

It is a certain level of over-concern, on the part of some women in particular, with securing women what they think are their rights.

This is also a form of Jaahiliyyah.

Islam means a full and total internalization and acceptance of a simple fact:

No one cares more about women -- and men -- than Allah.

And no system in the world caters to women's needs, rights and issues -- and to men's needs, rights and issues -- more than does the system of Islam that Allah devised for this very purpose: To give everybody their rights and dues.

So, for a woman in the 21st Century to come to Islam because Hazrat Khadijah was a woman or because Hazrat Aishah was so great is to come into Islam on a Jaahiliy ticket.

And to stay in Islam for that reason is to continue to be in Islam using an old Jaahiliy comfort formula.

Whereas Islam requires a categorical and complete rejection of all these -- and all other -- forms of Jaahiliyyat before people come into Islam.

Now, read the Kalimah Tayyibah. It starts out with a "La." And "La" means "No."

And in saying "La," what a Muslim is saying is this:

"I totally and completely reject and forswear ALL FORMS AND TYPES of false and demi- gods before I step into Islam and affirm the existence of, and my own belief in, God."

That is why the Kalimah Tayyibah consists of two very distinct parts:

A. Part A: Rejection: La Ilaha -- No Ilahs of any kind.

B. Part B: Affirmation: Illa Allah -- Only Allah.

That means no one ever gets to the stage of Illallah before a complete clearing of tables at the stage of La Ilaha.

I hope this helps.

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