'the definition of religion' and reply to: 'there is no righteous guidance'

> Also there isn't a "righteous guidance"

 

The phrase you are referring to, “Peace be upon those who follow righteous guidance”, is a quote of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, used as a salutation.

 

The Creator knows what is best for us, and wants what is best for us — to that end, is sent for the perfection of good character, guidance: His Revelation.

 

By the classical laws of logic (particularly the Law of the Excluded Middle), the proposition “There exists righteous guidance” is either true, or false.

You cannot substantiate the latter (that it is false) by incredulity to the former (that it is true) — this is the fallacy of incredulity.

 

> religion is a really wide concept and can't be resumed in two words

 

It’s important to specify the meaning of the word “religion”.

Logical discourse necessitates that we facilitate a common understanding of the words being discussed.

 

“Religion” itself is a holistic and critical method of understanding the world, and so we are —in this context— able to say that every person must have a religion to some degree, as individuals inherently possess methods of understanding and processing the world around them.

As we recognise that every person engages in a process of interpretation, belief formation, and worldview construction — so is “religion” understood as any comprehensive and critical method of understanding the world. This concept bears a close resemblance, etymologically, to the word “religion”, as “religo/religare” (meaning “to bind fast” or “to reconnect” or “to anchor”) is the Latin word that “religion” is derived from.

The Latin root suggests “to bind fast” or “to reconnect” or “to anchor”, such as how the individual’s method of understanding acts as a binding agent that ties them to a larger context—the intricate web of ideas, values, and perspectives that make up their worldview.

Similarly, the word for “religion” or “theology” in Arabic is “aqidah”, the root of which means “to knot” or “to tie”.

 

Our purpose —that which we are created for— is to worship the Creator: Who alone is our source for attaining benefit and for warding off harm.

As He is free of imperfections —and alone has all of the attributes of perfection— He is the Greatest, and greater than all else.

For Him to bestow righteous guidance would be greater than for Him to neglect us and leave us without it — and so the proposition that “There exists righteous guidance” must be true, by virtue of the Perfection of the Most Merciful, the Most Wise Creator.

 

Furthermore, your position appears to be clearly self-refuting: as to consider that “there is no righteous guidance” is to propose the negation of the possibility of apprehending a reliable and verifiable route to the attaining of benefit and the warding off of harm, as the apprehending of a reliable and verifiable route to the attaining of benefit and the warding off of harm!

If you do not think it is possible that there is true advising to proper behaviour, then how is it that you could advise against the possibility of true advising ???

 

I hope you don't take my word for what I have claimed: I hope you investigate and find convincing clarity for yourself.

 

May God Most High guide us and be pleased with us.