Living The Quran
From Issue: 497 [Read full issue]
Al-Rum (The Romans)
Chapter 30: Verse 30 (Partial)
True Nature
"adhere to the true nature on which Allah has created human beings."
All human beings have been created with that true innate nature which prompts them to believe that the One True God alone is the Creator, the Lord and the only object of worship and obedience, requiring them to adhere to that attitude. Should they decide to consider themselves invested with sovereign authority, they would be deviating from their true nature. Likewise, should they decide to submit to the authority of any other than the One True God, they would again be deviating from the true nature with which they were born.
This truth has been elucidated in several traditions narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him). According to a tradition, narrated by Ahmed ibn Hanbal and Nasai, the Muslims killed a large number of their enemies in a battle, including children. On learning this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was infuriated and said: "What happened to the people today that they exceeded all limits in killing so much that they even killed children?" Thereupon someone pointed out that those killed were, after all, the children of polytheists. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: "The best among you are the children of polytheists. Every living being is born with a true nature until he starts speaking and then his parents turn him into a Jew or a Christian."
Source:
"Towards Understanding the Quran" - Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi, Vol. 8, pp. 99, 100