Islam al'Rasul

This is a version of Emynean Islam, adapted over the millenia in response to the Birth of the Erlithmanil. The beliefs, culture and practices of Islam were at first challenged by the arrival of these entities but, unwilling to abandon their faith, they instead adapted it to include the elements. The Erlithmanil are seen as mala'ikah, angels and messengers of Allah, who they associate with Luxis. Lithmor in particular played a critical role in their mythos but in her absences, Ilnid guides them forward. Over thousands of years, Masriyyin, Siryan and Arabiyy mythologies have merged within Islam al-Rasul.

History

This is a religion adapted from the old world, from before the Birth of the Erlithmanil. Much has remained similar to this original faith, believing in Luxis as Allah and seeing Erlithmanil, Aethid and Aspects as angels. Lithmor took a role of leadership among the Erlithmanil early on and was seen by Muslims as a radiant, exemplar angel from myth. She readily took on this role, an avid beleiver of Luxis herself. She in fact played similar roles throughout Emynea, happy to inspire and motivate humanity. Yet their views on the rest of her kind would change with time, some viewed as either jinn or even shayatin, devils.

When Zalikar and Lithmor married, this left her followers anxious, Zalikar already seen as an agent of Azryth who they associate with Iblis (equivalent to Satan). Over time, this created a schism within this faith, some believing Lithmor would help redeem Zalikar and bring him "into the light" while the rest beleived he had tempted and corrupted her. The latter no longer revered Lithmor, looking Luxis alone. Most Arabiyy falling into this branch, this divide further deepened after the birth of Ilnid.

Ilnid was fascinated with the culture, beliefs and history of the Arabiyy and Masryeen, sharing his mother Ylithuum's anthropological interests. After his awakening as an Aethid, Ilnid readily stepped into the vacuum the schism of Islam al-Rasul had created. He lived and breathed the ideals and values of the Arabiyy, proclaiming himself a rasul of Allah, a divine messenger. From then on, he has competed with Lithmor for influence in Alkelbulan and for control of the deserts of Emynea as a divine pursuit. Those of al-Arabiyyah favoring Ilnid while much of Shamsi and further south continued to venerate Lithmor.

When Lithmor succumbed to the Downfall of the Erlithmanil, her sealing crystal hidden within her Seat in Dawn Ahrayn, she was seen as being tricked and betrayed by the demonic Zalikar by most of Alkelbulan. In her absence, Ilnid has mostly unified the two sects and claims part of his divine goal is to redeem and free Lithmor—though there are those who believe this lip service, an empty promise. Either way, Lithmor's Seat is considered a holy place akin to Mecca and are among Ilnid's territories.

by Lee Stepp

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Mythology & Lore

Ancient Islamic beliefs and mythology have adapted to the existence of the Erlithmanil, Aethid and magic. Muslims believe the elements can be divided into three groups, mala'ikah, jinn and shayatin or angels, neutral spirits and devils. The angels' serve Allah and act as his messengers on Emynea, guiding them along the path, while the shayatin seek to corrupt and tempt humanity off of the right path. Many shayatin, jinn and malai'ikah are named after Masriyyin and Siryan mythological figures.

According to legend, the Erlithmanil were sent by Allah (God/Luxis) and Iblis (Satan/Azryth) to bring about Yawm al-Qiyamah, the Day of Resurrection, which is meant to be the Last Day. This is what muslims call the Birth of the Erlithmanil, a catastrophic event incited by humans assaulting the newborn Erlithmanil—an event of raw divine fury.

Full Qiyamah Myth

by Lee Stepp

The old world was immensely corrupt and faithless when The End came. The sun was snuffed out and the oceans swelled as mala'ikah and shayatin scoured the world, reaping the souls of the faithful and the damned. But too many had strayed from Allah's path, so many that Jahannam (hell) swelled and overflowed with souls. Both Allah and Iblis commanded their servants to stop, the earth going silent and dark for three days as they decided what should be done. Iblis was unwilling to release any of the damned, which he felt he was owed, but Allah believed they were still capable of redemption. In the end, they agreed to postpone Qiyamah, to give humanity more time to prove themselves.

This time, Allah would make it so his majesty was apparent to all but Iblis demanded the same influence. Mala'ikah, jinn and shayatin were given human bodies to live alongside man and guide them and could perform miracles and magic—these are the Erlithmanil and their children. These angels even blessed humans with Allah's gifts so that every soul had a divine link to the creator. Surely, his angels believed, this would help them along the right path. However, the jinn and shayatin tempt humans with evil magic too.

As for the souls which had already been taken, those who were faithful live already in Jannah (heaven). Yet there are some who look down on those left behind from time to time with pity and charity. They return to the world with Allah's blessing, to help lead the new world toward the right path as rasul, prophets and messengers. As for those souls belonging to Iblis, those who could not fit in Jahannam were born again and repopulated the new Emynea. All those who cannot fit are reborn, old souls melting together in the hellfire and Allah scooping up the overflow to make new souls. Iblis is always trying to fit more souls, melting and crushing them down in greed and consuming the most corrupted or evil souls.

by Lee Stepp

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