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W H A T I S I S L A M 2
CONTENTS
TITLES PAGE
Who is Allah
What is Islam
Who are Muslims
Believes of Muslims
The pillars of Islam
What Islam stands for ?
What does it take to become a Muslim
Ka’bah
The Qur’anWho is Mohammad()
What non-muslims say about Muhammad ()
Islam and its contribution to the modern world
Hadith and Sunnah of the Prophet()
What is a mosque
Prayers
Essence of prayer
Fasting in Islam – its origin, its laws and objectives
Zakat – Compulsory charity
Status of women in Islam
Understanding the Islamic Dress Code for Women
4 wives or up to 4 wives and why?
Islam and Terrorism
Islamic Monotheism
Islam and other faiths
Jihad
Life Hereafter
Expiation of Sin
Who was Jesus (peace be upon him)
Family values and elders in Islam
Pre-marital relations
What food Muslims eat
Why Pork is forbidden in Islam
What else Islam forbids
Human Rights in Islam
Islam in the West
W H A T I S I S L A M 3
PREFACE
W H A T I S I S L A M 4
those who have never even heard the word ‘Islam’. Some have at
least heard of it but know very little or what it represents. Whereas
yet some know only the distorted and violent image of Islam. In
today’s challenging times, when religious intolerance is on the rise
everywhere, communal violence, hatred and antipathy are the
norm, the need to reach out to people of other faiths, culminated
in putting together a book that you hold in your hand. It is also an
effort to bridge the ever increasing gap between religions that are
monotheistic by definition and spirit.
Lastly, I only hope that Allah() in His infinite mercy, accept my humble
efforts in conveying His word to those who remain unknowledgeable
of it and that I succeeded in portraying the true image of Islam.
Suhail Kapoor
W H A T I S I S L A M 5
Who is Allah
The word for God used in Aramaic is Alaha which comes from the
same Proto-Semitic word (ilâh-) as the Arabic and Hebrew terms.
W H A T I S I S L A M 6
In fact the word Allah existed much before Muhammad( ) for
thousands of years. It is probably one of the oldest name man has
used to address God. As per the Qur’an Adam used the word Allah
to call the Lord. On the contrary, the word “GOD” emerged along
with the English language, only some ten centuries ago
Fig.1: Name of Allah by wave formations Fig. 2: Allah’s name appears on oceans
while hitting a shore. - picture by Apollo 11 Shuttle. To watch
a video, visit: http://www.islamcan.com/
miracles/apollovideo.shtml
Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god; the Sovereign, the Holy
One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith,
the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, Supreme:
Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him.
(Quran)
What is Islam
W H A T I S I S L A M 7
to previous prophets like Abraham, Noah, Moses & Jesus (peace
be on them all). Islam is not only a religion but it also provides a
comprehensive code needed to guide one’s life. Furthermore, its
message is that of peace and tolerance. The word ISLAM has a
two-fold meaning: peace, and submission to God. This submission
requires a fully unconditional and willing effort to submit one self.
One must consciously and conscientiously give oneself to serve
Allah.
-One who has faith in the Almighty and the Absolute God only,
-and who perseveres to do good deeds
Believes of Muslims
There are in total six articles of faith that are common to all Muslims.
The first of these is that there is no God but Allah. The second is to
believe in the angels and jinn. Just like us, Jinns too, who are of the
spirit kingdom, a creation of God. Then come the angels who are
superior to jinns. The third, is to believe in all the previously revealed
holy books by God, via; the Old Testament given to Moses, Psalms
to David, Gospel to Jesus and that God’s last and final revelation
in the shape of Qur’an which was revealed to Mohammed (). The
W H A T I S I S L A M 8
fourth, to believe in the supreme and indisputable will of Allah. The
fifth, to believe in all of God’s prophets, through whom Allah sent
down revelations to different tribes and nations in different times
and finally the sixth, to believe in the day of judgment when man
shall stand accountable for his deeds in the court of Allah, when
no intercession will be permitted. Muslims also believe that Adam,
Ahraham, Noah, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Solomon, Lot, David,
Aaron, John the Baptist, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad were all the
prophets of God (peace be on them all).
The first pillar, to declare: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad()
is his prophet.” Second, is the regular five daily prayers. Third, is the
giving of compulsory charity (2.5%), fourth, is fasting during Ramadan
(which is actually the ninth month of the lunar calendar) and lastly,
the fifth to perform Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca if it is possible, at
least once in life.
Ka’bah
W H A T I S I S L A M 9
Mt. Hira’, Tur Zeeta, Mt. Lebanon and AI-Judi. (14, v. 3. p. 14).
The Ka’bah – Makkah, Saudi Arabia (the dots that appear represents people).
Almighty. (14, v. 3, p. 47). The general shape of the Holy Ka’bah,
Allah hath appointed the Kabah, the sacred house, a standard for
mankind (Qur’an – Chapter Al Mai’da – v 97).
W H A T I S I S L A M 11
the memorization at the age of 14, happens to be one of them.
The Qur’an that is read today is the same as the Qur’an that was
revealed to Muhammad () 14 centuries ago. In other words, it is the
same message of monotheism that was given to Adam, Abraham,
Noah, Moses & Jesus. The claim of Muslims that it is the only text
on the face of the earth that has withstood the test of time (14
centuries) and remains uncorrupted, unlike other scriptures which
have witnessed human interference, still stands. Testimony of this is
even given by scholars of other faiths.
To enlist all the miracles in the Qur’an which have been verified and
confirmed by modern science, it will need a book in itself, but I will
give a few which will allow the reader with an understanding as to
who after all could possess knowledge of such diversity, 1400 years
ago.
W H A T I S I S L A M 12
Burns of First Degree Burns of Second Degree Burns of Third Degree
The Quran states; “Those who reject our signs, We shall cast into the
fire; as often as their skins are roasted through. We shall change
them for fresh skins, that they may taste the punishment; for Allah is
Exalted in power; Wise.” ( 4:56)
Creation Of Human
Since Aristotle had summed up the prevailing theories in his age
relating to the creation of the embryo, controversy continued
among the supporters of the theory of the full dwarf embryo
existing in man’s sperm and those of the theory of the full dwarf
embryo created out of the woman’s menstrual blood coagulation
(thickening). Most of them believed that man was reduced into
that sperm drop, and they drew a figure in which they imagined the
embryo as a full creature in the sperm drop, which then grew up in
the womb as a small tree (bottom left).
The dwarf embryo as imagined by Leonardo
da Vinci from the 15th century and the
sperm as miniature human being by
Hartsoeker from the 17th century (below
right). Therefore, it is clear that mankind did
not realize that the embryo is created of a
man’s sperm mingled
with a woman’s ovum
except in the 18th century,
and only to be confirmed at the
beginning of the 20th century.
On the other hand, the Holy Qur’an and the
Prophetic speeches have confirmed in a very
accurate scientific manner the creation of
man from a mingled fluid-drop (nutfa amshaj),
as coined by the Qur’an, which says ;
W H A T I S I S L A M 13
try him: so We gave him (the gifts), of hearing and sight.” (76:2).
“He It is Who created all things in the best way and began the
creation of man from clay, and made his progeny from an extract
of despised fluid (Sulalah)” (32: 7-8)
Who is Mohammad()?
He was born in Arabia in the year 570 AD in the noblest of clans
of Makkah, the Qur’aish. During one of his meditative retreats to
the Cave of Hira in Makkah, he received his first revelation from
God through Angel Gabriel. He started his mission of preaching
the religion of Truth, Islam, at the age of forty until his death, at
the age of sixty three. During this not so long period of 23 years
his prophethood changed the complete Arabian Peninsula from
paganism and idolatry to worship of One God. From tribal quarrels
and wars to national solidarity and cohesion, from drunkenness and
debauchery to sobriety and piety, from lawlessness and anarchy to
disciplined living, from utter bankruptcy to the highest standards of
moral excellence, human history has never known such a complete
transformation of a people or a place before or since – and imagine
all these unbelievable achievements in just over two decades.
Sir George Bernard Shaw in ‘The Genuine Islam,’ Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936.
“If any religion had the chance of ruling over England, nay Europe
within the next hundred years, it could be Islam.”
W H A T I S I S L A M 15
Lawrence E. Browne in ‘The Prospects of Islam,’ 1944
Incidentally these well-established facts dispose of the idea so
widely fostered in Christian writings that the Muslims, wherever they
went, forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword.
D. G. Hogarth in ‘Arabia’
Serious or trivial, his daily behavior has instituted a canon which
millions observe this day with conscious memory. No one regarded
by any section of the human race as Perfect Man has ever been
imitated so minutely. The conduct of the founder of Christianity has
not governed the ordinary life of his followers. Moreover, no founder
of a religion has left on so solitary an eminence as the Muslim
apostle.
W H A T I S I S L A M 16
Philip K. Hitti in ‘History of the Arabs’
Within a brief span of mortal life, Muhammad called forth of
unpromising material, a nation, never welded before; in a country
that was hitherto but a geographical expression he established a
religion which in vast areas suppressed Christianity and Judaism,
and laid the basis of an empire that was soon to embrace within its
far flung boundaries the fairest provinces of the civilized world.
Every detail of his private life and public utterances has been
accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The
authenticity of the record so preserved are vouched for not only
by the Muslims but even by his prejudiced critics. Mohammad,
W H A T I S I S L A M 17
the seal of all of God’s Messengers and Prophets, was by far the
most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached
a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral
code, initiated numerous social and political reforms, established
a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his
teachings and completely revolutionized the worlds of human
thought and behavior for all times to come.
W H A T I S I S L A M 18
Mosque built during the 800 years of Muslim rule in Cordoba, Spain
Taj Mahal in India built by moghul emperior Shehjehan in love of his wife Noor Jehan
during the14th century
The Sunnah refers to the divine physical and moral laws set out in
the universe and in the Qur’an. However, the term is used most
commonly in reference to the example and customary practice
of the prophet Muhammad (). The Prophet’s Sunnah has more
than one usage in Muslim tradition. As a technical term used in the
shariah (Islamic law), it refers to the binding rules derived from the
Prophet’s sayings, or hadith. The Sunnah then represents the laws
that can be extracted from the hadith. As such, it is the second
most important source of law after the Qur’an. In a more general
meaning, often used by jurists and theologians, the Sunnah refers also
to all the customs and habits of the Prophet, including his everyday
life practices that are not considered by the shariah as obligatory.
Hence the term Sunnah is often used in the sense of recommended
or good practice. Examples of this are the supererogatory prayers
and fasting the Prophet performed over and above the prescribed
rituals. These are referred to as Sunnah prayers or Sunnah fasting.
Allah declares in the Qur’an, “There certainly is an excellent example
in Allah’s messenger for he who fears Allah and the last day and
remembers Allah abundantly” (al-Ahzaab 21)
W H A T I S I S L A M 20
Hadith 730
“[The man asked] ‘Who is more entitled to be treated with the best
companionship by me?’ The Prophet said, ‘Your mother.’ The man
said. ‘Who is next?’ The Prophet said, ‘Your mother.’ The man further
said, ‘Who is next?’ The Prophet said, ‘Your mother.’ The man asked
for the fourth time, ‘Who is next?’ The Prophet said, ‘Your father.’”
Sahih al-Bukhari, 8:2.
“He who has been a ruler over ten people will be brought shackled
on the Day of Resurrection, until the justice (by which he ruled)
loosens his chains or tyranny brings him to destruction.” Al-Tirmidhi,
Hadith 1037
What is a mosque?
W H A T I S I S L A M 21
The word Mosque (Arabic: masjid ) or House of God ((Allah)
from which all forms of a mosque derive, appears frequently in
the Qur’an and literally means, a place of prostration, a place of
assembly where muslims are called 5 times a day during the time
of prayers. A mosque contains a symbolic and functional feature.
It is recognized as a unique symbol of Islam and serves as an
institution in which the focal points of religious and social activities
are combined.
Prayers
Salah (Arabic: ), is the ritual prayer practiced by Muslims in
supplication to Allah, God.
Five times each day, wherever they may be, practicing Muslims
turn toward al-Masjid al-Haram (the sacred mosque) in Mecca in
worship. Prayer is a necessary duty demanded of any adult Muslim,
male or female, of sound mind and body.
The five obligatory prayers are the early morning prayer (salat al-
fajr), the noon prayer (salat al-zuhr), the mid-afternoon prayer
(salat al-’asr), the sunset prayer (salat al-maghrib) and the evening
prayer (salat al-’isha’). On Fridays, the noon congregational
prayer (salat al-Jum’a) substitutes for the regular noon prayer.
Essence of Prayers
Fasting not only brings a wholesome physiological rest for the digestive
tract and central nervous system and normalizes metabolism, it is an
exercise of self discipline. And above all it’s the spiritual attainment
for it teaches man the principle of sincere Love: because when he
observes Fasting he does it out of deep love for God.
W H A T I S I S L A M 23
Zakat
“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (refraining from lustful
glances), And protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts)
that is purer for them. Surely, God All Aware of what they do. And
tell the believing women to lower their gaze (refraining from lustful
glances) and protect/guard their private parts and not to show off
their adornments except that which is apparent (for example: face
and hands); that they should draw their clothes over their bosoms
and not display their beauty” THE HOLY QUR’AN (24:30-31)
O prophet! Tell your wives & your daughters & the women of the
believers to draw their cloaks all over their bodies, that will be better
that they should be known so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is
Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful” THE HOLY QUR’AN (33:59)
W H A T I S I S L A M 25
Hijab and Islamic Dress Code for Muslim women:
The term Hijab or Hijab ( ) is the Arabic term for “cover” (noun),
based on the root word meaning “to veil, to cover (verb), to screen,
to shelter” to hide from view. Unfortunately, society today too often
W H A T I S I S L A M 26
some believe in the notion that Eve is to be ultimately responsible for
original sin and the downfall of man, as such, an essentially inferior
status for women somewhat got institutionalized. The Qu’ran puts
women and men on equal footing before God and thus as equally,
and innately, valuable to society.
Human beings are conditioned by the society in which they live.
When you see a woman scantily dressed and revealing her physical
features, waiting at the road side in the early evening for someone
to approach her for physical favors, what is the first impression that
will come to your mind? Will it be that this lady is a very religious,
pious, and God fearing woman, seeking the blessings of God?
Again, when you see a nun, modestly dressed in a long robe and
covering her head, not revealing any of her physical features, what
impression will come to your mind? Will it be that this lady is a sex
symbol, waiting for someone to hire her, or to date her, or to invite
her to a dinner and then take her home? Certainly not!
W H A T I S I S L A M 27
women, have taken the preventive measure of wearing a veil over
their heads, and covering their whole body except the face and
hands. Covering their heads should not be construed for covering
their brain or intellect. It will then only be correct to say they are
actually following the dictates of Islam. Not only does God ordain
this preventive shielding for Muslim women of today’s time, but also
obedient submissive women of previous nations were commanded
to do the same in former scriptures. On previous page are some
pictures of women from the People of the Scriptures who cover
themselves out of this same modesty and obedience to God which
Islam promotes. Surprisingly it’s the same dress that Mary, the mother
of Jesus wore. The values have actually never changed. Why then
the same dress code if accepted and applied by a Christian woman
goes unnoticed whereas if it is worn by a Muslim woman, it is looked
down upon.
There is no other religious book that instructs men to have only one
wife. In none of the other scriptures, whether it be the Vedas, the
Ramayan, the Mahabharat, the Geeta, of the Hindus. Many Hindu
religious personalities, according to their scriptures, had multiple
wives. King Dashrat, the father of Rama, had more than one wife.
Krishna had several wives. It was only later, that the Hindu priests and
the Christian Church restricted the number of wives to one. In earlier
times, Christian men were permitted as many wives as they wished,
since the Bible puts no restriction on the number of wives. It was only
a few centuries ago that the Church restricted the number of wives
to one. Polygamy is permitted in Judaism. According to Talmudic
law, Abraham had three wives, and Solomon had hundreds of
wives. The practice of Polygamy continued till Rabbi Gershom ben
Yehudah (960 C.E to 1030 C.E) issued an edict against it. The Jewish
Sephardic communities living in Muslim countries continued the
practice till as late as 1950, until an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of
W H A T I S I S L A M 28
Israel extended the ban on marrying more than one wife.
Let us now analyze why Islam allows a man to have more than one
wife. Qur’an permits limited Polygamy.
As mentioned earlier, Qur’an is the only religion that says ‘marry only
one’. The context of this phrase “Marry women of your choice, two,
or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal
justly (with them), then only one.” [Al-Qur’an 4:3]. Emphasis here is
to marry not kidnap, buy, or seduce, molest or abuse.
Before the Qur’an was revealed, there was no upper limit for
Polygamy and many men had scores of wives, some even hundreds.
Islam put an upper limit of four wives. Islam gives a man permission
to marry two, three or four women, only on the condition that he
deals justly with them, which if not impossible is certainly extremely
difficult. Knowing well of our shortcomings, Allah in his infinite wisdom
says in the same chapter i.e. Surah Nisa verse 129: “You will not be
able to do perfect justice between your wives however much you
wish (to do so)” [Al-Qur’an 4:128-130]. This verse of the Quran serves
as a deterrent of the fear of Allah and as such less than 2% men in
the Muslim world exercise this option. Therefore Polygamy is not a
rule but an exception. Many people are under the misconception
that it is an open ended verdict for a Muslim man to have more
than one wife. This is not true.
Medical facts have proven that during the pediatric age itself there
are more deaths among males as compared to the females. During
wars, there are more men killed as compared to women. More men
die due to accidents and diseases than women. The average life
span of females is more than that of males, and at any given time
one finds more widows in the world than widowers.
Both unmarried women and widows are human beings. Unless their
instinctive needs are legitimately satisfied, the temptation is great
W H A T I S I S L A M 29
for corruption and immorality. But aside from the moral question
these women are also exploited. They are used as a tool for man’s
pleasures, yet have no guarantees, no rights or security, financial or
emotional. Should they become pregnant, it is their burden alone.
But even if such women are ready to pay the price for this personally,
society also suffers seriously from such situations. The increasing
number of illegitimate children born today under conditions such
as these provides a potential base for tomorrow’s maladjusted
and even criminals. Furthermore, it is inhuman, humiliating for those
children to grow up without knowing who their fathers were without
enjoying a clean and normal family life.
Restricting each and every man to have only one wife is not practical.
Even if every man got married to one woman, there would still be
more than thirty million females in USA, 4 million in Britain, 5 million in
Germany, nine million in Russia and so on, who would not be able
to get husbands (considering that America has twenty five million
gays). The only two options remaining for these women are that
they either marry a man who already has a wife or becomes public
property. There is no other option. Islam prefers giving women the
honorable position by permitting the first option and disallowing the
second.
Q: If a man is allowed to have more than one wife, then why does
Islam prohibit a woman from having more than one husband?
W H A T I S I S L A M 30
A: A lot of people question the logic of allowing Muslim men to have
more than one spouse while denying the same ‘right’ to women.
1. If a man has more than one wife, the parents of the children
born of such marriages can easily be identified. The father as
well as the mother can easily be identified. In case of a woman
marrying more than one husband, only the mother of the children
born of such marriages will be identified and not the father. Islam
gives tremendous importance to the identification of both parents,
mother and father.
W H A T I S I S L A M 31
man’s. One can imagine what would happen if the family has two
or more heads. Its like asking 4 women to take a cup of milk from a
bucket, then return it and then ask them to take out the exact same
milk that they took out in the first time. Food for thought.
A woman who has more than one husband will have several sexual
partners at the same time and has a high chance of acquiring
venereal or sexually transmitted diseases, which can also be
transmitted back to her husband even if all of them have no extra-
marital sex. This is not the case in a man having more than one wife,
and none of them having extra-marital sex.
W H A T I S I S L A M 32
Concept Of Monotheism In
Islam
Islam is a religion without any
mythology. Its teachings are
simple and acceptable to
human intellect. It is free from
superstitions and irrationality.
The oneness of God, the
prophethood of Muhammad (
)and the concept of life after
death are the basic articles of its faith. They are based on reason
and sound logic. All of the teachings of Islam flow from those basic
beliefs and are simple and straightforward. There is no hierarchy
of priests, no farfetched abstractions, and no complicated rites or
rituals. It enjoins him to see things in the light of reality. The Qur’an
advises man to seek knowledge and invoke God to expand his
awareness:
Say ‘O, my Lord! Advance me in knowledge.
(Qur’an 20: 114)
W H A T I S I S L A M 33
The uniqueness of the name ‘Allah’ is that it remains singular and is
free from any form of pluralism like ‘Gods’ and gender attribution
such as ‘goddess-ess. Whereas to call Allah as Allahess is not only
linguistically impossible in the Arabic language but will even sound
absurd. It’s a name that He Himself has told us to call Him with.
Imagine calling George with the name Jonathan and expecting
George to respond, he never will.
What are the basic attributes of Allah? The Qur’an mentions the “most
beautiful names” (or attributes) of Allah. Instead of enumerating
them all, let’s examine a few. Some attributes emphasize the
transcendence of Allah. The Qur’an repeatedly makes it clear that
Allah is beyond our limited perception. “There is nothing whatever
comparable unto Him.” (al-Shura; 42:1 1) “No vision can grasp Him,
but His grasp is over all vision.” (al-An’am; 6:103) A Muslim never
thinks of God as having any particular image, whether physical,
human, material or otherwise. Such attributes as “The Perfectly-
Knowing,” “The Eternal,” “The Omnipotent,” “The Omnipresent,”
“The Just,” and “The Sovereign” also emphasize transcendence. But
this does not mean in any way that for the Muslim Allah is a mere
philosophical concept or a deity far removed. Indeed, alongside
this emphasis on the transcendence of Allah, the Qur’an also talks
about Allah as “personal” God who is close, easily approachable,
Loving, Forgiving and Merciful. The very first passage in the Qur’an,
which is repeated dozens of times, is ‘In the name of Allah, Most
Gracious, Most Merciful . . . .’ The Qur’an tells us that when Allah
created the first human “He breathed into him something of His
spirit,” (al- Sajdah; 32:9) and that “Allah is closer to the human than
his jugular vein.” In another beautiful and moving passage we are
told, “When my servants ask you (O Muhammad) concerning me,
then surely I am near to them. I listen to every supplicant who calls
on Me. Let them respond to My call and obey My command that
they may be led aright.”
For the Muslim, monotheism does not mean simply the unity of God,
because there can be different persons in unity. Monotheism in Islam
is the absolute Oneness and Uniqueness of Allah, which precludes the
notion of persons sharing in Godhead. The opposite of monotheism
in Islam is called in Arabic “shirk,” association of others with Allah.
This includes not only polytheism, but also dualism (believing in
one God for good or light and another for evil or darkness). The
concept of “shirk’ also includes pantheism, the idea that God is in
everything. All forms of God-incarnate philosophies are excluded
by Islam’s monotheism, as is blind obedience to dictators, to clergy,
W H A T I S I S L A M 34
or to ones own whims and desires. These all are regarded as forms
of “associating” others with Allah (shirk), whether by believing that
such creatures of Allah possess divinity or by believing that they
share the Divine Attributes of Allah. It should be added that, to the
Muslim, monotheism is not simply a dogma. Islam’s pure, pristine and
strict monotheism is much more than a
thought or a belief; it is something that
deeply influences the Muslim’s whole
outlook on life.
W H A T I S I S L A M 35
The Qur’an states, “Let there be no compulsion in religion.” (al-
Baqarah; 2:256) Substitute for the term “conversion’ is “reversion,”
in the sense of a return to the pure monotheism in which we were
all created. Thus the Muslim is taught to be tolerant toward others.
Indeed, the Qur’an not only prohibits compulsion in religion, but it
prohibits aggression as well.
“Strongest among men in enmity to the Believers wilt thou find the
Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the Believers
wilt thou find those who say “We are Christians”: because amongst
these are men devoted to learning (priests), and men who have
renounced the world (monks), and they are not arrogant. And then
they listen to the revelation received by the Messenger, thou wilt see
their eyes overflowing with tears, for they recognize the truth. They
pray: ‘Our Lord! We believe, write us down among the witnesses.’
(Sura Al-Maida 82-83)”
Jihad
Jihad as presented in the Qur’an and any of the other scriptures
implies the striving of spiritual good. This Jihad particularly involves
change in one’s self and mentality. It may concern the sacrifice of
material property, social class and even emotional comfort solely
for the salvation and worship of God ALONE. As a result, one who
practices Jihad will gain tremendously in the Hereafter.
Qur’an says :
“The day will come when every soul will serve as its own advocate,
and every soul will be paid fully for whatever it had done, without
the least injustice.” (16:111).
The day will come when each soul will find all the good works it
had done brought forth. As for the evil works, it will wish that they
were far, far removed. GOD alerts you that you shall reverence Him
alone. GOD is Compassionate towards the people. “ (3:30).
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Say, “O my people, do your best, and so will I. You will surely find
out who the ultimate victors are.” Certainly, the wicked will never
succeed.”(6:135).
“The Hereafter is far better for you than this first (life.)”(93:4)
In Brief; the meaning the media gives to this word (Jihad) is false
and grossly overstated. This word does not mean a holy war, for
there is nothing holy about a war in Islam (submission). There are
times when war is tolerated, permitted and even, in some case, to
a point accepted, but never considered holy. Islam (Submission)
is a religion of peace, no matter what certain media or deranged
individuals say or claim. Islam (Submission) revolves around the
concept of peace.
“If they resort to peace, so shall you, and put your trust in GOD. He
is the Hearer, the Omniscient.”(8:61).
Life Hereafter
The Muslim believes that there is reward and punishment, that there
is life hereafter and that reward or punishment does not necessarily
wait until the Day of Judgment, but start immediately after burial.
The Muslim believes in resurrection, accountability, and the Day of
Judgment. The Qur’an teaches that life is a test, that earthly life is
temporary (al-Mulk; 67:2). We Muslims believe in the life hereafter
and in a divinely inspired moral code organizing and regulating
human life during our earthly journey to eternity.
Expiation Of Sin
For a Muslim, to demand perfection in order to gain salvation is not
practical. It is demanding the impossible and is unjust. Islam teaches
a person to be humble and to learn that we cannot achieve
salvation by our own righteousness. How can sin be washed away?
The Qur’an gives the prescription: ‘If anyone does evil or wrongs his
own soul, but afterwards seeks Allah’s forgiveness, he will find Allah
is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (al-Nisa’; 4:110) Another moving
passage reads, “Those things that are good remove evil deeds.”
(Hud; 11:114) Islam teaches repentance, stopping evil ways, feeling
sorry for what one has done, and determining to follow the path of
Allah as much as humanly possible. The Muslim does not believe in
the necessity of the shedding of blood, much less innocent blood,
to wash away sins. The idea that some one else has died not only for
your sins but entire nations, finds little credence in Islam. Allah is not
interested in blood or sacrifice, but in sincere repentance.
The belief that everyone is born condemned and the only way to
redeem yourself is that you believe in another human as your Lord
and Savior. In other words even a poor innocent baby that is newly
born is a sinner for if he does not redeem itself by affirming his so
called faith in the Savior and dies then the poor baby is condemned
to hell. This is gross injustice. What about a mentally retarded person
that cannot think for him self? He is a sinner by nature and will be
doomed to Hell simply because he cannot think for himself.
Unlike Christianity, which teaches that all the children of Adam are
sinful for Adam’s sin, Islam teaches that all humans are innocent
by birth and they become sinful only when they consciously
commit a sin. Islam regards the concept of “original sin” and the
need for atonement by God Himself - via dying on the Cross - as
a pure invention of those who came after Jesus Christ, declaring
themselves as Christians.
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Islam, which is a just religion teaches that everyone is born a Muslim
(one who submits completely to the will of God) and is fully aware
of this faculty because this is also the innate nature of man.
Behold! The angels said: “O Mary! Allah gives thee glad tidings of a
Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in
honor in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those
nearest to Allah. Qur’an 3:45
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. .
And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the
Law that had come before him.. Qur’an 5:46
And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the
righteous: Qur’an 6:85
He is spoken of as “the word of God”, as “the spirit of God”, as a “Sign
of God”, and numerous other epithets of honor spread over fifteen
different chapters. The Holy Qur’an honors this great Messenger of
God, and over the past fourteen hundred years Muslims continue to
hold Jesus as a symbol of truth.
And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment):
therefore have no doubt about the (Hour), but follow ye Me: this is a
Straight Way. [Qur’an 43:61]) Jesus was a human like any one else but
was one of the mightiest messenger of God. As regarding him being a
son of God, this is what we are told: Say: He is Allah, the One and Only;
Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten
And there is none like unto Him. (Qur’an : Chapter 112).
With laws for almost every aspect of life, Islam represents a faith-
based order that women may see as crucial to creating healthy
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families and societal bonds is that of the family. And while it can
be justifiably argued that the basic family unit is the foundation of
any given human society, this holds particularly true for Muslims. As
a matter of fact, the great status that Islam affords to the family
system is the very thing that so often attracts many new converts to
Islam, particularly women.
Islam considers the family as the basic unit of human society. The
foundation of a family is laid through marriage. Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) noted once, “The best among you is who treats the members
of his family best.” The following verse of the Qur’an sums it all:
The strongest of all “Your Lord has commanded that you worship
none but Him, and be kind to parents. If either or both of them reach
old age with you, do not say ‘uff’ to them or chide them, but speak
to them in terms of honor and kindness. Treat them with humility,
and say, ‘My Lord! Have mercy on them, for they did care for me
when I was little.” (Chapter 17: 23-24)
Pre-marital relations
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What food Muslims eat
The issue of the permissibility for Muslims to eat the food of the people
of the Scriptures – the Christians and the Israelites – is connected with
the Qur’anic injunctions on the permitted (halaal) and forbidden
(haraam) food.
It is known that Prophet Muhammad () did not reject the food made
of sheep which was offered to him by an Israelite woman.
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Canada have germs in their muscles - trichinosis 8, from eating pork
infected with trichina worms. Many people who are infected shows
no symptoms. Most of those, who do have, recover slowly. Some
die; some are reduced to permanent invalids. All were careless
pork eaters”.
Some people have argued that the “modern pig” reared in farms
is given only clean foods, therefore, its flesh should be consumable.
The answer is that you may feed the pig on clean, wholesome food,
but you can’t change its nature. It is still a pig and will always stay
so. A pig is not a plant and you cannot change it by bud-grafting.
According to a report, 60 to 70% of girls in Sweden become mothers
before marriage. The formula of “skin to skin is no sin” is taking its toll
but there is hardly any feeling of shame or remorse over the end-
result. Several nations have become addicted to wine and pork,
sexual freedom with all its attendant evils has got ingrained in their
culture. Consequently, homosexuality has been legalized in many
countries. A very quick look of those nations, which consume pork
habitually will reveal that they have a low standard of morality and
as a result virginity, chastity and bashfulness are becoming a thing
of the past in those societies.
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What else Islam forbids
One does not need to be a genius to know the ill effects of alcohol.
It diminishes the good judgment sense and can be a cause of
untold social maladies. Its benefits are less versus the harms. Same
is applicable for dice, games of chances and lottery. This too can
lead to disastrous results. Thinking of it, its one person who wins the
millions but it’s the millions who pay to make him win. Islam also
forbids usury (interest earning). It’s an evil that leads to stagnation
in the natural economic growth of a society because it’s the lender
who reaps the huge rewards whereas the borrower becomes poorer
and poorer. In other words, the needy get exploited.
Those who avoid the greatest sins and indecencies, except for
oversights, (will find that) surely your Lord is ample in forgiveness.
(Al-Najm 53:32)
Same is for black magic, fortune telling and all forms of idolatry,
adultery, murder, pride and arrogance, slandering chase women,
illegal gain, committing suicide, weighing incorrectly, oppression,
men wearing silk and gold, cursing, betrayal of trust, taking false oath,
abandoning relatives, homo sexuality. But above all, associating
partners in the worship of God, the Qur’an says : Surely, Allah does
not forgive associating anything with Him, and He forgives whatever
is other than that to whomever He wills. (al-Nisa 4:48 and 116)
It is very loudly and vociferously claimed that the world got the
concept of basic human rights from the Magna Carta of Britain;
though the Magna Carta itself came into existence six hundred
years after the advent of Islam. But the truth of the matter is that
until the seventeenth century no one even knew that the Magna
Carta contained the principles of Trial by Jury; Habeas Corpus, and
the Control of Parliament on the Right of Taxation. If the people
who had drafted the Magna Carta were living today they would
have been greatly surprised if they were told that their document
also contained all these ideals and principles. They had no such
intention, nor were they conscious of all these concepts which are
now being attributed to them. It will then be fair to say that the
Westerners had no concept of human rights and civic rights before
the seventeenth century. The practical proof and demonstration
of these concepts can only be found at the end of the eighteenth
century in the proclamations and constitutions of America and
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France.
The right to life, the right to the safety of life, Respect for the chastity
of women, the right to the Basic Standards of life, Individual’s right
to Freedom, Abolition of Slavery (it was Islam that brought dignity
to every man for in the sight of God, every child is born free), the
right to Justice, the right to Co-operate or not to Co-operate, the
Security of Life and Property, the Protection of Honor, the Sanctity
and Security of Private Life, the Security of Personal Freedom, the
right to Protest against Tyranny, the right to Freedom of Expression,
Freedom of Conscience and Conviction, Protection from Arbitrary
Imprisonment, Equality before Law, Rulers not above the Law, The
right to avoid Sin.
This is a brief sketch of those rights which Islam gave to man. The
world has not been able to produce more just and more equitable
laws than those given 1400 years ago. On the other hand it hurts
one’s feelings that Muslims are in possession of such a splendid and
comprehensive system of law and yet they look forward for guidance
to those leaders who could not have dreamed of attaining those
heights of truth and justice which was achieved a long time ago.
Islam In The West
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The Tanzania-born Britisher, educated at famous
Roman Catholic Monastic School, embraced
Islam in 1988 and is now actively involved in
Islamic propagation activities. While on one
hand the Christians described God to be
eternal and infinite they felt no compunctions
in ascribing birth of God from the womb of
Mary. Study of the Holy Qur’an immediately
attracted me says Abdul Raheem Green.
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