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    En discover islam En discover islam Document Transcript

    • Discover Islam Edited by Al-Jumuah staff
    • Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawah and Guidance Kingdom of Saudi Arabia "The authors views expressed in this publication do notnecessarily reflect the views of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawah and Guidance." First Edition 1428 H – 2007 G -2-
    • Table of Contents1. Foreword 52. Islamic Beliefs 63. The Requirements of Islam 134. Muhammad the Messenger of Allah () 195. Questions and Answers 276. Creedal Issues 27*Who is Allah? Do Muslims worship a different God? 27*The Quran uses the word "We" when quoting God.Does that mean that Muslims believe in more than oneGod? 29*The Quran says that Allah is merciful and that He givessevere punishment. Is He forgiving or Is He vengeful? 30*Some believe that Muslims worship Muhammad. Is ittrue? 33*Is Islam fatalistic? 34*How can you confirm the existence of life after death? 367. The Quran and other Scriptures 40*Is it not true that Muhammad wrote the Quran orcopied from the Bible? 40*How does the Quran differ from other scriptures? 468. Jesus, the Messenger of Allah () 48*Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesus orother prophets? 48*What does the Quran say about Jesus ()? 509. Islam, science and health ma ers 52*Is Islam opposed to knowledge and science? 52*The Quran says that only Allah knows what is inthe womb. Does this not contradict medical science? 56*The Quran mentions that man is created from dust andit mentions that he is created from sperm. Isnt thiscontradictory? 57 -3-
    • *Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibited? 5910. Women in Islam 62*Does Islam oppress women? 62*Why do Muslim women wear the veil? 64*Why does Islam permit polygamy? 66*Why cant a woman from having more than onehusband? 70*Why does Islam impose such harsh punishments forsex outside marriage? 71*Under Islamic law, why is a womans share of inheritedwealth half that of a mans? 7311. Islam and Terrorism 77*What is "Jihad"? 77*Is Islam a militant religion? 80*Are Muslims terrorists? 83*How can Islam be called a religion of peace when “itwas spread by the sword”? 85* The Quran says that Muslims should kill the non-believers wherever they find them. Does this mean thatIslam promotes violence, bloodshed and brutality? 9012. Universality of the Message of Islam 93*Is it true that Islam is a religion only for Arabs? 93*All religions basically teach their followers to do gooddeeds, so why should a person follow Islam? 94A Final Word 97 -4-
    • ‫ﺑﺴﻢ ﺍﷲ ﺍﻟﺮﲪﻦ ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ‬ Discover Islam Edited by al-Jumuah Staff Foreword There is hardly any place on earth today whereIslam is totally unknown. More and more peoplehave become curious enough to find out somethingabout this much publicized religion; more often thannot, they have been pleasantly surprised. Islam is the religion and way of life of about onefifth of the worlds population. Muslims are ofdiverse nationalities, cultures and races, but theirreligion teaches that all humanity is essentially equal.Islam is generally misunderstood and misreprese-nted in contemporary Western societies; therefore, itis hoped that this booklet will help shed light onIslam and dispel many of the prevailingmisconceptions. With this objective in mind, al-Jumuah Magazinepresents a brief overview of Islam, followed byanswers to some of the most commonly askedquestions by non-Muslims. -5-
    • Islamic Beliefs The Islamic creed did not begin with the prophet-hood of Muhammad ()1, nor was it invented byhim. It is essentially the same message contained inprevious divine scriptures and taught by all prophetsof Allah. Islamic beliefs are eternal truths that neitherchange nor develop; they provide truths about Allahand His relationship with the visible and invisibleaspects of the universe, about the reality of this life,mans role therein and what will become of himafterwards. The requirements, or "pillars", of theIslamic faith are: belief in Allah, in the angels createdby Him, in His scriptures, in the prophets throughwhom His revelation was conveyed to humanity, inthe eternal life after death and in Allahs perfectjudgment and complete authority over humandestiny. Belief in Allah Monotheism is the essence of Islam, and itemphasizes the Oneness of Allah. Muslims believe inOne eternal and unique God. He is the Creator of allthat exists, yet He cannot be compared to anything ofHis creation. Muslims acknowledge that Allah alone1 This symbol means, may Allah exalt his mention and renderhim safe from all evil. -6-
    • is divine, that He alone is the Creator and Sustainerof creation. He is all-knowing and all-powerful,completely just and merciful. Allah is not part of His creation, nor is any of it apart of Him. The significance of exclusive divinity isthat no one and nothing in existence is worthy to beworshipped except Allah, the Creator and Sustainerof all things. In Islam, everything is built upon theOneness of Allah. No act of worship has anymeaning if the concept of monotheism is in any waycompromised. The proper name of God is "Allah". He is thesame God known to Christians, Jews and to peopleof other monotheistic faiths. Allah sent a series ofmessages to mankind through appointed prophetsand messengers. Quite a few of them are familiar topeople of Judeo-Christian background, such asAdam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and manyothers ()2. Belief in the Angels Muslims believe that Angels exist. No one knowstheir exact number except Him. They obey Him,fulfill His commands, and guard over the universeand the creatures that dwell within it. They carry out2 This symbol means, may Allah redner him safe from all eviland is said after a Prophet or Messengers name. -7-
    • the orders of Allah, from administration,observation, guarding and protecting the universe aswell as its creatures, all according to Allahs Will andOrder. Allah has revealed to us the names of some ofthe angels; for example, Gabriel, who was given thetask of revelation, Michael, who has been assignedthe task of directing rain and vegetation. There isalso the Angel of Death, who has been given the taskof collecting the souls at their appointed times. Belief in the Scriptures Muslims also believe in the original scripturesrevealed by Allah, such as the Scriptures of Abrahamand Moses, the Torah, the Psalms of David and theGospel of Jesus. The final revelation to humanity isthe Quran, which was revealed to ProphetMuhammad (). The Quran remains preserved andunchanged since the time of revelation in its originalArabic text. There is only one version of the Quran.It is recited and memorized by Muslims throughoutthe world. It contains the final message to humanityand legislation which both encompasses all spheresof human life and is also suited to all peoples and alltimes. Moreover, it contains numerous verses thatspeak of the universe, its components andphenomena - the earth, sun, moon, stars, mountains,wind, rivers and seas, plants, animals, as well as thesuccessive stages of human embryonic development. -8-
    • One of the miracles of the Quran, and evidence of itsdivine origins, is that nothing within it contradictsany established scientific fact. Belief in the Messengers A Muslim is required to believe that Allah chosethe finest amongst humanity to be Messengerswhom He sent to His creation with specificlegislations: to worship and obey Him and toestablish His religion and His Oneness. Allah, theAlmighty, says: And We did not send any Messenger before you [O Muhammad ()] but We inspired him [saying]: none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah), so worship Me (Alone and none else). [21:25] The last of the divinely appointed messengerswas Prophet Muhammad (). To him was conveyedthe final and complete revelation from Allah. All theprophets preached the same basic message: theworship of Allah alone. In essence, they all preachedIslam, which means willing, peaceful submission toAllah, the one true God; Creator of the universe. The final prophet was sent by the Creator as ahuman model to be followed and obeyed. ProphetMuhammad () exemplified the principles laid -9-
    • down in the Quran, and true Muslims strive tofollow his noble example. His biography has beenrecorded in minute detail and is easily accessible forstudy. There is a complete, authentically narrateddocumentation of his sayings and practices which isthe second source of Islamic legislation. It iscomplementary to the Quran and supplements itwith additional details and clarification of meanings.This record contains the prophetic traditions referredto as the Sunnah. Scholars have carefully andpainstakingly scrutinized the reliability of thetransmitters of these traditions, and only thosewhose narrators are found to be completely reliableand sound are accepted. Belief in the Last Day Muslims believe that the life of this world willcome to an end. Allah says: Whatsoever is on it (i.e. the earth) will perish. [55:26] The Day of Resurrection is the day when eachindividual will stand before Allah and be questionedabout their deeds. The compensation for evil in theHereafter is exact justice, while the compensation forgood is much greater - comprehensive, multiplerewards and complete satisfaction and happiness. - 10 -
    • People will be judged according to their degree ofrighteousness, and nothing else. Allah says: Whoever brings a good deed shall have ten times the like thereof to his (or her) credit, and whoever brings an evil deed shall have only the recompense of the like thereof. [6:160] A person is rewarded for merely intending to dogood, even if they do not follow up that intentionwith action. Prophet Muhammad () mentioned thatAllah said: “Whoever intends to perform a good deed but does not do it, Allah records it for him as one good deed. If one intends to do a good deed and does it, Allah records for him the like thereof ten times, up to seven hundred times, to many times. If one intends to do an evil deed, but does not do it, Allah records it for him as one good deed. If one intends to do an evil deed and does it, Allah records it only as one evil deed.” [Bukhari] - 11 -
    • Belief in Predestination Muslims believe in predestination, whether goodor bad, which Allah has measured and ordained forall creatures according to His previous knowledgeand as deemed suitable by His wisdom. Allah, theAll-Knowing, knows everything that happened inthe past, everything that is happening now and allthat will happen in the future. Humankind has beengiven free will and the choice of whether or not tofollow what Allah ordained. He has been given amind with which he is able to reason and choosewisely. - 12 -
    • The Requirements of Islam The five "pillars" of Islam make up the frameworkof a Muslims life, they are:1. The Shahadah or Declaration of Faith To be a Muslim, one must believe in andpronounce words that mean, "There is no deity worthyof being worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is Hisslave and messenger."3 This declaration testifies thatAllah exists, that He is unlike and superior to Hiscreation and that none is worthy of worship butHim. It also testifies that He is the Creator andProprietor of all that exists and Disposer of all affairs.Allah says in the Quran: No doubt! Verily, to Allah belongs whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth. And those that worship and invoke others besides Allah, in fact follow not these associated-gods; they follow only a conjecture and they invent only lies. [10:66]3The Arabic wording is: Laa ilaahah illal-laah Muhammad RasoolAllah. - 13 -
    • The Shahadah testifies that Muhammad is amongthe prophets who conveyed Allahs revelation tohumankind. Allah says: And We have not sent you (O Muhammad ()) except to all of humankind, as a giver of glad tidings and a Warner, but most people know not. [34:28] In fact, it is stated in the Quran that Muhammad() is the last of Allahs messengers. Allah says: Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets. [33:40] The Quran also confirms that Muhammadsteachings are infallible and conveyed from Allah.Allah says: Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only an Inspiration that is inspired. [53:3-4] Thus, the Quran, and Sunnah of the finalprophet, are the basis of the religion, and they defineevery aspect of the Islamic way of life. - 14 -
    • 2. The Salah, or Formal Obligatory Prayer Prayer was practiced in some form throughouthistory by all prophets and their followers as anindispensable part of Allahs religion. Islam, the finalmessage to humanity, considers prayer essential. AMuslim is required to pray five times daily withinspecified intervals, as taught by the Prophet ().These prayers are obligatory, and form a direct bondbetween the worshipper and his Creator. Islam doesnot call upon Muslims to merely perform this act ofworship; rather; it wants of them to purify theirsouls. Allah () says, regarding Prayer: Indeed the prayer prevents [you] from licentiousness and [other] sins. [29:45]3. Zakah or Obligatory Annual Charity The word "Zakah" means purification andgrowth. An important principle of Islam is that allthings belong to Allah. Muslims are enjoined to earnand spend their wealth in ways that are acceptable toAllah. The divinely ordained system of Zakah is theright of Allah within His dominion. It is neither acharity nor a tax, but an obligation due fromMuslims who possess wealth in excess of their basicneeds. Thus, the difference between Zakah and tax isthat a Muslim pays Zakah willfully and on their ownaccord; they are the ones who supervise its payment. - 15 -
    • Zakah is only due when a person has the minimumrequired amount, which varies with the type ofwealth. Zakah cleanses a Muslim of greed, selfishness,base covetousness, and the love of this temporalworld. Allah () says: And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful. [59:9] It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorersections of society without causing hardship to thewealthy.4. Siyam or Fasting Allah has enjoined fasting upon the Muslims asHe enjoined it upon previous nations. He, theExalted, says: O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become the pious. [2:183] Islamic fasting, which involves abstinence fromeating, drinking, sexual intercourse and allprohibited habits such as smoking, is observedthroughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of - 16 -
    • Ramadhan. When done in obedience to Godscommand, fasting teaches believers patience andself-control, as well as reminding them of theirresponsibility toward the millions of human beingswho lack provisions or are victims of their unjustdistribution. The month of fasting is accompanied byincreased efforts toward good manners andrighteous deeds, along with additional worship atnight. Fasting is not a retreat from life; rather, it is asupplement to the Muslims ordinary activities.5. Hajj or Pilgrimage Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (in SaudiArabia), is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for thosewho are physically and financially able to perform it.Allah says: Pilgrimage to the House (i.e. the Kabah) is incumbent upon men for the sake of Allah, (upon) everyone who is able to undertake the journey to it. [3:97] Nevertheless, millions of Muslims journey toMakkah each year from every corner of the globe,providing a unique opportunity for people ofvarious nations to meet one another as guests ofAllah. Hajj is an expression of pure faith and totalsubmission to His command, and the pilgrim - 17 -
    • performs rites of unqualified obedience, seekingnothing but the acceptance of their efforts andforgiveness of their past sins. A person who hascompleted the Hajj returns with a fresh outlook onlife, a purified soul and blessings from Allah. - 18 -
    • Muhammad the Messenger of Allah () Introduction It all began in the year 610 C.E.4, with a fewbrave individuals differing in tribe, status, andgender, secretly winding through the alleys ofMakkah to meet the man known as Al-Ameen (i.e.the trustworthy). One by one they went, likestealthy shadows in the moonlight, hoping not tobe noticed and reported to powerful city leaders.They were prepared to sacrifice it all – theircultures, families, even their own lives – for thesake of worshipping One True God.Al-Ameen had called them to cast aside the paganreligion of their forefathers, and to embrace puremonotheism. The 40-year-old man, whose namewas Muhammad, (), claimed that Allah saw allpeople, men and women, free and enslaved, asequal: A message which would, in two shortdecades, bring peace to the war-torn ArabianPeninsula and beyond; a message forbidding tribalfeudalism and corruption by any leader; a messagethat came to be known as “Islam,” calling fordevotion and submission to God alone.4 Common Era or Christian Era, in preference to A.D. (AnnoDomini) meaning ‘the year of the Lord’. - 19 -
    • Who was he? Muhammad () was a man of noble descent. Hewas a paradigm of excellent manners. Allah, theExalted, praised him saying: And verily, you (O Muhammad ) are on an exalted (standard of) character. [68:4] His enemies attested to his excellent manners.Abu Jahl, who was one of the harshest enemies ofIslam, said: ‘O Muhammad! I do not say that youare a liar! I only deny what you brought and whatyou call people to.’ Some of his Companions described his mannerssaying: ‘He was never rough. He never raised his voice in public or used foul language. He did not repay evil with evil; rather, he forgave and pardoned. He did not raise his hand to hit a servant or woman. He would not become angry if he was wronged, nor would he avenge himself. He only became angry when people transgressed the limits and boundaries of Allah; in that case he avenged. The Prophet () was not given a choice between two matters, except that he chose the easier of the two, as long as it was not a sinful act. If that act was a sinful act, he would be the farthest from it. - 20 -
    • When he entered his home he was a normal individual, he would clean his clothes, milk his sheep, and serve himself. Thomas Carlyle, the famous Scottish writer,attested to this. He said in his book ‘Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History’: But, from an early age, he had been remarked as a thoughtful man. His companions named him "Al Amin, The Faithful." A man of truth and fidelity; true in what he did, in what he spoke and thought. They noted that he always meant something. A man rather taciturn in speech; silent when there was nothing to be said; but pertinent, wise, sincere, when he did speak; always throwing light on the matter. This is the only sort of speech worth speaking! Through life we find him to have been regarded as an altogether solid, brotherly, genuine man. A serious, sincere character; yet amiable, cordial, companionable, jocose even - a good laugh in him withal: there are men whose laugh is as untrue as anything about them; who cannot laugh. A spontaneous, passionate, yet just, true- meaning man! Full of wild faculty, fire and light; of wild worth, all uncultured; working out his life - takes in the depth of the Desert there. They called him a prophet, you say? Why, he stood there face to face with them, here, not - 21 -
    • enshrined in any mystery, visibly clouting his own cloak, cobbling his own shoes, fighting, counseling ordering in the midst of them. They must have seen what kind of a man he was, let him be called what ye like. No emperor with his tiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of his own clouting. During three and twenty years of rough, actual trial, I find something of a veritable hero necessary for that of itself. If we say the physical appearance of a personinfluences their personality, as do sociologists, theProphet () was the most beautiful of people as hiscompanions, who saw him, informed us. TheProphet () was of a slightly above-average height.Amazingly, in gatherings, he would appear tallerthan those actually taller than him - until thepeople dispersed. In complexion, he was whitewith a rosy tinge; pale, but not excessively so. Hishair was jet black and wavy, but stopped short ofcurling, and was kept between his earlobes andshoulders. Sometimes he would part his hair at themiddle. Other times, he would wear it braided. TheProphet () had the physique of a powerful man.He had a broad upper-back and shoulders,between which was the Seal of Prophet-hood. Hehad long muscular limbs, large joints and a widegirth. His lean stomach never protruded out pastthe profile of his chest. His face was radiant, “as ifthe sun were following its course across and - 22 -
    • shining from his face,” His shoulders were broad;he was of medium height, neither too tall nor short.He was pleasant looking and majestic; people werefull of awe when they saw him for the first time,and knew that his face was not one of a liar. Prophecies Prophet Jesus () foretold the coming ofanother Prophet, whose name would be‘Periqlytos’ or ‘Paraclete’ or ‘Paracalon’ and who(that is, whose teaching) would last forever, ‘I willpray the Father, and He shall give you anotherComforter (Periqlytos), that he may abide withyou forever.’ [John 14, 16]. The word periqlytos means ‘illustrious,‘renowned’ and ‘praiseworthy’ and this is exactlywhat the name ‘Ahmed’ means. It is confirmed inthe Qur’an that the Prophet Jesus did prophesizethat a Prophet named ‘Ahmed’ would come afterhim. Allah, the Exalted, says: And remember when Jesus the son of Mary, said: “O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you, confirming the Torah which came before me, and giving glad tidings of a - 23 -
    • Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed. [61:6] The Jews sent priests to John, the Baptist, tofind out who he was. ‘He confessed, “I am not theChrist.” And they asked him, ‘’What then? Are youElijah?” And He said: “I am not.” ‘’Are you thatProphet?” They insisted. And he answered, “No”…And then they said to him: “Why do you baptizethen, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor thatProphet?” (John 1:20-25). That Prophet is not Jesus, but Muhammad ()because John the Baptist continued preaching andbaptizing and foretelling the coming of that Prophetduring the life-time of Jesus. What they said about Muhammad () Alphonse de Lamartine said: ‘Never has a manset for himself, voluntarily or involuntarily, a moresublime aim, since this aim was superhuman; tosubvert superstitions which had been imposedbetween man and his Creator, to render God untoman and man unto God; to restore the rational andsacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of thematerial and disfigured gods of idolatry, thenexisting. Never has a man undertaken a work sofar beyond human power with so feeble means, for - 24 -
    • he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well asin the execution of such a great design, no otherinstrument than himself and no other aid except ahandful of men living in a corner of the desert.Finally, never has a man accomplished such a hugeand lasting revolution in the world, because. in lessthan two centuries after its appearance, Islam, infaith and in arms, reigned over the whole ofArabia, and conquered, in Gods name, PersiaKhorasan, Transoxania, Western India, Syria,Egypt, Abyssinia, all the known continent ofNorthern Africa, numerous islands of theMediterranean Sea, Spain, and part of Gaul. "Ifgreatness of purpose, smallness of means, andastonishing results are the three criteria of a humangenius, who could dare compare any great man inhistory with Muhammad.”’5 George Bernard Shaw said: ‘I have always heldthe religion of Muhammad in high estimationbecause of its wonderful vitality. It is the onlyreligion which appears to possess that assimilatingcapability to the changing phases of existencewhich make itself appeal to every age - I haveprophesized about the faith of Muhammad that itwould be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to5 Alphonse de LaMartaine in Histoire de la Turquie, Paris,1854. - 25 -
    • be acceptable to the Europe of today. Medievalecclesiastics, either through ignorance or bigotry,painted Mohammedanism in the darkest colors.They were, in fact, trained to hate both the manMuhammad and his religion. To them, Muhammadwas an anti-Christ. I have studied him, thewonderful man, and in my opinion, far from beingan anti-Christ, he must be called the Savior ofhumanity - ’6 The German Poet, Wolfgang Göthe7, said: ‘Ilooked into history for a human paradigm andfound it to be in Muhammad ().’6 The Genuine Islam, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936.7A German writer and scientist: Master of poetry, drama,and the novel, he also conducted scientific research invarious fields, notably botany, and held severalgovernmental positions. - 26 -
    • QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Creedal Issues1) Who is Allah? Do Muslims worship a differentGod? Some people believe that Muslims worship a Godthat is different from the one worshipped byChristians and Jews. This might be due to the factthat Muslims often refer to God as "Allah". Thisconcept is false, since "Allah" is simply the Arabicword for the One true "God" Who created theuniverse and all humanity. Let there be no doubt -Muslims worship the God of Noah, Abraham,Moses, David and Jesus (). However, it is certainlytrue that Jews, Christians and Muslims all havedifferent concepts of Almighty God. For example,Muslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs ofthe Trinity and the Divine Incarnation. This,however, does not mean that each of these threereligions worships a different God - because, as wehave already said, there is only One TrueGod. Judaism, Christianity and Islam all claim to be“Abrahamic Faiths”, and all of them are alsoclassified as “monotheistic.” However, Islam teachesthat other religions have, in one way or another,distorted and nullified a pure and proper belief inAlmighty God by neglecting His true teachings and - 27 -
    • mixing them with man-made ideas. Islam calls uponpeople to return to the one true God and to worshipand obey Him alone. Islam teaches that God shouldbe approached without intermediaries. That isbecause the merciful all-knowing God is completelyin control of everything that exists and that He canbestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as Hepleases; therefore no intercession, atonement orincarnation is necessary. Arabic speaking people of all religions refer toGod as "Allah". For example, if you pick up anArabic translation of the Christian Bible you will seethe word "Allah" where "God" is used in English.Therefore, Allah is not the god of only the Muslims,but the same God worshipped by all monotheisticfaiths. This idea that "Allah" is different from "God"is illogical since it is tantamount to saying that theFrench worship a different "god" because they usethe word "Dieu", that Spaniards worship a different"god" because they say "Dios" or that the Hebrewsworshipped a different "god" because they calledHim "Yahweh"! The Quran, which is the divine scripture ofMuslims, was revealed in the Arabic language, soMuslims use the word "Allah" for "God", even whenthey are speaking other languages. A more literaltranslation of "Allah" into English might be "the one-and-only God" or "the one true God". - 28 -
    • It should be clearly understood that what Islam isprimarily concerned with is correcting humankindsconcept of Almighty God. What people areultimately going to be held accountable for at the endof Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred theword "Allah" or the word "God", but what theirconcept of Him is. The true concept of God isclarified only within the message revealed by Him.The last message sent by God, or Allah, is the Quran.2) The Quran uses the word ‘We’ when quotingAllah. Does that mean that Muslims believe inmore than one God? Islam adheres to uncompromising monotheism. Itteaches that God is One and indivisible. In theQuran, God often refers to Himself as "We". But itdoes not mean that there is more than one God. Thereference of God to Himself as "We" in manyQuranic verses is necessarily understood in theArabic language to denote power and grandeur, asopposed to the more intimate singular form, "I", usedin specific instances. In some languages there are two types of pluralform. One is related to quantity and used to refer totwo or more persons, places or things. The other kindof plural is one of majesty, power and distinction. Forexample, in proper English, the Queen of Englandrefers to herself as ‘we’. This is known as the ‘royal - 29 -
    • plural’. Rajeev Gandhi, the ex-Prime Minister ofIndia used to say in Hindi, "Hum dekhna chahte hain"."We want to see." ‘Hum’ means ‘we’, which is again aroyal plural in Hindi language. Similarly, when Godrefers to Himself in the Quran, He sometimes usesthe Arabic word nahnu, meaning ‘We’. It does notindicate a plurality of number but the plurality ofpower and majesty. The oneness of God is stressed throughout theQuran. A clear example is in this short chapter: Say: He is Allah [who is] One; Allah is He on Whom all depend. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent. [112:1-4]3) The Quran says that Allah is merciful and thatHe gives severe punishment. So is He forgiving oris He vengeful? The Quran mentions many times that God is theMost Merciful. In fact, all except one of the 114chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem, which means, "I begin with thename of God, the Entirely Merciful and theEspecially Merciful". These two descriptions of Godare sometimes translated as "The Compassionate, theMerciful"; however in Arabic grammar, both namesare an intensive form of the word "merciful".Rahmaan means merciful to all creation, and justice is - 30 -
    • part of this mercy. Raheem means merciful especiallyto the believers and forgiveness is part of this mercy.A complimentary and comprehensive meaning isintended by the use of both of them together. Inaddition, Allah speaks of His forgiveness throughoutthe Quran. In fact, Gods mercy and forgivenesshave been mentioned together more than 70 times inthe Quran. Allah repeatedly reminds us saying: And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful But He also gives severe punishment to thosewho deserve it. Allah told Prophet Muhammad (): Inform My slaves that it is I Who am the Forgiving, the Merciful, and that it is My punishment which is the [most] painful punishment. [15:49-50] Allah is just, and His justice necessitates that Hereward those who obey and serve Him and punishthose who disobey and rebel against Him. If Allahdid not punish the sinful, wicked and evil peoplewho deserve to be punished, it would not be justice.When punishment for wrongdoing is certain, itserves to deter potential offenders. In contrast, ifAllah forgave everyone and punished no one, therewould be no reason for legislation, ethics or evenmorality. Life on earth would be chaotic and nothing - 31 -
    • short of anarchy. True justice, with its true rewardsand just penalties can only be found with Allah, andthat is what He has promised in the Quran: We shall place the scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so no soul will be dealt with unjustly at all. And if there is [even] the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth. And sufficient are We to take account. [21:47] Allah forgives all those who repent and correctthemselves at any stage in their lives, and He hasinvited all people to His abundant forgiveness andmercy: Say: ‘O My slaves who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful. And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you; then you will not be helped. And follow the best of what was revealed to you from your Lord before the punishment comes upon you suddenly, while you do not perceive. [39:53-5] - 32 -
    • 4) Some believe that Muslims worshipMuhammad. Is this true? Muslims do not worship Muhammad () in anyway. They believe that he was the last messenger sentby Allah and like all His other prophets andmessengers, he was a human being. However, somepeople mistakenly assume that Muslims worshipMuhammad and this is one of the reasons thatMuslims were erroneously called "Mohammedans". Muhammad, like Jesus, never claimed divinestatus. He called people to worship Almighty Allahalone, and he continually emphasized his humanity.In order to prevent his deification, ProphetMuhammad () always said to refer to him as"Allahs slave and messenger". He () said: ‘Do not adulate me as the Christians adulated Jesus son of Mary. I am Allahs slave and messenger.’ (Bukhari) Muhammad was chosen to be Allahs finalmessenger and to communicate His message to us,not only in words, but also as a living example of itspractical application. Muslims love and respect himbecause of his impeccable and upright moralcharacter and because he conveyed the truth fromAllah - which is the pure monotheism of Islam. - 33 -
    • Muslims strive to follow the great example ofProphet Muhammad () but do not worship him inany way. Islam teaches Muslims to respect all ofAllahs prophets and messengers. However,respecting and loving them does not meanworshipping them. Muslims know that all worshipand prayer must be directed to Allah alone. In fact, the worship of Muhammad - or anyoneelse – along with, or instead of, Almighty Allah isconsidered an unpardonable sin in Islam. Even if aperson claims to be Muslim but worships or prays toanything other than God, it invalidates ones claim toIslam. The Declaration of Faith makes it clear thatMuslims must worship Allah alone.5) Is Islam fatalistic? Most Muslims find it rather odd that theirreligion, which strikes a remarkable balance betweenfaith and deeds, are sometimes accused of being"fatalistic". Perhaps this misconception came aboutbecause Muslims are known to say "All praise is due toAllah" whenever anything good or bad happens. Thisis because Muslims know that everything comesfrom God, the Creator of the universe, and occurs byHis will. Thus, a Muslim worries less about materialmatters and views earthly life in a properperspective. A true Muslim relies completely onAllah and knows that whatever happens is always - 34 -
    • for the best, whether one recognizes it or not, so onegraciously accepts whatever cannot be changed. This does not mean that Muslims should simplyawait destiny and take no action in life. On thecontrary, Islam demands action and effort to changeevery undesirable situation. To be more precise,action is a required part of ones faith. If humanbeings did not have the ability to act, it would beunjust for Allah to expect them to do and to avoidcertain things. Far from being "fatalistic", Islamteaches that mans main obligation in life is to act andexert effort in obedience to God. Islam teaches that human beings should takepositive action in this life and supplement it withprayer. Some people are lazy and careless and thenblame the negative result on destiny or fate. Someeven say that, if Allah had willed, they would nothave sinned or committed crimes. All of thesearguments are completely erroneous, because Allahhas taught us how to live and has ordered us toalways do what is right. Allah has not ordered us todo anything that we are unable to do or prohibitedanything that we cannot avoid, because His justice iscomplete and perfect. Each individual is heldresponsible within the limits of their ability and notbeyond it. - 35 -
    • 6) How can you confirm the existence of Life afterDeath? The Quran teaches that the present life is a trialin preparation for the next realm of our existence. Aday will come when the whole universe will bedestroyed and recreated, and the dead will beresurrected to stand in judgment before Allah. On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens and they (all creatures) will appear before Allah, the One, the Irresistible. [14:48] The Day of Resurrection will be the beginning ofanother life, one that will be eternal. It is then thatevery person will be fully compensated by Allah forhis or her good and evil deeds. The explanation that the Quran gives about thenecessity of life after death is exactly what the moralconsciousness of man demands. If there were no lifeafter death, the very belief in Allah would becomemeaningless, or even if one believed in Him, itwould then be an unjust and indifferent deity,having once created man and no longer beingconcerned with his fate. Surely, Allah is just. He willpunish the tyrants, whose crimes are beyond count -having killed hundreds of innocent people, createdgreat corruption in society, enslaved numerous - 36 -
    • persons to serve their own whims, and so on.Because one has a short life span in this world andsince numerous individuals are affected by onesactions, adequate punishments and rewards are notpossible in this life. The Quran very emphaticallystates that the Day of Judgment will come and thatAllah will decide the fate of each soul. Each and every human being longs for justice.Even if one does not uphold it for others they wantjustice for themselves. For example, tyrants andoppressors who are intoxicated by power andinfluence and inflict pain and suffering on others willobject vehemently if any injustice is done to them.The reason such people become insensitive to thesuffering of others is that they feel that power andinfluence prevents others from doing injustice tothem. Any person who has suffered injustice,irrespective of financial or social status, almostcertainly wants its perpetrator to be punished.Though a large number of criminals are punished,many of them get off lightly or even scot-free. Theymay continue to lead pleasant, even luxurious livesand enjoy a peaceful existence. Allah may not punisha criminal in this world but He will surely hold himaccountable on the Day of Judgment and punishhim. - 37 -
    • It is true that a wrongdoer may receive part of thejustice that is due to him in this world, but it willremain incomplete. The same is true of someone whodeserves great reward and repayment - who hasdone much good, helped or taught many people,saved lives, suffered to uphold truth or patientlyendured much hardship or injustice. No earthlycompensation is adequate for such relentless courageand effort. These types of deeds can only be repaid infull in an eternal life where every individual affectedby ones actions will testify for or against that person,and where ones innermost thoughts and intentions,known only to Allah, will be exposed and judgedprecisely and perfectly. Belief in the Hereafter is completely logical. Allahhas made certain things pleasing and desirable to usin this worldly life, such as justice, although it isusually unattainable. Though a person may obtain agood portion of earthly pleasures and many of hisobjectives, one remains convinced that the world isunjust. Now, why would the Creator implant in usthe love for something we may not experience? Theanswer is that this life is only one portion of ourexistence and the Hereafter is the necessaryconclusion which balances everything out. Whateveris missing here will be found there; and similarly,whatever is gained unlawfully here will result indeprivation there. That is the perfect and absolutejustice Allah has promised. - 38 -
    • Finally, Allah is able to create and re-create as Hewills. He creates whatever He wills, however Hewills, whenever He wills. Allah, the Exalted, says: As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That is] a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We shall do it. [21:104] - 39 -
    • The Quran and other Scriptures7) Is it true that Muhammad () wrote the Quranor copied from the Bible? In addressing this misconception, it is interestingto note that no other religious scripture claims to betotally the direct word of God as clearly and as oftenas the Quran. Allah says: Do they not reflect upon the Quran? Had it been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction. [4:82] At the time the Quran was revealed, the Arabsrecognized that the language of the Quran wasunique and distinctly different from the languagespoken by Prophet Muhammad () and his people.This, in spite of the fact that the Arabs of that timewere known for their skill in poetry and mastery ofthe Arabic language. Moreover, Muhammad () wasknown to be an unlettered man. The Quranmentions that Muhammad () did not read andwrite, so if this was false, certainly hiscontemporaries would have protested and exposedhim. However, there are no reports of this. Withoutdoubt there were people who rejected Muhammadsmessage, just like the message of other prophetswere rejected, but none denied it for this reason. - 40 -
    • It is also interesting to note that even though theQuran is not poetry, the Arabs were much lessinclined to poetry after it was revealed. It can be saidthat the Quran is the piece of Arabic literature parexcellence - and Muhammads enemies, realized thatas much as they tried, they could not outdo or evenequal it. It is not difficult to prove that Muhammad ()did not possess the knowledge that is expoundedand detailed in the Quran, such as the accurateknowledge of historical events, previous prophetsand natural phenomena. The Quran mentions inseveral places that Muhammad () and his peopledid not know these things. Allah says: This is of the news of the Unseen which We reveal unto you; neither you nor your people knew it before this. So be patient. Surely, the (good) end is for the pious. [11:49] Suffice it to say that not only is the Quran themost memorized and well preserved scripture onearth, it is also unequaled in its eloquence, spiritualimpact, clarity of message and purity of its truth. Furthermore, the Quran recounts severalinstances where Prophet Muhammad () wascriticized and corrected by Allah for hisunintentional human errors. Had he been the author - 41 -
    • of the Quran he would not have included theserebukes in the Qur’an. For example, the Prophet ()was once deeply and earnestly engaged inattempting to invite one of the pagan leaders to Islamwhen he was interrupted by a blind man who hadcome to him for information and to learn the Quran.The Prophet () naturally disliked the interruptionbecause he was hopeful of affecting the influentialleaders heart toward Islam. He frowned and turnedaway, a gesture that went unnoticed by the blindman. No sooner had the Prophet () finished talkingto the leader than he received the followingrevelation which he conveyed to his people withoutthe least bit of hesitation: He [i.e. the Prophet] frowned and turned away, because there came to him the blind man. But what would make you perceive [O Muhammad] that perhaps he might be purified or be reminded, and the reminder would benefit him? [80:1-4] This incident reflects the highest degree ofsincerity on the part of the Prophet () regarding therevelation that was revealed to him. These versesprovide substantial proof that the Prophet () wasnot the author of the Quran, nor was he the founderof Islam. - 42 -
    • Some Christian critics often claim thatMuhammad () was not himself the author of theQuran but that he learned, copied or adapted it fromJewish and Christian scriptures. In reality, however,Prophet Muhammads contacts with the Jewish andChristian scholars were extremely limited. Historicalrecords available show that he made only three tripsoutside Makkah before his prophethood: At the ageof nine he accompanied his mother to Madinah.Before the age of twelve, he accompanied his uncleon a business trip to Syria. And before his marriage,at the age of 25, he led Khadĳah’s caravan to Syria.The most prominent Christian known to him was anold blind man named Waraqah bin Nawfal, who wasa relative of his wife Khadijah. He was a convert toChristianity and well-versed in the Gospels. TheProphet () only met him twice; the first time wasbriefly before his prophetic mission and the secondoccasion was when the Prophet () went to meetWaraqah after receiving the first revelation fromGod. Waraqah died three years later. The revelationof the Quran, however, continued for 23 years. Some of Muhammad’s () pagan opponentsaccused him of learning the Quran from a Romanblacksmith, a Christian who was staying on theoutskirts of Makkah. A revelation of the Quran wassufficient to refute this charge. Allah said: And We surely know that they say, ‘It is only a man that teaches him.’ The tongue of the one - 43 -
    • they refer to is foreign, while this [Quran] is in a clear Arabic language. [16:103] Muhammad’s enemies kept a close watch on him,with the hope of uncovering a shred of evidence tosupport their claim that he was a liar. But they couldnot point to a single instance when the Prophet ()might have had secret meetings with any particularJews or Christians. It is true that the Prophet () did have religiousdiscussions with Jews and Christians, but they tookplace openly in Madinah, and the revelation of theQuran had been going on for more than 13 yearsbefore that. The allegation that these Jews andChristians were its source is groundless, especiallysince the role of Prophet Muhammad () was merelythat of a teacher; he openly invited them to embraceIslam, pointing out how they had deviated fromGods true teaching of monotheism. Numerous Jewsand Christians embraced Islam themselves uponhearing Muhammad’s () message. In addition, it was known that Muhammad wasunlettered. In His divine wisdom, Allah chose Hisfinal Messenger to be an unlettered man so no onewould have the slightest justification to doubt him or - 44 -
    • accuse him of writing or copying the Quran.8Moreover, there was no Arabic version of the Bible inexistence at the time of Prophet Muhammad (). Theearliest Arabic version of the Old Testament is that ofR. Saadias Gaon of 900 C.E. - more than 250 yearsafter the death of Muhammad (). We have mentioned that the Quran containsscientific miracles, and we presented a few factsstated within the book to evidence that it could notpossibly have been known at that time byMuhammad or by any other person for that matter.More and more recent scientific discoveries are beingfound to coincide with what is stated in the Quran,and this is irrefutable evidence that its source wasnone but the all-knowing God - Allah, the Almighty. It is true that there are some similarities betweenthe Quran and the Bible, but this is not sufficientgrounds to accuse Muhammad () of compiling orcopying from the Bible. The similarities between thetwo do not indicate that later prophets plagiarizedfrom previous ones, but merely point to a commonsource, who is the one true God, and to thecontinuation of the basic message of monotheism.8 The coming of the unlettered Prophet () was prophesizedin the Bible: "And the book is delivered to him that is not learned."[Isaiah 29:12] - 45 -
    • 8) How does the Quran differ from otherscriptures? It is an article of faith for every Muslim to believein all the prophets and messengers of Allah and allunadulterated revelations of God. Some of thesescriptures are still extant today but not in theirpristine form as a result of human alteration. TheQuran is the only divine scripture which has stoodthe test of time because Allah has taken uponHimself the responsibility of preserving it. He, theExalted says: Indeed, it is We who have sent down the Reminder [i.e. the Quran], and indeed, We will be its guardian. [15:9] Other revealed scriptures before the advent ofProphet Muhammad (), such as the Old Testamentand the Gospel, were recorded long after the demiseof the prophets to whom they had been revealed. Incontrast, the entire Quran was written down in itscomplete form during the lifetime of Muhammad ()on pieces of palm bark, leather parchment and bone,and arranged in the order designated by the Prophet(). In addition, tens of thousands of the Prophetscompanions committed it to memory as it was beingrevealed. The Quran is still memorized and read inits original Arabic text, and it continues to be taughtand learned by millions of people the world over. In - 46 -
    • fact, with every succeeding generation of Muslims,the number of those who commit the whole Quranto memory has incredibly increased. There is noother book, religious or otherwise, which has beengiven this unparalleled care in recorded history. The Quran presents all the prophets of Allah asbelonging to one single brotherhood; all had asimilar prophetic mission and conveyed the samebasic message, namely, the invitation to the worshipof Allah alone. The source of their message was one:Allah, or Almighty God. Even if the other Scripturesagree with the Quran in the fundamental aspects ofthe religion, they address a specific people. Due tothis, its rulings and regulations are particular tothem. It is attributed to Jesus () in the Bible that hehimself said: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house (children) of Israel.” [Matthew 15:24] On the other hand, the Quran was revealed tohumanity at large and not to any specific nation.Allah says: And We have not sent you [O Muhammad ()] except to all of mankind, as a giver of glad tidings and a Warner, but most people know not. [34:28] - 47 -
    • Jesus, the Messenger of Allah9) Is it correct that Muslims do not believe in Jesusor other Prophets? A Muslim cannot be a Muslim if he or she doesnot believe in Jesus (). Muslims believe in Jesusand in all of Allahs prophets. It is a basic element oftheir faith to believe in all of His prophets andmessengers. Muslims respect and revere Jesus ()and await his second coming. According to theQuran, he was not crucified but was raised intoHeaven. Muslims consider Jesus () among theprominent messengers of Allah - but not God or theson of God. Jesus mother, Mary is considered avirtuous and noble woman, and the Quran tells usthat Jesus was born miraculously without a father: Indeed, the example of Jesus with Allah is like that of Adam. He created him from dust, and then He said to him, Be! and he was. [3:59] Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out thatIslam considers, Jesus, the son of Mary, to be one ofthe greatest messengers of Allah. Muslims are taughtto love Jesus, and a person cannot be a Muslimwithout believing in the virgin birth and in themiracles of Jesus Christ (). Muslims believe thesethings about Jesus not because of the Bible, but - 48 -
    • because the Quran says these things about him.However, Muslims always emphasize that themiracles of Jesus, and of all other prophets, wereonly possible by "Allahs permission" and His will. Muslims reject the idea that Allah has a son. TheQuran stresses emphatically that God does not havea "son". Islam teaches that titles such as "Lord" and"Savior" are for Allah alone. It should be clarified that when Muslims criticizesome of the teachings of Christianity, they are notattacking Jesus Christ (). Christian doctrines suchas the "Trinity" and "Atonement" are criticized byMuslims simply because they did not originate fromJesus (). And when they evaluate the Bible theyare not referring to "Gods word", but to writings thatare claimed to be Gods word. Muslims believe thatthe book known today as “The Bible” only containsremnants of God’s original messages, and that it hasbeen tainted by human input and altered throughnumerous translations. Muslims believe the originalGospel was the words and teachings of Jesus, notthose of the ‘disciples’, Paul or other church fatherswho strongly influenced Christianity throughouthistory. Islam actually endorses Jesus () when itinsists on the pure monotheism that Jesus himselfpreached and followed. - 49 -
    • 10) What does the Quran say about Jesus ()? Jesus () was among the prominent messengerswho were mentioned in detail in the Quran. In fact,there is a chapter in the Quran named Maryam(Mary) that speaks about Mary and her son Jesus(). Jesus () is also mentioned in various otherplaces throughout the Quran. Here are some of theQuranic quotations regarding Mary and Jesus: And relate in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east. She took in seclusion from them a screen. Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said, Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful [God] from you, if you should fear Him. He said, I am only the messenger of your Lord, to [announce to] you the gift of a pure son.” She said: “How can I have a son when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste? He said: Thus [it will be]. Your Lord says, It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed." So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She cried, Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten! Then [Jesus] called her from beneath her, Grieve not, for your Lord has provided a - 50 -
    • stream beneath you. And shake towards you thetrunk of the palm tree: it will let fresh ripe datesfall upon you. So eat and drink and becontented. And if you see any man, say, "I havevowed abstention to the Most Merciful, so thisday I will not speak to any human being. Atlength she brought him (Jesus) to her people,carrying him. They said, O Mary, you havedone a thing unprecedented. O sister [i.e.,descendant] of Aaron, your father was not a manof evil nor was your mother unchaste. So shepointed to him. They said, How can we talk to achild who is [yet] in the cradle? [Jesus] said: Iam indeed a servant of Allah; He has given methe Scripture and made me a prophet. And Hehas made me blessed wherever I am andenjoined on me prayer and Zakah (charity) aslong as I live. And [made me] kind to my motherand not a wretched tyrant. And peace is on methe day I was born, the day I die, and the day Iam raised alive. That is Jesus the son of Mary,the word of truth about which they dispute. It isnot befitting for Allah to take a son. Exalted isHe! When He decrees a matter, He only says toit, Be, and it is. Indeed, Allah is my Lord andyour Lord, so worship Him. That is the straightpath. [19:16-36] - 51 -
    • Islam, science and health matters11) Is Islam opposed to knowledge and science? Islam is not opposed to knowledge and science.Knowledge is of two types: religious, which has todo with the understanding of the religious duties oneis required to carry out, and temporal, which has todo with all that is needed to know with a view toliving a comfortable and beneficial life. A Muslim isrequired to acquire both types of knowledge. In fact,Islam advocated attaining knowledge and educationat a time when the whole world was engulfed inutter ignorance. The first revelation the Prophet ofIslam () received from Allah was: Read in the name of your Lord who created - created man from a clinging clot. Read, and your Lord is the most Generous, who taught by the pen; taught man that which he knew not. [96:1-5] These verses represent the first spark ever todispel the darkness of ignorance and barbarianism inwhich the world had long been immersed. And Allahreminded the Muslims of His immeasurable favourto humankind, saying: It is He who raised among the unlettered people a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His verses, purifying them and - 52 -
    • teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they were before in manifest error. [62:2] The early generations of Muslims became, in amatter of years, a learned and refined nation inreligious as well as worldly matters, after havingremained in the darkness of ignorance for centuries.Islam awakened in man the faculty of intellect andmotivated him to serve Allah, the one true God. Religious knowledge is essential, because,without it, one will not be able to perform his or herobligations in the prescribed manner. The Prophet() said, “To whomever He intends benefit, Allah grants understanding of the religion.” Allah ordered the Prophet () to pray to Him foradvancement in knowledge: Say: ‘My Lord, increase me in knowledge. [20:114] Beneficial worldly knowledge is also necessary,and Muslims are encouraged to acquire it in order tobenefit themselves and their fellow men. When theearly Muslims understood this fact, they surpassedother nations in development and productivity andcarried the torch of knowledge for many centuries. - 53 -
    • Islam made great advances in the fields ofmedicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy,geography, architecture, art, literature, and history,to mention but a few. Many important newprocedures such as the use of algebra, Arabicnumerals, and the concept of the zero –which wasvital to the advancement of mathematics-, weretransmitted to medieval Europe from Muslimcountries. It was the Muslims who developedsophisticated instruments, including the astrolabe,the quadrant and good navigational maps whichwere to make possible the European voyages ofdiscovery to the New World. As T.W. Wallbank and A. Schrier put it: “In medicine, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry and physics, Muslim achievements were particularly noteworthy. Well-equipped hospitals, usually associated with medical schools, were located in the principal cities. At a time when superstition still hampered the practice of medicine in western countries, Muslim physicians were diagnosing diseases, prescribing cures and performing advanced surgery… Probably the greatest of all physicians was the 9th century figure, Al-Razi, known in the West as Rhazes. He was the author of scores of scientific works, including a comprehensive medical encyclopaedia and a pioneering handbook on smallpox and measles. A 10th century physician, - 54 -
    • Avicenna, (Ibn Sina) compiled a huge Cannon of Medicine which was considered the standard guide in European medical circles until the late 17th century… Important advances were made in algebra, analytical geometry and plane spherical trigonometry.”9 The Quran itself is a book of guidance and itcontains some amazing scientific facts. They areamazing because although they were revealed toProphet Muhammad () over 14 centuries ago, theywere not really understood by man until scientists"discovered" them in very recent times. Although notmeant to be a book of scientific facts as such, theQuran mentions certain realities that would only berecognized and appreciated through technologicaladvancements in later centuries - further undeniableevidence and proof that it was not the work ofMuhammad () or of any person, but divinerevelation from God.9 Living World History, Sco Forseman and Company, 1990,p.191-2 - 55 -
    • 12) The Quran says that only Allah knows what isin the womb. Does this not contradict medicalscience? To answer this we should look at the verses thatrelate to this matter. Allah says: Verily Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. [31:34] And He says: Allah knows what every female carries, and what the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceed. And everything with Him is by due measure. [13:8] If one reads the Arabic text of this verse, they willfind that there is no Arabic word that corresponds tothe English word sex or gender. The Quranmentions only the knowledge of “what” is in thewomb. Many have misunderstood this to mean thesex of the child in the womb, which is incorrect. Today, science has indeed advanced, and we caneasily determine the sex of the child in the womb of apregnant mother using ultrasound scanning. Therefore, the above verse refers to every aspectof the fetus present and future existence. What willbe the child’s nature? Will the child be a blessing or a - 56 -
    • curse to the parents? What will happen to him or herthroughout life? Will he or she do good or evil? Howlong will he or she live? Will he or she end up inParadise or in Hell? Allah alone knows all of this...no scientist in the world, no matter how advancedthe technology, will ever be able to determine thesethings about a child in the mother’s womb.13) The Quran mentions that human beings arecreated from dust and it also mentions that they arecreated from sperm. Isnt this contradictory? Allah has said: And We made from water every living thing. [21:30] And He said: Indeed, We created you from dust. [22:5] And He said: Indeed We have created them from sticky clay. [37:11] In the preceding verses, Allah has mentionedvarious stages of human creation. The creation ofman according to the Quran was first from waterand dust, which when combined became clay. This - 57 -
    • refers to the creation of humanitys first ancestor,Adam (). Then Allah decreed that his descendantswould reproduce after that according to the samenatural law that is applied to many other livingbeings. Sometimes the Quran refers to semen as "water",meaning fluid. So when Allah says in the Quran thatHe created every living thing from water, it canindicate that everything in creation; humans, animalsand plants have all been created from water anddepend upon water for their continued existence. Buta similar verse: And Allah has created everycreature from water.10 can also mean that humanbeings and animals are created from their fatherssemen or sperm. This is confirmed by other verses,such as: Did We not create you from a liquiddisdained?11 As for scientific evidence, research has confirmedthat the body of man, like that of other living beings,is made up predominantly of water, and that theelements of the human body are exactly the same asthose found in the earth’s soil in greater or smallerquantities.10 24:4511 77:20. - 58 -
    • 14) Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibitedin Islam? In Islam all things that are harmful or whoseharm exceeds their benefit are unlawful. Therefore,alcohol would be deemed unlawful in Islam even if itwere not clearly prohibited in the Quran andprophetic traditions. For anything that causes harmis considered unlawful. Alcohol has been the scourge of human societysince time immemorial. It continues to cost countlesshuman lives, and causes misery to millionsthroughout the world. Statistics showing soaringcrime rates, increasing instances of mental illnessesand millions of broken homes throughout the worldbear witness to the destructive power of alcohol. Alcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in thehuman brain. That is the reason that an inebriatedperson is often found to be indulging in behaviorthat is completely uncharacteristic. A drunkard findsit difficult to talk or walk properly. He may evenurinate in his clothes. If a person should becomeintoxicated and commits something shameful justonce, it may possibly remain with him the rest of hislife. There are a number of medical reasons for theprohibition of the consumption of alcohol. Millionsof people die every year as a result of it. A few of thealcohol related illnesses are: - 59 -
    • * Cirrhosis of liver* Various forms of cancer* Oesophagitis, gastritis and pancreatitis*Cardiomyopathy, hypertension, angina and heartattacks* Strokes, apoplexy, fits and different types ofparalysis* Peripheral neuropathy, cortical atrophy, cerebelaratrophy* Numerous endocrine disorders* Anemia, jaundice and platelet abnormalities* Recurrent chest infections, pneumonia, emphysemaand pulmonary tuberculosis* During pregnancy, alcohol consumption has asevere detrimental effect on the fetus Many claim that they only have one or twodrinks and exercise self-control and so they never getintoxicated. But investigations reveal that everyalcoholic started as a social drinker. Not a singlealcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking withthe intention of becoming an alcoholic. It justhappens along the way. Allah, in His infinite wisdom, made injunctionsaimed at preserving the individual and society.Hence the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in - 60 -
    • Islam. It is worth mentioning that when Muslimsrefrain from doing things that Allah has forbidden,they do not do so because of detrimental effects butbecause Allah has prohibited them. Their aim in thisworld is to obey Allahs commands, and by doing sothey also benefit themselves. - 61 -
    • Women in Islam15) Does Islam oppress women? In answering this question, we must differentiatebetween the teachings of Islam and the practice ofsome Muslims. Although some Muslim culturesoppress women, it often reflects local customs thatare inconsistent, if not contrary to Islamic teachings.Islam expects its adherents to uphold the rights ofwomen, to protect their social status and preventtheir degradation in every way. Islam further holdsthat women are equal to men in their origin, theirhumanity, their honor and their accountability beforeGod. Today, Western societies have actually demotedwomen to sex objects. The United States of Americais one of the leading advocates of the so-called“women’s liberation” movement. Ironically, it alsohas one of the highest rates of sexual assault andrape in the world. According to an FBI report, in theyear 1990, an average of 1756 rapes were commi edin the US every single day. The idea that Islam treats women as second classcitizens worth half a man is nothing but a myth.Islam elevated the status of women over 1,400 yearsago by declaring them the sisters of men, givingthem the right to education to the highest level, theright to choose a husband, the right to end an - 62 -
    • unhappy marriage, the right to inheritance, ingeneral, the rights of a full citizen of the state. Notonly material and physical rights, but those ofkindness and consideration are equally specified andsignificant in Islamic law. Men and women are two equally importantcomponent parts of humanity, and the rights andresponsibilities of both sexes are equitable andbalanced in their totality. Roles of men and womenare complementary and collaborative. Although theirobligations might differ in certain areas of life inaccordance with their basic physical andpsychological differences, each is equallyaccountable for their particular responsibilities.Ignoring these differences is surely unrealistic, butthere is no reason to assume from them that one sexis either superior or inferior to the other in any way. Under Islamic law, when a Muslim woman getsmarried she does not surrender her maiden name,but keeps her distinct identity. In a Muslim marriage, the groom gives a dowryto the bride herself, and not to her father. Thisbecomes her own personal property to keep, investor spend, and is not subject to the dictates of any ofher male relatives. The Quran places on men theresponsibility of protecting and maintaining all oftheir female relatives. It means, as well, that a manmust provide for his wife and family even if she has - 63 -
    • money of her own. She is not obligated to spend anyof her money towards the maintenance of her family.This relieves a woman of the need to earn a living,but she can work if she chooses to do so or if hercircumstances warrant it. The family, like any other organization, needsorder and leadership. The Qur’an states that thehusband has a "degree" of authority over his wife,which means guardianship. It is important to note,however, that guardianship is in no way a license tobe a tyrant within the household. Rather, it is aburden of responsibility for the husband to carecompletely for his wife and children.16) Why do Muslim women wear the veil? The matter of womens dress might seem trivialto some, especially in today’s Western societies;however, Islam assigns to it moral, social and legaldimensions. Islam has defined the roles of men andwomen by allocating certain duties to each andgranting certain rights to each. This is in order tomaintain a proper balance in society. When men andwomen observe the proper Islamic dress, they notonly protect their own honor and reputation, butthey contribute greatly towards peace and order insociety. - 64 -
    • In general, there are certain guidelines concerningMuslim women’s dress. Their garments should notbe tight or translucent as to reveal the shape of whatis covered. They must cover their entire bodiesexcept the hands and face. This mode of dress iscalled "Jilbaab" which refers to a womans outergarment, with which she is entirely covered. Muslimwomen do not dress modestly in obedience to theirfathers, brothers or husbands, but only in obedienceto God’s commandments. Both men and women are expected to be chasteand modest and avoid any type of dress and conductthat may invite temptation. Both are instructed tolook only at what is lawful for them to see and toguard their chastity. Allah directs men first and thenwomen in the Quran: Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is acquainted with what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity and not display their beauty except what [must ordinarily] appear thereof; and to wrap part of their head covers over their chests and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands sons, their brothers or their brothers sons, or their sisters sons. [24:30-1] - 65 -
    • The additional requirement for women to concealtheir adornment and natural beauty is due to theirgreater need for privacy and protection. Except in thecompany of close relatives, a woman is required tocover her entire body with loose fitting garmentswith the exception of her face and hands. The Quran states why Allah has prescribedparticular dress regulations for women: O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the women of the believers to draw over themselves their outer garments [when in public]. That is more suitable so they will be known (to be pious believing free women) and not be abused… [33:59]17) Why does Islam permit polygamy? Polygamy is a form of marriage wherein aperson has more than one spouse. Polygamy can beof two types. The first type is called polygyny, wherea man marries more than one woman, and the otheris polyandry, where a woman marries more than oneman. In Islam, a limited form of polygyny ispermitted, whereas polyandry is completelyprohibited. In contrast to Islam, one will not find a limit forthe number of wives in the Jewish Talmud or theChristian Bible. According to these scriptures, there - 66 -
    • is no limit to how many women a man may marry.Therefore, polygyny is not something exclusive toIslam but was practiced by early Christians and Jewsas well. According to the Talmud, Abraham hadthree wives, while King Solomon had hundreds ofwives. The practice of polygyny continued inJudaism until Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (955-1030CE) issued an edict against it. The Jewish Sephardiccommunities continued the practice until as late as1950, when an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israelextended the ban on marrying more than one wife,thus prohibiting the practice for all Jews. In the earlyteachings of Christianity, men were permitted to takeas many wives as they wished, since the Bible placedno limit on the number of wives a man could marry.It was only in recent centuries that the Churchlimited the number of wives to one. At a time when men were permitted an unlimitednumber of wives, Islam limited the number to amaximum of four. Before the Quran was revealed,there was no upper limit for polygyny and manymen had scores of wives. It gives a man permissionto marry two, three or four women, on the conditionthat he deals with all of them equitably, benevolentlyand justly, as indicated by Allahs statement: But if you fear that you will not be just, then marry only one. [4:3] - 67 -
    • It is not incumbent upon Muslims to practicepolygyny. In Islam, taking an additional wife isneither encouraged nor prohibited. Furthermore, aMuslim who has two, three or four wives may not bea better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who hasonly one wife. John Esposito, a professor of religion andinternational affairs and Islamic studies atGeorgetown University, writes: "Although it isfound in many religious and cultural traditions,polygamy is most often identified with Islam in theminds of Westerners. In fact, the Quran andIslamic Law sought to control and regulate thenumber of spouses rather than give free license."He continues: "The Quran allows a man to marryup to four wives, provided he can support and treatthem all equally. Muslims regard this Quraniccommand as strengthening the status of womenand the family, for it sought to ensure the welfareof single women and widows in a society whosemale population was diminished by warfare, and tocurb unrestricted polygamy."12 There are certain circumstances which warrantthe taking of another wife. For example, if there is asurplus of unmarried women in society, especiallyduring times of war when widows are in need of12John Esposito, Islam: The Straight Path, Oxford University,1988, p. 97 - 68 -
    • shelter and care. Infant mortality rates among malesare higher when compared to that of females. Duringwars, there are usually more men killed thanwomen. Statistically, more men die due to accidentsand diseases than women. The average life span offemales is also generally longer than that of males.As a result at any given time in practically any givenplace, there is a shortage of men in comparison towomen. Therefore, even if every single man gotmarried to one woman, there would be millions ofwomen who would still not be able to find ahusband. In Western society, it is not uncommon for a manto have girlfriends, or if he is married, to haveextramarital affairs. Seldom is this practice scorned,despite the harms that stem from it. At the sametime, polygyny is banned in western societyalthough it produces none of these adverse effects;rather it preserves the honor and chastity of women.Within a second, third or fourth marriage the womanis a wife, not a mistress; she has a husband who isobligated by Islamic law to provide for her and herchildren, not a “boyfriend” who may one day casther aside or deny knowing her if she becomespregnant. There is no doubt that a second wife who islawfully married and treated with honor is better offthan a mistress without any legal rights or socialrespect. Islam strictly prohibits and penalizes - 69 -
    • prostitution, fornication, and adultery and permitspolygyny under strict conditions.18) If a man is permitted to have more than onewife, then why can’t a woman have more than onehusband?Islam teaches that Allah has created men and womenas equals, but not as identical beings. They aredifferent, physically, biologically and physiologicallyand each have different capabilities. Their roles andresponsibilities are therefore different but theycomplement one another. Some may object to a man having the right tomore than one wife by insisting that, in fairness,women should also be able to practice polyandry.However, the following few points could be part ofthe reason behind its prohibition by God:* One of the benefits of polygyny is that it solves theproblem of women outnumbering men.* In general, men are polygamous by nature whilewomen are not.* Islam assigns great importance to the recognition ofparents, both the mother and father. When a man hasmore than one wife, the parents of children born insuch marriages can easily be identified. But in thecase of a woman marrying more than one husband,only the mother of children born within the marriage - 70 -
    • would be known without resorting to laboratorytests. Psychologists tell us that children who do notknow their parents, the father in particular, undergosevere mental disturbances and trauma, and oftenhave unhappy childhoods.19) Why does Islam impose such harshpunishments for sex outside marriage? Punishment in Islam has a social purpose, whichis to dissuade others from committing the samecrime. The nature of the punishment depends on theseriousness of the crime in question. Nowadays,some are opposed to the Islamic punishment forfornication and adultery because they see it asdisproportionate or too harsh a punishment. Thebasic problem here is the different standards bywhich the severity of the crime is measured. Islam views adultery as a very serious crime,because it undermines the very foundation of thefamily system upon which the whole superstructureof the society is built. Illicit relationships destabilizethe family and bring about the breakdown of thesystem. Family breakdown imperils the physical andmental health of future generations, which in turnleads to a vicious circle of decadence, dissipation,and dissolution. Therefore, it is imperative that allmeasures must be taken to protect the family. That iswhy Islam emphasizes protection of the family by - 71 -
    • imposing severe punishments for activities thatthreaten the family foundation. These punishmentsare the same for men and women alike. There is no overstating of the fact that Islamicpunishments are only a part of a vastly largerintegrated whole. There are essential conditions forthe application of prescribed punishments in Islam:* First, Muslims are strongly encouraged to marrywhenever possible, providing a lawful means ofgratification. Prophet Muhammad () said: ‘O youths, whoever of you can afford marriage [financially and physically] let him get married; for indeed it lowers the gaze, and keeps one chaste; whoever cannot get married, he should fast, for it safeguards him.’ A man may legally take as many as four wives aslong as he treats each of them equitably and justly. Incases of confirmed incompatibility or dissatisfaction,a wife has the right to request the dissolution of themarriage.* Second, Muslims, whether married or unmarried,must adhere to proper dress and behavior guidelinesat all times. Privacy is to be respected andcompromising situations strictly avoided as a matterof obedience to Allah. - 72 -
    • * Third, only a legitimate Islamic government has theright to implement these punishments. Such anIslamic government must establish justice as its corevalue in all affairs so that the social and culturalenvironment of the country is congenial for themoral life of its citizens. It is only after the above twoconditions have been fulfilled that a government isentitled to implement Islamic punishments on itsland, and only then does the court gain the authorityto judge a case according to its provisions.* And finally, any case that comes before the court forjudgment must be investigated thoroughly andproper evidence brought before the court to satisfyall the requirements of Islamic law. Conviction issubject to strict conditions, which are most difficultto fulfill. This means that, in reality, the punishmentsare seldom carried out without the connivance of thecriminal, and serve primarily as deterrents.20) Under Islamic law, why is a woman’s share ofinherited wealth half that of a man’s? Islam abolished the former practice wherebyinheritance went only to the oldest male heir.According to the Quran, a woman automaticallyinherits from her father, her husband, her son andher childless brother. The Quran contains specificguidance regarding the division of the inheritedwealth among the rightful beneficiaries. The three - 73 -
    • verses that broadly describe the share of closerelatives are found in Surah an-Nisaa, verses 11, 12and 176. In these verses, Allah establishes the right ofchildren, parents and spouses to inherit a specificshare without leaving the matter to human judgmentand emotions. In the absence of certain close relativesa share is apportioned to more distant ones. Thesystem of inheritance is a perfectly balanced productof the Creators knowledge of human need and takesinto account His imposition of greater responsibilityupon particular members of the family in varyingsituations. In most cases, the female inherits a share that ishalf that of the male. However, this is not always so.There are certain instances when they inherit equalshares, and in some cases, a female can inherit ashare that is more than that of the male. But evenwhen the male is given a larger share there is aperfectly logical reason behind it. In Islam a womanhas no financial obligations towards her family, evenif she is wealthy or has her own source of income; theeconomic responsibility always lies upon the man.As long as a woman remains unmarried, it is thelegal obligation of her father, brother or otherguardian to provide her food, clothing, medication,housing and other financial needs. After she ismarried, it is the duty of her husband or adult son.Islam holds the man financially responsible forfulfilling all the needs of his family. - 74 -
    • So the difference in shares does not mean that onesex is preferred over the other. It represents a justbalance between the roles and responsibilities offamily members according to their natural, physicaland emotional makeup. In general, the woman is incharge of running the household and taking care ofthe needs of those within it, so she is alleviated fromfinancial obligations. Despite this, she receives ashare of inheritance which becomes her ownproperty to save or use as she pleases. No otherperson has claim to any portion of her share. Incontrast, the mans share becomes a part of hisproperty from which he is obligated to maintain hischildren and all female members of the household,so it is constantly being consumed. Suppose someone died leaving a son and adaughter. The sons share of inheritance will bedepleted when he gives a dowry to his wife andsupports his family, including his sister until shemarries. Any additional income will have to beearned through his work. However, his sisters shareremains untouched, or might even increase if sheinvests it. When she marries, she will receive adowry from her husband and will be maintained byhim, having no financial responsibilities whatsoever.Thus, a man might conclude that Islam has favoredwomen over men! In addition, the Muslim may make a bequest athis own discretion, in which he can will up to one - 75 -
    • third of his property to anyone who would notinherit otherwise. The bequest can be a means ofassistance to other relatives and people in need, bothmen and women. One may also allocate this portionor part of it toward charities and good works of hischoice. - 76 -
    • Islam and Terrorism21) What is "Jihad"? While Islam is generally misunderstood in theWest, perhaps no other Islamic term evokes suchstrong reactions as "jihad". The Arabic word "Jihad",which is most always mistranslated as "holy war",simply means "to struggle" or "to exert onesutmost effort". It is incorrect to imagine that jihadis synonymous only with fighting or war, for this isbut one particular aspect of the term.13 Jihad is astruggle to do good and to remove injustice,oppression and evil from oneself and from society.This struggle is spiritual, social, economic andpolitical. Indeed, the concept of jihad is one of life, and it isvast, not limited only to armed conflict. For example,one finds in the Quran mention of "jihad by meansof the Quran", 14 meaning invitation to the truth,evidence, clarification and presenting the bestargument. There is also "jihad of the soul", whichmeans striving to purify the soul, to increase its faithand incline it toward good while keeping it from eviland from unlawful desires and temptations. Thenthere is "jihad through wealth", which meansspending it in various beneficial ways, including13 The word for war in the Qur’an is “harb” or “qitaal”.14 Refer to 25:52 - 77 -
    • charities and welfare projects. And there is "jihadthrough the self", which comprises all good worksdone by a believer, such as propagation, teachingand finally, lawful armed struggle against aggressionand oppression. In the name of jihad, Islam calls for the protectionof societies from oppression, foreign domination anddictatorships that usurp rights and freedom, thatabolish just and moral rule, that prevent people fromhearing the truth or following it, and that practicereligious persecution. In the name of jihad, itendeavors to teach belief in Allah, the One supremeGod, and worship of Him and to spread good values,virtue and morality through wise and propermethods. Allah has commanded: Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. [16:125] In the name of jihad, Islam calls for social reformand the elimination of ignorance, superstition,poverty, disease and racial discrimination. Among itsmain goals is the protection of rights for weakermembers of society against the impositions of thepowerful and influential. - 78 -
    • Islam prohibits injustice, even toward those whooppose the religion. Allah, the Exalted, says in theQuran: And do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. [5:8] And Allah told the believers regarding those whoprevented their entry to the Sacred Mosque inMakkah: And do not let the hatred of a people for having obstructed you from the Sacred Mosque lead you to transgress. [5:2] Enmity toward any people or nation should notprovoke Muslims to commit aggression againstthem, oppress them or disregard their rights. One of the highest levels of jihad is to stand up toa tyrant and speak a word of truth. Restraining theself from wrongdoing is also a great form of jihad.Another form of jihad is to take up arms in defenseof Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked,but this has to be declared by the religious leadershipor by a Muslim head of state. Although Jihad is a wider concept than war, it isalso clear that Islam acknowledges war when it - 79 -
    • becomes the last option for the treatment of suchproblems as oppression and aggression and for thedefense of certain freedoms and rights. When Islamacknowledges military engagement, it is as anintegral part of a complete system of values inherentin the religion, behind which any equitable personcan perceive the reason and logic. War is permissible in Islam only when allpeaceful means such as dialogue, negotiations andtreaties fail. War is a last resort and should beavoided as much as possible. The purpose of Jihad isnot to convert people by force, or to colonize peopleor to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory. Itspurpose is basically the defense of life, property,land, honor and freedom for oneself as well asdefense of others from injustice and oppression.22) Is Islam a militant religion? In Islam, the use of force is allowed only inspecial situations, particularly when the Muslimcommunity is threatened by hostile forces. This isindeed natural and logical for any nation. Thenagain, the use of force in a campaign of jihad isdetermined by the leader of the Muslim communityin a very ordered and ethical way. - 80 -
    • Islam considers all life forms as sacred, butparticularly emphasizes the sanctity of human life.Allah says in the Quran: And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right. [6:151] Allah says: Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul15 or for corruption [done] in the land16 – it is as if he had slain all mankind. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. [5:32] Such is the value of a single human life, thatAllah equates the taking of even one human lifeunjustly with killing all of humanity. It is important to understand that in Islam, war isonly permitted in specific and dire circumstances. Itis despised and only permitted as a last resort whenall other attempts at peace have been made. It keepswarfare at a level of mercy and respect for the enemysuch as none other has been able to reach. TheProphet (), sometimes had to fight for the meresurvival of his mission, but once security wasensured, he immediately reverted to peace anddiplomacy.15 i.e., in legal retribution for murder.16 i.e., that requiring the death penalty. - 81 -
    • Even in a state of war, Islam enjoins that armiesdeal with the enemy justly in the battlefield. Islamhas drawn a clear line of distinction between thecombatants and the non-combatants of an enemycountry. The Prophet () told his armies, "Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman.”17 And he said: "Do not kill the monks in monasteries."18 Upon seeing the corpse of a woman on abattlefield, Prophet Muhammad () angrily askedhis companions why she had been killed, and hestrongly condemned the atrocious act. For thoseenemies active in combat and those taken asprisoners of war, the list of rights is lengthy. Thereshould be no torture; no killing of the wounded ordefenseless, no mutilation of enemy bodies andreturn of corpses to the enemy must be honored. Inlight of the aforementioned, it becomes crystal clearthat Islam does not permit aggression, violence,injustice, or oppression. At the same time, it calls formorality, justice, tolerance, and peace.17 Narrated by Abu Dawud.18 Narrated by Ahmad. - 82 -
    • Far from being a militant dogma, Islam is a wayof life that transcends race and ethnicity. The Quranrepeatedly reminds us of our common origin: O mankind, indeed We created you from male and female, and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Verily the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. [49:13] It is the universality of its teachings that makesIslam the fastest growing religion in the world. In aworld full of conflicts and deep schisms betweenhuman beings, a world that is currently plaguedwith terrorism, perpetrated by individuals and bystates, Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope forthe future.23) Are Muslims terrorists? It is very unfortunate that nowadays, Islam hasbecome synonymous with "terrorism". Far frompromoting terrorism, Islam is a religion of peacewhose fundamentals teach its followers to maintainand promote peace and justice throughout the world.Islam does not condone “terrorism” as defined andunderstood nowadays: plane hijackings, hostagetaking and the torturing and killing of innocents inorder to achieve political or even religious goals. This - 83 -
    • is not how Islam teaches Muslims to solve theirproblems, achieve their goals, or to spread theirreligion. The question that should be posed instead is: Dothe teachings of Islam encourage terrorism?Certainly not - Islam totally prohibits all terroristacts. It should be remembered that all religions havemisguided followers. To be evenhanded and just, onemust consider the teachings of the religion, as theyare the yardstick by which the actions of itsadherents can be assessed as being right or wrong. It is completely unfair to judge Islam by thewrongdoings of some misguided or ignorantMuslims, or by the deteriorating condition ofMuslims and the blatant corruption that pervadesthe Muslim world. In fact, what Islam preaches isone thing and what so many Muslims nowadayspractice is something completely different. The onlyway we can do justice to Islam is to find out about itsnoble teachings, which are clearly set out in theQuran and prophetic traditions. Former pop singerCat Stevens, now known as Yousef Islam, observed:"It is wrong to judge Islam in the light of thebehavior of some deviant Muslims who are alwaysshown on the media. It is like judging a car to bebad if the driver is drunk and he crashes it into awall." - 84 -
    • Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired bysubmitting one’s will to the will of the supremeCreator, God. Islam promotes peace but at the sametime, it exhorts its followers to fight oppression. Thefight against oppression may, at times, require theuse of force, and sometimes force has to be used tomaintain peace. Certainly, Islamic law allows war underparticular circumstances. Any religion or civilizationthat does not, would never survive. But Islam nevercondones attacks against innocent people, women orchildren. Islam also clearly forbids "taking the law intoones own hands", which means that individualMuslims cannot go around deciding who they wantto kill or punish. Trial and punishment must only becarried out by a lawful authority and a qualifiedjudge.24) How can Islam be called a “religion of peace”when it was “spread by the sword”? It is another common misconception among somenon-Muslims that Islam would not have the millionsof adherents it has all over the world, had it not beenspread by the use of force. The following proofs will make it clear, that farfrom being forcefully “spread by the sword”, it - 85 -
    • was the inherent force of truth, reason and logicthat was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam.* Islam has always given respect and freedom ofreligion to all faiths. Freedom of religion is ordainedin the Quran itself: There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. [2:256] The noted historian De Lacy O’Leary wrote:19"History makes it clear however, that the legend offanatical Muslims sweeping through the world andforcing Islam at the point of the sword uponconquered races is one of the most fantasticallyabsurd myths that historians have ever repeated." Another famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, inhis book Heroes and Hero worship, refers to thismisconception about the spread of Islam: "Thesword indeed, but where will you get your sword?Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in aminority of one; in one man’s head alone. There itdwells as yet. One man alone of the whole worldbelieves it, there is one man against all men. Thathe takes a sword and tries to propagate with thatwill do little for him. You must get your sword! Onthe whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can."19 In his book Islam at the Crossroads, p.8. - 86 -
    • If Islam was indeed spread by the sword, it wasthe sword of intellect and convincing arguments thatwas used. It is only this type of sword that conquersthe hearts and minds of people. The Quran says inthis connection: Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. [16:125] The facts speak for themselves:* Indonesia is the country that has the largestnumber of Muslims in the world, and the majority ofpeople in Malaysia are Muslims. But, no Muslimarmy ever entered Indonesia or Malaysia. It is anestablished historical fact that Indonesia enteredIslam not due to war, but because of its moralmessage. Despite the disappearance of Islamicgovernment from many regions once ruled by it,their original inhabitants have remained Muslims.Moreover, they carried the message of truth, invitingothers to it as well, and in so doing endured harm,affliction and oppression. The same can be said forthose in the regions of Syria and Jordan, Egypt, Iraq,North Africa, Asia, the Balkans and in Spain. Thisshows that the effect of Islam on the population wasone of moral conviction, in contrast to occupation bywestern colonialists, finally compelled to leave lands - 87 -
    • whose peoples held only memories of affliction,sorrow, subjugation and oppression.* Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800years. During this period, the Christians and Jewsenjoyed freedom to practice their respectivereligions, and this is a documented historical fact.* Christian and Jewish minorities have survived inthe Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuries.Countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Palestine,Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan all have significantChristian and Jewish populations.* Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years,and therefore had the power to force each and everynon-Muslim resident of India to convert to Islam, butthey did not, and thus more than 80% of the Indianpopulation remains non-Muslim.* Similarly, Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast ofAfrica. And likewise no Muslim army was everdispatched to the East Coast of Africa.* An article in Reader’s Digest ‘Almanac’, yearbook1986, gives the statistics of the increase of thepercentage of the major religions of the world in halfa century from 1934 to 1984. This article also - 88 -
    • appeared in The Plain Truth magazine. At the topwas Islam, which increased by 235%, whileChristianity had increased by 47%. During this ﬁ y-year period, there was no “Islamic conquest” yetIslam spread at such an extraordinary rate.* Today, the fastest growing religion in NorthAmerica, Europe, and Africa is Islam. The Muslimsin most of these lands constitute a minority. The onlysword they have in their possession is the sword oftruth. It is this sword that is converting thousands toIslam.* Islamic law protects the privileged status ofminorities, and that is why non-Muslim places ofworship have flourished all over the Islamic world.Islamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to setup their own courts, which implement family lawsdrawn up by the minorities themselves. The life andproperty of all citizens in an Islamic state areconsidered sacred whether they are Muslims or not. It is clear, therefore, that Islam was not spread bythe sword. The often-alleged "sword of Islam" didnot convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslimcountries. In India, where Muslims ruled for about athousand years, they are still a minority. In theU.S.A. and Canada Islam is the fastest growingreligion and has over seven million followers. - 89 -
    • In his book The Worlds Religions, Huston Smithdiscusses how the Prophet Muhammad () grantedfreedom of religion to the Jews and Christians underMuslim rule: The Prophet had a document drawn up in which he stipulated that Jews and Christians "shall be protected from all insults and harm; they shall have an equal right with our own people to our assistance and good offices," and further, "they shall practice their religion as freely as the Muslims."20 Smith points out that Muslims regard thatdocument as the first charter of freedom ofconscience in human history and the authoritativemodel for those of every subsequent Muslim state.25) The Quran says that Muslims should kill thenon-believers wherever they find them. Does thismean that Islam promotes violence, bloodshed andbrutality? There are a few verses from the Quran that arequite often misquoted or quoted out of context toperpetuate the myth that Islam promotes violenceand exhorts its followers to kill those outside the fold20Quoted in The Worlds Religions by Huston Smith, HarperCollins, 1991, p. 256 - 90 -
    • of Islam. The words Kill the polytheists whereveryou find them are often quoted to portray thatIslam promotes violence, bloodshed and brutality. In order to understand the context, it is necessaryto read from the beginning of the chapter. It disclosesthat there was a peace treaty between the Muslimsand the pagans of Makkah. The pagans violated thistreaty, so a period of four months was given them tomake amends; otherwise war would be declaredagainst them. The complete verse actually says: But when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and seize them and besiege them, and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer and give Zakah, then open the way for them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [9:5] This verse is a command to the Muslims who hadentered into an agreement with the pagans, whosoon violated the agreement, to fight and kill thosewho betrayed them wherever they found them. Itwould seem that any open-minded person wouldconsider the historical context of this verse and agreethat it cannot be used as “evidence” that Islampromotes violence, brutality and bloodshed, or that itexhorts its followers to kill anyone outside the fold ofIslam. - 91 -
    • The very next verse gives the answer to theallegation that Islam promotes violence, brutalityand bloodshed.21 It says: If any one of the pagans asks you for asylum, then grant it to him so that he may hear the words of Allah [i.e., the Quran]. Then escort him to where he is safe. That is because they are a people who do not know. [9:6] The Quran not only stipulates that a paganseeking asylum during the battle should be grantedrefuge, but also that he is escorted to safety. In thepresent age, what military commander would directhis soldiers not just to spare an enemy during battle,but to escort him to a place of safety? Yet, that isexactly what Almighty Allah instructs in the Quran.21 Arun Shourie, one of the most persistent critics of Islam inIndia, quotes the same verse (9:5) in his book, The World ofFatwas, p. 572. But a er quoting it, he skips the next verse andjumps to the one after it. This is a clear indication that some ofthe opponents of Islam are biased and prejudiced in theircriticism. - 92 -
    • Universality of the Message of Islam26) Is it true that Islam is a religion only forArabs? This idea can be easily be disproved, as onlyabout 15 to 20 percent of Muslims in the world areArabs. There are more Indian Muslims than ArabMuslims, and more Indonesian Muslims than IndianMuslims. This assumption is possibly based on thefact that most of the first generation of Muslims wereArabs, that the Quran is in Arabic and that theProphet Muhammad () was an Arab. However, history testifies that the Prophet (),his followers and the early Muslims made everyeffort to spread the message of Islam to all nations,races and peoples. From the very beginning of themission of Prophet Muhammad () his followerscame from a wide spectrum of countries and races.Among them was Bilal, the African slave; Suhaib, theByzantine Roman; Abdullah bin Salam, the JewishRabbi; and Salman, the Persian. Furthermore, it should be clarified that not allMuslims are Arabs and not all Arabs are Muslims.An Arab might be a Muslim, Christian, Jew, atheistor follower of any other religion or ideology.Additionally, some countries - such as Turkey andIran (Persia) - that uninformed people consider to be"Arab" are not Arab at all. The people who live in - 93 -
    • those countries speak languages other than Arabicand are of a different ethnic heritage. Since religious truth is eternal and unchanging,and humanity is considered one universalbrotherhood, Islam teaches that Gods revelations tohumanity have always been consistent, clear anduniversal. The truth of Islam is meant for all peopleregardless of race, nationality, cultural or linguisticbackground. A brief look at the Muslim World, fromNigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistanis sufficient proof that Islam offers a universalappeal; a message for all of mankind - not to mentionthe fact that significant numbers of Europeans andAmericans of all races and ethnic backgrounds arefinding and coming into Islam. The Quran clearlysays, And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind, but most men know not. [34:28]27) All religions basically teach their followers todo good deeds, so why should a person followIslam? In the Quran, Allah says, This day, I have perfected for you your religion, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. [5:3] - 94 -
    • He also says, Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam. [3:19] And He says, And whosoever seeks a religion other than Islam never will it be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers. [3:85] Islam is Allahs final message, and it offers acomplete legal code for humankind. It eliminates andcorrects the human errors that found their way intoprevious religions in the realm of both belief andpractice. Just as any new revised law supersedes andnullifies what came before it, Islam naturallyabrogates all earlier religions. Without doubt, one will find in every religion,especially those of divine origins, such as Judaism,Christianity and Islam, noble teachings, good moralvalues, encouragement toward good deeds andwarnings against evil. However, what distinguishesIslam from other faiths is that Islam goes beyondsimply urging people to be upright and honest. Islamdiagnoses illnesses and prescribes the treatment. Itgives practical solutions to man’s problems andprovides the means of achieving righteousness andeliminating evil from individual and collective lives.Islam is guidance for mankind from the Creator who - 95 -
    • knows what is best and most suitable for Hiscreation. That is why Islam is called the naturalreligion of man. - 96 -
    • A Final Word We would now like our readers to ask themselveswhat they think are the reasons for all thepropaganda and misinformation currently beingperpetuated about Islam. If Islam was just anotherfalse religion that made no sense, would so many feela need to invent so many falsehoods about it? Thereason is merely that the ultimate truth of Islamstands on unshakeable ground, and that its basicfundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is abovereproach. Thomas Carlyle said: A false man found a religion? Why, a false man cannot build a brick house! If he does not know and follow truly the properties of mortar, burnt clay and what else he works in, it is no house that he makes, but a rubbish- heap. It will not stand for twelve centuries, to lodge a hundred and eighty millions; it will fall straightway. A man must conform himself to Nature’s laws, be verily in communion with Nature and the truth of things, or Nature will answer him, No, not at all! Speciosities are specious - ah me! - a Cagliostro, many Cagliostros, prominent world-leaders, do prosper by their quackery, for a day. It is like a forged bank-note; they get it passed out of their worthless hands: others, not they, have to - 97 -
    • smart for it. Nature bursts up in fire-flames; French Revolutions and such like, proclaiming with terrible veracity that forged notes are forged. But of a Great Man especially, of him, I will venture to assert that it is incredible he should have been other than true. It seems to me the primary foundation of him, and of all that can lie in him, is this. 22 Finally, we must never rely on second handinformation to understand the religion of Islam.Rather, it needs to be studied from its authenticsources and by speaking to sincere, practicingMuslims. By rereading the introductory section ofthis book, one will surely find a different picturethan what is commonly projected by the Westernmedia. A person may even find that Islam providesthe answers for all the questions and challenges inlife. May Allah guide us all to the truth.22 ‘Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History’ - 98 -
    • Your Guide to an Islamic LifeAl Jumuah Magazine is intended to satisfy a longstandingneed on the part of the English reader who wants to knowabout Islam.Al Jumuah focuses on topics such as dawah, aqidah, fiqh,and many others. Special attention however, is given toissues of interest to the entire family.Al Jumuah aims to bridge the readers with renowned Islamicscholars through their fatwa (legal opinions).Al Jumuah deals with cases of trade and finance from theIslamic point of view. Easy and halal (lawful) ways ofpersonal investment are explained and illustrated.Great stories of early Muslims are narrated in a fascinatingmanner.Islamic knowledge is necessary for all Muslims. But becauseof the central role of women in the family and the society, AlJumuah gives them their share of it .Book reviews and translations are included, thus enrichingeach issue with the great works of scholars, both past andpresent.US Office:PO Box 5387, Madison WI 53705-5387, USATel: (608) 277-1855 & Fax: (608) 277-0323UK Office:7 Bridges Place, Parsons Green, London SW6 4HWTel: (0207) 471-8263 & Fax: (0207) 471-8264SA Office:PO Box 26970, Riyadh 11496Tel: (966-1) 454-6868 / 2251288 ext.660 or 606Fax: (966-1) 269-0509circ_ryd@aljumuah.com - 99 -