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Allah (God)
Islam is the complete
submission and obedience to Allah (God). The name Allah (God) in
Islam never refers to Muhammad (pbuh), as many Christians may
think; Allah is the personal name of God.
What do Muslims believe about
Allah?
1. He is the one God, Who has
no partner.
2. Nothing is like Him. He is the
Creator, not created, nor a part of His creation.
3. He is All-Powerful, absolutely
Just.
4. There is no other entity in the
entire universe worthy of worship besides Him.
5. He is First, Last, and
Everlasting; He was when nothing was, and will be when nothing
else
remains.
6. He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful,the
Supreme, the Sovereign.
7. It is only He Who is capable of
granting life to anything.
8. He sent His Messengers (peace
be upon them) to guide all of mankind.
9. He sent Muhammad (pbuh) as the
last Prophet and Messenger for all mankind.
10. His book is the Holy Qur'an,
the only authentic revealed book in the world that has been
kept without change.
11. Allah knows what is in our
hearts.
These are some of the basic
guidelines Muslims follow in their knowledge of God:
1. Eliminate any
anthropomorphism (human qualities) from their conception of
Allah. His attributes are not like human attributes, despite
similar labels or appellations.
2. Have unwavering faith in
exactly what Allah and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) described Allah to
be, no more, no less.
3. Eradicate any hope or desire of
learning or knowing the modality of His names and attributes.
4. Belief totally in all the names
and attributes of Allah; one cannot believe in some and
disbelieve the others.
5. One cannot accept the names of
Allah without their associated attributes, i.e. one cannot say He
is Al-Hayy - 'The Living' and then say that He is without life.
6. Similarity in names (or
meanings) does not imply similarity in what is being described
(referents). As a robotics arm differs from a human arm, so the
"hand" of Allah is nothing like a human hand, His speech is
nothing like human speech, etc.
7. Certain words are ambiguous or
vague in their meanings, and thus may be susceptible to
misinterpretation. Only those meanings that are in accordance
with what is specified by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are
acceptable.
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Cleanliness
Islam places great emphasis on
cleanliness, in both its physical and spiritual aspects. On the
physical side, Islam requires the Muslim to clean his body, his
clothes, his house, and the whole community, and he is rewarded
by God for doing so. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, for example:
"Removing any harm from the
road is charity (that will be rewarded by Allah)." [Bukhari]
While people generally consider
cleanliness a desirable attribute, Islam insists on it , making
it an indispensable fundamental of the faith. A muslim is
required to to be pure morally and spiritually as well as
physically. Through the Qur'an and Sunnah Islam requires the
sincere believer to sanitize and purify his entire way of life.
In the Qur'an Allah commends
those who are accustomed to cleanliness:
"Allah loves those who turn to
Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and
clean." [2: 22]
In Islam the Arabic term for
purity is Taharah. Books of Islamic jurisprudence often contain
an entire chapter with Taharah as a heading.
Allah orders the believer to be
tidy in appearance:
"Keep your clothes clean."
[74:4]
The Qur'an insists that the
believer maintain a constant state of purity:
"Believers! When you prepare
for prayer wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the
elbows; rub your heads (with water) and (wash) your feet up to
the ankles. If you are ritually impure bathe your whole body."
[5: 6]
Ritual impurity refers to that
resulting from sexual release, menstruation and the first forty
days after childbirth. Muslims also use water, not paper or
anything else to after eliminating body wastes.
Prophet Muhammad )pbuh) advised
the Muslims to appear neat and tidy in private and in public.
Once when returning home from battle he advised his army:
"You are soon going to meet
your brothers, so tidy your saddles and clothes. Be distinguished
in the eyes of the people." [Abu Dawud]
On another occasion he said:
"Don't ever come with your hair
and beard disheveled like a devil." [Al-Tirmidhi]
And on another:
"Had I not been afraid of
overburdening my community, I would have ordered them to brush
their teeth for every prayer." [Bukhari]
Moral hygiene was not ignored,
either, for the Prophet (pbuh) encouraged the muslims to make a
special prayer upon seeing themselves in the mirror:
"Allah, You have endowed me
with a good form; likewise bless me with an immaculate character
and forbid my face from touching the Hellfire." [Ahmad]
And modesty in dress, for men
as well as for women, assists one in maintaining purity of
thought.
Being charitable is a way of
purifying one's wealth. A Muslim who does not give charity (Sadaqah)
and pay the required annual Zakah, the 2.5% alms-tax, has in
effect contaminated his wealth by hoarding that which rightfully
belongs to others:
"Of their wealth take alms so
that you may purify and sanctify them." [9: 103]
All the laws and injunctions
given by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are pure; on the other
hand, man-made laws suffer from the impurities of human bias and
other imperfections. Thus any formal law can only be truly just
when it is purified by divine guidance - as elucidated by the
Qur'an and the Sunnah - or if it is divinely ordained to begin
with - the Shari'ah.
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Muslims Contribution To
Science
Astronomy
Muslims have always had a
special interest in astronomy. The moon and the sun are of vital
importance in the daily life of every Muslim. By the moon,
Muslims determine the beginning and the end of the months in
their lunar calendar. By the sun the Muslims calculate the times
for prayer and fasting. It is also by means of astronomy that
Muslims can determine the precise direction of the Qiblah, to
face the Ka'bah in Makkah, during prayer. The most precise solar
calendar, superior to the Julian, is the Jilali, devised under
the supervision of Umar Khayyam.
The Qur'an contains many
references to astronomy.
"The heavens and the earth were
ordered rightly, and were made subservient to man, including the
sun, the moon, the stars, and day and night. Every heavenly body
moves in an orbit assigned to it by God and never digresses,
making the universe an orderly cosmos whose life and existence,
diminution and expansion, are totally determined by the Creator."
[Qur'an 30:22]
These references, and the
injunctions to learn, inspired the early Muslim scholars to study
the heavens. They integrated the earlier works of the Indians,
Persians and Greeks into a new synthesis. Ptolemy's Almagest (the
title as we know it is Arabic) was translated, studied and
criticized. Many new stars were discovered, as we see in their
Arabic names - Algol, Deneb, Betelgeuse, Rigel, Aldebaran.
Astronomical tables were compiled, among them the Toledan tables,
which were used by Copernicus, Tycho Brahe and Kepler. Also
compiled were almanacs - another Arabic term. Other terms from
Arabic are zenith, nadir, albedo, azimuth.
Muslim astronomers were the
first to establish observatories, like the one built at Mugharah
by Hulagu, the son of Genghis Khan, in Persia, and they invented
instruments such as the quadrant and astrolabe, which led to
advances not only in astronomy but in oceanic navigation,
contributing to the European age of exploration.
Geography
Muslim scholars paid great
attention to geography. In fact, the Muslims' great concern for
geography originated with their religion. The Qur'an encourages
people to travel throughout the earth to see God's signs and
patterns everywhere. Islam also requires each Muslim to have at
least enough knowledge of geography to know the direction of the
Qiblah (the position of the Ka'bah in Makkah) in order to pray
five times a day. Muslims were also used to taking long journeys
to conduct trade as well as to make the Hajj and spread their
religion. The far-flung Islamic empire enabled scholar-explorers
to compile large amounts of geographical and climatic information
from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Among the most famous names in
the field of geography, even in the West, are Ibn Khaldun and Ibn
Batuta, renowned for their written accounts of their extensive
explorations.
In 1166, Al-Idrisi, the
well-known Muslim scholar who served the Sicilian court, produced
very accurate maps, including a world map with all the continents
and their mountains, rivers and famous cities. Al-Muqdishi was
the first geographer to produce accurate maps in color.
It was, moreover, with the help
of Muslim navigators and their inventions that Magellan was able
to traverse the Cape of Good Hope, and Da Gama and Columbus had
Muslim navigators on board their ships.
Humanity
Seeking knowledge is obligatory
in Islam for every Muslim, man and woman. The main sources of
Islam, the Qur'an and the Sunnah (Prophet Muhammad's traditions),
encourage Muslims to seek knowledge and be scholars, since this
is the best way for people to know Allah (God), to appreciate His
wondrous creations and be thankful for them. Muslims were
therefore eager to seek knowledge, both religious and secular,
and within a few years of Muhammad's mission, a great
civilization sprang up and flourished. The outcome is shown in
the spread of Islamic universities; Al-Zaytunah in Tunis, and Al-Azhar
in Cairo go back more than 1,000 years and are the oldest
existing universities in the world. Indeed, they were the models
for the first European universities, such as Bologna, Heidelberg,
and the Sorbonne. Even the familiar academic cap and gown
originated at Al-Azhar University.
Muslims made great advances in
many different fields, such as geography, physics, chemistry,
mathematics, medicine, pharmacology, architecture, linguistics
and astronomy. Algebra and the Arabic numerals were introduced to
the world by Muslim scholars. The astrolabe, the quadrant, and
other navigational devices and maps were developed by Muslim
scholars and played an important role in world progress, most
notably in Europe's age of exploration.
Muslim scholars studied the
ancient civilations from Greece and Rome to China and India. The
works of Aristotle, Ptolemy, Euclid and others were translated
into Arabic. Muslim scholars and scientists then added their own
creative ideas, discoveries and inventions, and finally
transmitted this new knowledge to Europe, leading directly to the
Renaissance. Many scientific and medical treatises, having been
translated into Latin, were standard text and reference books as
late as the 17th and 18th centuries.
Mathematics
It is interesting to note that
Islam so strongly urges mankind to study and explore the
universe. For example, the Holy Qur'an states:
"We (Allah) will show you
(mankind) Our signs/patterns in the horizons/universe and in
yourselves until you are convinced that the revelation is the
truth." [Qur'an, 14:53]
This invitation to explore and
search made Muslims interested in astronomy, mathematics,
chemistry, and the other sciences, and they had a very clear and
firm understanding of the correspondences among geometry,
mathematics, and astronomy.
The Muslims invented the symbol
for zero (The word "cipher" comes from Arabic sifr), and they
organized the numbers into the decimal system - base 10.
Additionally, they invented the symbol to express an unknown
quantity, i.e. variables like x.
The first great Muslim
mathematician, Al-Khawarizmi, invented the subject of algebra
(al-Jabr), which was further developed by others, most notably
Umar Khayyam. Al-Khawarizmi's work, in Latin translation, brought
the Arabic numerals along with the mathematics to Europe, through
Spain. The word "algorithm" is derived from his name.
Muslim mathematicians excelled
also in geometry, as can be seen in their graphic arts, and it
was the great Al-Biruni (who excelled also in the fields of
natural history, even geology and mineralogy) who established
trigonometry as a distinct branch of mathematics. Other Muslim
mathematicians made significant progress in number theory.
Medicine
In Islam, the human body is a
source of appreciation, as it is created by Almighty Allah (God).
How it functions, how to keep it clean and safe, how to prevent
diseases from attacking it or cure those diseases, have been
important issues for Muslims.
Prophet Muhammad himself urged
people to "take medicines for your diseases", as people at that
time were reluctant to do so. He also said,
"God created no illness, but
established for it a cure, except for old age. When the antidote
is applied, the patient will recover with the permission of God."
This was strong motivation to
encourage Muslim scientists to explore, develop, and apply
empirical laws. Much attention was given to medicine and public
health care. The first hospital was built in Baghdad in 706 AC.
The Muslims also used camel caravans as mobile hospitals, which
moved from place to place.
Since the religion did not
forbid it, Muslim scholars used human cadavers to study anatomy
and physiology and to help their students understand how the body
functions. This empirical study enabled surgery to develop very
quickly.
Al-Razi, known in the West as
Rhazes, the famous physician and scientist, (d. 932) was one of
the greatest physicians in the world in the Middle Ages. He
stressed empirical observation and clinical medicine and was
unrivaled as a diagnostician. He also wrote a treatise on hygiene
in hospitals. Khalaf Abul-Qasim Al-Zahrawi was a very famous
surgeon in the eleventh century, known in Europe for his work,
Concessio (Kitab al-Tasrif).
Ibn Sina (d. 1037), better
known to the West as Avicenna, was perhaps the greatest physician
until the modern era. His famous book, Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb,
remained a standard textbook even in Europe, for over 700 years.
Ibn Sina's work is still studied and built upon in the East.
Other significant contributions
were made in pharmacology, such as Ibn Sina's Kitab al-Shifa'
(Book of Healing), and in public health. Every major city in the
Islamic world had a number of excellent hospitals, some of them
teaching hospitals, and many of them were specialized for
particular diseases, including mental and emotional. The Ottomans
were particularly noted for their building of hospitals and for
the high level of hygiene practiced in them.
Definition
The word ISLAM has a two-fold
meaning: peace, and submission to God. This submission requires a
fully conscious and willing effort to submit to the one Almighty
God. One must consciously and conscientiously give oneself to the
service of Allah. This means to act on what Allah enjoins all of
us to do (in the Qur'an) and what His beloved Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh)
encouraged us to do in his Sunnah (his lifestyle and sayings
personifying the Qur'an).
Once we humble ourselves, rid
ourselves of our egoism and submit totally to Allah, and to Him
exclusively, in faith and in action, we will surely feel peace in
our hearts. Establishing peace in our hearts will bring about
peace in our external conduct as well.
Islam is careful to remind us
that it not a religion to be paid mere lip service; rather it is
an all-encompassing way of life that must be practiced
continuously for it to be Islam. The Muslim must practice the
five pillars of the religion: the declaration of faith in the
oneness of Allah and the prophet hood of Muhammad (pbuh), prayer,
fasting the month of Ramadan, alms-tax, and the pilgrimage to
Makkah; and believe in the six articles of faith: belief in God,
the Holy Books, the prophets, the angels, the Day of Judgment and
God's decree, whether for good or ill.
There are other injunctions and
commandments which concern virtually all facets of one's
personal, family and civic life. These include such matters as
diet, clothing, personal hygiene, interpersonal relations,
business ethics, responsibilities towards parents, spouse and
children, marriage, divorce and inheritance, civil and criminal
law, fighting in defense of Islam, relations with non-Muslims,
and so much more.
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Human Rights
Islam has been from its
inception very concerned with issues of human rights. Privacy,
freedom, dignity and equality are guaranteed in Islam. The holy
Qur'an states clearly:
"There is no compulsion in
religion."
And there are no reliable
reports to confirm the old accusations that when the Muslim
armies were expanding into Asia, Africa and Europe the people
were put to the sword if they failed to convert to Islam. The
best proof is that not only did the Christians, Jews,
Zoroastrians and Hindus in those areas not perish or otherwise
disappear, they actually flourished as protected minority
communities, and many individuals rose to prominent positions in
the arts, sciences, even in government.
The lives, property and privacy
of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred,
whether or not the person is Muslim. Non-Muslims have freedom of
worship and the practice of their religions, including their own
family law and religious courts. They are obliged to pay a
different tax (Jizyah) instead of the Zakah, and the state is
obligated to provide both protection and government services.
Before the modern era it was extremely rare to find a state or
government anywhere in the world that was as solicitous of its
minorities and their civil rights as the Islamic states.
In no other religion did women
receive such a degree of legal and moral equality and personal
respect. Moreover, racism and tribalism are incompatible with
Islam, for the Qur'an speaks of human equality in the following
terms:
"Mankind! We created you from a
single soul, male and female, and made you into nations and
tribes, that you may come to know one another. Truly, the most
honored of you in God's sight is the greatest of you in piety."
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Jesus
Islam honors all the prophets
who were sent to mankind. Muslims respect all prophets in
general, but Jesus in particular, because he was one of the
prophets who foretold the coming of Muhammad. Muslims, too, await
the second coming of Jesus. They consider him one of the greatest
of Allah's prophets to mankind. A Muslim does not refer to him
simply as "Jesus," but normally adds the phrase "peace be upon
him" as a sign of respect.
No other religion in the world
respects and dignifies Jesus as Islam does. The Qur'an confirms
his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur'an is entitled "Mary"),
and Mary is considered to have been one of the purest women in
all creation. The Qur'an describes Jesus' birth as follows:
"Behold!' the Angel said, God
has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women
of all nations. Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him,
whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in
this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those brought near to
God. He shall speak to the people from his cradle and in
maturity, and he shall be of the righteous. She said: "My Lord!
How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said:
"Even so; God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He
says to it, 'Be!' and it is." [3:42-47]
Muslims believe that Jesus was
born immaculately, and through the same power which had brought
Eve to life and Adam into being without a father or a mother.
"Truly, the likeness of Jesus
with God is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and
then said to him, 'Be!' and he was." [3:59]
During his prophetic mission,
Jesus performed many miracles. The Qur'an tells us that he said:
"I have come to you with a sign
from your Lord: I make for you out of clay, as it were, the
figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by
God's leave. And I heal the blind, and the lepers, and I raise
the dead by God's leave." [3:49]
Muhammad and Jesus, as well as
the other prophets, were sent to confirm the belief in one God.
This is referred to in the Qur'an where Jesus is reported as
saying that he came:
"To attest the law which was
before me, and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden
you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear God
and obey me." [3:50]
Prophet Muhammad emphasized the
importance of Jesus by saying:
"Whoever believes there is no
god but Allah, alone without partner, that Muhammad is His
messenger, that Jesus is a servant and messenger of God, His word
breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating from Him, and that
Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into Heaven.
[Bukhari]
Knowledge
Islam urges people to read and
learn on every occasion. The verses of the Qur'an command,
advise, warn, and encourage people to observe the phenomena of
nature, the succession of day and night, the movements of stars,
the sun, moon, and other heavenly bodies. Muslims are urged to
look into everything in the universe, to travel, investigate,
explore and understand them, the better to appreciate and be
thankful for all the wonders and beauty of God's creations. The
first revelation to Muhammad showed how much Islam cares about
knowledge.
"Read, in the name of your
Lord, Who created..." [96:1]
Learning is obligatory for both
men and women. Moreover, education is not restricted to religious
issues; it includes all fields of knowledge, including biology,
physics, and technology. Scholars have the highest status in
Islam, second only to that accorded to prophets.
Almost from the very beginnings
of the Islamic state Muslims began to study and to master a
number of fields of so-called secular learning, beginning with
linguistics and architecture, but very quickly extending to
mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, medicine, chemistry
and philosophy. They translated and synthesized the known works
of the ancient world, from Greece, Persia, India, even China.
Before long they were criticizing, improving and expanding on
that knowledge. Centuries before the European Renaissance there
were Muslim ³Rennaissance² men, men who were simultaneously
explorers, scientists, philosophers, physicians and poets, like
Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Umar Khayyam, and others.
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Main Pillars
Shahadah
The first pillar of Islam is
that a Muslim believe and declare his faith by saying the
Shahadah (lit. 'witness'), also known as the Kalimah:
La ilaha ila Allah;
Muhammadur-rasul Allah. 'There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is
the Messenger of Allah.'
This declaration contains two
parts. The first part refers to God Almighty, the Creator of
everything, the Lord of the Worlds; the second part refers to the
Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) a prophet and a human being, who
received the revelation through the Archangel Gabriel, and taught
it to mankind.
By sincerely uttering the
Shahadah the Muslim acknowledges Allah as the sole Creator of
all, and the Supreme Authority over everything and everyone in
the universe. Consequently the Muslim closes his/her heart and
mind to loyalty, devotion and obedience to, trust in, reliance
on, and worship of anything or anyone other than Allah. This
rejection is not confined merely to pagan gods and goddesses of
wood and stone and created by human hands and imaginations; this
rejection must extend to all other conceptions, superstitions,
ideologies, ways of life, and authority figures that claim
supreme devotion, loyalty, trust, love, obedience or worship.
This entails, for example, the rejection of belief in such common
things as astrology, palm reading, good luck charms,
fortune-telling and psychic readings, in addition to praying at
shrines or graves of "saints", asking the dead souls to intercede
for them with Allah. There are no intercessors in Islam, nor any
class of clergy as such; a Muslim prays directly and exclusively
to Allah.
Belief in the prophet hood of
Muhammad (pbuh) entails belief in the guidance brought by him and
contained in his Sunnah (traditions of his sayings and actions),
and demands of the Muslim the intention to follow his guidance
faithfully. Muhammad (pbuh) was also a human being, a man with
feelings and emotions, who ate, drank and slept, and was born and
died, like other men. He had a pure and upright nature,
extraordinary righteousness, and an unwavering faith in Allah and
commitment to Islam, but he was not divine. Muslims do not pray
to him, not even as an intercessor, and Muslims abhor the terms "Mohamedan"
and "Mohamedanism".
Salah (Prayer)
Prayer (Salah), in the sense of
worship, is the second pillar of Islam. Prayer is obligatory and
must be performed five times a day. These five times are dawn (Fajr),
immediately after noon (Dhuhr), mid-afternoon ('Asr), sunset (Maghrib),
and early night (Isha'). Ritual cleanliness and ablution are
required before prayer, as are clean clothes and location, and
the removal of shoes. One may pray individually or communally, at
home, outside, virtually any clean place, as well as in a mosque,
though the latter is preferred. Special is the Friday noon
prayer, called Jum'ah. It, too, is obligatory and is to be done
in a mosque, in congregation. It is accompanied by a sermon (Khutbah),
and it replaces the normal Dhuhr prayer.
There is no hierarchical
clerical authority in Islam, no priests or ministers. Prayers are
led by any learned person who knows the Qur'an and is chosen by
the congregation. He (or she, if the congregation is all women)
is called the imam. There is also no minimum number of
congregates required to hold communal prayers. Prayer consists of
verses from the Qur'an and other prayers, accompanied by various
bodily postures - standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting. They
are said in Arabic, the language of the revelation, though
personal supplications (Du'ah) can be offered in one's own
language. Worshippers face the Qiblah, the direction of the
Ka'bah in the city of Makkah.
The significance of prayer lies
in one's maintaining a continuous link to God five times a day,
which helps the worshipper avoid misdeeds if he/she performs the
prayers sincerely. In addition it promotes discipline,
God-consciousness and placing one's trust in Allah alone, and the
importance of striving for the Hereafter. When performed in
congregation it also provides a strong sense of community,
equality and brotherhood/sisterhood.
Sawm (Fasting)
The fourth pillar of Islam is
fasting. Allah prescribes daily fasting for all able, adult
Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan, the ninth month
of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting of the new
moon. Exempted from the fast are the very old and the insane. On
the physical side, fasting is from first light of dawn until
sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. On
the moral, behavioral side, one must abstain from lying,
malicious gossip, quarreling and trivial nonsense.
Those who are sick, elderly, or
on a journey, and women who are menstruating, pregnant, or
nursing are permitted to break the fast, but must make up an
equal number of days later in the year. If physically unable to
do so, they must feed a needy person for each day missed.
Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayers) from puberty,
although many start earlier.
Although fasting is beneficial
to the health, it is regarded principally as a method of
self-purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly pleasures
and comforts, even for a short time, the fasting person gains
true sympathy for those who go hungry regularly, and achieves
growth in his spiritual life, learning discipline,
self-restraint, patience and flexibility.
In addition to the fast proper,
one is encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. In addition, special
prayers, called Tarawih, are held in the mosque every night of
the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz') is
recited, so that by the end of the month the entire Qur'an has
been completed. These are done in remembrance of the fact that
the revelation of the Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was begun
during Ramadan.
During the last ten days -
though the exact day is never known and may not even be the same
every year - occurs the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr). To spend
that night in worship is equivalent to a thousand months of
worship, i.e. Allah's reward for it is very great.
On the first day of the
following month, after another new moon has been sighted, a
special celebration is made, called 'Id al-Fitr. A quantity of
staple food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-Fitr), everyone has
bathed and put on their best, preferably new, clothes, and
communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by
feasting and visiting relatives and friends.
There are other fast days
throughout the year. Muslims are encouraged to fast six days in
Shawwal, the month following Ramadan, Mondays and Thursdays, and
the ninth and tenth, or tenth and eleventh of Muharram, the first
month of the year. The tenth day, called Ashurah, is also a fast
day for the Jews (Yom Kippur), and Allah commanded the Muslims to
fast two days to distinguish themselves from the People of the
Book.
While fasting per se is
encouraged, constant fasting, as well as monasticism, celibacy,
and otherwise retreating from the real world, are condemned in
Islam. Fasting on the two festival days, 'Id al-Fitr and 'Id al-Adha,
the feast of the Hajj, is strictly forbidden.
Zakah
The third pillar of Islam is
the alms-tax (Zakah). It is a tax on wealth, payable on various
categories of property, notably savings and investments, produce,
inventory of goods, salable crops and cattle, and precious
metals, and is to be used for the various categories of
distribution specified by Islamic law. It is also an act of
purification through sharing what one has with others.
The rationale behind this is
that Muslims believe that everything belongs to God, and wealth
is held by man as a trust. This trust must be discharged,
moreover, as instructed by God, as that portion of our wealth
legally belongs to other people and must be given to them. If we
refuse and hoard this wealth, it is considered impure and
unclean. If, for example one were to use that wealth for charity
or to finance one's pilgrimage to Makkah, those acts would also
be impure, invalid, and of course unrewarded. Allah says:
"Of their wealth, take alms so
you may purify and sanctify them." [9:103]
The word Zakah means
purification and growth. Our possessions are purified by setting
aside that portion of it for those in need. Each Muslim
calculates his or her own Zakah individually.
For most purposes this involves
the payment each year of 2.5% of one's capital, provided that
this capital reaches a certain minimum amount that which is not
consumed by its owner. A generous person can pay more than this
amount, though it is treated and rewarded as voluntary charity (Sadaqah).
This amount of money is provided to bridge the gap between the
rich and the poor, and can be used in many useful projects for
the welfare of the community.
Historically the pillar of
Zakah became mandatory on Muslims form the second year after the
Hijrah, 622 C.E. It is mentioned more than thirty times in the
Qur'an, usually in the same breath as Salah. So important is this
pillar that one is not considered a part of the Islamic
brotherhood if one ignores this obligation.
Hajj
The fifth pillar of Islam is to
make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah, in Saudi Arabia, at least
once in one's lifetime. This pillar is obligatory for every
Muslim, male or female, provided that he/she is physically and
financially able to do so. Prerequisites for performing the Hajj
are to be a Muslim, to be free, to be an adult or mature enough,
to be of sound mind, and to have the ability to afford the
journey and maintain one's dependents back home for the duration.
The reward for the Hajj is nothing less than Paradise.
The Hajj is the ultimate form
of worship, as it involves the spirit of all the other rituals
and demands of the believer great sacrifice. On this unique
occasion, nearly two million Muslims from all over the globe meet
one another in a given year. Regardless of the season, pilgrims
wear special clothes (Ihram) - two, very simple, unsewn white
garments - which strips away all distinctions of wealth, status,
class and culture; all stand together and equal before Allah
(God).
The rites of Hajj, which go
back to the time of Prophet Abraham who built the Ka'bah, are
observed over five or six days, beginning on the eighth day of
the last month of the year, named Dhul-Hijjah (pilgrimage). These
rites include circumambulating the Ka'bah (Tawwaf), and going
between the mountains of Safa and Marwah, as Hajjar (Abraham's
wife) did during her search for water for her son Isma'il. Then
the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafah and join
in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as
a preview of the Last Judgment. The pilgrims also cast stones at
a stone pillar which represents Satan. The pilgrimage ends with a
festival, called 'Id al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers,
the sacrifice of an animal, and the exchange of greetings and
gifts in Muslim communities everywhere.
Muhammad
Muhammad (pbuh) was an
illiterate but wise and well-respected man who was born in Makkah
in the year 570 C.E., at a time when Christianity was not yet
fully established in Europe. His first years were marked by the
deaths of his parents. Since his father died before his birth,
his uncle, Abu Talib, from the respected tribe of Quraysh, raised
him. As Muhammad (pbuh) grew up, he became known for his
truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought
after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. His reputation
and personal qualities also led to his marriage, at the age of
twenty-five, to Khadijah, a widow whom he had assisted in
business. Thenceforth, he became an important and trusted citizen
of Makkah. Historians describe him as calm and meditative.
Muhammad (pbuh) never felt
fully content to be part of a society whose values he considered
to be devoid of true religious significance. It became his habit
to retreat from time to time to the cave of Hira', to meditate
near the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the "Mountain of Light", near
Makkah.
At the age of 40, while engaged
in one such meditative retreat, Muhammad (pbuh) received his
first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This
revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as
the Qur'an, the faithful recording of the entire revelation of
God. The first revelation read:
"Recite: In the name of your
Lord Who created man from a clot (of blood). Recite: Your Lord is
Most Noble, Who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not
know." [96:1-5]
It was this reality that he
gradually and steadily came to learn and believe, until he fully
realized that it is the truth.
His first convert was Khadijah,
whose support and companionship provided necessary reassurance
and strength. He also won the support of some of his relatives
and friends. Three basic themes of the early message were the
majesty of the one, unique God, the futility of idol worship, the
threat of judgment, and the necessity of faith, compassion and
morality in human affairs. All these themes represented an attack
on the crass materialism and idolatry prevalent in Makkah at the
time. So when he began to proclaim the message to others the
Makkans rejected him. He and his small group of followers
suffered bitter persecution, which grew so fierce that in the
year 622 C.E., God gave them the command to emigrate. This event,
the Hijrah (migration), in which they left Makkah for the city of
Madinah, some 260 miles to the north, marked the beginning of a
new era and thus the beginning of the Muslim calendar. During his
suffering, Muhammad (pbuh) drew comfort from the knowledge
revealed to him about other prophets, such as Abraham, Joseph,
and Moses, each of whom had also been persecuted and tested.
After several years and some
significant battles, the Prophet and his followers were able to
return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and
established Islam definitively. By the time the Prophet died, at
the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia had accepted Islam, and
within a century of his death, Islam had spread as far west as
Spain and as far east as China. It was clear that the message was
not limited to Arabs; it was for the whole of humanity.
The Prophet's sayings (Hadith),
are also believed to be revelation. The number of sayings
collected by his followers and scholars is about 10,000. Some
typical examples of his sayings are as follows:
"To pursue knowledge is
obligatory on every believing (man and woman)." [Ibn Majah]
"Removing a harmful thing from
the road is charity." [Bukhari, Muslim]
"Those who do not show tenderness
and love cannot expect to have tenderness shown to them." [Bukhari]
"Adore Allah (God) as though
you see Him; even if you do not see Him, He nonetheless sees
you." {Bukhari, Muslim]
Although Muhammad is deeply
loved, revered and emulated by Muslims as God's final messenger,
he is not an object of worship.
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Women
At a time when the rest of the
world, from Greece and Rome to India and China, considered women
as no better than children or even slaves, with no rights
whatsoever, Islam acknowledged women's equality with men in a
great many respects. The Qur'an states:
"And among His signs is this:
that He created mates for you form yourselves that you may find
rest, peace of mind in them, and He ordained between you love and
mercy. Lo, herein indeed are signs for people who reflect."
[30:21]
Prophet Muhammad said:
"The most perfect in faith
amongst believers is he who is best in manners and kindest to his
wife." [Abu Dawud]
Muslims believe that Adam and
Eve were created from the same soul. Both were equally guilty of
their sin and fall from grace, and both were forgiven by Allah.
Many women in Islam have had high status; consider the fact that
the first person to convert to Islam was Khadijah, the wife of
Muhammad, whom he both loved and respected. His favorite wife
after Khadijah's death, Aeisha, became renowned as a scholar and
one of the greatest sources of Hadith literature. Many of the
female Companions accomplished great deeds and achieved fame, and
throughout Islamic history there have been famous and influential
scholars, jurists and mystics.
With regard to education, both
women and men have the same rights and obligations. This is clear
in Prophet Muhammad's saying:
"Seeking knowledge is mandatory
for every believer." [Ibn Majah]
This implies men and women.
A woman is to be treated as God
has endowed her, with rights, such as to be treated as an
individual, with the right to own and dispose of her own property
and earnings, enter into contracts, even after marriage. She has
the right to be educated and to work outside the home if she so
chooses. She has the right to inherit from her father, mother,
and husband. A very interesting point to note is that in Islam,
unlike any other religion, a woman can be an imam, a leader of
communal prayer, for a group of women.
A Muslim woman also has
obligations. All the laws and regulations pertaining to prayer,
fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds, etc., apply to
women, albeit with minor differences having mainly to do with
female physiology.
Before marriage, a woman has
the right to choose her husband. Islamic law is very strict
regarding the necessity of having the woman's consent for
marriage. A marriage dowry (money) is given by the groom to the
bride for her own personal use. She keeps her own family name,
rather than taking her husband's. As a wife, a woman has the
right to be supported by her husband even if she is already rich.
She also has the right to seek divorce and custody of young
children. She does not return the dowry, except in a few unusual
situations.
Despite the fact that in many
places and times Muslim communities have not always adhered to
all or even many of the foregoing in practice, the ideal has been
there for 1400 years, while virtually all other major
civilizations did not begin to address these issues or change
their negative attitudes until the 19th and 20th centuries, and
there are still many contemporary civilizations which have yet to
do so.
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Other Religions
Islam is the religion of all
prophets. Muslims believe that all the prophets were sent to
their respective peoples from God (Allah). They all had the same
mission and message - guiding people to the right path.
The three revealed,
monotheistic religions, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, go back
to Abraham. The prophets of these religions were directly
descended from him - Moses, Jesus and others from Isaac, but
Muhammad from IsmaŒil. It was Prophet Abraham who had established
the settlement which today is the city of Makkah, and with his
son IsmaŒil built the KaŒbah, which Muslims all over the world
face when they pray.
Christians and Jews hold a
special place in Islam. They are called the People of the Book (Ahl
al-Kitab), since the original Torah and Gospel were also divinely
revealed and they shared in the prophetic tradition. Islamic
states have nearly always shown their religious minorities
tolerance and respect and those communities flourished under
Islamic rule. God says:
"...[T]hose who believe (in the
message of Islam), and the Jews, the Sabaeans, and the Christians
- all those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and act
righteously - no fear shall come upon them..." [5:69]
Setting up the Islamic state in
Madinah, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) further warned:
"Whoever oppresses any Dhimmi
(non-Muslim citizen of the Islamic state), I shall be his
prosecutor on the Day of Judgment."
In setting up the Islamic
state, Prophet Muhammad made it inclusive of the Arabian Jews and
Christians. Their persons, properties, churches and synagogues
were protected, freedom of worship was guaranteed, and they
controlled their own community affairs with their own civil and
religious laws and courts. For most of the first century of the
Islamic state, in fact, the majority of the citizens were
Christians, enjoying peace and liberty such as they had not had
even under Christian Rome or Byzantium.
The Jews, from the very
beginning in Madinah, and later everywhere else, were lifted from
the burden of being clients of individual Arab tribes to being
citizens of the state, thus freeing them to focus on their
Jewishness. When the Islamic state expanded outside Arabia the
Jews of other lands were treated for the first time as liberated
citizens. Judaism flourished as never before, with Jews even
serving in Muslim armies and administrations while their culture
bloomed in the arts, sciences, medicine and philosophy. This
knowledge they transmitted to their brethren in the hostile
climate of Christian Europe. Even Jewish mysticism originated
under the influence of sufism and spread to northern Europe.
When Islam reached Persia the
concept of People of the Book was extended to the Zoroastrians as
well. Later, when the Muslims conquered parts of India and
encountered Buddhists and Hindus, who appeared to worship idols,
the question was referred to the ulema (council of scholars), who
judged that even they could have the same protected status as the
Jews and Christians, so long as they did not fight Islam and they
paid the Jizyah tax.
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Peace
"Peace" is the most common word
on a Muslim's tongue. Whenever two people meet, they exchange
greetings, wishing each other peace: "Peace be upon you." But
peace cannot prevail except through justice. Since the concept of
justice may differ from one man to another, or from one society
to another, Muslims believe that real justice is that which is
specified by Allah (God).
Islam permits fighting in
self-defense, in defense of the religion, or by those who have
been expelled forcibly from their homes. At the same time, Islam
requires one to treat one's enemy mercifully. It lays down strict
rules of combat which include prohibitions against harming
civilians and against destroying crops, trees, and livestock.
Islam also requires that if an enemy declares his desire to end
hostilities and seek peace, the Muslims must do the same.
The concept of Jihad
(struggling in the cause of Allah) is stated in the Qur'an. Allah
said: "Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not
transgress limits. God does not love transgressors." [2:19] Jihad
is never to be waged to force anybody to choose a particular
religion. On the contrary, it is to waged to protect his right to
choose freely. Therefore, if there is a force in the world that
tries to prevent a person from practicing this right, Jihad may
lead to fighting the force that is trying to prevent him from
exercising free will.
Relevance
Since Islam is the last
religion revealed by Allah, it possesses some elements that make
it unique. One of these is its relevance for human beings
regardless of place and time.
This means that Islam -
submission to God - is a comprehensive institution which includes
all the guidelines necessary for all aspects of life. Therefore,
the best way to understand Islam is to look at it as more than a
religion - as a complete way of life. In other words, it is a
system which regulates every aspect of life, dealing with all
issues - social, economic, educational, judicial, health, and
even military. Thus, it is suitable for all human beings and for
all times, since it is the final religion. Islamic law aims to
achieve five goals for human beings in life: protecting the
religion, protecting one's self, protecting one's possessions,
protecting one's mind, and protecting one's offspring.
Therefore, God (Allah) decided
on two main domains of law:
1. If the domain always
requires change and progress, Allah legislated comprehensive yet
flexible rules and gave people the chance to create and develop
the necessary laws to satisfy the specific needs of a certain
period of time. For example, in the rule of consultation (Shura),
Allah decided that it should be the general rule for any
government; however, its form and style are left open for people
to choose and decide according to their needs.
2. If the domain does not
require or lend itself to change or progress, Allah legislated
fixed and detailed laws that govern all issues related to a
specific area. Thus, there is no way for man to change or develop
those laws, which were made for the welfare of all mankind. For
example, the area of worshipping God contains fixed details which
cannot be changed at all. These regard prayer, fasting, making
pilgrimage, etc. Another example is in family matters, such as
the laws of marriage, divorce, and inheritance.
To show how Islam cares for the
environment, one can cite the many laws that protect the
environment. About fourteen hundred years ago. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
said:
"The world is green and
beautiful, and Allah has appointed you as His stewards over it.
He sees how you acquit yourselves."
Muhammad showed how important
plants and trees are by saying: "Whoever plants a tree and looks
after it with care until it matures and becomes productive will
be rewarded in the Hereafter." Even in the territory of an enemy,
Islam's care for plants, animals, and trees is profound. Abu Bakr,
the first Caliph, or successor, to Muhammad (pbuh), instructed
his troops that he was sending into battle not to cut down any
trees or kill any animals except for food.
These are but a few examples of
how Islam remains relevant in the modern world.
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Sources
³The ultimate manifestation of
God's grace for man, the ultimate wisdom, and the ultimate beauty
of expression: in short, the word of God.² This is how the German
scholar, Muhammad Asad, once described the Qur'an. If one were to
ask any Muslim to depict it, most likely they would offer similar
words. The Qur'an, to the Muslim, is the irrefutable, inimitable
Word of God. It was revealed by God Almighty, through the
instrument of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) himself
had no role in authoring the Qur'an, he was merely a human
secretary, repeating the dictates of the Divine Creator:
"He (Muhammad) does not speak
of his own desire. It is no less than an Inspiration sent down to
him." [53:3-4]
The Qur'an was revealed in
Arabic, to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), over a period of twenty-three
years. It is composed in a style so unique, that it cannot be
deemed either poetry or prose, but somehow a mixture of both. The
Qur'an is imimitable; it cannot be simulated or copied, and God
Almighty challenges mankind to pursue such an endeavor if he
thinks he can:
"Or do they say he forged it?
Say: Bring then a chapter like unto it, and call (to your aid)
anyone you can, beside God, if it be you speak the truth."
[10:38].
The Qur'an's language is indeed
sublime, its recitation moving, as one non-Muslim scholar noted,
it was like ³the cadence of my heartbeat². Due to its unique
style of language, the Qur'an is not only highly readable, but
also relatively easy to remember. This latter aspect has played
an important role not only in the Qur'an's preservation, but in
the spiritual life of Muslims as well. God Himself declares,
"And We have indeed made the
Qur'an easy to understand and remember; then is there anyone that
will receive admonition?" [54:17]
One of the most important
characteristics of the Qur'an is that it remains today, the only
holy book which has never changed; it has remained free from any
and all adulterations. Sir William Muir noted, "There is probably
in the world no other book which has remained (fourteen)
centuries with so pure a text." The Qur'an was written down
during the lifetime and under the supervision of the Prophet, who
himself was illiterate, and it was canonized shortly after his
death by a rigorous method which scrutinized both written and
oral traditions. Thus its authenticity is unblemished, and is its
preservation is seen as the fulfillment of God's promise:
"We have, without doubt, sent
down the Message, and We will assuredly guard it from
corruption." [15:9]
The Qur'an is a book which
provides the human being the spiritual and intellectual
nourishment he/she craves. Its major themes include the oneness
of God, the purpose of human existence, faith and
God-consciousness, the Hereafter and its significance. The Qur'an
also lays a heavy emphasis upon reason and understanding. In
these spheres of human understanding, the Qur'an goes beyond just
satisfying the human intellect; it causes one to reflect on
implications. There are Qur'anic challenges and prophecies. One
of the most exciting fields in recent years has been the
discovery that, of the significant amount of scientific
information in the Qur'an, including the event of the Big Bang,
embryological data, and other information concerning astronomy
biology, etc., there is not a single statement that has not been
borne out by modern discoveries In short, the Qur'an fulfills the
heart, the soul, and the mind.
Perhaps the best description of
the Qur'an was given by Ali, the cousin of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
when he expounded upon it as,
"The Book of God. In it is the
record of what was before you, the judgment of what is among you,
and the prophecies of what will come after you. It is decisive,
not a case for levity. Whoever is a tryant and ignores the Qur'an
will be destroyed by God. Whoever seeks guidance from other than
it will be misguided. The Qur'an is the unbreakable bond of
connection with God; it is the remembrance full of wisdom and the
straight path. The Qur'an does not become distorted by tongues.
nor can it be deviated by caprices; it never dulls from repeated
study; scholars will always want more of it. The wonders of the
Qur'an are never ending. Whoever speaks from it will speak the
truth, whoever rules with it will be just, and whoever holds fast
to it will be guided to the straight path." [Al-Tirmidhi]
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Sunnah
The term Sunnah comes from the
root word sanna, which means to pave the way or make a path
easily passable, such that it becomes a commonly followed way by
everyone afterwards. Thus sunnah can be used to describe a street
or road or path on which people, animals, and cars travel.
Additionally, it can apply to a prophetic way, i.e. the law that
they brought and taught as an explanation or further
clarification of a divinely revealed book. Normally, the
prophetic way includes references to his sayings, actions,
physical features and character traits.
From the Islamic standpoint,
Sunnah refers to anything narrated or related about the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh), authentically traced to him regarding his
speech, actions, traits, and silent approvals, before and after
the revelation.
Each narration is composed of
two parts: the isnad and the matn. The isnad refers to a chain of
people who narrated a paricular narration. The matn is the actual
text of the narration. The isnad must comprise upright and
sincere individuals whose integrity is unquestionable.
The Speech of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh)
The speech of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) refers to his sayings. For example, he said:
"Actions are judged by their
intentions; everyone will be rewarded according to his/her
intention. So whoever migrates for the sake of Allah and His
Prophet then his migration will be noted as a migration for the
sake of Allah and His Prophet. Conversely, one who migrates only
to obtain something worldly or to marry a woman, then his
migration will be worth what he had inteded.² [Bukhari]. The
Prophet (pbuh) also said: ³Whoever believes in Allah and the Last
Day, should say something good or keep quiet.
The above two accounts clearly
show that the Prophet (pbuh) spoke these words. Consequently,
these are known as his speech.
The Actions of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh)
His actions pertain to anything
he did, as authentically reported by the Sahabah (Companions).
For instance, Hudhayfah reported that whenever the Prophet (pbuh)
got up at night, he would clean his teeth with a tooth-stick.
Also A'ishah reported that the Prophet (pbuh) loved to do
everything starting with the right side - putting on shoes,
walking, cleaning himself, and in all his affairs generally.
The Silent Approvals of Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh)
His silent approvals on
different issues meant his not opposing or minding what he saw,
heard or knew of the actions or sayings of his Companions. On one
occasion, for example, the Prophet (pbuh) learned of actions of
some of his Companions from other Companions. Soon after the
battle of Khandaq, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave the order to the
Companions to move quickly to surround the tribe of Banu Quraydah,
encouraging them to hurry so that perhaps they would pray 'Asr
(the late afternoon prayer) there. Some of the Companions of the
Prophet (pbuh) responded immediately and left without praying 'Asr.
They arrived after sunset, pitched camp and prayed 'Asr- after
sunset. At the same time another group of Companions formulated
their judgment differently. They thought that the Prophet (pbuh)
was merely encouraging them to hasten to their destination,
rather than to delay 'Asr until after sunset. Consequently, they
decided to stay in Madinah until they had prayed 'Asr.
Immediately thereafter, they hastened towards the tribe of Banu
Quraydhah. When the Prophet (pbuh) was told of how each group
responded differently to his announcement, he (pbuh) affirmed
both judgments.
Physical and Moral Traits of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Everything authentically
narrated concerning the Prophet's complexion and the rest of his
physical features is also included in the definition of sunnah.
Umm Ma'bad described what she saw of the great Prophet (pbuh).
She said:
"I saw a man, his face radiant
with a bright glow, not too thin or too fat, elegant and
handsome. His eyes had a deep black hue with long eyelashes. His
voice was pleasant and his neck long. He had a thick beard. His
long black eyebrows were beautifully arched and connected to each
other. In silence, he remained dignified, commanding utmost awe
and respect. When he spoke, his speech was brilliant. Of all
people he was the most handsome and the most pleasant, even when
approaching from a distance. In person, he was unique and most
admirable. Graced with eloquent logic, his speech was moderate.
His logical arguments were well organized as though they were a
string of gems. He was not too tall or too short, but exactly in
between. Among three, he appeared the most radiant and most
vibrant. He had companions who affectionately honored him. When
he spoke, they listened to him attentively. When he gave orders,
they were quick to execute them. They rallied around him guarding
him. He never frowned or spoke frivolously." [Hakim]
Along with his physical
features, his Companions also described his habits and behavior
with people. Once Anas reported:
"I served the Prophet of Allah
(pbuh) for ten years. Never once did he so much as express any
bit of displeasure nor did he ever ask 'Why did you do it?' for
something I did or 'Why didn't you do it?' for something I didn't
do."
From the above we can clearly
see that when the term sunnah appears in a general context
refering to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) it comprises anything
narrated about the Prophet (pbuh) and authentically traced to
him. Once a Muslim learns of the authenticity of any narration,
he/she is obliged to follow and obey it accordingly. Such
obedience is mandated by Allah as He declares
"...and obey Allah and His
Prophet and do not turn away when you hear (him speak)." [8:20]
At times, some Muslims are
perplexed when people say that sunnah is something only
recommended and is not mandatory. Thus they conclude that we are
only required to follow the Qur'an and not the Sunnah. Such an
argument results from a gross misunderstanding. Scholars of
Islamic jurisprudence use the term sunnah to denote what is
authentically established of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in deeds
which were not subsequently made mandatory by Allah.
They further hold that this
includes any saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) where he
encourages Muslims to do a particular task and compliments those
who imbibe such attributes. Thus to them, the term sunnah denotes
what is authentically established of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in
deeds which he did voluntarily and which were not subsequently
made mandatory by Allah. They further hold that this includes any
saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) where he encourages Muslims to
do a particular task and compliments those who imbibe such
attributes. Thus to them, the term sunnah refers to what is
"recommended" and is not mandatory (fard or wajib).
From the above, we can clearly
see that the term sunnah takes on different meanings when used by
different Islamic disciplines.
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Tolerance
Freedom of belief is guaranteed
in Islam. It should be very clear that Islam tolerates not only
other faiths but even its enemies. This is stated clearly in the
Qur'an:
"God forbids you not with
regard to those who fight you not for (your) faith, nor drive you
out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them, for
God loves those who are just." [60:8]
It is one function of Islamic
law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this is
why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the
Islamic world. Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities to
set up their own courts to implement family laws drawn up by the
minorities themselves and to govern their own affairs.
History provides many examples
of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths. When the great leader
and second Caliph, Umar, entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam
guaranteed freedom of worship to all religious communities in the
city. In fact, so careful was Umar in setting an example for his
people that he not only went to a church to pray, he prayed
outside in the courtyard, lest his followers after his death be
tempted to convert the church into a mosque.
Islam teaches that the closest
to Allah and the most beloved of Allah are those who are the best
in piety. Thus all people, male and female, and regardless of
race, color, nationality or ethnicity, are considered and treated
as equal before Allah and before the law. This concept of
tolerance did not reach the West even in theory until the 18th
century, and in practice not until the 20th century.
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Universality
In the Qur'an, Allah says:
"We have sent you (Muhammad) as
a mercy for all nations." [21:107]
Thus Islam is not restricted to
any particular race or nation, as many other religions are, but
is universal, meaning that its message applies to all humanity,
at all times, in all places.
Since Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
was the last prophet and messenger, his message applies to all
future generations. All previous prophets, from Adam, Noah and
Abraham to Moses and Jesus, were also Muslims:
"Not a single messenger did We
send before you without this inspiration sent by Us to him that
there is no god but I, therefore worship and serve Me." [21:25]
Since the Qur'an is the final
testament, with every word and every letter unadulterated and
unchanged, and protected by Allah from any change or tampering,
it is the final revelation, and no other law will ever supersede
it.
It applies, moreover, to every
aspect of one's daily life, including personal, social, legal,
economic, political, even military. Furthermore, Islam affects
every part of the individual - physical, mental, emotional, and
spiritual.
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