Translator’s Foreword
Preface of Shaykh Abd al Aziz Ibn Baz
Author’s Introduction

Chapter I: Our Creed
Belief in Allah’s Lordship, Oneness, and Attributes Allah’s Will Universal and Legal – More of Allah’s Attributes – Describing Allah by His Revelation.

Chapter II: The Qur’an and Sunnah
Sources of His Attributes – Free From Contradictions.

Chapter III: Angels
Belief – Angel’s Functions.

Chapter IV: Allah’s Books
Belief – Books Known – The Qur’an Is Protected from Change – Previous Scriptures Changed.

Chapter V: Messengers
Belief – The First and Last Messengers – The Best Messengers – Messengers are Human Beings – Islam The Universal and Final Message – Rightly Guided Caliphs ~ The Prophet’s Companions

Chapter VI: The Day of Judgment
Belief – The Resurrection – The Records and Scales – The Prophet’s Intercession – The Prophet’s Pool – The Straight Path – Paradise and Hell – What Happens in the Grave

Chapter VII: Fate and the Divine Decree
Belief – Levels of Belief – Man’s Free Will – No Excuse for Sinners – Evil Not Attributable to Allah

Chapter VIII: Benefits
Virtues of Belief in Allah – Virtues of Belief in Angels – Virtues of Belief in Books – Virtues of Belief in Messengers – Virtues of Belief in Day of Judgment Virtues of Belief in Fate
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Preface of Shaykh Abd al Aziz Ibn Baz

Praise belongs to Allah alone; peace and blessing on the last Prophet, his family and his Companions.

I was introduced to the valuable and concise treatise on the Muslim’s belief prepared by our brother, the great scholar Shaikh Muhammad As-Saleh al-Uthaimin. I listened to it all and found that it covers the creed of the Sunnites and the mainstream majority of the Muslims in the area of the oneness of Allah, His attributes, the belief in the angels, the books and the messengers, the Day of Judgment, and in the belief in fate and the divine decree. He succeeded in collecting what the seeker of knowledge and every Muslim needs for his belief in Allah, His angels, His scriptures, His messengers, the Day of Judgment, and fate. He included in his treatise useful information related to the Muslim’s beliefs that are not readily available in many of the books written on these topics. May Allah reward the author, increase him in knowledge and guidance, and make this book and his other books most useful. May Allah, the Hearer and the Close, bless us and him and all our brothers and make us among those who are guiding and rightly guided to call people to Allah with sure knowledge.

Dictated by ‘Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz, may Allah forgive him and shower peace and blessing on our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

Translator’s Foreword

I found this treatise of the Muslim’s creed a concise and useful presentation of a very important topic. The need for this treatise, especially among non-Arabic speaking readers, cannot be overestimated. Therefore, I decided to translate it and make it accessible to English readers.

I would like to draw the attention of the readers to the following points:

- I gave the book the title THE MUSLIM’S BELIEF instead of the author’s Aqidatu Ahl As Sunnah wa al Jama’ah, which may be translated as The Creed of the People of the Sunnah and Majority. I think my preference is justified by: a) The title I preferred is shorter; b) The two titles have almost the same meaning; c) The original title contains some technical terms that are not only difficult to translate, but also difficult to understand by many readers; and d) The original title may antagonize some readers who are misinformed about the true designations of the words in the original title.

- I provided, in parentheses after every Qur’anic verse, the numbers of chapters and verses quoted by the author without giving their proper reference. This I deemed useful for readers who do not know the Qur’an by heart and who would like to check these verses.

- Because the author, in most cases, quotes or paraphrases some of the prophetic traditions without indicating them to the readers, I tried, whenever I could recognize these traditions, to put them in quotations and to cite in parentheses the prophetic collections in which they are reported. In most cases, I limited myself to the collections of Bukhari and Muslim whenever the saying is quoted from them. If it is not in these two collections, I mention one or two of the other collections that contain the quoted saying.

- I provided the arrangement of the text into chapters and headlines for ease of reading and understanding. I also provided a table of contents for ease of reference.

- In translating the Qur’anic verses quoted in this treatise, I did not follow any specific translation of the Qur’an. I benefited from more than one, but followed my own preference.

It is my sincere desire and hope that this book would be of great help to those who consult it. Please include in your prayer all those who contributed to its present shape.

Dr. Maneh Hammad al-Johani

Author’s Introduction

Praise be to the Lord of the universe who gives the best reward to the God-fearing and the great loss to the transgressor. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah; He has no partner and possesses real sovereignty. I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger; the seal of the prophets and the leader of the God-fearing. May Allah bless him, his family, his Companions, and those who follow them till the Day of Judgment.

Allah has sent His messenger Muhammad, peace be upon him, with the real guidance and the true religion as a mercy to mankind, as a model for those who do good, and as His argument against mankind. Through Muhammad and what was revealed to him (the Qur’an and the Prophetic sayings), Allah showed mankind all means of reforming itself and straightening its religious and mundane affairs in sound beliefs, right conduct, fine morals, and laudable manners. The Prophet, peace be upon him, “left his followers on a clear straight path, only the doomed will deviate from it”(Ibn Majah and Ahmad). His followers, the Companions, their followers, and those who followed them faithfully are the best of mankind. They established his law, upheld his way, and held fast to it as a belief and practice, a moral and manner. Thus “they are considered the party who are victorious, on the straight path, unharmed by those who are against them till the end of the world” (Bukhari and Muslim).

Thanks to Allah, we are following their footsteps and are being guided by their examples, which are supported by the Qur’an and the prophetic traditions. We are saying this only as an announcement of Allah’s blessings and as a clarification of what every Muslim should believe. We pray to Allah that He may keep us and our brothers on the straight path in this life and in the hereafter. May He give us mercy, for He is the Giver.

Due to the importance of this topic and the difference of opinions about it, I want to explain briefly our creed-the belief of the Sunnites and the mainstream Muslims (Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah). This creed is the belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Day of Judgment, and fate, whether good or bad. I pray to Allah to make this effort sincere for His sake, in agreement with His wish, and useful for His people.
Chapter I
OUR CREED
Our creed is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Day of Judgment, and Fate whether good or bad.

Belief in Allah’s Lordship, Oneness, and Attributes:

We believe in Allah’s divinity; that is he is the Lord, the Creator, the Sovereign, and the Manager of all affairs.

We believe in Allah’s god ship; that is, He is the true God and every other so-called deity is false.

We believe in His names and attributes, that is He has the most magnificent names and the sublime perfect attributes.

We believe in His oneness in all of this, that is, He has no associate in His divinity, His God ship, His names, or His attributes. Allah says in the Qur’an: “He is the Lord of the heavens and the Earth and all that is in between them, so worship Him and be patient in His worship; do you know any equal to Him?” (19:65).

We believe that He is “Allah there is no God but He, the Living, the Everlasting. Slumber does not seize Him, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the Earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they do not encompass anything of His knowledge except what He wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the Earth, the preservation of them does not burden Him; He is the High, the Great” (2:255).

We believe that “He is Allah, there is no god but He, the Knower of the Unseen and the Visible. He is the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. He is Allah, there is no God but He, the King, the Holy One, the Source of Peace, the Keeper of Faith, the Guardian, the Almighty, the Subduer, the Sublime. Glory be to Allah above what they associate with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper. His are the most beautiful Names. All that is in the heavens and the Earth glorifies Him. He is the Almighty, the Wise” (59:22-4). ¥ We believe that to Him belongs the Kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth: “He creates what He pleases. He gives, to whom He wills, females, and He gives, to whom He wills, males, or He couples them, males and females; and He makes whom He wills barren. Surely, He is the Knowing, the Powerful” (42:49-50).

We believe that “there is nothing whatever like unto Him, He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing. To Him belongs the keys of the Heavens and the Earth. He enlarges and restricts provisions to whom He wills. Surely He has knowledge of everything” (42:11-12).

We believe that “there is no creature that moves on the Earth but its provision depends on Allah. He knows its dwelling and its resting place. All is recorded in a clear book” (11:6).

We believe that “with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them but He. He knows what is in land and sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. Not a grain in the deep darkness of the Earth, not a thing green or dry but it is in a clear Book” (6 :5 9 ).

We believe that “Allah alone has the knowledge of the Hour, sends down rain, and knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it shall earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it shall die. Surely, Allah is All-knowing, All-aware” (31:34).

We believe that Allah speaks whatever He pleases whenever He pleases: “And Allah spoke to Moses directly” (4:164); “And when Moses came at Our appointed place, and his Lord spoke to him” (7:143 ); “We called to him from the right side of the Mount (Sinai), and We brought him near in communion” (19:52).

We believe that “if the ocean became ink for the words of my Lord, the ocean would be finished before the words of my Lord came to an end” (18:109); “And if all the trees that are in the earth were pens, and the ocean (were ink), with seven oceans swelling it therefore, the words of Allah would not be exhausted. Surely, Allah is Mighty, Wise” (31 :27).

We believe that Allah’s words are the most truthful in conveying information, the most just in ruling, and the fairest in conversation. He said: “The word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and justice” (6:115); “And who is more truthful in his word than Allah?” (4:87).

We believe that the Qur’an is Allah’s word. He literally spoke it to Gabriel, who conveyed it to the Prophet, peace be upon him: “Say (O Muhammad) ‘the Holy Spirit has brought it down from your Lord in truth”‘ (16:102); “Truly it is the revelation of the Lord of the world brought down upon your heart by the Faithful Spirit so that you may be one of the warners, in a clear Arabic tongue” (26:192-95).

We believe that Allah is well above His creatures in His Person and His Attributes, because He says: “He is the High, the Great” (2:22); “He is Supreme over His servants, and He is the Wise, the All-aware” (6:18 ).

We believe that He “created the Heavens and the Earth in six days, then He settled Himself on the throne; He manages everything” (10:3). His “settling on the throne” means that He is sitting in person on His throne in a way that is becoming to His majesty and greatness. Nobody except He knows exactly how He is sitting.

We believe that He is with His creatures while He is still on His throne. He knows their conditions, hears their sayings, sees their deeds, and manages their affairs. He provides for the poor and the broken.

He gives sovereignty to whom He pleases and takes away sovereignty from whom He pleases; He exalts whom He wills and He abases whom He wills. In His hand is all good and He is powerful over everything. Whoever possesses these qualities is literally with His creatures even if He is literally above them on His throne. “There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him; He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing” (42: 11).

We do not say, as do the Incarnationists among the Jahomites and others, that Allah is living with His creatures on Earth. We consider whoever says this a non-believer or one who has strayed, for he attributed to Allah that which does not become Him of defects.

We believe in what His Messenger told us, that He descends to the near sky before the last third of every night and says: “Who prays to Me and I will answer his prayers? Who asks Me and I will give him? Who asks My forgiveness and I will forgive him?” (Bukhari and Muslim).

We believe that He will come on the Day of Judgment to judge among His people because He said: “No indeed! When the Earth is crushed to powder, and your Lord comes down with the angels in rows after rows, and Hell is brought out that day. On that day man will remember, but what will remembrance avail him?” (89:21-23).

We believe that he is the Doer of what He wills.

Allah’s Will: Universal and Legal:

We believe that His will is of two kinds: a) Universal will, through which His intention is carried out. It is not necessary that what is carried out is liked by Him. This type of will means permission, as Allah said: “Had Allah willed, they would not have fought one against the other, but Allah does whatever He desires,” (2:253) and “If Allah desires to lead you astray, He is your Lord” (11:34), and b) Legal will, which does not necessarily entail the execution of His desire. His will, in this case, cannot be but what He likes, as He said: “Allah wants to forgive you” (4:27).

We believe that His universal and legal wills are part of His wisdom. Every thing He performs in the universe or requires legally from His creatures is for a good reason and according to His wisdom, whether we grasp it or not: “Is not Allah the best of Judges?” (95:8); “And who is better than Allah in judgment for a people who have firm faith” (5:50).

We believe that Allah loves His select servants and that they love Him: “Say if you love Allah, follow me and Allah will love you” (3:31); “Allah will bring a people whom He will love and who will love Him” (5:54); “Allah loves the steadfast” (3:146); “And act justly, surely, Allah loves the just” (49:9); and “Do good; Allah loves those who do good” (5:93).

We believe that Allah likes what He prescribed of good deeds and sayings and He dislikes what He prohibited of bad deeds and sayings: “If you disbelieve, surely Allah does not need you, yet He does not like disbelief for His servants; if you are thankful, this pleases Him”(39:7); and “But Allah disliked their marching forth. So He kept them back, and it was said to them: ‘Stay with the weaklings”(9: 46).

We believe that Allah is pleased with those who believe in Him and do good deeds: “Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him. That is for him who fears his Lord” (98:8).

We believe that Allah is angry with those who deserve His anger among the non-believers and others: “And those who think evil thoughts of Allah, against them shall be the evil turn of fortune. Allah is angry with them” (48:6); ” But whoever opens his heart to disbelief, on them is Allah’s wrath and they shall have a severe punishment” (16:106).

More of Allah’s Attributes: We believe that Allah has a glorious and dignified face: “There will remain the face of your Lord, majestic and splendid” (55:27).

We believe that Allah has two generous hands: “No, both His hands are wide open; He spends how He pleases” (5:64); “They do not esteem Allah with the esteem that is due to Him. The whole Earth will be His handful on the Day of Resurrection, and the Heavens will be rolled up in His right hand. Glory be to Him and exalted is He above that which they associate with Him” (39:67).

We believe that Allah possesses two real eyes, because He said: “And build the ark under Our eyes as We reveal” (11:37). The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “His veil is light. Had He removed it, the sublimity of His countenance would have burnt all that His sight reached” (Muslim and Ibn Majah). The Sunnites unanimously have agreed that He has two eyes. This is supported by the Prophet’s saying about the Dajjal (the anti-Christ) that “he is one-eyed and your Lord is not one-eyed” (Bukhari and Muslim).

We believe that “vision cannot perceive Him, but He perceives all vision. He is the Incomprehensible, the All-aware” (6:103).

We believe that the believers will see their Lord on the Day of Resurrection: “Upon that day some faces shall be radiant, gazing upon their Lord” (75:22-3).

We believe that Allah has no equal because His Attributes are perfect: “There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him. He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing” (42:11). ¥ We believe that “no slumber or sleep seizes Him” (2:255), because His life is perfect and eternal.

We believe that He does not do injustice to anybody, because His fairness is perfect.

We believe that He is not unaware of his servants’ deeds, because He has perfect supervision and comprehensive knowledge.

We believe that He is capable of doing anything in the Heavens or in the Earth, because of His perfect knowledge and power: “Indeed His command, when He desires a thing, is only to say to it ‘Be’ and it is” (36: 82).

We believe that He is free from weariness and weakness, because of His infinite power: “Surely, We created the Heavens and the Earth and all that is between them in six days, and no weariness touched Us” (50: 38).

Describing Allah by His Revelation:

We believe in all that He assigned to Himself or what His Messenger described Him with, of names and attributes. However, we reject two concepts: 1) To say or believe that Allah’s attributes are similar to those of his creatures; and 2) To say or believe that Allah’s attributes are like such and such.

We negate all what He negated about Himself or what His Messenger negated about Him. We believe that negation implies the affirmation of its perfect opposite. We do not discuss what He or His Messenger did not mention about Him.

We believe that following this approach is a must, because what Allah affirmed or negated concerning Himself is a statement He made about Himself. He knows Himself best. His words are most just and trustful, and people cannot know everything about Him. What Allah’s Messenger affirmed or negated about Him is a statement that he made about Allah. Besides knowing Allah better than anyone, he is the most truthful, sincere, and eloquent among people. Thus, in what Allah said and what His Prophet said concerning His names and attributes is the truth, knowledge, and clarification. Therefore, we have no excuse to reject or even hesitate in accepting it.
Chapter II
THE QUR’AN AND THE SUNNAH

Sources of His Attributes:

All that we have mentioned about Allah’s attributes, whether briefly or in detail and affirmatively or negatively, is based on the book of our Lord (the Qur’an) and the traditions of our Prophet. It also agrees with the practice of the previous generations of Muslims and the rightly guided scholars who came after them.

We believe it is obligatory to take the texts of the Qur’an and the prophetic traditions conceding Allah’s attributes at their face value and to interpret them in a way that is suitable to Almighty Allah. We reject the practice of those who twist the meanings of these texts and understand them in a way that was not intended by Allah and His messenger.

We also reject the practice of those who make them devoid of their meanings as conveyed by Allah and His Messenger. Finally, we reject the approach of those who exaggerate, who gave them a physical interpretation that makes Allah similar to some of His creatures.

Free from Contradictions:

We know for sure that what is revealed in Allah’s book and in the traditions of His Messenger is the truth. It does not contain any contradiction: “Do they not ponder over the Qur’an? If it had been from other than Allah, surely they would have found in it a lot of differences” (4: 82).

Contradictions in statements falsify them. It is impossible for there to be a contradiction in any statement revealed by Allah and said by His Messenger, peace be upon him. Whoever claims that there are contradictions in the Qur’an, the prophetic traditions, or between the two must have wicked intentions and a misguided heart. He should repent and quit his sin. If someone imagines that there are some contradictions in the Qur’an, the sayings of the Prophet, or between these two, this must be a result of his little knowledge, inadequate understanding, or lack of deep thinking. Therefore, he should seek knowledge and do his best to reflect upon matters until the truth is clear to him. If, after all of these efforts, the truth is not clear to him, he should leave the whole matter to the One who knows it and should quit his imagination. He should say, as do those who are firmly rooted in knowledge: “We believe in it, all is from our Lord” (3:7). He must know that there are neither contradictions nor differences in the Qur’an, the Sunnah, or between the two.
Chapter III
ANGELS

Belief in Angels:

We believe in the existence of the angels of Allah and that they are “honored servants. They do not speak before He does, and they act only by His command” (21:26). Allah created them, and they worship and obey Him. Those who are in His presence do not disdain to worship Him, nor do they weary” (21:19).

Angels are concealed from us, so we cannot see them. Allah may show them to some of His servants. The Prophet Muhammad saw Gabriel in his real shape with six hundred wings that covered the horizons (Bukhari and Muslim). Gabriel took the form of a handsome human being who met Mary and engaged in conversation with her. He came to the Prophet while he was among his Companions in the appearance of an unknown man who did not show any trace of long travel, with very white clothes, and very black hair. He sat facing the Prophet, his knees to the Prophet’s knees, peace be upon him, and his palms on the Prophet’s thighs and talked with the Prophet. The Prophet later told his Companions that the man they saw was Gabriel (Bukhari and Muslim).

Angels’ Functions: We believe that the angels are assigned certain functions. Among the angels is Gabriel, who is entrusted with revelation. He brings it down from Allah to whomever He wishes among His prophets and messengers.

Among them is Michael, who is in charge of rain and the growth of plants; Israfil, who is in charge of blowing the horn at the time of thunder-bolting and the resurrection; the Angel of Death, who takes away people’s souls at the time of death. Among the angels is the one who is in charge of mountains; and Malik, the keeper of Hell.

Some angels are in charge of embryos in wombs, others are responsible for protecting human beings, and others are busy recording men’s deeds: there are two angels for every person, “when the two angels receive (his deeds), one sitting on the right and one on the left, not a word he utters but by him is an observer ready” (50:18). Some other angels are in charge of questioning the dead after he is placed in his last abode. Two angels come to him and ask him about his Lord, his religion, and his prophet. There “Allah confirms those who believe with the firm saying, in the present life and the hereafter, and Allah leads astray the evildoers and Allah does what He wills” (14:27).

Some angels are in charge of the dwellers of Paradise: “The angels enter to them from every gate, saying: ‘Peace be upon you for that you were patient. How excellent is your final home”‘ (13:24).

The Prophet, peace be upon him, told us that “seventy thousand angels enter or pray in the populous house in heaven every day. They never come back to it as long as they live” (because their turn will never come) (Bukhari and Muslim).
Chapter IV
ALLAH’S BOOKS

Belief in Allah’s Books:

We believe that Allah revealed books to His messengers as proof against mankind and a guidance for the righteous workers. They purified and taught them wisdom by these books.

We believe that Allah sent down a book with every messenger, because He says: “Indeed We sent down Our messengers with the clear signs, and We sent down with them the book and the balance, so that people may uphold justice” (57:25).

Books Known:

Among the books that were revealed, we know:

I ) The Torah, which was revealed to Moses, peace be upon him. It is the greatest among the Israelites’ books: “Surely, We sent down the Torah, wherein is guidance and light; by its laws the Jews have been judged by the prophets who surrendered themselves to Allah, the rabbis and the doctors of law, because they were entrusted the protection of Allah’s book and were witnesses thereto” (5:44).

2) The Gospel, which Allah revealed to Jesus, peace be upon him. It is a confirmation of the Torah and a complement to it: “And we gave him the Gospel, wherein is guidance and light and confirming the Torah before it, as a guidance and an admonition to the God-fearing” (5:46); “And to make lawful to you certain things that, before, were forbidden to you” (3:50).

3) The Psalms, which Allah gave to David, peace be upon him.

4) The Tablets of Abraham and Moses, peace be upon them.

5) The Glorious Qur’an, which was revealed to His Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets. It is “a guidance to the people and clear signs of guidance and the criterion between right and wrong” (2:185). The Qur’an Is Protected from Change:

The Qur’an is “confirming the scripture that was before it and stands as a guardian over it.” Thus, by means of the Qur’an, Allah abrogated all the previous revealed books. Allah has also guaranteed its protection from any play or mischievous distortion: “Indeed, We sent down the message and We will guard it” (15:9), for the Qur’an is a proof against mankind till the Day of Judgment.

Previous Scriptures Changed:

The previous scriptures were meant for a limited period. Their use ended with the revelation of the Qur’an, which abrogated them and exposed their distortions and changes. That is why they were not protected from corruption. They underwent distortion, addition, and omission: “Some of the Jews pervert words from their meanings” (4:46); “So woe to those who write the Book with their hands, and then say: ‘This is from Allah,’ that they may sell it for a little price. So woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for their earnings” (2:79); “Say, who sent down the Book that Moses brought as a light and a guidance to people? You put it into sheets of paper showing some of them and concealing much” (6:91); “And there is a group among them who twist their tongues with the Book, that you may think it is a part of the Book but it is not part of the Book. And they say ‘It is from Allah,’ yet it is not from Allah, and they tell a lie against Allah and they know it. It is not for any human being to whom Allah has given the Book, the Wisdom and the Prophet hood to say to men ‘Worship me instead of Allah”‘ (3:79); “People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, making clear to you many things you have been concealing of the Book and forgiving you of much. A light has come to you from Allah and a glorious Book, with which He will guide whoever follows His pleasure in the way of peace, and brings them forth from darkness into the light by His will” (5:15-16).
Chapter V
MESSENGERS

Belief in Messengers:

We believe that Allah has sent to His people messengers who were “bringing good tidings and warning, so that mankind might have no argument against Allah after the Messengers. Allah is All-mighty, All-wise” (4: 165).

The First and Last Messengers:

We believe that the first among the messengers is Noah and the last is Muhammad, peace be upon them all: “We revealed to you as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him” (4: 163); and “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets” (33:40).

The Best Messengers:

We believe that the best among the messengers is Muhammad, then Abraham, Moses, Noah, and Jesus, son of Mary. It is they who are meant by the following Qur’anic verse: “And when We took a compact from the prophets, and from you, and from Noah, and Abraham, then Moses, and Jesus, son of Mary. We took from them a solemn compact” (33:7).

We believe that Muhammad’s message, peace be upon him, includes all the merits of the messages of those dignified messengers, because Allah says: “He ordained for you what He enjoined on Noah and what He revealed to you and what He enjoined on Abraham, Moses and Jesus; namely, establish this faith and be united in it” (42:13).

Messengers Are Human Beings:

We believe that all messengers are created human beings who have none of the divine qualities of Allah. Allah, the Exalted, said about Noah, who was the first among them: “I do not say to you, ‘I possess the treasures of Allah.’ I do not know the unseen, and I do not say ‘I am an angel”‘ (11:31) Allah directed Muhammad, who is the last among them, to say: “I do not say to you I possess the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, and I do not say to you I am an angel” (6:50); and to say that “I have no power to bring profit or hurt for myself, but only as Allah wills” (7:188); and: “I have no power to hurt or benefit you. Say none can protect me from Allah, nor can I find any refuge besides Him” (72:91-2).

We believe that the messengers are among Allah’s servants. He blessed them with the message and described them as servants, in the context of praising and honoring them. He says about Noah, the first among them: “You are the descendants of those whom We carried with Noah, he was a truly thankful servant” (17:3).

Allah said about the last among them, Muhammad, peace be upon him: “Blessed be He who sent down the Qur’an to His servant, that he may warn mankind” (25:1). As for some other messengers, he said: “And mention Our servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, men of might and vision” (38:45); “And remember Our servant David, who was a mighty and penitent man” (38: 17); “And to David, We gave Solomon, he was an excellent and penitent servant” (38:30).

Allah said about Jesus, son of Mary: “He is only a servant whom We blessed and We made him an example to the children of Israel” (43: 59).

We believe that Allah concluded all messages with the message of Muhammad, peace be upon him, to all people, because He said: “Say, ‘O mankind, I am Allah’s Messenger to you all. To him belongs the Kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth; there is no god but He. He ordains life and death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet who believes in Allah and His words. Follow him so that you may be rightly guided”‘ (7:158).

Islam: The Universal and Final Message:

We believe that the Shari’ah of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the religion of Islam, which Allah has chosen for His servants. He does not accept any other religion from anyone, for He, the Exalted, said: “Surely, the true religion in Allah’s sight is Islam” (3:19), “Today I have perfected your religion for you and I have completed My favor upon you, and I have chosen Islam to be your religion” (5:3), and “Whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from Him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers” (3:85).

It is our opinion that whoever claims that any religion other than Islam is acceptable, such as Judaism, Christianity and so forth, is a non believer. He should be asked to repent.

It is also our opinion that whoever rejects the universal message of Muhammad, peace be upon him, rejects the message of all messengers, even if he claims that he believes and follows His Messenger. Allah, the Exalted, said: “Noah’s people rejected the Messengers” (26:105). Thus, Allah considered them as rejecting all of the messengers despite the fact that there was no messenger before Noah. This is also clear from the following verses: “Those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers, and wish to make division between Allah and His Messengers, and say: ‘We believe in some and disbelieve in others,’ wishing to take a midway course. Those indeed are the unbelievers, and We have prepared for the unbelievers a humiliating punishment”(4:150-51).

We believe that there is no prophet after Muhammad, Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him. Whoever claims prophet hood after him, or believes in anyone claiming it, is a disbeliever and one who rejects Allah, His Messenger, and the Muslims’ consensus.

The Rightly Guided Caliphs:

We believe that the Prophet, peace be upon him, has rightly guided successors who carried out his Sunnah in spreading knowledge calling to Islam, and managing the Muslims’ affairs. We believe that the best among them and the most entitled to the caliphate was Abu Bakr as Siddiq, then ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab, then ‘Uthman Ibn Affan and then ‘All Ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with them all. Thus their succession to the caliphate was according to their virtues. Allah, the Exalted, who possesses infinite wisdom, would not appoint a ruler over the best of generations unless he was the most superior among them and had the best claim to caliphate.

We believe that the inferior among those rightly guided companions can be superior in a specific virtue to those who were better than him but that he does not deserve absolute superiority, for the elements constituting superiority are varied and numerous.

We believe that the Muslim Ummah is the best among nations, and Allah, the Dignified and Exalted, has blessed it, because He said: “You are the best nation ever brought forth for mankind, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah” The Prophet’s Companions:

We believe that the best among the Muslim Ummah are the Prophet’s Companions, then their followers, and then those who followed them.

We also believe that a group of this Ummah will always remain victorious on the right path, unharmed by those who let them down or those who oppose them, until the Day of Judgment.

We believe that the disputes that took place among the Prophet’s Companions were the result of sincere interpretations that they worked hard to reach. Whoever was right among them will be rewarded twice, and whoever was wrong among them will be rewarded once and his mistake will be forgiven.

It is our opinion that we should stop talking about their mistakes and mention what they deserve of beautiful praise. We should purify our hearts from hatred and malice against any of them, because Allah said about them: “They are not equal: those among you who spent and who fought before the conquest of Makkah. Those are higher in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. But to all Allah has promised a great reward” (57:10). And Allah said about us: “And those who came after them say: ‘Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts any malice against those who have believed. Our Lord, You are the most Kind, Most Merciful”‘ (59:10).
Chapter VI
THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

Belief in the Day of Judgment:

We believe in the Final Day, which is the Day of Judgment, when people will be resurrected and then told to remain in the abode of enjoyment or in the abode of severe punishment.

The Resurrection:

We believe in the resurrection, which is Allah’s bringing to life all those who have died, and when Israfil shall blow the horn for the second time: “And the trumpet shall be blown, and all who are in the heavens and who are in the Earth shall fall down fainting, except those that Allah shall spare. Then, it shall be blown again and they shall rise gazing around them” (39:68). People will arise from their graves, answering the call of the Lord of the universe. They will be barefooted, naked, and uncircumcised: “As We started the first creation, so We shall bring it back again. This is a promise from Us, so We shall assuredly fulfill it” (21: 104).

The Records and Scales:

We believe in the records of deeds that will be given to people in their right hands or behind their backs, in the left hands: “As for him who is given his book in his right hand, he shall surely receive an easy reckoning and he will return to his family rejoicing. But as for him who is given his book behind his back, he shall call for destruction on himself and will burn in a blazing fire” (84:7-12); “Every man’s work We have fastened on his own neck, and on the Day of Judgment We shall bring out for him a book which he will see spread open, saying: ‘Read your own book! Enough for you this day that your own soul should call you to account”‘ (17:13-14).

We believe that scales of deeds will be set up on the Day of Judgment, and that no soul shall be wronged: “Whoever has done an atom’s weight of good shall see it” (99:7-8); “Those whose scales are heavy, they are the successful; but those whose scales are light, they are the ones who have lost their souls in Hell dwelling forever. The fire will burn their faces, and there they will be gloomy with lips displaced” (23: 102-4); and “He that does a good deed shall be rewarded ten times the like of it, and he that does evil shall only be rewarded the like of it, and they shall not be wronged” (6:160).

The Prophet’s Intercession:

We believe in the special great intercession of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. He will plead with Allah, after His permission and on behalf of mankind, to judge among His servants when they suffer from worries and troubles that they cannot bear. They will go to Adam, then to Noah, then to Abraham, then to Moses, then to Jesus, and finally to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

We believe in the intercession that concerns some believers who were to be taken out from the fire. This mediation is granted to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and to others among the prophets, the believers, and the angels.

We believe also that Allah will save from hell some of the believers without the intercession of any one, but by His grace and mercy.

The Prophet’s Pool:

We believe in the pool of the Prophet, peace be upon him, the water of which is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey and better in fragrance than musk. Each of its length and width is the distance of a month’s travel. Its glasses are as stars in beauty and number. The believers among the Prophet’s followers come to take from this great cistern a drink after which they will never be thirsty.

The Straight Path:

We believe in the straight path (sirat) set up over hell. People pass over it according to their deeds: the first of them as fast as lighting, then as fast as wind, then as fast as birds, and then as fast as a running man. The Prophet will be standing on the path, saying: “Lord, Save! Save!,” as some people’s deeds will fall short. Some of them will come crawling. At both sides of the path there are hooks designed to take whom Allah wills: some are saved but bruised; others are thrown into hell. (Bukhari and Muslim).

We believe in all that is mentioned in the Qur’an or the prophetic sayings concerning that day and its horrors, may Allah save us from them.

We believe in the intercession (Shafa’ah) of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, for the people of paradise to enter therein. This intercession is exclusively limited to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Paradise and Hell:

We believe in paradise and hell. Paradise is the abode of enjoyment which Allah, the Exalted, prepared for the righteous. No eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of, and no human being has ever thought of the blessings that they will enjoy there: “No soul knows what comfort is kept hidden for them, as a reward for their deeds” (32:17). Hell is the abode of punishment that Allah has prepared for the unbelievers and the evildoers. The torture and horror in it cannot be imagined: “Surely, We have prepared for the evildoers a fire, whose pavilion encompasses them. If they call for help, they will be helped with water like molten copper which will scald their faces. How dreadful a drink and how evil a resting place!” (18:29).

Both paradise and hell exist now and will never perish: “Whoever believes in Allah and does righteousness, He will admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever. Allah had indeed made for him an excellent provision” (65-11); “Certainly, Allah has cursed the unbelievers and prepared for them a blazing fire to dwell therein forever, they shall find neither protector nor helper. On the day when their faces are turned about in the fire they shall say: ‘Would that we had obeyed Allah and obeyed the Messenger!”‘ (33: 64-6).

We confirm paradise to whom it is confirmed in the Qur’an or the prophetic traditions either by name or description. Among those who are granted paradise and mentioned by name are Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘All and others who were specified by the Prophet, peace be upon him (Bukhari and Muslim). Among those whom we confirm to enter paradise because they fit the description are the faithful and the pious.

We likewise confirm hell to whom it is confirmed in the Qur’an and the sayings of the Prophet, whether in name or description. Among those who are mentioned by name to be in hell are Abu Lahab, ‘Amr Ibn Luhai al-Khuza’i, and others (Bukhari and Muslim). Confirmation of hell that is based on description includes every unbeliever, polytheist, or hypocrite.

What Happens in the Grave:

We believe in the Trial of the Grave, which involves questioning the deceased person in his grave about his Lord, his religion, and his prophet. There “Allah confirms those who believe with a firm saying, in the present life and the hereafter” (14:27). The believer will say: “Allah is my Lord, Islam is my religion, and Muhammad is my prophet.” The unbeliever or the hypocrite will say: “I do not know. I heard the people saying something and I said it.”

We believe in the comfort of the grave for the believers: “Those whose lives the angels take in state of purity, saying ‘peace be on you; enter paradise for what you were doing’ (16:32).

We believe in the punishment of the grave for the transgressing unbelievers: “If you could only see when the evildoers are in the agonies of death and the angels are stretching out their hands, saying, ‘Give up your souls! Today you shall be rewarded with the punishment of humiliation for what you used to say untrue about Allah, and for scornfully rejecting His signs”‘ (6:93). The sayings of the Prophet are numerous and well-known in this area. A Muslim must believe in all that is reported in the Qur’an and the prophetic traditions concerning the unseen matters. He should not contradict it by his worldly experience, because the affairs of the hereafter cannot be measured by the affairs of this life. The difference between them is very great. Allah is the source of help.
Chapter VII
FATE AND THE DIVINE DECREE

Belief:

We believe in Fate, whether good or bad, which Allah has measured and ordained for all creatures according to His previous knowledge and as deemed suitable by His wisdom.

Levels of Belief:

Belief in Fate has four levels: 1) Knowledge: We believe that Allah, may He be exalted, knows everything. He knows what has happened and what will happen and how it will happen. His knowledge is eternal. He does not acquire a new knowledge nor does he forget what He knows.

2) Recording: We believe that Allah has recorded in the secured tablet (al Lowh al Mahfuz) whatever is going to happen until the Day of Judgment: “Did you not know that Allah knows all that is in heaven and Earth? Surely that is in a book. Surely that for Allah is an easy matter” (22:70).

3) Will: We believe that Allah has willed everything in heaven and Earth. Nothing happens except by His will. Whatever He wills will take place, and whatever He does not will not take place.

4) Creation: We believe that “Allah is the Creator of all things; He is the Guardian over all things, and to Him belong the keys of the heavens and the Earth” (39:62-3). This level includes whatever Allah Himself does and whatever His creatures do. Thus each saying, deed, or omission of the people is known to Allah, Who has recorded, willed, and created them: “To those among you who will to be upright. But you shall not will except as Allah wills, the Lord of the Worlds” (81:2829); “And had Allah willed they would not have fought one against the other; but Allah does whatever He desires” (2:253); “Had Allah willed, they would not have done so, but leave them alone and their false inventions” (6:137); and “And Allah created you and what you do” (37:96). Man’s Free Will:

We believe, however, that Allah has granted man a power and a free will by which he performs his actions. That man’s deeds are done by his power and free will can be proven by the following points:

1) Allah says: “So approach your fields (wives) when and how you will” (2:223); and “Had they desired to go forth, they would have made some preparation for it” (9:46). In these verses, Allah affirmed for man “a going forth” by his will and “a preparation” by his desire.

2) Directing man to do or not to do. If man has no free will and power, these directions mean that Allah is asking man to do that which he cannot do. This proposition is rejected by Allah’s wisdom, mercy and truthful statement: “Allah does not charge a soul beyond its capacity” (2:286).

3) Praising the virtuous for his deeds and blaming the evildoer for his actions and rewarding each of them with what he deserves. If the action is not done by the individual’s free will, then praising the virtuous is a joke and punishing the evildoer is an injustice, and Allah is, of course, far from joking and being unjust.

4) Allah has sent messengers who are “bearing good tidings, and warning, so that mankind might have no argument against Allah after the messengers” (4:165). If the individual’s action is not performed by his free will, his argument is not invalidated by the sending of messengers.

5) Every doer of actions feels that he does or does not do a thing without any coercion. He stands up and sits, comes in and goes out, travels and stays by his own free will without feeling anybody forcing him to be any of these actions. In fact, he clearly distinguishes between doing something of his own free will and someone else forcing him to do that action. The Islamic law also wisely distinguishes between these states of affairs. It does not punish a wrongdoer for an action done under compulsion.

No Excuse for Sinners:

We believe that the sinner has no excuse in Allah’s divine decree, because he commits his sin by his free will, without knowing that Allah has decreed for him, for no one knows Allah’s decree before it takes place: “No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow” (31:34). How can it be possible, then, to present an excuse that is not known to the person who is advancing it when he commits his offense? Allah invalidated this type of argument by saying: “The idolaters will say ‘Had Allah willed, we would not have been idolaters, neither our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything.’ So did the people before them cry lies until they tasted our might. Say: ‘Have you any proofs that you can show us? You follow nothing but assumption, and you are Lying”‘ (6:148). We say to the sinner who is using divine decree as an excuse: ‘Why did you not perform deeds of obedience, assuming that Allah has decreed them upon you, since you did not know the difference between good deeds and sins? That is why, when Prophet Muhammad told his Companions that everyone’s position in paradise or hell has been assigned, they said: ‘Should not we rely on this and stop working?’ He said: ‘No, work and everyone will be directed to what he is created for”‘ (Bukhari and Muslim).

We say to the sinner who is trying to find an excuse in the divine decree: “Suppose you want to travel to Makkah. There are two roads that may take you there. You are told by a truthful person that one of these roads is dangerous and difficult, the other is easy and safe. You will take the second one. You will not take the first road and say it is decreed upon me. If you did, people would consider you crazy.”

We may also say to him: “If you are offered two jobs, one of which has a higher salary, you will certainly take the one with the higher salary. Why do you choose what is lower in the hereafter and use the divine decree as an excuse?”

We may further say to him: “We see you when you are afflicted with a disease, you knock at every physician’s door looking for treatment and bearing whatever pain that may result from surgical operations and the bitterness of medicine. Why do not you do the same when your heart is spiritually sick with sins?”

Evil Not Attributed to Allah:

We believe that evil should not be attributed to Allah, due to His perfect mercy and wisdom. The Prophet said: “And evil is not attributable to You” (Muslim). Thus Allah’s decree by itself has no evil whatsoever, because it is coming from mercy and wisdom. Evil may, however, result from some of His decrees, because the Prophet said in the supplication for gunut which he taught to al-Hasan: “And protect us from the evil of what You decreed” (Tirmidhi and others). Here, the Prophet attributed evil to what He decreed. Despite this, evil in His decree is not pure evil. It is rather evil in one respect and good in another, or it is evil in one case and good in another. Thus corruption in the land resulting from drought, disease, poverty, and fear is evil, but it is good in another respect. Allah, the Exalted said: “Corruption has appeared on the land and sea for what men’s hands have earned. Allah has ordained this for men, so that they may taste some of what they have done, in order that they may turn back (from evil)” (30:41). Cutting off the thief’s hand or stoning the adulterer is an evil thing for the thief and the adulterer, but it is good for them in one respect, because it is a purification for them so that the punishment of this life and the hereafter are not combined for them. These punishments are good in another respect: their application protects property, honor, and relationships.
Chapter VIII
BENEFITS

This sublime belief, which includes those great principles, bears numerous and useful types of fruits for whoever believes in it.

Virtues of Belief in Allah:

Belief in Allah, His names, and His attributes instills in the individual the love and glorification of Allah that result in his performing Allah’s instructions and avoiding His prohibitions. These are the means of achieving ultimate happiness in this life and the hereafter for both the individual and the society: “Whoever, male or female, does righteous deed, while believing, We shall assuredly grant him a goodly life, and We shall reward them according to the best of their deeds” (16:97).

Virtues of Belief in the Angels:

Appreciating the dignity of Allah, His might, and His sovereignty.

Gratitude toward Allah because He puts some of the angels in charge of His servants, recording their deeds and other things that benefit them. ¥ Love and admiration for the angels because of what they are doing, namely, worshipping Allah in the best possible manner and praying for the believers.

Virtues of Belief in the Books:

Appreciating Allah’s mercy and care for His people in that He sent down a book to every nation for its guidance.

Appreciating Allah’s wisdom, for He revealed in these books to every nation that which suits them. The glorious Qur’an is the final book and it is suitable to all people at all times until the Day of Judgment.

Showing gratitude for Allah’s mercy in revealing these books.

Virtues of Belief in the Messengers:

Appreciating Allah’s mercy and care for His people for sending them those great messengers to guide them to the straight path. Thanking Allah for this great favor.

Loving and respecting the prophets and praising them in what they deserve, because they are Allah’s messengers and His choice among His people. They worshipped Allah according to the best of their ability, conveyed His message to mankind, gave sincere advice to the people, and bore patiently whatever hurt they received.

Virtues of Belief in the Day of Judgment:

Endeavor to obey Allah to get the reward of that day and to avoid any disobedience to him for fear of His punishment.

A consolation for the believer for whatever he misses of worldly enjoyment by what he hopes to gain of blessings and reward of the hereafter.

Virtues of Belief in Fate and the Divine Decree:

Dependence on Allah when doing any action, because both the cause and effect are the result of Allah’s decree.

Ease of mind and comfort, because when the individual knows that everything is by Allah’s decree and that mishaps are going to take place anyway, his soul will be at ease and his heart will be satisfied with Allah’s decree. No one has a more comfortable life, worry-free soul, and stronger confidence than a believer in fate.

Freedom from arrogance when a goal is achieved, because this is a blessing from Allah through what He decreed of the causes of good and success. The individual should thank Allah for that and free himself from arrogance.

Freedom from worry and boredom in case of failure or mishap, because that is by Allah’s decree, the One who possesses the heavens and the Earth. Since that is going to happen anyway, the individual should be patient and hope for the reward from Allah. Allah points to the last two virtues in the following verse: “No misfortune can happen on earth or in yourselves but is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence, that is really easy for Allah; that you may not grieve for what escapes you, nor rejoice in what has come to you. Allah does not love any vainglorious boaster” (57:22-3).

We pray to Allah, the Exalted, to reward us for this belief, to realize for us its fruits, to increase our blessings, to keep us on the right path to which He has guided us, and to bestow on us a blessing from Him. He is indeed the Giver. Praise and gratitude be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be on Prophet Muhammad, his family, his Companions, and those who rightly follow them.

Ramadan is the name of the ninth Islamic lunar month. It is the month Allah (The one God), ordered the Muslims to fast since it was the month He revealed the Qur’an (the Muslims’ holy scripture) to Muhammad (the final Prophet of Allah). Muslims abstain from eating, drinking and intimate relations with their spouse during the daylight hours of the blessed month. It is a time for Muslims to contemplate on their belief and increase their faith by actively increasing in worship, prayer and receiting the Qur’an. It is an opportunity for spiritual as well as physical purificatio

Do Muslims not eat and drink for a whole month?

No. Muslims are ordered to abstain from food, drink and sensual pleasures from the break of dawn until sunset throughout the whole month. That means, that after sunset until the break of dawn of the following day, Muslims may eat and drink as they please. Many Muslims take this opportunity to invite friends and family over to share in the spirit of Ramadan
What do Muslims do during Ramadan?

Muslims usually wake before dawn to take a small meal called “suhoor”. They abstain from eating, drinking and sensual pleasures during the daylight hours of the blessed month. Muslims exert more effort in worship, praying, contemplating, helping others, giving charity, reciting the Quran (the holy book of the Muslims); many Muslims endeavour to complete the Qur’an’s recitation at least once during the month. At sunset, Muslims break their fast, usually with a big meal with family and friends. Many Muslims also attend the mosque at night, to engage in special night prayers called “taraweeh”.
Is Ramadan a Prophet of Islam?

No, Ramadan is not a Prophet of Islam. Ramadan is simply the name of the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calender. It happens to be the month that Allah (the One God) revealed the Qur’an, to Muhammad (the final Prophet of Allah). Islam believes and honours all the Prophets of the past as servants and Messengers of Allah, including Noah (Nooh), Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa) and Jesus (’Isa) May Allah send His peace upon them all. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the final Messenger of Allah, that the previous Messengers prophesised about. He preached the same message as those before him: “Worship Allah (the one God) alone, you have no god besides Him”.
Do children, sick and old people need to fast?

Fasting is only obligated on Muslims who have reached puberty, are sane and are healthy. So children who have not reached puberty are exempt, but are encouraged to fast some days, or a portion of a day, to train them for when they are obliged to fast. The temporarily sick who have a sickness that may extend a few days, where fasting may serverly affect them or prolong their recovery are not obliged to fast but must make up the days after Ramadan. The chronically ill and elderly, for example those with diabetes, are not obliged to fast, but should feed a needy or poor person for each day they miss.
How did the fast during Ramadan become obligatory for Muslims?

The revelations from God to the Prophet Muhammad that would eventually be compiled as the Quran began during Ramadan in the year 610, but the fast of Ramadan did not become a religious obligation for Muslims until the year 624. The obligation to fast is explained in the second chapter of the Quran: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous…The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it;…” (Chapter 2, verses 183 and 185)
What do Muslims believe they gain from fasting?

One of the main benefits of Ramadan are an increased compassion for those in need of the necessities of life, a sense of self-purification and reflection and a renewed focus on spirituality. Muslims also appreciate the feeling of togetherness shared by family and friends throughout the month. Perhaps the greatest practical benefit is the yearly lesson in self-restraint and discipline that can carry forward to other aspects of a Muslim’s life such as work and education.
Why does Ramadan begin on a different day each year?

Because Ramadan is a lunar month, it begins about eleven days earlier each year. Throughout a Muslim’s lifetime, Ramadan will fall both during winter months, when the days are short, and summer months, when the days are long and the fast is more difficult. In this way, the difficulty of the fast is evenly distributed between Muslims living in the northern and southern hemispheres.
What is Lailat ul-Qadr?

Lailat ul-Qadr (”Night of Power”) marks the anniversary of the night on which the Prophet Muhammad first began receiving revelations from God, through the angel Gabriel. An entire chapter in the Quran deals with this night: “We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power: and what will explain to thee what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by God’s permission, on every errand. Peace!…This until the rise of morn.” (Chapter 97) Muslims believe Lailat ul-Qadr is one of the last odd-numbered nights of Ramadan.
Is it difficult to perform the fast in Australia, Canada, USA, and UK?

In many ways, fasting in Australia, Canada, USA, and UK is easier than fasting in some of the African countries where the climate is extremely hot. This year at least, the number of daylight hours will be less than when Ramadan occurs during the summer. In Muslim countries, most people are observing the fast, so there are fewer temptations such as luncheon meetings, daytime celebrations and offers of food from friends. Many Australian Muslims would prefer a daytime work shift during Ramadan so that they may break the fast with their families and attend evening prayers.
How can non-Muslim co-workers and friends help someone who is fasting?

Employers, co-workers and teachers can help by understanding the significance of Ramadan and by showing a willingness to make minor allowances for its physical demands. Special consideration can be given to such things as requests for vacation time, the need for flexible early morning or evening work schedules and lighter homework assignments. It is also very important that Muslim workers and students be given time to attend Eid prayers at the end of Ramadan. Eid is as important to Muslims as Christmas and Yom Kippur are to Christians and Jews. A small token such as a card (there are Eid cards available from Muslim bookstores) or baked goods given to a Muslim co-worker during Eid ul-Fitr would also be greatly appreciated. Hospital workers should be aware that injections and oral medications might break the fast. Patients should be given the opportunity to decide whether or not their condition exempts them from fasting.
Do people normally lose weight during Ramadan؟

Some people do lose weight, but others may not. It is recommended that meals eaten during Ramadan be light, but most people can’t resist sampling special sweets and foods associated with Ramadan.

Praise be to Allaah. 

In the name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful 

“The revelation of the Book (this Qur’aan) is from Allaah, the All Mighty, the All Knower.

The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance, the Severe in punishment, the Bestower (of favours). Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), to Him is the final return”[Ghaafir 40:2-3 – interpretation of the meaning]

 Ibn ‘Abbaas – who was one of the companions of the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – narrated that some of the people of shirk (polytheism) killed and did a lot of killing, and they committed adultery and they did that a great deal, then they came to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said, “What you say and what you are calling for is good. If only you could tell us that there is any expiation for what we have done.” Then Allaah revealed the words (interpretation of the meaning):

‘Say: “O ‘Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful.

And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islamic Monotheism) to your Lord and submit to Him (in Islam) before the torment comes upon you, (and) then you will not be helped.

And follow the best of that which is sent down to you from your Lord (i.e. this Qur’aan, do what it orders you to do and keep away from what it forbids), before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not!”

Lest a person should say: “Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allaah (i.e. I have not done what Allaah has ordered me to do), and I was indeed among those who mocked [at the truth! i.e. Laa ilaaha illAllaah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah), the Qur’aan, and Muhammad and at the faithful believers]

Or (lest) he should say: “If only Allaah had guided me, I should indeed have been among the Muttaqoon (the pious).”

Or (lest) he should say when he sees the torment: “If only I had another chance (to return to the world), then I should indeed be among the Muhsinoon (good‑doers).”

Yes! Verily, there came to you My Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and you denied them, and were proud and were among the disbelievers.’[al-Zumar 39:53-59]”

 ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas was a mushrik (polytheist, idol-worshipper), a sinner and an enemy of Allaah. He said: “When Allaah put the love of Islam into my heart, I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to pledge my allegiance to him. He stretched out his hand towards me, but I said, ‘I will not pledge allegiance to you, O Messenger of Allaah, until you forgive me my previous sins.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to me, ‘O ‘Amr, do you not know that Islam wipes out whatever sins came before it.’” (Narrated by Imaam Ahmad, 17159). 

So flee to Allaah and know that there is nothing that you are worried about, but the solution to it is to be found in the texts quoted above. Indeed, these texts are addressed to you; they refer to your situation and contain the answer to your problem.

 Your Lord is Most Merciful; He accepts repentance and forgives all sins. His Mercy encompasses all things. He calls you and all His slaves to repent and to become Muslim. He has promised you, through the words of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), that all of your previous sins, major and minor, of whatever type, will be wiped out completely when you become Muslim, and you will start with a clean sheet, a new record of deeds that is free of bad deeds. So what are you waiting for? Why delay it any further? Hasten to enter Islam and worship your Lord, and we give you the glad tidings of a happy future and a good life in the shade of Islam. We were very happy – by Allaah – to receive your question, and we are waiting to hear good news.

 For more information on how to enter Islam, please look at Questions #703&11936 And Embracing Islam . May Allaah protect you from all evil, for He is the Best of Protectors and the Best of Supporters, and He is the Guide to the Straight Path.

WAMY Series on Islam No. 14

Mankind and the universe were not created by accident or chance, but according to the plan of the Creator, who is known as Allah (lit.: the one God) in Islam. The Qur’an states that it is the duty of all individuals to learn about Allah and to live according to His will. As we cannot accomplish this be ourselves, Allah has sent messengers and prophets to guide humanity All of these chosen individuals have brought the same message and have served as examples to their people of how Allah desires all human beings to live. Through these selected people, we have been told why mankind was created, what will happen to us after death, and what Allah expects of us. But most importantly, we have been told that Allah is unique-He has no partners, no sons or daughters, and no competitors, as so many other man-made religious systems have postulated. This message always remains the same, whereas the laws laid down for a particular might show some slight differences.

Muhammad, the last of Allah’s prophets, was sent to present Allah’s revelation in its final form and for the last time. This was necessary because the message delivered by the previous prophets and messengers had been corrupted or distorted by their followers. They had been mixed with philosophical speculations, superstitions, myths, and neglect. Therefore, Islam is not a new religion-it is a restatement of the original religion of Allah in its purest form and is designed to provide humanity with the uncorrupted message of Allah.

Islam is an Arabic word that denotes submission and obedience to Allah. It also means “peace,” for it brings peace of mind as well as peace on the individual and the social levels.

THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

In Islam, the term “worship” covers any action that one does in accordance with the will of Allah. It can be mental, physical, spoken, or otherwise. All such actions will be rewarded.

There are five acts of worship that are so fundamental that the Prophet grouped them together as the five pillars of Islam. Every Muslim is expected to fulfill these obligations. They are:

THE DECLARATION OF MONOTHEISM:

Recognizing and acknowledging the monotheistic nature of Allah stands at the core of Islam. This consists of a public affirmation that “there is no god but Allah (God), and Muhammad is His Messenger.” One cannot be a Muslim until he states this fact in the presence of Muslim witnesses.

PRAYERS:

A Muslim must perform the five daily prayers. These must be performed at specific times, corresponding roughly with dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and nightfall. The prayers can be made in any clean place, but it is preferable to pray them with others in a mosque, for this communal undertaking acts as a reminder that all Muslims are equal. When many people are praying together, it becomes clear that color, economic status, social position, and all other artificial distinctions have no importance to Allah, for all Muslims are commanded to stand together, shoulder to shoulder, and prostrate themselves before Him. There are no exceptions. Prayers also elevated the individual to a higher level of morality, purifies his heart, and helps him to resist his desire to engage in forbidden activities.

FASTING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN:

Every year during the Muslim month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, and sexual activity from dawn to sunset. While this gives the body a much needed rest and improves ones health by getting rid of excess weight, it also increases ones commitment to Allah, develops his social conscience, and reminds him of how the less fortunate live every day In addition, it strengthens one’s patience, self-restraint, will power, and sincerity.

CHARITY (Zakat):

Every Muslim whose net annual savings are above a certain specified minimum must pay an annual

amount of 2.5% to the poor and needy This action purifies one’s accrued wealth, fosters the quality of sacrifice, and rids him of selfishness and greed. It also helps to reduce resentment and envy between a society’s poor and rich classes.

HAJJ (Pilgrimage to Makkah):

Hajj is an act of worship that is to be performed at least once in a lifetime, provided that one is physically and financially able to do so. During this time, Muslims meet from all corners of the world in an international congregation for the sole purpose of responding to the call of Allah. It also reminds the participants that all Muslims are equal, irrespective of their geographical, cultural, or racial origins.

THE ARTICLES OF FAITH

All Muslims believe in:

. The oneness of Allah. Allah has no partner, son, daughter, helper, or competitor. There is nothing that even remotely resembles Him, for He is unique.

. All of the messengers and prophets of Allah. The Qur’an states that each people has received revelation from Allah in its own tongue so that all individuals know what is required of them. The Qur’an mentions twenty-five of them by name, among them Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, John, Jesus, and Muhammad. There are, however, many others who are not named. Muhammad, the last prophet, was sent with a universal message meant for all of humanity The message revealed through him is the Qur’an, which is Allah’s final presentation of the original revelation received by mankind in its purest form. A Muslim must accept all of Allah’s prophets and messengers as legitimate, for denial of one means denial of all. For western readers who are not convinced that Muhammad is a prophet of Allah, proof of this claim can be found in the Bible (Deut. 18:15-18, 33:2-3; Isaiah 29:12; Songs of Solomon 5:16;John 14:1516, 16:12-14) as well as in the biographical accounts of Muhammad’s life, which was lived in full view of his contemporaries.

. The original messages revealed through Allah’s various prophets and messengers. The purest of these is the Qur’an, for it was recorded during the lifetime of the Prophet and under his direct supervision. The revelations mentioned in the Qur’an as having been received by other prophets, such as the Suhuf of Abraham, the Torah of Moses, the Zubur (Psalms) of David, and the Injeel (Bible) of Jesus, have all been either lost or corrupted.

. The existence of angels as part of the unseen world. They are spiritual beings who have no need for food, drink, or sleep.

. The Day of Judgment. The Qur’an teaches that life is a test for each individual, for everyone must choose whether he will or will not follow the commands of Allah. On this day, a person will be resurrected and asked to account for what he did while he was alive. Those with good records will be rewarded and enter paradise, while those with bad records will be punished by being sent to hell. This belief develops within the individual an awareness of Allah’s presence and a desire to obey His laws sincerely and voluntarily

. A Muslim believes that nothing happens without the knowledge and permission of Allah. While we may not understand why certain things happens, it is part of the divine plan for our lives.

MUSLIMS: THE MODERATE NATION

Islam does not divide life into “spiritual” and “secular” realms. As all of life is thus unified and interconnected, Islam avoids the dangers of the extreme ritualism, secularism, or materialism that is found in other civilizations. Activities are not classified as belonging to the state or the individual, religion or daily life, but as belonging to Allah alone, Who has provided guidelines for individuals. These are to be followed in every aspect of their lives: individual, social, governmental, political, economical, spiritual, and otherwise Reflecting this moderation, the Qur’an has entitled the Muslims the “moderate nation. “

SOURCES OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGS

The Islamic way of life is based on the teachings and laws found in the Qur’an and the example (Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Qur’an is the word of Allah and was revealed in potions to Muhammad, via the Angel Gabriel, over a twenty-three year period. Each portion was recorded in writing by his official scribes and memorized by thousands of his followers. After his death, the written collection was given to Abu Bark, the first caliph, who oversaw its collection into one volume. The third caliph, Uthman, prepared several copies and sent them to different Muslim territories. Ever since that time, the same version has been used by Muslims. The wording, order, and language have never been altered in the slightest manner. No other book claiming to be a divine revelation can make this claim, and no one has ever been able to refute the claim of the Qur’an to complete authenticity

The Sunnah consists of the teachings, sayings, and actions of Prophet Muhammad. This information was meticulously reported and collected by his Companions. It is essentially an elaboration of the Qur’anic verses that shows how they are to be implemented in one’s daily life.

ISLAM: THE RELIGION OF EQUALITY

Islam recognizes no man-made artificial distinctions based on color, tribe, race, nationality, or otherwise. As all people come from the original couple-Adam and Eve-they are all one family and therefore equal before God. What distinguishes people from each other is their commitment to Islam: “The most honored in the sight of Allah is (he who is) most righteous.” (Qur’an 3:86).

ISLAM IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT

Islam states clearly that everyone is born a Muslim and is therefore monotheistic by nature. We read in the Qur’an that humanity has been created with the natural disposition towards the unity of God. This is to be expected, for Allah, who has breathed His spirit into each of us, is Himself the example of perfect unity. In the words of the Prophet Muhammad: “Every person is born with the innate religious faith (to submit to God Almighty).” Thus when an individual accepts Islam, he is not turning his back on any prior revelation but rather is returning to the original and true revelation of Allah and to his own nature as a creation of Allah. This being the case, Islam is your birthright-other religious or ideological systems are either corruptions our outright denials of Islam.

CRITERIA FOR TRUTH

How do you know if your belief system is true? Take a moment to look at the following list.

. Are the teachings of your belief system rational? Do they conform to the norms of human reason and intellect?

. Is the creator of your belief system perfect? Allah, the creator of Islam, is. . Does your belief system contain superstitions or myths? Islam presents humanity with only true knowledge.

. Can your belief system withstand the discoveries and claims of modern science? Islam can and does.

. How accurate are your belief system’s prophecies and predications? Islam’s are always completely accurate.

. Could a person have devised your belief system? No one has ever been able to imitate the Qur’an, although many have tried over the centuries.

Islam is not a new religion founded by Muhammad, but a final restatement of the original revelation that has been conveyed to humanity by messengers and prophets sent by Allah for that very purpose: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” (5:3). As the Qur’an is the final revelation and Muhammad is the final prophet, humanity is obligated to accept it: “If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost all spiritual good” (3:86).

The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word “Islam” itself means. The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, and Marxism after Karl Marx. Nor was it named after a tribe like Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam is the true religion of “Allah” and as such, its name represents the central principle of Allah’s “God’s” religion; the total submission to the will of Allah “God”. The Arabic word “Islam” means the submission or surrender of one’s will to the only true god worthy of worship “Allah” and anyone who does so is termed a “Muslim”, The word also implies “peace” which is the natural consequence of total submission to the will of Allah. Hence, it was not a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) I in Arabia in the seventh century, but only the true religion of Allah re-expressed in its final form.

Islam is the religion which was given to Adam, the first man and the first prophet of Allah, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. The name of God’s religion lslam was not decided upon by later generations of man. It was chosen by Allah Himself and clearly mentioned in His final revelation to man. In the final book of divine revelation, the Qur’aan, Allah states the following:

“This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion”. (Soorah Al-Maa’idah 5:3)

“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah (God) never will It be accepted of Him” (Soorah Aal’imraan 3:85)

“Abraham was not a Jew nor Christian; but an upright Muslim.” (Soorah Aal’imraan 3:67)

Nowhere in the Bible will you find Allah saying to Prophet Moses’ people or their descendants that their religion is Judaism, nor to the followers of Christ that their religion is Christianity. In fact, Christ was not even his name, nor was it Jesus! The name “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos which means the annointed. That is, Christ is a Greek translation of the Hebrew title “Messiah”. The name “Jesus” on the other hand, is a latinized version of the Hebrew name Esau.

For simplicity’s sake, I will however continue to refer to Prophet Esau (PBUH) as Jesus. As for his religion, it was what he called his followers to. Like the prophets before him, he called the people to surrender their will to the will of Allah; (which is Islam) and he warned them to stay away from the false gods of human imagination.

According to the New Testament, he taught his followers to pray as follows: “Yours will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”.

THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM

Since the total submission of one’s will to Allah represents the essence of worship, the basic message of Allah’s divine religion, Islam is the worship of Allah alone and the avoidance of worship directed to any person, place or thing other than Allah.Since everything other than Allah, the Creator of all things, is Allah’s creation; it may be said that Islam, in essence calls man away from the worship of creation and invites him to worship only its Creator. He is the only one deserving man’s worship as it is only by His will that prayers are answered. If man prays to a tree and his prayers are answered, it was not the tree which answered his prayers but Allah who allowed the circumstances prayed for to take place. One might say, “That is obvious,” however, to tree-worshippers it might not be. Similarly, prayers to Jesus, Buddha, or Krishna, to Saint Christopher, or Saint Jude or even to Muhammad, are not answered by them but are answered by Allah. Jesus did nottell his followers to worship him but to worship Allah. As the Qur’aan states:

“And behold Allah will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary Did you say to men, Worship me and my mother as gods besides Allah He will say-”Glory to you I could never say what I had no right (to say’)” (Soorah Al-Maa’idah- 5:116)

Nor did he worship himself when he worshipped but rather he worshipped Allah. This basic principle is enshrined in the opening chapter of the Qur’aan, known asSoorah Al-Faatihah, verse 4:

“You alone do we worship and from you alone do we seek help”.

Elsewhere, in the final book of revelation, the Qur’aan, Allah also said:

“And your Lord says:”Call on Me and I will answer your(prayer).”(Soorsh Mu’min 40:60)

it is worth noting that the basic message of Islam is that Allah and His creation are distinctly different entities. Neither is Allah His creation or a part of it, nor is His creation Him or a part of Him.

This might seem obvious, but, man’s worship of creation instead of the Creator is to a large degree based on ignorance of this concept. It is the belief that the essence of Allah is everywhere in His creation or that His divine being is or was present in some aspects of His creation, which has provided justification for the worship of creation though such worship maybecalled the worship of Allah through his creation. How ever, the message of Islam as brought by the prophets of Allah is to worship only Allah and to avoid the worship of his creation either directly or indirectly. In the Our’aan Allah clearlystates:

“For We assuredly sent amongst every people a prophet,(with the command) worship meand avoid false gods “ (Soorsh Al-Nahl 16:36)

When the idol worshipper is questioned as to why he or she bows down to idols created by men, the invariable reply is that they are not actually worshipping the stone image, but Allah who is present within it. They claim that the stone idol is only a focal point for Allah’s essence and is not in itself Allah! One who has accepted the concept of the presence of God’s being within His creation in any way will be obliged to accept this argument of idolatry. Whereas, one who understands the basic message of Islam and its implications would never concede to idolatry no matter how it is rationalized. Those who have claimed divinity for themselves down through the ages have often based their claims on the mistaken belief that Allah is present in man. They merely had to assert that although Allah according to their false beliefs, is in all of us, He is more present in them than in the rest of us. Hence, they claim, we should submit our will to them and worship them as they are either God in person or God concentrated within the person.

Similarly, those who have asserted the godhood of others after their passing have found fertile ground among those who accept the false belief of God’s presence in man. One who has grasped the basic message of Islam and its implications could never agree to worship another human being under any circumstances. God’s religion in essence is a clear call to the worship of the Creator and the rejection of creation-worship in any form. This is the meaning of the motto of Islam:

“Laa Elaaha lllallaah” (There is no god but Allah)

Its repetition automatically brings one within the fold of Islam and sincere belief in it guarantees one Paradise.

Thus, the final Prophet of Islam is reported to have said, “Any one who says: There is no god but Allah and dies holding that (belief) will enter paradise”.(Reported by Abu Dharr and collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).

It consists in the submission to Allah as one God, yielding to Him by obeying His commandments, and the denial of polytheism and polytheists.

THE MESSAGE OF FALSE RELIGION

There are so many sects, cults, religions, philosophies, and movements in the world, all of which claim to be the right way or the only true path to Allah. How can one determine which one is correct or if, in fact, all are correct? The method by which the answer can be found is to clear away the superficial differences in the teachings of the various claimants to the ultimate truth, and identify the central object of worship to which they call, directly or indirectly. False religions all have in common one basic concept with regards to Allah. They either claim that all men are gods or that specific men were Allah or that nature is Allah or that Allah is a figment of man’s imagination.

Thus, it may be stated that the basic message of false religion is that Allah may be worshipped in the form of His creation. False religion invites man to the worship of creation by calling the creation or some aspect of it God. For example, prophet Jesus invited his followers to worship Allah but those who claim to be his followers today call people to worship Jesus, claiming that he was Allah!

Buddha was a reformer who introduced a number of humanistic principles to the religion of India. He did not claim to be God nor did he suggest to his followers that he be an object of worship. Yet, today most Buddhists who are to be found outside of India have taken him to be God and prostrate to idols made in their perception of his likeness.

By using the principle of identifying the object of worship, false religion becomes very obvious and the contrived nature of their origin clear. As God said in the Our’aan:

That which you worship besides Him are only names you and your forefathers have invented for which Allah has sent down no authority: The command belongs only to Allah:

He has commanded that you only worship Him; that is the right religion, but most men do not understand “. (Soorah Yoosuf 12:40)

It may be argued that all religions teach good things so why should it matter which one we follow. The reply is that all false religions teach the greatest evil, the worship of creation. Creation-worship is the greatest sin that man can commit because it contradicts the very purpose of his creation. Man was created to worship Allah alone as Allah has explicitly stated in the Our’aan:

“I have only created Jlnns and men, that they may worship me”(Soorah Zaareeyaat 51:56)

Consequently, the worship of creation, which is the essence of idolatry, is the only unforgivable sin. One who dies in this state of idolatry has sealed his fate in the next life. This is not an opinion, but a revealed fact stated by Allah in his final revelation to man:

“Verily Allah will not forgive the joining of partners with Him, but He may forgive (sins) less than that for whom so ever He wishes”(Soorah An- Nisaa 4:48 and 116)

THE UNIVERSALITY OF ISLAM

Since the consequences of false religion are so grave, the true religion of Allah must be universally understandable and attainable, not confined to any people, place or time. There can not be conditions like baptism, belief in a man, as a saviour etc., for a believer to enter paradise. Within the central principle of Islam and in its definition, (the surrender of one’s will to God) lies the roots of lslam’s universality. Whenever man comes to the realization that Allah is one and distinct from His creation, and submits himself to Allah, he becomes a Muslim in body and spirit and is eligible for paradise. Thus, anyone at anytime in the most remote region of the world can become a Muslim, a follower of God’s religion, Islam, by merely rejecting the worship of creation and by turning to Allah (God) alone-It should be noted however, that the recognition of and submission to Allah requires that one chooses between right and wrong and such a choice implies accountability. Man will be held responsible for his choices, and, as such, he should try his utmost to do good and avoid evil. The ultimate good being the worship of Allah alone and the ultimate evil being the worship of His creation along with or instead of Allah. This fact is expressed in the final revelation as follows:

“Verily those who believe, those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures), the Christians and the Sabians any who believe In Allah and the last day, and work righteousness *hall have their reward with their Lord;They will not be overcome by fear nor grief (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:62).

If only they had stood by the law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that was sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from every side. There Is from among them a party on the right course; but many of them follow a course that Is evil.”. (Soorah Al-.Maa’idah 5:66)

RECOGNITION OF ALLAH

The question which arises here is, “How can all people be expected to believe in Allah given their varying- backgrounds, societies and cultures? For people to be responsible for worshipping Allah they all have to have access to knowledge of Allah. The final revelation teaches that all mankind have the recognition of Allah imprinted on their souls, a part of their very nature with which they are created.

In Soorah Al-A’raaf, Verses 172-173; Allah explained that when He created Adam, He caused all of Adam’s descendants to come into existence and took a pledge from them saying, Am I not your Lord? To which they all replied, ” Yes, we testify to It:’

Allah then explained why He had all of mankind bear witness that He is their creator and only true God worthy of worship. He said, “That was In case you (mankind) should say on the day of Resurrection, “Verily we were unaware of all this.” That is to say, we had no idea that You Allah, were our God. No one told us that we were only supposed to worship You alone. Allah went on to explain That it was also In case you should say, “Certainly It was our ancestors who made partners (With Allah) and we are only their descendants; will You then destroy us for what those liars did?” Thus, every child is born with a natural belief in Allah and an inborn inclination to worship Him alone called in Arabic the “Fitrah”.

If the child were left alone, he would worship Allah in his own way, but all children are affected by those things around them, seen or unseen.

The Prophet (PBUH) reported that Allah said, “I created my servants in the right religion but devils made them go astray”. The Prophet (PBUH) also said, “Each child is born in a state of “Fitrah”, then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or a Zoroastrian, the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring. Have you noticed any that were born mutilated?” (Collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).

So, just as the child submits to the physical laws which Allah has put in nature, his soul also submits naturally to the fact that Allah is his Lord and Creator. But, his parents try to make him follow their own way and the child is not strong enough in the early stages of his life to resist or oppose the will of his parents. The religion which the child follows at this stage is one of custom and upbringing and Allah does not hold him to account or punish him for this religion.

Throughout people’s lives from childhood until the time they die, signs are shown to them in all regions of the earth and in their own souls, until it becomes clear that there is only one true God (Allah). If the people are honest with themselves, reject their false gods and seek Allah, the way will be made easy for them but if they continually reject Allah’s signs and continue to worship creation, the more difficult it will be for them to escape. For example, in the South Eastern region of the Amazon jungle in Brazil, South America, a primitive tribe erected a new hut to house their main idol Skwatch, representing the supreme God of all creation. The homage to the God, and while he was in prostration to what he had been taught was his Creator and Sustainer, a mangy old flea-ridden dog walked into the hut, The young man looked up in time to see the dog lift its hind leg and pass urine on the idol. Outraged, the youth chased the dog out of the temple, but when his rage died down he realized that the idol could not be the Lordof the universe. Allah must be elsewhere. he now had a choice to act on his knowledge and seek Allah, or to dishonestly go along with the false beliefs of his tribe. As strange as it may seem, that was a sign from Allah for that young man. It contained within it divine guidance that what he was worshipping was false.

Prophets were sent, as was earlier mentioned, to every nation and tribe to support man’s natural belief in Allah and man’s inborn inclination to worship Him as well as to reinforce the divine truth in the daily signs revealed by Allah. Although, in most cases, much of the prophets’ teachings became distorted, portions remained which point out right and wrong. For example, the ten commandments of the Torah, their confirmation in the Gospels and the existence of laws against murder, stealing and adultery in most societies. Consequently, every soul will be held to account for its belief in Allah and its acceptance of the religion of Islam; the total submission to the will of Allah.

We pray to Allah, the exalted, to keep us on the right path to which He has guided us, and to bestow on us a blessing from Him, He is indeed the Most Merciful. Praise and gratitude be to Allah,the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be on prophet Muhammed, his Family, his companions, and those who rightly follow them.

Wystawy przedstawiają ideały: wszystkiego co jest najlepsze w ludzkiej pracy, społeczeństwie, czasie przeznaczonym na sztukę i tym podobnych. Rozmowa o wystawach powinna zrobić to samo, więc zacznę od przedstawienia ideałów Islamu dotyczących kobiet, ich modeli zachowań. Pokażę jak te ideały opisuje Koran, który muzułmanie uważają za objawione słowo Boże – Allaha w języku arabskim. Powołam się również na Hadisy i Sunnę, które relacjonują słowa i zwyczaje Proroka Muhammada*. Te dwa źródła stanowią podstawę dla islamskiego prawa – Szariatu – ciało ustawodawcze i moralne przewodnictwo skonstruowane przez muzułmańskich uczonych. Chociaż Koran jest nie do zakwestionowania, to każdy z Hadisów jest otwarty na uzasadnione dociekania uczonych o jego autentyczność; a interpretacje Koranu i Hadisów często się różnią między sobą i w dalszym ciągu są otwarte na badania. Te różne opinie wydawane przez uczonych dają możliwość muzułmanom na wybór pomiędzy nimi, aby znaleźć dla ciebie odpowiednie przewodnictwo. Prawo Islamu nie jest monolityczne i niezmienne jak mogłoby się wydawać, chociaż posiada pewną bazę na której się opiera.

Ten wstęp jest ważny w odniesieniu do kobiet w Islamie, ponieważ często muzułmańscy uczeni obserwują, że rodzinne prawo Islamu praktykowane w niektórych muzułmańskich państwach trochę przypomina liberalne i sympatyczne traktowanie kobiet zapoczątkowanego przez Proroka Muhammada (pzn). Nawet Małdudi, uważany przez niektórych za pochodzącego z najbardziej konserwatywnych nowoczesnych islamskich komentatorów, Abul A’la Małdudi krytykował sposób praktykowania prawa hinduskich muzułmanów. Ważne jest więc, aby odróżniać obecny lub nawet miniony sposób praktykowania od właściwego sensu tego prawa – idealnego, zesłanego przez Allaha w Koranie i zademonstrowanego przez Proroka Muhammada*. Większość piszących o kobietach w Islamie zgadza się, że konieczny jest powrót do źródeł w celu ponownej ich interpretacji w kontekście społeczeństw w których dzisiaj żyjemy. Pozwoliłoby to oczyścić dzisiejsze prawo ze wszystkich zniekształceń pochodzących: czy to z naleciałości kultury regionalnej, czy też z prób ‘reformy’ Szariatu przeprowadzanych przez osadników europejskich. Tymi źródłami są: Koran i Hadisy, na które się tutaj głównie powołuje.

Koran ma dużo do powiedzenia KOBIETOM i O KOBIETACH. Jest jedna z sur nosząca nazwę “Kobiety”, inna nazwana jest od imienia Maryi – matki Jezusa (pzn). Kobiety występują w wielu innych częściach. W opowiadaniach proroków mamy:

- Hawwa (Ewa) żona Adama, nie kusicielka, która zwiodła Adama do grzechu, ale partnerka tak samo jak Adam za to odpowiedzialna i tak samo zostało jej to przez Boga wkrótce wybaczone;

- Żona Nuh (Noe) (pzn), która zdradziła męża i jest uważana wraz z żoną Lota jako przykład niewiary (66:10);

- Żona Ibrahima (Abrahama), która zaśmiała się na wieść przyniesioną od anioła, że w swoim podeszłym wieku urodzi dziecko;

- Żona Faraona, która uratowała niemowlę Musa (Mojżesza) (pzn) i razem z Marią, matką Jezusa, jest jedną z dwóch przykładów prawdziwej wiary przedstawionych w Surze 66:11 i 12;

żona Aziza, która próbowała uwieść Jusufa (Józefa), lecz mimo tego potraktowana została z sympatią, kiedy pokazała swoim przyjaciółkom jak przystojny jest Józef, a one w oszołomieniu jego urodą pocięły sobie ręce;

oraz wiele innych kobiet.

Warto zauważyć, iż te cztery kobiety, zaprezentowane wyżej, zostały przedstawione jako przykład muzułmanki lub muzułmanina naprawdę wierzącego w warunkach trudnych i niewiernego w warunkach sprzyjających.

Dwa przykłady prawdziwej wiary pomimo stanowiska bliskich osób. Żona Faraona ratuje Mojżesza od złego rozkazu męża, który rozkazał zabić wszystkich nowonarodzonych Hebrajczyków o płci męskiej, a Maria stanęła przed oskarżeniami o jej niemoralność, kiedy przyniosła do domu dziecko urodzone po dziewiczym poczęciu.

- Dwa przypadki niewiary żon proroków Allaha. Żaden z tych dwóch przypadków nie pokazuje tradycyjnego obrazu ‘pokornej’ kobiety.

Jest tam opis nowoczesnych kobiet z otoczenia Proroka: jego żony i córki. Jedna z jego żon, Umm Salama, skarży mu się, że Koran jest adresowany tylko do mężczyzn, i wtedy długi fragment został objawiony Prorokowi*, w każdej linii adresowany do mężczyzn i kobiet, który wyraźnie i równo rozdziela odpowiedzialność i nagrody pomiędzy muzułmanów i muzułmanki.

Zaprawdę – muzułmanie i muzułmanki, wierzący i wierzące, prawdomówni i prawdomówne, cierpliwi i cierpliwe, pokorni i pokorne, dający jałmużnę i dające jałmużnę, poszczący i poszczące, zachowujący czystość i zachowujące, wspominający Boga często i wspominające – przygotował dla was Bóg przebaczenie i nagrodę ogromną.

(Koran 33:35)

Aisza, jego najmłodsza żona, wywołała skandal, kiedy wyszła na pustynię w poszukiwaniu naszyjnika, który tam zgubiła i została z tyłu za karawaną. Uratował ją młody mężczyzna, z którym razem wróciła, po czym rozgorzały plotki jakoby mieli oni romans. Spowodowało to wielką krzywdę jej i Prorokowi, dopiero po pewnym czasie zostali oswobodzeni przez inne objawienie (24:4) utrzymujące, że ludzie którzy wyprowadzają takie oskarżenia przeciw czystym kobietom muszą mieć czterech świadków lub poniosą karę chłosty, a ich słowo nie będzie miało już żadnego znaczenia.

Są tam fragmenty adresowane do żon Proroka jako do grupy, na przykład:

O żony Proroka! Wy nie jesteście takie jak inne kobiety. Jeśli jesteście bogobojne, nie bądźcie pokorne w słowach, aby nie pożądał was ten, w którego sercu mieszka choroba; mówcie słowa odpowiednie!

Przebywajcie w swoich domach i nie ozdabiajcie się w ten sposób, jak ozdabiały się kobiety za czasów pogaństwa! Odprawiajcie modlitwę, dawajcie jałmużnę, słuchajcie Boga i Jego Posłańca! O ludzie domu! Bóg chce tylko odsunąć od was brud i oczyścić was całkowicie.

I wspominajcie to, co wam jest recytowane w waszych domach ze znaków Boga i z mądrości! Zaprawdę, Bóg jest Przenikliwy, w pełni świadomy!

Koran 33:32-34

Inne fragmenty są adresowane przez Proroka do jego żon, córek i kobiet wiernych.

Pozostałe zostały objawione w odpowiedzi na skargi zwykłych kobiet, np. praktyka rozwodu przez abstynencję w małżeństwie (zihar). Pewna kobieta skarżyła się Prorokowi odnośnie tej praktyki, przez którą została ona pozbawiona seksualnej satysfakcji, nie była wolna, więc nie mogła poślubić innego mężczyzny, ten wers potępia taką praktykę.

Bóg usłyszał słowa tej, która dyskutowała z tobą w sprawie swego męża i która skarżyła się Bogu…

Koran 58:1

Inny fragment został zesłany w odpowiedzi na skargę kobiety na sposób, w jaki jej mąż chciał mieć z nią stosunek (2:223).

Koran jest więc księgą, która ma dużo do powiedzenia KOBIETOM i O KOBIETACH. Co ona mówi? Pokazaliśmy już, że nie potępia ona wszystkich kobiet tak jak robi się to w Chrześcijaństwie w związku z uczynkiem Ewy, lecz stoi zawsze po stronie kobiety, która skarży się na niesprawiedliwość w małżeństwie, rozwodzie i fałszywych oskarżeniach. A jak przedstawia stworzenie kobiety? Jest ona tylko częścią Adama stworzoną machinalnie? Oto co mówi Księga w pierwszym wersie Sury An-Nisa – Kobiety:

O ludzie! Bójcie się waszego Pana, który was stworzył z jednej duszy i stworzył z niej drugą do pary; a z nich dwojga rozprzestrzenił wiele mężczyzn i kobiet.

Koran 4:1

“Jedna dusza” nie jest ani płci męskiej ani żeńskiej, chociaż można by to zrozumieć, że nie do końca byłby to Adam. Faktem jest, że “dusza” jest rodzaju żeńskiego, a “druga do pary” jest rodzaju męskiego. Nie sugeruję, że kobieta była pierwsza, ponieważ w innych częściach Koranu opisywane jest stworzenie Adama. Ale związek płci jest tutaj ambiwalentny. Druga do pary została stworzona z “duszy” nie ze skromnego żebra. Żadna ze szkół muzułmańskich po przeczytaniu tego nie mogłaby się sprzeczać, jak niektórzy chrześcijanie, że kobiety nie posiadają duszy! Zostały one stworzone z tej samej duszy, co mężczyźni. Ich pojemność dobra i zła jest identyczna jak u mężczyzn. Wers 49:13 Koranu mówi nam, że dobre uczynki i świadomość Allaha czynią wierzącego, mężczyznę lub kobietę, szlachetnym w obliczu Allaha:

Zaprawdę, najbardziej szlachetny spośród was, w obliczu Boga, to najbardziej bogobojny spośród was!

i w 40:40:

A kto czyni dobro, mężczyzna czy kobieta, i jest wierzący – tacy wejdą do Ogrodu…

.

Zadania mężczyzn i kobiet są tej samej wartości i każdy otrzyma odpowiednią nagrodę za swe uczynki:

Ja nie pozwolę zginąć żadnemu uczynkowi tego spośród was, który czyni dobro, czy będzie to mężczyzna, czy kobieta.

Koran 3:195

Tego, kto spełni dobre dzieło – czy to mężczyzna, czy kobieta – i jest wierzącym, My ożywimy życiem wspaniałym, i takim wypłacimy ich wynagrodzenie czymś piękniejszym niż to, co czynili.

Koran 16:97

Oboje, mężczyzna i kobieta, mają takie same obowiązki w związku ze swoją wiarą:

Zaprawdę – muzułmanie i muzułmanki, wierzący i wierzące, prawdomówni i prawdomówne, cierpliwi i cierpliwe, pokorni i pokorne, dający jałmużnę i dające jałmużnę, poszczący i poszczące, zachowujący czystość i zachowujące, wspominający Boga często i wspominające – przygotował dla was Bóg przebaczenie i nagrodę ogromną.

(Koran 33:35)

Jest kilka wyjątków; kobiety zostały zwolnione z niektórych obowiązków:

- Post w okresie ciąży, karmienia lub menstruacji,

- Modlitwa podczas menstruacji lub krwawienia poporodowego, i

- Obowiązek uczestnictwa w piątkowej modlitwie w meczecie.

- Nie są zobowiązane do brania udziału w zbrojnej walce na drodze Islamu, jednakże nie jest im to zakazane.

Ale w normalnych okolicznościach jest im dozwolone robienie tych wszystkich rzeczy co mężczyznom.

- Nawet podczas menstruacji w pewne dni, takie jak dwa święta Id, mogą one uczestniczyć w modlitwach Id, i mogą brać udział w większości działań związanych z pielgrzymką Hadżdż.

Ale czy obowiązki kobiet w życiu społecznym są inne i wzajemnie się uzupełniające jak twierdzi większość uczonych? Czy ich wyłączną funkcją są prace domowe i wychowywanie dzieci, podczas gdy mężczyźni robią pozostałe rzeczy? Czy fakt, że cierpią z powodu zakłóceń na zdrowiu podczas miesiączki sprawia, że nie niestosowna jest dla nich praca poza domem, i nadają się tylko do utrzymywania szczęścia i pokoju w rodzinie, jak Małdudi chciał abyśmy myśleli. To jest argument, który jest rażąco wyolbrzymiany przez męską część uczonych, aby usprawiedliwić wszelkiego rodzaju dyskryminacje przeciw kobietom. Małdudi chciał abyśmy myśleli, że kobiety ledwie mogą się nacieszyć zdrowiem psychicznym w swoim życiu, tak bardzo destrukcyjne są efekty menstruacji i rodzenia dzieci. Bez wątpienia jest trochę prawdy w tym opisie zakłócenia zdrowia, i powinno być to wzięte pod uwagę przez mężczyzn i inne kobiety, ale nie dyskwalifikuje to kobiet z wykonywania tych samych zadań, co mężczyźni bardziej niż dyskwalifikuje je to z tworzenia szczęśliwego i dobrze funkcjonującego ogniska domowego.

Nie ma też żadnych podstaw w Koranie i Hadisach dla takiego nastawienia. Koran wspomina menstruacje w 2:222:

Będą ciebie pytać o okres miesięczny. Powiedz: “To jest cierpienie. Trzymajcie się więc z dala od kobiet podczas okresu miesięcznego i nie zbliżajcie się do nich, dopóki one się nie oczyszczą. A kiedy się oczyszczą, to przychodźcie do nich, tak jak nakazał wam Bóg.”

Zgodnie z interpretacjami prawa Islamu to oznacza, że tylko stosunek płciowy jest niedozwolony w tym okresie, ale każda inna forma intymności jest wciąż dopuszczalna. Mówiąc w skrócie, menstruacja może być nieczysta i bolesna, ale nie jest to niemoc.

Prawo Islamu nie żąda, aby kobieta ograniczała się do obowiązków domowych. A nawet pierwsze muzułmańskie kobiety uczestniczyły we wszystkich zakątkach życia. Pierwsza żona Proroka, matka jego wszystkich utrzymanych przy życiu dzieci, była kobietą interesu i zatrudniła go jako pracownika, oraz za pomocą osoby trzeciej oświadczyła mu się. Kobiety handlowały na rynku, a Kalif Umar, nie słynący ze swego tolerancyjnego stosunku do kobiet, wyznaczył kobietę, Szaff’a Bint Abdullah, do nadzorowania sklepu. Inne kobiety, jak Laila al-Ghifariah, brała udział w bitwach, nosiła wodę i pielęgnowała rannych. Natomiast Suffia bint Abdul Muttalib nawet walczyła i zabijała wrogów w obronie swojej i Proroka* oraz Umm Dhahhak bint Masoud dostała taką samą część z łupów jak mężczyźni. Ibn Dżarir i al-Tabari oświadczyli, że kobiety mogą być wyznaczane do stanowisk sądowniczych do orzekania we wszystkich sprawach, jednak Abu Hanifa wykluczył kobiety z decydowania o tak ważnych sprawach jak karanie za ciężkie hadd i qisas, a inni prawnicy oświadczyli, że kobiety w ogóle nie mogą sądzić. Koran przemawia faworyzująco o Królowej Saba i o sposobie, w jakim konsultowała się ze swoimi doradcami, którzy ulegali jej dobrym orzeczeniom jak radzić sobie z groźbą najazdu armii Solomona. (Koran 27:32-35):

Powiedziała (Królowa Saba): “O starszyzno! Dajcie mi radę w mojej sprawie! Ja nie mogę rozstrzygnąć niczego, dopóki nie będziecie przy mnie świadkami.” Oni powiedzieli: “Posiadamy wielką siłę i posiadamy wielką odwagę, lecz rozkaz należy do ciebie. Rozważ więc, co rozkażesz!” Ona powiedziała: “Kiedy królowie wkraczają do miasta, to je niszczą i czynią najmożniejszych z jego mieszkańców – najnędzniejszymi. W ten sposób oni czynią. Ja jednak poślę im podarunek i zobaczę, z czym powrócą wysłannicy.”

Kobiety przewodniczą czasem islamskim okręgom, jak Arwa bint Ahmad, która służyła jako gubernator Jemenu pod Kalifatem Fatimid pod koniec piątego i na początku szóstego wieku.

Najbardziej chwalonym Hadisem wypowiedzianym przez Proroka: “Ludziom, którzy powierzają władzę kobiecie, nigdy nie będzie się dobrze powodzić”, okazuje się być niepewny z kilku powodów. Jest on wydzielony i niepotwierdzony, i uprzednio nieobowiązujący w prawie Islamu, i w dodatku jest powód, aby sądzić, że został on sfałszowany odnośnie bitwy przeciw czwartemu Kalifatowi Ali, w której przewodniczyła wdowa po Proroku, Aisza. W świetle przykładów z historii o rządzących kobietach jest on wręcz niemożliwy do utrzymania i nieprawdziwy.

Podsumowując, bez żadnych wątpliwości kobiety posiadają kwalifikacje do każdego rodzaju pracy, pomimo niektórych fałszywych i sprzecznych antyhadisów. Kobiety mogą pracować tak jak mężczyźni, ale one NIE MUSZĄ robić tego w celu utrzymania się. Wolno im i są zachęcane do spełniania się w małżeństwie i macierzyństwie, a utrzymywane są po to, aby mogły zostać w domu i dobrze wykonywać swoje obowiązki.

Muzułmanki zawsze posiadały prawo do posiadania i kierowania własnym majątkiem, prawo, które kobiety w tym kraju zdobyły zaledwie 100 lat temu. Małżeństwo w Islamie nie oznacza, że mężczyzna przejmuje majątek żony, ani że ona ma automatyczne prawo do całego jego dobytku, jeśli on umrze bez pozostawienia testamentu. Oboje są wciąż uważani jako indywidualne osoby z obowiązkami względem innych członków rodziny – rodziców, braci, sióstr, itd.; prawa do spadku to obrazują. Mąż ma obowiązek wspierać i utrzymywać żonę, jak to jest napisane w Koranie, i powinno tak być nawet jeśli jest ona bogata. Nie ma on prawa oczekiwać, że będzie utrzymywała się sama, lub że będzie sama utrzymywała dzieci lub jego. Jeśli ona przyczynia się do wzrostu dochodów na dom to jest to przyjmowane jako jej dar charytatywny.

Z powodu tej wielkiej odpowiedzialności finansowej, niektóre kategorie męskich krewnych, w związku z prawem spadkowym w Koranie, dziedziczą dwa razy tyle co ich kobiety, ale inni, których odpowiedzialność jest mniejsza dziedziczą tyle samo – matki i ojcowie, na przykład każdy jest upoważniony do jednej szóstej części po dzieciach, po zapisaniu (do jednej trzeciej części) i spłatę długów (Koran 4:11):

Jeśli zmarły ma syna, to każdemu z dwojga rodziców zmarłego przypadnie jedna szósta z pozostawionego majątku.

A jeśli nie ma syna i dziedziczą po nim rodzice, to jego matce przypada jedna trzecia; a jeśli on ma braci, to jego matce przypadnie jedna szósta…

Kobiety są tak więc uprawnione: aby mężowie je utrzymywali i dziedziczą po wszystkich krewnych. Mogą prowadzić business lub pracować w domu lub poza domem, tak długo jak rodzina z tego powodu nie cierpi, a pieniądze, które zarobią są tylko własnością tych kobiet, i do póki one żyją nikt inny nie ma do nich praw.

Nie oczekuje się od kobiet aby wykonywały prace domowe. Jeśli nie są do tego przyzwyczajone, mąż jest zobowiązany do dostarczenia pomocy w miarę swoich możliwości finansowych i dopilnować, aby żona i dzieci dostawały przygotowaną żywność. Sam Prorok* pomagał przy pracach domowych i reperował swoje buty. Kobiety nie są nawet zobowiązane do karmienia piersią swoich dzieci. Jeśli para się rozwodzi i oboje zgadzają się, to mogą oddać dziecko do mamki, za którą mąż musi zapłacić. Jeżeli matka zdecyduje, że sama wykarmi dziecko, on musi również jej za to zapłacić! Jest to napisane w Koranie (2:233):

Matki pragnące w pełni wykarmić swoje dzieci będą je karmiły przez całe dwa lata. A na ojcu dziecka ciąży obowiązek zaopatrzenia ich w żywność i odzież, zgodnie z przyjętym zwyczajem… Jeśli oboje chcą odstawić dziecko od piersi za obopólną zgodą i naradą, to nie popełnią grzechu. A jeśli zechcecie oddać do karmienia wasze dzieci, to nie będziecie mieli grzechu, jeśli dacie za to wynagrodzenie zgodnie z przyjętym zwyczajem…

Jakie są podstawy tego, że wszystko spada na barki mężczyzn, a kobiety są tylko od macierzyństwa i prac domowych?

Niemniej jednak status kobiety w małżeństwie jest bardzo szanowany w Islamie, oraz również prawa dzieci. Żadna muzułmańska kobieta nie może czuć się zawstydzona tym, że jest tylko gospodynią domową. Ona jest głową domu, jednakże to mąż ma decydujące słowo w decydujących sprawach. W związku z Hadisem:

Władca jest jak pasterz i jest odpowiedzialny za soje królestwo, mąż jest jak pasterz i jest odpowiedzialny za swoją rodzinę, żona jest jak pasterz i jest odpowiedzialna za swoje domostwo, i służący jest jak pasterz i jest odpowiedzialny za majątek swego pana.

Hadis: Bukhari

Żona musi ulegać mężowi, ponieważ to on utrzymuje ją i ochrania (Koran 4:34), ale nie w przypadku, gdy on próbuje zmusić ją do złamania prawa Allaha. Podobnie posłuszeństwo i szacunek dzieci względem rodziców jest tylko w zakresie ustanowionym przez Allaha. Jeżeli rodzice nakłaniają do nieposłuszeństwa Allahowi, wtedy obowiązkiem dzieci jest się przeciwstawić rodzicom. Jeżeli mąż umyślnie zawiedzie w opiece nad żoną, to ona ma prawo do rozwodu.

Kobiety są również uprawnione do szacunku jako matki: Allah mówi w Koranie (31:14):

I nakazaliśmy człowiekowi co do jego rodziców: – matka nosiła go pośród wielu trudów…

Prorok* powiedział:

Raj leży u stóp matki…

i w innym Hadisie Prorok* powiedział pewnemu mężczyźnie, że jego matka, która jest ponad innymi ludźmi, nawet ojcem, jest warta najwyższy szacunek i współczucie.

W przypadku rozwodu matka ma pierwszeństwo do ubiegania się o opiekę nad najmłodszymi dziećmi, następne są pozostałe kobiety z jej rodziny w przypadku gdyby wyszła ponownie za mąż lub nie mogła zajmować się dziećmi. Prawo opieki przechodzi na rodzinę męża dopiero po uzyskaniu przez dzieci wieku większej samodzielności, który różni się w zależności od szkoły prawa, wtedy życzenia dziecka muszą być wzięte pod uwagę; według tego jak uczynił Prorok*. W pewnej sprawie zapytał on dziecka:

To jest twój ojciec a to jest twoja matka, weź kogo z nich chcesz za rękę.

Hadis: Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Darimi

Chłopiec poszedł do matki.

W innym przypadku pewna kobieta odwiedziła Proroka przekazując mu, że jej mąż przyjął Islam, a ona nie chciała tego zrobić, i dodała, że jej córka zostawała bez mleka matki, gdy ojciec ją zabierał. Prorok kazał usiąść temu dziecku pomiędzy matką i ojcem, i powiedział, aby oboje ją zawołali. Dziecko pójdzie do tego, kogo wybierze. Dziecko odpowiedziało matce. Prorok modlił się do Allaha, aby poprowadził to dziecko i wtedy dziecko wybrało ojca i w skutek tego Rafi (ojciec) wziął dziecko (Hadis: Abu Dawud).

W tym kraju wciąż nowością jest dawanie takich praw dzieciom.

Pomimo, iż akt małżeństwa w Islamie jest cywilną umową pomiędzy dwoma stronami, nie sakramentem jak w chrześcijaństwie, to nie jest to tylko związek dla materialnej wygody. Słowa w Koranie użyte do opisu małżeństwa są poetyckie i piękne:

I z Jego znaków jest to, iż On stworzył dla was żony z was samych, abyście mogli odpocząć przy nich; i ustanowił między wami miłość i miłosierdzie.

Koran 30:21

One są ubiorem dla was, a wy jesteście ubiorem dla nich

Koran 2:187

Miłość, litość, bliskość i wzajemna ochrona oraz skromność są cechami oczekiwanymi w islamskim małżeństwie. Nawet w Raju małżeństwo pozostaje jedną z największych radości:

Zaprawdę, mieszkańcy Ogrodu tego Dnia będą się jedynie radować. Oni i ich żony będą wypoczywać w cieniu na ozdobnych łożach. Będą tam dla nich owoce i będą mieli wszystko, czego zażądają. “Pokój!” – słowo od Pana litościwego.

Koran 36:55-58

Od mężów oczekuje się, że będą życzliwie traktować swoje żony podczas trwania małżeństwa oraz nawet w czasie rozwodu i po nim. Allah mówi w Koranie:

Obchodźcie się z nimi w sposób przyzwoity. A jeśli czujecie względem nich wstręt, to, być może, czujecie wstręt do czegoś, w czym Bóg umieścił wielkie dobro.

Koran 4:19

Prorok* powiedział:

Najlepszym w wierze, spośród wierzących jest ten, który jest najlepszy w manierach i życzliwości co do swej żony.

(Hadis: Ibn Hanbal)

Pary małżeństwie są namawiane w Koranie do porozumiewania się w duchu wzajemnych konsultacji i obopólnej zgody, nawet gdy rozważają rozwód i opiekę nad dziećmi:

… Jeśli oboje chcą odstawić dziecko od piersi za obopólną zgodą i naradą, to nie popełnią grzechu…

Koran 2:233

A o ile bardziej ten duch powinien dominować w szczęśliwym małżeństwie!

Małżeństwo zostało przez Allaha przeznaczone również do dawania owoców. W Koranie powiedziane jest:

… On uczynił dla was z was samych – pary, i tak samo z trzód – pary. On was rozmnaża w ten sposób…

Koran 42:11

Wasze kobiety są dla was polem uprawnym…

Koran 2:223

Antykoncepcja nigdy nie została w Islamie zabroniona, jako że Prorok* pozwolił na metodę przerywaną tak długo, jak żona się zgadza. Przez analogię inne metody zapobiegania ciąży są również dozwolone.

Praktyczne aspekty małżeństwa są ujęte w kontrakcie małżeńskim, w którym żona może określić swoje warunki, wiele muzułmanek wykorzystuje to do wzięcia sobie prawa do rozwodu, np. gdy mąż bierze drugą żonę. Musi to zawierać małżeński podarunek – sadaka lub mahr – dla żony od męża, w kwocie i za zgodą ich obojga. Zazwyczaj, zgodnie ze zwyczajami – praktyka poparta w Szariacie – młode niedoświadczone kobiety byłyby reprezentowane w negocjacjach przez “małżeńskiego opiekuna” lub łali, który jest obecny, aby dopilnować jej interesów. Ten łali powinien być jej ojcem lub dziadkiem, ale dla starszej lub bardziej doświadczonej kobiety dopuszcza się, aby sama wskazała wybraną przez siebie osobę do występowania w jej sprawie. Kiedy Prorok* poślubił wdowę Umm Salamah, jej syn występował w roli jej łali, a Prorok* prosił o jego pozwolenie na poślubienie jej. (Ibn Raszd) Życzenia bliskich krewnych, w szczególności rodziców, muszą być wzięte pod uwagę i muszą być poproszeni o zgodę. Zgodnie z niektórymi ahadisami lepiej jest zerwać małżeństwo, które nie zadowala rodziców, przecież rodzice są bramą do Nieba.

Rodzice mają obowiązek pomocy dzieciom w znalezieniu współmałżonka,

Umar Ibn al-Khattab i Anas relacjonują, iż Wysłannik Boga* mówił, że napisane jest w Torze: “Jeżeli ktoś nie odda córki w zamążpójście do czasu, gdy skończy ona lat 12, i popełni ona grzech, to wina za to spocznie na nim.”

Hadis: Baihaqi

oraz

Abu Sa’id i Ibn Abbas relacjonują słowa Wysłannika*, który mówił: “Ten, który ma syna, z niego zrodzonego, powinien dać mu dobre imię i dobrą edukację oraz ożenić go, kiedy osiągnie on dojrzałość. Jeżeli go nie ożeni do czasu, gdy osiągnie on dojrzałość i popełni on grzech, to wina za to spocznie na ojcu.

Hadis: Baihaqi

Ale rodzice nie mają prawa zmuszać młodą kobietę do małżeństwa wbrew jej woli, kiedy osiągnie ona odpowiedni wiek do małżeństwa. Jest wiele dowodów w Hadisach, które pokazują, iż wymuszone małżeństwa są nielegalne i żony mają prawo do ich anulowania:

Ibn Abbas relacjonuje, że dziewczyna przyszła do Wysłannika Allaha, Muhammada* i opowiedziała jak jej ojciec zmusił ja do małżeństwa bez jej zgody. Wysłannik Allaha* dał jej wybór… (pomiędzy zaakceptowaniem tego małżeństwa a jego unieważnieniem).

Hadis: Ibn Hanbal

W innej wersji dziewczyna powiedziała:

“Właściwie to ja akceptuje to małżeństwo, ale chciałam przekazać innym kobietom, że rodzice nie mają prawa (narzucać im męża).

Hadis: Ibn Majah

Prorok* radził, aby pary mogły widzieć się przed zawarciem związku małżeńskiego, więc nie ma islamskich podstaw dla zwyczaju pobierania młodych ludzi, którzy się jeszcze nigdy nie widzieli na oczy. Kiedy kobieta odkryje, że nie może znieść mężczyzny, którego poślubiła, nawet jeśli uważa, że jest on brzydki, prawo Islamu daje jej możliwość rozwodu z nim. Jest to tylko konieczne wtedy, gdy ona nienawidzi go nieodwołalnie – sąd nie musi wgłębiać się w powody tej nienawiści. Prorok* uznał rozwód z co najmniej dwoma kobietami w takich okolicznościach. Jedna z nich, Dżamila, siostra hipokryty Abdullah Ibn Ubajj, powiedziała Prorokowi* o swoich obiekcjach w stosunku do swego męża Thabita Ibn Qais:

Wysłanniku Allaha! Nie ma nic, co by utrzymywało nas razem. Kiedy podniosłam zasłonę, zobaczyłam go idącego z jakimiś mężczyznami. Był on najczarniejszy, najniższy i najbrzydszy z nich. Na Allaha! Nie mam zastrzeżeń do niego w sprawach religii czy moralności, ale jego brzydoty nienawidzę. Niech się boi Boga i nie stoi na mej drodze, musiałam splunąć na niego, kiedy do mnie przyszedł. Obawiam się, że moja desperacja może sprowadzić mój Islam na drogę niewiary.

Prorok spytał ją czy odda ogród, który Thabit jej ofiarował, kobieta się na to zgodziła i dostała rozwód. Thabit nie zrobił nic lepszego dla innej swojej żony, Habibah. Zdarzały się także podobne historie za czasów pierwszych trzech kalifatów.

Mówiąc dokładnie, kobiety w Islamie są traktowane jak królowe, są nawet lepiej traktowane niż brytyjska rodzina królewska! Nie tylko mogą rozwodzić się z mężami, a nie jak księżniczka Diana, żyć osobno ale bez możliwości ponownego wyjścia za mąż, ale są także chronione przed oszczercami. Nikomu nie wolno bez pozwolenia naruszać ich prywatność w ich własnym domu (24:27-28) nawet ich mężom, kiedy wracają z dalekiej podróży. Mężczyznom nie wolno traktować kobiet bez szacunku, spoglądać na nie więcej niż raz, lub je dotykać – nawet według niektórych Hadisów nie wolno uścisnąć ręki kobiecie – a jeśli ktoś rozgłasza plotki o ich dziewictwie bez wsparcia dwóch naocznych światków, to sam podlega karze w tym i w przyszłym życiu (24:23)!

Aby żądanie szacunku było dla mężczyzn zupełnie jasne, żony Proroka zostały poproszone w Koranie o to, aby były skromne w sposobie bycia i zachowaniu, aby zostawały w domach i nie wystawiały się na pokaz, tak jak to robili znani ludzie (i wciąż robią); aby nie rozmawiały nazbyt uprzejmie z mężczyznami w obawie przed “tymi, w których sercach jest choroba”, oraz aby były pobożne, cnotliwe i czyste.

Zwykłe muzułmanki są zachęcane także do spuszczania wzroku i owijania się szczelnie szatami tak, aby nakrycie głowy zakrywało również szyję, i dzięki temu były poznawane jako szanujące się kobiety i nie molestowane. Z relacji wiadomo, iż żony Proroka zakrywały również część twarzy peleryną, kiedy znajdowały się pośród obcych mężczyzn. Ci, którzy patrzą na zakrywanie twarzy woalką jak na wyzysk powinien zapytać sam siebie, co bardziej wyzyskuje kobiety, mini spódniczka czy woalka?

Wiele muzułmanek idzie w ślad za żonami Proroka i aspiruje do tego samego stopnia skromności i moralności ciesząc się i radząc sobie w udzielaniu się aktywnie w społeczeństwie, robiąc dobre uczynki, pracując wspomagając rodzinę, i/lub osiągając wykształcenie. Kobiety bardzo się wyróżniały wśród wczesnych islamskich uczonych. Żona Proroka, Aisza była jedną z czołowych przekazicieli Hadisów i tak jak inne żony i Towarzysze Proroka była często otaczana przez studentów chętnych do uczenia się od niej; jeden z uczniów, Urłah Ibn az-Zubair powiedział:

Nie widziałem większego uczonego w nauczaniu Koranu niż Aisza, obowiązki, słuszne i niesłuszne sprawy, poezja i literatura, arabska historia i genealogia.

Abu Musa al-Asz’ar powiedział:

Kiedy my Towarzysze Proroka* napotykaliśmy trudności w sprawie jakiegoś Hadisu to przedstawialiśmy ten problem Aiszy, ona zawsze miała sprecyzowaną wiedzę na ten temat.

Hafiz Ibn Hajar powiedział:

… mówi się, że ćwierć nakazów Szariatu zostało przekazane przez nią.

Prorok* lubił, gdy kobiety w Islamie były tak samo dobrze wykształcone jak mężczyźni i kazał mężczyznom przekazywać to, czego się nauczyli swoim kobietom:

Wróćcie do domów, do swoich żon i dzieci i pozostańcie z nimi. Nauczcie je (czego żeście się dowiedzieli) i poproście aby według tego postępowały.

Hadis: Bukhari

Muzułmanki mają prawo do otrzymania wykształcenia od swoich mężów, a jeśli nie od nich to z innego źródła. Wczesny muzułmański uczony, ze szkoły Malikitów, o nazwisku Ibn al-Hadżdż, ostro krytykujący zbyt liberalne zachowanie kobiet w Kairze, powiedział:

Jeżeli kobieta domaga się od swego męża praw do religijnego wykształcenia i przedkłada ten spór na ręce sędziego, jest ona usprawiedliwiona w żądaniu swych praw, ponieważ albo mąż powinien ją tego nauczyć albo pozwolić, aby zdobyła tą wiedzę gdzie indziej. Sędzia musi zmusić jej męża do spełnienia jej żądania w taki sam sposób jakby była to sprawa jej praw świeckich, gdyż jej prawa w sprawach religijnych są najistotniejsze i najważniejsze.

Al-Mudhkal

Kobiety mogą być uczone przez mężczyzn. Prorok wysłał Umar’a Ibn al-Khattab, aby nauczał kobiety Ansar:

Umm Atijah relacjonował, że kiedy Wysłannik Allaha przybył do Medyny, rozkazał kobietom Ansar (muzułmanie z Medyny), aby zebrały się w jednym domu, i wysłał do nich Umar’a Ibn al-Khattab (aby zakomunikował im o nauczaniu Islamu). Powitał je stojąc w drzwiach tego domu a one odwzajemniły to pozdrowienie. Wtedy powiedział: “Jestem wysłannikiem Wysłannika Allaha, wysłanym specjalnie do was.”

Hadis: Bukhari

Kobiety nauczały również mężczyzn, nie tylko żony Proroka, ale później wiele innych kobiet było nauczycielkami mężczyzn, np. Aisza bint Sa’id Ibn Abi Łaqqas, która uczyła pierwszego kompilatora Hadisów – Malika; i Sajjida, która uczyła Ibn al-Arabi, najsłynniejszego myśliciela Sufi i miała wielki wpływ na jego rozmyślania.

Według Proroka*:

Obowiązkiem każdego muzułmanina (mężczyzny lub kobiety) jest poszukiwanie wiedzy.

Hadis: Bukhari?

Kobiecy punk widzenia był, jak widzieliśmy, przez Proroka* wysłuchiwany, szanowany i zazwyczaj wspierany. Innym przykładem jest, gdy pielgrzymka Proroka do Mekki była zatrzymana przez Mekkańczyków, którzy zgodzili się z nim, aby on i muzułmanie mogli powrócić w przyszłym roku. Powiedział ludziom, aby ogolili głowy i składali ofiary tam gdzie byli, ale oni nie byli posłuszni, więc zapytał swojej żony Umm Salama, a ona mu poradziła, aby ich poprowadził robiąc to pierwszy. On posłuchał jej rady i to zadziałało. Jego następcy, nawet ten męski szowinista Kalif Umar zrobił wszystko, aby iść za jego przykładem. Umar próbując kontrolować wygórowane żądania podarunków małżeństwa mahr, które robiły kobiety musiał się wycofać po tym, jak kobieta stanęła przed nim i dyskutowała podpierając się cytatami z Koranu:

Umar zakazał ludziom płacenia nadmiernych posagów i mówił do nich: “Nie wyznaczajcie posagów od kobiet większych niż 40 uncji. Jeżeli zostanie to przekroczone, to nadwyżkę zdeponuję w publicznym skarbcu.” Kiedy wrócił z minbar (podium), pani z płaskim nosem wstała spomiędzy żeńskiej publiczności i powiedziała:

“Nie jest to w zasięgu twego prawa.” Umar zapytał: “Dlaczego miałoby to nie być moim prawem?” Ona odpowiedziała: “Ponieważ Allah ogłosił: “A jeśli chcecie zamienić żonę na drugą, a jednej z nich daliście kintar, to nie odbierajcie z tego nic! Czyż moglibyście cokolwiek zabrać, zniesławiając się i popełniając grzech oczywisty?” (Koran 4:20)

Kiedy to Umar usłyszał, powiedział: “Kobieta ma rację, a mężczyzna (Umar) się myli. Wygląda na to, że wszyscy ludzie posiadają większą mądrość i intuicję niż Umar.” Następnie wrócił na minbar i oświadczył: “O ludzie! Ograniczyłem wielkość posagu do czterystu drachm. Jeżeli ktokolwiek z was życzy sobie dać w posagu więcej i znajduje w tym satysfakcje, to może tak zrobić.”

Hadis: Ibn al-Jawzi

Umar zwykle pytał o radę Szaffa’a, inspektora na rynku: płać jej co jej się należy i obdarzaj ją wielkim szacunkiem. (Ibn Hajar al-Isabah cytowany przez Hasan Turabi)

Podsumowując, są to ideały, do których muzułmanki mogą aspirować i często w przeszłości je osiągały. W prawdziwym islamskim społeczeństwie, kobiety mają zagwarantowane

- szacunek,

- uczciwy status małżeński,

- legalność i utrzymanie dla swych dzieci,

- prawo do negocjowania własnych warunków małżeństwa,

- odmówienie każdej propozycji małżeństwa, które je nie zadowala,

- prawo do uzyskania rozwodu, nawet jeśli powodem jest jedynie niechęć do męża (Małdudi),

- prawo do opieki nad dziećmi po rozwodzie,

- niezależny własny majątek,

- prawo i obowiązek do otrzymania edukacji,

- prawo do pracy, jeśli tego potrzebują lub chcą,

- równa nagroda za te same uczynki,

- Prawo do wystąpień i posiadania głosów w życiu publicznym,

oraz znacznie więcej innych praw. Jaka inna religia, teoria polityczna lub filozofia może zaoferować tak pełny pakiet???

Nie ma żadnych wątpliwości, że w Islamie homoseksualizm jest uważany za grzech. Homoseksualizm, jeśli chodzi o Islam, jest wielkim błędem (jak wszystkie grzechy popełnione bez intencji czynienia zła). Ludzie nie są homoseksualistami z natury, zostają nimi z powodu otaczającego ich środowiska. W szczególności środowisko wywiera fatalny wpływ na człowieka podczas jego okresu dojrzewania. Propozycje, pomysły i dziwne marzenia są symptomami pogmatwanych prób zrozumienia nowych i tępych seksualnych pragnień i są pochopnie interpretowane jako przypisanie kogoś do jednej lub drugiej płci. Jeśli tym wnioskom towarzyszy faktyczne zachowanie homoseksualne to bardziej się one nasilają.

Ludzkie instynkty mogą być zależne od woli. Seksualność jest wyborem tożsamości co prowadzi do wyboru określonych zachowań, a to znów pociąga z sobą wybór określonych fantazji seksualnych. Istoty ludzkie najlepiej potrafią kontrolować swoje myśli, niektóre skrupulatnie pielęgnować a inne od siebie odsuwać.

Jednakże, jeśli nie dostrzegasz, że masz wolną wolę, to łatwo wpaść w krąg myśli począwszy od przyjmowania pewnych hipotez o sobie samym za prawdę bardziej niż za możliwość wyboru (nawet jeśli takie hipotezy są trudne do wykonania). Na przykład: “jestem leniwy” może być przyjęte za prawdę. Kiedy taka osoba leży sobie rano w łóżku, to myśli o tym, że ta poranna bezczynność jest dowodem na to, że “jest leniem”. Kiedy bez przerwy wybiera czynienie tego, co jej takie dowody podpowiadają, to ta myśl zostaje w jej tożsamości. Może to mieć nawet fizyczne odzwierciedlenie i zmienić jej fizjologię i psychikę. Ten proces może łatwo wystąpić z powodu jakiejkolwiek złej, czy dobrej myśli wynikającej z wnioskowania własnych czynów. Tą myślą może być: “jestem pedałem” lub “jestem zadowolony” lub “uwielbiam dużo jeść”. Prawdą jest – jesteś tym co wybierzesz; robisz to co wybierzesz; myślisz o tym co wybierzesz. Od momentu powstania tego wyboru do uzyskania jego efektów może upłynąć trochę czasu, ale każdy może się zmienić. Istnieją uzdrowieni byli narkomani, uzdrowieni byli hazardziści i byli homoseksualiści. Wszystkim tym grzechom jest tysiąc razy lepiej i o ile łatwiej zapobiegać niż im ulec.

Powszechnie uważa się, że homoseksualizm jest przede wszystkim dziedziczny i ci, którzy posiadają tę “skłonność” są bardziej ofiarami niż grzesznikami. Jednakże, są rzeczy prawdopodobnie o wiele bardziej dziedziczne jak np. hazard czy alkoholizm. Można również dowieść (i dowodzi się), że mężczyźni są genetycznie lepiej zaprogramowani do niewierności swoim partnerkom. Wszystkie te rzeczy nie są jednak uważane za właściwe i nic nie przeszkadza aby uważać je za grzechy. Picie alkoholu zawsze będzie uważane w Islamie za grzech, nawet jeśli ma się predyspozycje do alkoholizmu. Każdy były alkoholik ci powie, abyś nie próbował następnej kropli po rzuceniu – jest to długa i śliska pochylnia – twoje życie lepsze jest bez tego. Pewne pragnienia są silnie związane z tożsamością i jeśli już raz wpadniesz w ich szpony, to następnym razem jest już o wiele łatwiej by w nie powrócić – nie jesteś w stanie zapomnieć odczuwanej satysfakcji. Najtrudniejszą rzeczą jest pamiętanie o złych stronach tych pragnień, takich jak kac, utrata pieniędzy, niechęć do samego siebie lub po prostu strata czegoś lub kogoś. Kiedy zmieniasz się na lepsze musisz o tym wszystkim pamiętać i o tych pragnieniach, które cię przytłoczyły, twoja tożsamość może zostać uwolniona od tego, co przedtem dla siebie wybrałeś.

Zobacz także:

Ausstellungen porträtieren Ideale: das beste der Arbeit einer Person, einer Gesellschaft oder einer Periode künstlerischen Schaffens usw. Ein Vortrag zu einer Ausstellung sollte genau dasselbe tun, so will ich damit beginnen, die Ideale des Islams, was die Frauen betrifft, und ihre Vorbilder aufzuzeigen. Ich werde zeigen, wie diese Ideale im Koran festgelegt sind, den die Muslime als das offenbarte Wort Gottes betrachten, das Wort Allahs (Gott in der arabischen Sprache), und auch im Hadith und der Sunna, die Berichte der Aussprüche und das gelebte Beispiel des Propheten Muhammad.* Diese beiden Quellen sind die Basis für das islamische Gesetz, shari’ah, der Gesetzeskörper und die moralische Leitung, die die muslimischen Gelehrten formulierten. Während der Koran nicht in Frage gestellt werden kann, kann die Authentizität jedes Hadith hinterfragt werden, wenn die Zweifel fundiert sind. Die Interpretationen des Korans und des Hadith, die regelmäßig in unterschiedlichen Meinungen enden, können ebenso in Frage gestellt werden. Die vielen unterschiedlichen Meinungen, die die Gelehrten äußern, geben den Muslimen einen Freiraum, unter ihnen akzeptable Richtlinien zu finden. Das islamische Recht ist nicht so monolithisch und unveränderlich, wie es erscheinen mag, obgleich es auf einem Fundament von Absolutem steht.

Diese Einleitung ist von Bedeutung in bezug auf die Frauen im Islam, weil muslimische Gelehrte oft bemerkten, daß das islamische Familienrecht, wie es in einigen islamischen Ländern praktiziert wird, kaum eine Ähnlichkeit mit der Befreiung und der wohlwollenden Behandlung der Frauen hat, deren Wegbereiter der Prophet Muhammad (Friede sei auf ihm) selbst war. Sogar Mawdudi, der als einer der konservativsten Kommentatoren der modernen islamischen Erneuerer gilt, kritisiert, wie das indische Recht praktiziert wird. Es ist daher wichtig, heutige oder auch vergangene Praktiken vom Geist des Gesetzes zu unterscheiden – von den Idealen, wie sie von Allah im Koran festgelegt werden und im Propheten Muhammad* ein Beispiel finden. Die meisten modernen Autoren, die sich mit Frauen im Islam beschäftigen, stimmen darin überein, daß es unerläßlich ist, zu diesen ursprünglichen Quellen zurückzugehen und sie im Kontext der Gesellschaften, in denen wir nun alle leben, neu zu interpretieren, um sie von allen Verfälschungen, die in das Recht Eingang gefunden haben, zu reinigen, und zwar sowohl von landeseigenen kulturellen Einflüssen als auch von den europäisch-kolonialen Bestrebungen, die Shari’a, wie man meinte, zu reformieren. Ich beziehe mich also hauptsächlich auf diese ursprünglichen Quellen, den Koran und Hadith.

Der Koran hat viel ÜBER Frauen zu sagen und auch ZU den Frauen. Eine Sure heißt „Die Frauen“, eine andere wird nach Maryam benannt, der Mutter Jesu (Friede sei auf ihm). Frauen kommen in vielen anderen Stellen vor. In den Prophetengeschichten finden sich:

Hawwa (Eva), die Frau Adams, die hier nicht länger die Verführerin ist, die Adam zur Sünde verleitet, sondern eine Partnerin, die mit Adam gemeinsam verantwortlich ist und denen Allah bald darauf gemeinsam verzeiht.

Die Frau Nuhs (Noa) (Friede sei auf ihm), die ihren Ehemann verrät und die gemeinsam mit der Frau Lots als ein Beispiel der Ungläubigen gilt (Sure 66,10-11).

Die Frau Ibrahims (Abraham), die lacht, als der Engel ihr die Nachricht bringt, daß sie in ihrem hohen Alter noch ein Kind gebären wird;

Die Frau des Pharao, die Musa (Moses) als Baby rettet und die neben Maryam, der Mutter Jesu, als eines der beiden Beispiele für gute Gläubige hochgehalten wird (Sure 66,10-11)

Die Frau Aziz’, die versucht, Yusuf (Joseph) zu verführen, und trotz allem mit Sympathie behandelt wird, als sie ihren Freundinnen vorführt, wie gutaussehend er ist, und sie sich alle mit ihren Messern schneiden, weil sie von seiner Schönheit so abgelenkt werden;

Daneben gibt es noch andere Frauen, von denen erzählt wird.

Es ist erwähnenswert, daß die fünf Frauen, die ich als Beispiele anführte, sowohl dem muslimischen Mann als auch der muslimischen Frau vorgeführt werden, um ihnen zu zeigen, daß es möglich ist, trotz schwieriger Umstände ein wahrlich gläubiger Mensch und trotz vorteilhafter Umstände ein Ungläubiger zu sein.

Die beiden guten Beispiele gaben ihren Glauben trotz der Einstellung und Vorurteile der ihnen Nahestehenden nicht auf. Pharaos Frau rettete Moses trotz des teuflischen Befehls ihres Ehemanns, aufgrund dessen alle erstgeborenen Hebräer getötet wurden, und Maryam mußte sich Anschuldigungen wegen Unmoral gefallen lassen, als sie ihr Baby nach der jungfräulichen Geburt nach Hause brachte.

Die zwei schlechten Beispiele waren ungläubige Frauen, obgleich sie mit Propheten Allahs verheiratet waren. In keinem Fall aber repräsentiert eine der Frauen das traditionelle Bild der „unterwürfigen“ Frau.

Dann gibt es noch die zeitgenössischen Frauen des Haushalts des Propheten Muhammad, seine Ehefrauen und Töchter. Eine seiner Frauen, Umm Salamah, beschwerte sich bei ihm, daß der Koran nur an die Männer gerichtet sei, woraufhin dem Propheten* eine lange Passage offenbart wurde, die ausdrücklich Männer und Frauen in jeder Zeile getrennt ansprach und deutlich die gleichwertigen Verantwortungen und Belohnungen für muslimische Männer und muslimische Frauen darlegt.

Aisha, seine jüngste Frau, verursachte einen Skandal, als sie in die Wüste hinausging und nach einer verlorenen Halskette suchte und dabei von der Karawane zurückgelassen wurde. Sie wurde von einem jungen Mann gerettet und kam mit ihm zurück, und Gerüchte verbreiteten sich, daß sie mit ihm geflirtet hätte oder mehr. Das verursachte ihr und dem Propheten große Schmerzen, und es verging eine lange Zeit, ehe sie von einer weiteren Offenbarung erlöst wurden, in der verlangt wird, daß diejenigen, die derartige Anschuldigungen gegen keusche Frauen erheben, vier Augenzeugen des Aktes beibringen müssen oder sie selber ausgepeitscht werden und ihre Zeugenaussagen in der Zukunft für null und nichtig erklärt werden.

Es gibt Passagen, die spezifisch an die Frauen des Propheten als Gruppe gerichtet sind. Z. B:

(Sure 33,32-34).

Andere Passagen richten sich mittels des Propheten an seine Frauen, Töchter und die Frauen der Gläubigen. Wieder andere wurden als Antworten auf Fragen gewöhnlicher Frauen offenbart, wie z. B. die Stelle, die sich auf die Scheidungspraxis bezieht, wo Abstinenz innerhalb der Ehe ausgeübt wird (zihar). Eine Frau beschwerte sich beim Propheten über diese Praxis, durch die die Frau ohne sexuelle Befriedigung blieb, aber nicht frei war, jemand anderen zu heiraten, woraufhin ein Vers offenbart wurde, der diese Praxis verurteilte.

Eine andere Passage wurde als Antwort an eine Frau offenbart, die sich über die Art des Geschlechtsverkehrs, die ihr Mann bevorzugte, beschwerte (Sure 2,223)

Der Koran ist also tatsächlich ein Buch, das sich sehr oft AN die Frauen richtet und ÜBER die Frauen spricht. Was sagt er? Wir haben bereits festgestellt, daß er nicht alle Frauen im Abbild Evas verdammt, wie das Christentum dies bekanntermaßen tut, daß er auf der Seite der Frauen ist, die sich über Ungerechtigkeiten beschweren, sei es innerhalb der Ehe oder während einer Scheidung oder wegen falscher Anschuldigungen. Wie sieht er die Schöpfung der Frau? Ist sie bloß ein Teil Adams, ein nachträglicher Einfall? In der ersten Ayah (Vers) der Sure an-Nisa, „Die Frauen“, steht:

„Eine einzige Seele“ ist weder maskulin noch feminin. Auch wenn damit Adam gemeint sein könnte, so ist das keinesfalls gewiß. Tatsächlich ist „Seele“ im Arabischen feminin und „Gattin“ maskulin! Nicht, daß ich damit sagen will, daß Frauen zuerst erschaffen wurden, denn in anderen Teilen des Korans wird die Schöpfung Adams beschrieben. Aber die Beziehung der Geschlechter ist hier ambivalent. Und die Gattin wurde von der „Seele“, nicht der bescheidenen „Rippe“ erschaffen. Kein muslimischer Gelehrter könnte jemals argumentieren, wenn er dies liest, wie es einige Christen taten, daß Frauen keine Seele besäßen. Sie wurden von derselben Seele wie die Männer erschaffen. Ihre Potentiale in bezug auf Gut und Böse sind mit denen des Mannes identisch. In Sure 49,13 des Korans finden wir, daß die guten Taten und das Gottesbewußtsein den Gläubigen, männlich oder weiblich, in den Augen Gottes zu hohem Ansehen verhelfen.

In Sure 40,40 heißt es:

Die Taten der Männer und Frauen sind gleichwertig, jeder und jedem von ihnen wird die Belohnung zuteil, die ihm zukommt.

…Ich lasse keine Tat verlorengehen, die einer von euch getan hat, ob Mann oder Frau…

(Sure 3,195).

(Sure 16,97)

Dieselben Pflichten obliegen den Männern und Frauen im Glauben:

Für die muslimischen Männer und Frauen, Männer und Frauen, die gläubig, ergeben, wahrhaftig, geduldig, demütig sind, die Almosen geben, fasten, ihre Scham bewahren und Gottes viel gedenken – für sie hat Gott Vergebung und einen großartigen Lohn bereit (Sure 33,35).

Es gibt einige Ausnahmen. Frauen obliegen nicht alle Pflichten, sie müssen nicht

fasten, wenn sie schwanger sind oder stillen oder menstruieren oder bluten nach der Geburt

beten, wenn sie menstruieren oder sich im Wochenbett befinden

zum Freitagsgebet in die Moschee gehen

als Soldaten zur Verteidigung des Islam kämpfen, obgleich es ihnen nicht verboten ist, wenn sie es tun wollen.

Unter gewöhnlichen Umständen können sie alles tun, was die Männer tun dürfen. Selbst wenn sie menstruieren, dürfen sie an besonderen Tagen, wie z. B. an den beiden Eid-Festtagen, zu den Eidgebeten in die Moschee kommen. Menstruierende Frauen können auch an den meisten der Rituale der Hajj-Pilgerfahrt teilnehmen.

Aber sind die Pflichten der Frauen im sozialen Bereich unterschiedlich und komplementär, wie die meisten Gelehrten behaupten? Ist es ihre Rolle, den Haushalt zu führen und Kinder zu gebären, während die Männer alles andere tun? Macht die Tatsache, daß ihre Gesundheit angegriffen wird, wenn sie menstruieren, sie unfähig für jedwede Arbeit außer Haus und nur fit genug, ein glückliches und friedvolles Heim zu schaffen, wie Mawdudi uns glaubhaft machen will? Das ist ein Argument, das von vielen männlichen Gelehrten überall schrecklich übertrieben wird, um die Diskriminierung von Frauen zu rechtfertigen. Mawdudi möchte uns glauben machen, daß Frauen kaum ein paar Tage Normalität in ihrem Leben genießen, so störend seien die Auswirkungen von Menstruation und Schwangerschaft. Ohne Zweifel enthält seine Beschreibung der Auswirkungen eine gewisse Wahrheit, und Männer sowie Frauen sollten entsprechende Zugeständnisse machen, aber es disqualifiziert die Frauen genauso wenig für die Arbeiten, die ein Mann verrichten kann, wie dafür, ein glückliches und harmonisches Heim zu schaffen.

Weder der Koran noch Hadith erlauben eine derartige Denkweise. Der Koran erwähnt die Menstruation in Sure 2,222:

Gemäß den Interpreten des islamischen Rechts bedeutet das einzig, daß Geschlechtsverkehr während dieser Zeit nicht erlaubt ist, aber jede andere Form der Intimität ist keineswegs verboten. Um es kurz zusammenzufassen: Die Menstruation mag zwar chaotisch sein und schmerzhaft, aber sie ist keine ernste Behinderung.

Das islamische Recht verlangt nicht, daß sich Frauen auf die Pflichten des Haushalts beschränken. Tatsache ist, daß die frühen muslimischen Frauen in allen möglichen Bereichen tätig waren. Die erste Frau des Propheten, die Mutter aller seiner überlebenden Kinder, war eine Geschäftsfrau, die ihn anstellte und ihm über eine dritte Person einen Heiratsantrag machte. Frauen trieben Handel auf dem Markt, und der Kalif Umar, der nicht gerade für seine liberale Gesinnung Frauen gegenüber bekannt war, ernannte eine Frau, Shaff’a Bint Abdullah, als Marktvorsteherin. Andere Frauen, wie Laila al-Ghifariah, nahmen an Schlachten teil, trugen Wasser und pflegten die Verwundeten. Einige, wie Suffiah Bint Abdul Muttalib, kämpften sogar und töteten die Feinde, um sich selbst und den Propheten* zu beschützen, und wurden, wie Umm Dhahhak Bint Masoud, mit Kriegsbeute belohnt gleich den Männern.

Ibn Jarir und al-Tabari sagen, daß Frauen zu Rechtspositionen ernannt werden können, um in allen Angelegenheiten zu richten, obgleich Abu Hanifah sie von gewichtigen Entscheidungen, die schwere Sanktionen zur Folge haben, ausschließt. Andere Juristen bestehen darauf, daß Frauen überhaupt keine Richter sein können. Der Koran spricht vorteilhaft über die Königin von Sheba und die Art und Weise, wie sie ihre Ratgeber befragte, die sie auf ihr eigenes gutes Urteilsvermögen zurückverwiesen, als es darum ging, der drohenden Invasion durch Salomons Armeen Herr zu werden (Sure 27,32-35).

Manchmal waren Frauen Oberhäupter islamischer Provinzen, wie Arwa Bint Ahmad, die als Gouverneurin von Jemen während der Fatimidendynastie Ende des 5., Anfang des 6. Jahrhundert regierte.

Ein vielzitierter Hadith des Propheten, „Ein Volk, das einer Frau die Macht gibt, wird niemals erfolgreich sein“, hat sich aufgrund mehrerer Fakten als äußerst unverläßlich herausgestellt. Es ist ein isolierter und nicht bestätigter Hadith und daher nicht verbindlich im islamischen Recht. Hinzu kommt, daß es Gründe zur Annahme gibt, daß er im Zusammenhang mit der Schlacht, die Aishah, die Witwe des Propheten, gegen den vierten Kalifen Ali kämpfte, gefälscht wurde. Angesichts der Beispiele von regierenden Frauen im Lauf der Geschichte ist er auch offensichtlich unhaltbar und falsch.

Kurz und gut, die Qualifikationen der Frauen für Arbeiten aller Art werden nicht in Frage gestellt – trotz einiger falscher Ahadith, die das Gegenteil behaupten. Frauen können wie Männer arbeiten, aber MÜSSEN ES NICHT, um den Lebensunterhalt zu verdienen. Sie dürfen – und werden dazu ermutigt – die Pflichten der Ehe und Mutterschaft ernst zu nehmen. Es wird ihnen die Möglichkeit gegeben, zu Hause zu bleiben und diese Pflichten auch wirklich zu erfüllen.

Die muslimische Frau hatte immer schon ein Recht auf eigenen Besitz und dessen Verwaltung, ein Recht, das die Frauen in Europa erst in den letzten 100 Jahren erwarben. Heirat im Islam bedeutet nicht, daß der Mann den Besitz der Frau übernimmt, genauso wenig wie sie automatisch seinen Besitz erbt, wenn er ohne Testament stirbt. Beide gelten weiters als Individuen, die Verantwortungen gegenüber anderen Familienmitgliedern haben – Eltern, Brüdern, Schwestern etc. – und das Erbrecht widerspiegelt dies. Der Ehemann hat die Pflicht, die Frau zu unterstützen und zu erhalten, wie es im Koran bemerkt wird, und dies gilt auch dann, wenn sie selbst reich ist. Er hat kein Recht zu erwarten, daß sie sich selbst erhält, geschweige denn seine Kinder oder ihn. Sollte sie zum Haushaltsbudget beitragen, so wird ihr das als eine gute Tat angerechnet.

Aufgrund der größeren finanziellen Verantwortung, die sie tragen, erben einige Kategorien männlicher Verwandter das doppelte von dem, was weibliche erben, aber andere, deren Verantwortung geringer ist, erben zu gleichen Teilen – Mütter und Väter haben z. B. beide Anrecht auf ein Sechstel des Vermögens ihrer Kinder nach Vermächtnissen (bis zu einem Drittel des Vermögens) und dem Bezahlen von Schulden (Sure 4,11)

Frauen sind also bestens versorgt: Ihre Ehemänner zahlen ihnen Unterhalt, und sie erben von all ihren Verwandten. Sie dürfen ihren Geschäften nachgehen, außer Haus oder im Haus arbeiten, solange die Familie darunter nicht leidet, und das Geld, das sie verdienen, ist ihr Geld, ohne Pflichten anderen gegenüber bis zu ihrem Tod.

Es wird von den Frauen auch nicht erwartet, Hausarbeit zu leisten. Wenn sie nicht gewohnt sind, diese zu verrichten, muß der Ehemann Haushaltshilfen einstellen und dafür sorgen, daß das Essen seine Frau und Kinder in gekochtem Zustand erreicht. Der Prophet* selbst half bei der Hausarbeit und reparierte seine Schuhe selbst. Frauen sind nicht einmal immer dazu verpflichtet, ihre Kinder selbst zu stillen. Wenn ein in Scheidung lebendes Paar übereinkommt, können sie das Baby an eine Amme weitergeben. Der Ehemann muß die Kosten dafür tragen. Wenn die Mutter sich entscheidet, selbst zu stillen, muß er sie für die Mühen entlohnen! Dies steht im Koran selbst (Sure 2,223).

Wo ist hier die Basis für die männliche Denkweise, daß Frauen nur für Haushalt und Mutterschaft geeignet sind?

Im Gegenteil: Im Islam wird dem Stellenwert der Frau innerhalb der Ehe sowie den Rechten der Kinder voller Respekt zuteil. Keine muslimische Frau braucht sich zu schämen, weil sie nur eine Hausfrau ist. Sie ist das Oberhaupt ihres Haushaltes, auch wenn der Ehemann das letzte Wort in wichtigen Entscheidungen hat. Gemäß eines Hadith ist der Regierende ein Hirte, der für seine Untertanen verantwortlich ist. Ein Ehemann ist ein Hirte und für seine Familie verantwortlich, eine Ehefrau ist eine Hirtin und für ihren Haushalt verantwortlich, und ein Diener ist ein Hirte, der für den Besitz seines Meisters verantwortlich ist (Hadith: al-Bukhari).

Die Frau muß sich den Wünschen des Ehemannes beugen aus Respekt, daß er sie aus eigenen Mitteln unterhält und beschützt (Sure 4,34), aber nicht, wenn er versucht, sie dazu zu bringen, die Gesetze Allahs zu brechen. In gleicher Weise müssen auch Kinder ihre Eltern respektieren und ihnen gehorchen, gemäß den von Allah gesetzten Grenzen. Wenn die Eltern von ihnen Ungehorsam gegenüber Allah verlangen, so ist es ihre Pflicht, den Eltern gegenüber ungehorsam zu sein. Wenn der Ehemann mit voller Absicht seine Unterhaltspflicht vernachlässigt, so kann sich die Frau scheiden lassen.

Frauen verdienen auch den Respekt als Mütter. Allah sagt im Koran (Sure 31,14):

Der Prophet* sagte: „Das Paradies liegt zu Füßen der Mütter.“

In einem anderen Hadith erklärte er einem Mann, daß seine Mutter vor allen anderen Leuten, selbst vor seinem Vater, Anrecht auf seinen größten Respekt und seine Barmherzigkeit hätte.

Bei einer Scheidung hat die Mutter das erste Recht auf die Vormundschaft über die Kinder, gefolgt von anderen weiblichen Mitgliedern ihrer Familie, falls sie sich wiederverheiratet oder unfähig ist, sich um die Kinder zu kümmern. Das Recht auf die Kinder kommt dem Vater erst später zu, wenn die Kinder älter und unabhängiger sind. Das Alter ist von Rechtsschule zu Rechtsschule verschieden, aber es muß auf die Wünsche der Kinder Rücksicht genommen werden, wenn wir dem Beispiel des Propheten* folgen wollen. In einem Fall, wo sich die Eltern um das Kind stritten, sagte er zu dem Kind: „Hier ist dein Vater und hier ist deine Mutter, so nimm den bei der Hand, bei dem du sein willst.“ Der Junge ging zu seiner Mutter (Hadith: Abu Dawod, Nasa’i, Darimi).

In einem anderen Fall kam eine Frau zum Propheten* und beklagte sich, daß ihr Ehemann den Islam angenommen hatte, sie sich aber weigerte, es ihm gleichzutun. Sie fügte hinzu, daß es ihrer Tochter nun an Muttermilch mangeln würde, weil ihr Vater sie fortgenommen hat. Der Prophet ließ das Kind zwischen Mutter und Vater sitzen und sagte, daß sie beide es rufen sollten. Das Kind würde dem zugesprochen werden, den es auswähle. Das Kind wählte die Mutter. Der Prophet betete zu Allah, das Kind rechtzuleiten, woraufhin es den Vater auswählte. So kam es, daß Rafi, der Vater, das Kind nahm (Hadith: Abu Dawud).

In Europa ist es aber noch immer eine Seltenheit, dem Kind derartige Rechte zuzugestehen.

Obgleich der islamische Ehevertrag ein zivilrechtlicher Vertrag zwischen zwei Parteien ist, nicht ein Sakrament wie die christliche Heirat, so ist die Ehe dennoch nicht nur eine Beziehung für materielle praktische Zwecke. Die Worte, die die Ehe im Koran beschreiben, sind poetisch und schön.

Und es gehört zu Seinen Zeichen, daß Er euch aus euch selbst Gattinnen erschaffen hat, damit ihr bei ihnen wohnet. Und Er hat Liebe und Barmherzigkeit zwischen euch gemacht. Darin sind Zeichen für Leute, die nachdenken. (Sure 30,21)

..Sie sind eine Bekleidung für euch und ihr seid eine Bekleidung für sie…

(Sure 2, 187)

Liebe, Barmherzigkeit, Intimität und gegenseitiges Beschützen und Sittsamkeit sind Eigenschaften, die in einer islamischen Ehe vorausgesetzt werden. Sogar im Paradies bleibt die Ehe eine der großen Freuden.

Die Gefährten des Paradieses finden heute Beschäftigung und Wohlbehagen. Sie und ihre Gattinnen befinden sich im Schatten und lehnen sich auf Liegen. Sie haben darin Früchte, und sie haben, was sie für sich wünschen. „Friede!“, als Anrede von einem barmherzigen Herrn.

(Sure 36,55-58)

Von Ehemännern wird erwartet, daß sie ihre Frauen während der Ehe mit Güte behandeln, aber ebenso während oder nach der Scheidung. Allah sagt im Koran:

(Sure 4,19)

Der Prophet* sagt: „Die vollkommensten Gläubigen sind die mit den besten Verhaltensweisen, und die besten unter euch sind die, die am besten zu ihren Frauen sind.“ (Hadith: Ibn Hanbal)

Ehepaare werden im Koran ermuntert, sich gegenseitig zu befragen und im Geiste einer Übereinstimmung zu handeln, sogar wenn sie in Scheidung leben und das Erziehungsrecht der Kinder ins Auge fassen.

(Sure 2,223)

Um wieviel mehr sollte dann dieser Geist in einer glücklichen Ehe vorherrschen! Die Ehe, wie Allah sie beabsichtigt, soll auch fruchtbar sein. Im Koran sagt Er uns:

(Sure 42,11)

…Eure Frauen sind für euch ein Saatfeld…(Sure 2,223)

Dennoch war Verhütung im Islam niemals verboten, denn der Prophet* erlaubte coitus interruptus, wenn die Ehefrau damit einverstanden war. Analog dazu sind dann andere Verhütungsmethoden erlaubt.

Die praktischen Aspekte der Ehe sind im Ehevertrag festgelegt, in dem die Ehefrau Bedingungen klarmachen kann, und viele muslimsche Frauen haben davon Gebrauch gemacht und sich das Recht auf Scheidung genommen, z.B. im Falle, daß der Mann sich eine zweite Frau nimmt. Er muß auch eine Brautgabe – sadaqah oder mahr – enthalten, die der Mann der Frau gibt und dessen Wert sie vereinbart haben. Normalerweise soll gemäß den Traditionen und aus praktischen Gründen eine junge, unerfahrene Frau bei den Vereinbarungen von einem Vormund oder wali vertreten sein, der sich darum kümmert, daß ihre Interessen gewahrt werden – eine Praxis, die später von der Shari’a übernommen wird. Dieser wali sollte ihr Vater oder Großvater sein, aber es ist möglich, daß eine ältere, erfahrenere Frau eine Person ihrer Wahl dazu bestimmt, für sie zu sprechen. Als der Prophet* die Witwe Umm Salamah heiratete, fungierte ihr Sohn als ihr wali, und der Prophet bat um seine Erlaubnis, sie zu heiraten (Ibn Rushd).

Die Wünsche von engsten Verwandten, speziell der Eltern, müssen berücksichtigt werden, und sie müssen um ihre Zustimmung gebeten werden. Gemäß einiger Ahadith ist es besser, auf eine Ehe zu verzichten, wenn die Eltern dieser nicht zustimmen, denn die Eltern sind das Tor ins Paradies.

Eltern haben die Verantwortung, Ehepartner für ihre Kinder zu finden. Umar Ibn al-Khattab und Anas berichteten, daß der Gesandte Gottes* sagte, daß in der Tora stünde: „Wenn jemand seine Tochter nicht verheiratet, wenn sie 12 ist und sie eine Sünde begeht, so ruht die Schuld für diese auf ihm.“ (Hadith: Baihaqi)

Abu Sa’id und Ibn Abbas berichteten von Gottes Gesandten*: „Wem ein Sohn geboren wird, der möge ihm einen guten Namen geben, eine gute Ausbildung zuteil werden lassen und ihn verheiraten, sobald er die Pubertät erreicht. Wenn er ihn nicht verheiratet, sobald er die Pubertät erreicht, und er eine Sünde begeht, so hat allein der Vater die Schuld zu tragen.“ (Hadith: Baihaqi)

Aber Eltern haben kein Recht, junge Frauen gegen deren Willen zu verheiraten, nachdem sie ein heiratsfähiges Alter erreicht haben. Es gibt genug Beweise in den Ahadith, die darauf hinweisen, daß Zwangsehen illegal sind und daß die Frau das Recht hat, sie annullieren zu lassen.

Ibn Abbas berichtet von einem Mädchen, das zu Allahs Gesandten, Muhammad*, kam und ihm mitteilte, daß sie ohne ihre Zustimmung verheiratet wurde. Der Gesandte Allahs* gab ihr die Wahl… (die Ehe anzunehmen oder sie für ungültig zu erklären) (Hadith: Ibn Hanbal).

In einer anderen Version sagte das Mädchen: „Die Wahrheit ist, daß ich diese Heirat annehme, aber ich wollte die Frauen wissen lassen, daß ihre Eltern kein Recht haben (ihnen einen Ehemann aufzuzwingen).“ (Hadith Ibn Majah)

Der Prophet* empfahl auch, daß die Paare einander vor der Ehe kennenlernen sollten. Es gibt daher keine Basis für den Brauch der Verheiratung von jungen Paaren, die sich nie zuvor gesehen haben. Wenn eine Frau findet, daß sie den Mann, mit dem sie verheiratet ist, nicht aushält, selbst wenn sie ihn nur häßlich findet, so gibt ihr das islamische Recht die Möglichkeit einer Scheidung vor Gericht. Es ist nur nötig, daß sie vor Gericht bezeugt, daß sie ihn unwiderruflich haßt – das Gericht braucht nicht ihre Gründe für den Haß zu erfahren. Der Prophet* hat mindestens zwei Frauen aufgrund derartiger Umstände eine Scheidung erlaubt. Eine von ihnen, Jamila, die Schwester des Heuchlers Abdullan Ibn Ubayy, erzählte dem Propheten* von der Abneigung, die sie für ihren Gemahl Thabit Ibn Qais empfand: „Gesandter Gottes! Nichts kann uns zwei zusammenhalten. Als ich meinen Schleier lüftete, sah ich ihn kommen, in Begleitung einiger Männer. Ich sah, daß er der schwärzeste, kleinste und häßlichste von ihnen war. Bei Allah! Ich kann ihn nicht wegen Unvollkommenheiten in seinem Glauben oder seiner Moral nicht ausstehen, es ist seine Häßlichkeit, die ich nicht ausstehen kann. Wäre meine Furcht vor Gott nicht im Wege gestanden, hätte ich ihn angespuckt, als er zu mir kam… Ich habe Angst, daß meine Verzweiflung meinen Islam in Unglauben verwandeln könnte.“ Der Prophet fragte sie, ob sie den Garten, den ihr Thabit gegeben hatte, zurückgeben würde. Sie stimmte dem zu, und ihre Scheidung wurde bewilligt. Thabit ging es nicht besser mit seiner anderen Frau, Habiba. Weitere Beispiele ähnlicher Fälle werden in der Zeit der ersten drei Kalifen berichtet.

In der Tat werden Frauen im Islam wie Königinnen behandelt. Niemand hat das Recht, ohne Erlaubnis in ihre Privatsphäre einzudringen, nicht einmal der Ehemann, wenn er von einer langen Reise zurückkommt ( Sure 24,27-28). Der Mann hat kein Recht, sie respektlos zu behandeln, sie mehr als einmal anzuschauen, sie anzugreifen, oder wie einige Ahadith zu zeigen scheinen, ihre Hand zu schütteln. Wenn jemand Gerüchte über ihre mangelnde Keuschheit verbreitet, ohne vier Zeugen des Aktes beibringen zu können, so wird er selbst bestraft, in diesem Leben und im nächsten ( Sure 24,23).

Um diese Forderung nach Respekt dem Manne vollkommen klar zu machen, wurden die Frauen des Propheten im Koran aufgefordert, keusch in ihrer Aufmachung sowie in ihrem Benehmen zu sein, still in ihren Häusern zu bleiben und sich nicht großartig zur Schau zu stellen, wozu manche bekannte Leute neigten (und noch immer neigen), und aus Angst vor denen, „in deren Herzen eine Krankheit ist“, nicht zu freundlich mit Männern zu sprechen und fromm, tugendhaft und rein zu sein.

Gewöhnliche muslimische Frauen werden auch eindringlich gebeten, ihren Blick zu senken und sich enger in ihre Kleider zu hüllen, sodaß ihre Kopfbedeckungen den Halsausschnitt bedecken, damit sie als respektable Frauen erkannt und nicht belästigt werden. Von den Frauen des Propheten wird berichtet, daß sie auch Teil ihres Gesichtes mit ihrem Umhang verhüllt hätten, wenn sie sich in der Gegenwart fremder Männer befanden. Diejenigen, die glauben, daß der Schleier eine Ausbeutung der Frau sei, sollten sich die Frage stellen, was Frauen mehr ausbeutet: der Schleier oder der Minirock. Viele muslimische Frauen, beginnend mit den Frauen des Propheten, haben nach demselben Grad der Keuschheit und Tugend gestrebt, der in diesen Textstellen gefordert wird, und dennoch aktiv in der Gesellschaft teilgenommen, mit guten Taten, mit Arbeit, die der Familie half, und/oder indem sie ihr Wissen vermehrten. Frauen waren zahlreich unter den frühesten Gelehrten des Islams vertreten. Aishah, die Frau des Propheten, war eine der führenden Übermittler von Ahadith und – wie andere Frauen des Propheten und die Gefährten des Propheten – oft umringt von Schülern, die von ihr lernen wollten.

Einer ihrer Schüler, Urwah Ibn az-Zubair, sagte: „Ich traf keinen größeren Gelehrten als Aishah im Wissen über den Koran, die obligatorischen Pflichten, die erlaubten und verbotenen Angelegenheiten, die Poesie und Dichtkunst, sowie die arabische Geschichte und Genealogie.“

Abu Musa al-Ash’ar sagte: „Wann immer wir Gefährten des Propheten* auf Schwierigkeiten in Hadithangelegenheiten stießen, wandten wir uns an Aishah und fanden, daß sie eindeutiges Wissen darüber besaß.“

Hafiz Ibn Hajar sagte: „…es heißt, daß ein Viertel der Vorschriften der Shari’a von ihr überliefert sind.“

Der Prophet* bestand darauf, daß die Frauen ebenso wie die Männer im Islam unterrichtet werden, und befahl den Männern, ihr erworbenes Wissen an die Frauen weiterzugeben:

„Geht nach Hause zu euren Frauen und Kindern und bleibt bei ihnen. Lehrt sie (was ihr gelernt habt) und handelt danach.“ (Hadith: al-Bukhari)

Muslimische Frauen haben das Recht auf Bildung durch den Ehemann oder, wenn dies nicht möglich ist, außerhalb des Hauses. Ein früher muslimischer Gelehrter der malikitischen Rechtsschule namens Ibn al-Hajj, der sich gewöhnlich kritisch zum zu liberalen Benehmen der Frauen in Kairo geäußert hat, schrieb:

„Wenn eine Frau auf ihrem Recht nach religiöser Ausbildung durch ihren Ehemann besteht und diese Angelegenheit vor Gericht bringt, so ist diese Forderung berechtigt, denn sie hat das Recht, daß entweder ihr Ehemann sie lehrt oder ihr erlaubt, sich das Wissen anderswo anzueignen. Der Richter muß den Ehemann zwingen, ihrer Forderung nachzukommen in genau der gleichen Weise, wie er es bei weltlichen Rechten tun würde, weil ihre Rechte in Religionsfragen die grundlegendsten und bedeutendsten sind.“ (Al-Mudkhkal)

Frauen können von Männern unterrichtet werden. Der Prophet sandte Umar Ibn al-Khattab als Lehrer zu den Frauen der Ansar.

Umm ‘Atiya berichtete, daß der Gesandte Gottes, als er nach Medina kam, den Frauen der Ansar (der Muslime in Medina) befahl, sich in einem Haus zu versammeln. Er sandte Umar Ibn al-Khattab zu ihnen (um ihnen die Lehren des Islam zu übermitteln). Dieser begrüßte sie, während er in der Tür des Hauses stand, und sie erwiderten seinen Gruß. Dann sagte er: „Ich bin der Gesandte des Gesandten Gottes, der speziell zu euch gesandt wurde.“ (Hadith: al-Bukhari)

Frauen haben auch Männer gelehrt. Nicht nur die Frauen des Propheten, sondern auch viele andere waren später Lehrerinnen von Männern, z. B. Aishah Bint Sa’id Ibn Abi Waqqas, die den ersten Hadithsammler, Malik, lehrte, und Sayyida Nafisa, die Enkelin al-Hasans, des Enkels des Propheten, die Imam Shafi’i lehrte. Viel später lehrte eine Frau Ibn al-Arabi, den berühmten Sufidenker, und hatte großen Einfluß auf seine Lehren.

Gemäß dem Propheten* ist es die Pflicht eines jeden Muslims, männlich oder weiblich, Wissen zu suchen (Hadith: al-Bukhari).

Den Meinungen der Frauen wurde Gehör geschenkt, sie wurden respektiert und normalerweise vom Propheten unterstützt, wie wir gesehen haben. Ein weiteres Beispiel in diesem Zusammenhang ist die Pilgerfahrt des Propheten nach Mekka, die von den Mekkanern mit dem Versprechen, daß er mit den Muslimen im darauffolgenden Jahr zurückkehren dürfe, verhindert wurde. Der Prophet befahl den Leuten, sich die Köpfe zu rasieren und die Schlachtopfer dort darzubringen, wo sie waren, aber sie gehorchten ihm nicht. So wandte er sich an seine Frau, Umm Salama, und sie riet ihm, sie durch sein Beispiel zu leiten. Er folgte ihrem Rat und war erfolgreich. Seine Nachfolger, sogar der ziemlich chauvinistische Kalif Umar, trachteten danach, dem Beispiel des Propheten zu folgen. Umar, der die maßlosen Forderungen nach mahr, der Brautgabe, die die Frauen vorbrachten, zu mäßigen suchte, mußte einen Rückzieher machen, als eine Frau aufstand und mit ihm disputierte und dabei den Koran rezitierte, um ihre Meinung zu unterstützen. Umar verbat den Leuten, übertriebene Brautgabe zu bezahlen und wandte sich an sie, indem er sagte: „Zahlt den Frauen nicht mehr als 40 Unzen. Sollte dieser Betrag überschritten werden, so werde ich den Betrag, der darüber hinausgeht, den öffentlichen Geldern zuteilen.“ Als er von der minbar(Kanzel) herunterkam, stand eine flachnäsige Frau aus der Zuhörerschaft auf und sagte: „Dazu hast du kein Recht!“ Umar sagte: „Warum sollte ich dazu kein Recht haben?“ Sie antwortete: „Weil Allah erklärt hat: …selbst wenn ihr einer von ihnen einen Zentner habt zukommen lassen, so nehmt nichts davon. Wollt ihr denn durch Verleumdung und offenkundige Sünde nehmen?“ (Sure 4,20). Als Umar das hörte, sagte er: „Die Frau hat recht, und der Mann (Umar) ist im Irrtum. Es scheint, daß alle Menschen tiefere Weisheit und Einsicht besitzen als Umar.“ Er ging daraufhin auf die Kanzel zurück und verkündete: „O Leute! Ich beschränkte die Brautgabe auf 400 Dinar. Wer von euch mehr geben will und darin Zufriedenheit findet, der kann dies tun.“ (Hadith: Ibn al-Jawzi)

Umar suchte auch den Rat von Shaffa, der Marktvorsteherin, erwies ihr gebührenden Respekt und hielt sie in hohem Ansehen (Ibn Hajar al-Isabah, zitiert von Hasan Turabi).

Zusammenfassend läßt sich sagen, daß dies die Ideale sind, die die muslimische Frau anstrebt und dies regelmäßig in der Vergangenheit getan hat. In einer wahrlich islamischen Gesellschaft wird ihr folgendes garantiert:

persönlicher Respekt

respektabler Status der Ehe

Legitimität und Unterhalt für ihre Kinder

das Recht, über die Ehebedingungen zu verhandeln

eine Ehe abzulehnen, die sie nicht zufriedenstellt

das Recht auf Scheidung, selbst nur aufgrund der Tatsache, daß sie den Mann nicht ausstehen kann (Mawdudi)

Vormundschaft über die Kinder nach der Scheidung

unabhängiger Besitz

das Recht auf und die Pflicht nach Ausbildung

das Recht auf Arbeit, wenn dies notwendig ist oder sie es will

gleiche Belohnung für gleiche Taten

das Recht auf volle Teilnahme am öffentlichen Leben, sodaß ihre Stimme von denen, die an der Macht sind, gehört wird, und vieles mehr.

Welche andere Religion, politische Theorie oder Philosophie hat ein derartig umfassendes Paket angeboten?

Es gibt keinen Zweifel, daß Homosexualität im Islam als „sündhaft“ betrachtet wird. Homosexualität ist, was den Islam betrifft, ein schwerer Fehler (so wie alle Sünden, wenn sie nicht beabsichtigen, Schlechtes zu tun). Menschen sind nicht von Natur aus homosexuell. Sie werden homosexuell aufgrund ihrer Umwelt. Vor allem während der Pubertät hat die Umwelt einen großen Einfluß. Vorschläge, Ideen und seltsame Träume sind Symptome von verwirrten Versuchen, neue und eindeutige sexuelle Sehnsüchte zu verstehen, und werden allzu schnell als Zeichen interpretiert, daß jemand eine bestimmte sexuelle Neigung hat. Wenn diese Interpretationen dann auch von tatsächlichen homosexuellen Handlungen begleitet werden, werden sie dadurch zudem verstärkt.

Der Mensch kann seine Triebe seinem Willen unterwerfen. Sexualität ist eine Wahl der Identität, gestützt auf die Wahl von Handlungen, die sich wiederum auf die Wahl dessen stützt, worüber ich sexuelle Phantasien habe. Gerade der Mensch ist fähig, seine Gedanken zu kontrollieren, bestimmte zuzulassen und andere zu verwerfen.

Wenn jedoch der freie Wille nicht erkannt wird, so ist es nicht schwer, in einen Kreislauf zu gelangen, der damit anfängt, daß eine Hypothese über Sie als wahr akzeptiert wird und nicht bloß als eine Wahlmöglichkeit, auch wenn die Entscheidung manchmal schwierig ist. Zum Beispiel könnte „Ich bin faul“ von jemandem als wahr betrachtet werden. Wenn der Mensch, der dies denkt, morgens im Bett liegt, so betrachtet er seine Tatenlosigkeit als Beweis seiner Behauptung „Ich bin faul“. Je mehr er sich dem Müßiggang hingibt, desto mehr sammeln sich die Beweise dafür, und die Vorstellung fixiert sich in seiner Identität. Sie mag sich sogar physisch manifestieren und seine Physiologie und Psychologie verändern. Dieser Prozeß kann jeder Vorstellung folgen, gut oder schlecht, die wir über das Selbst haben und die größtenteils auf „Beweismaterial“, das auf unseren Handlungen beruht, zurückgeht. Die Vorstellung kann „Ich bin schwul“ oder „Ich bin zufrieden“ oder „Ich esse gerne viel“ sein. Die Wahrheit aber ist: Sie sind, was Sie sein wollen; Sie tun, was Sie zu tun wählen; Sie denken, was Sie denken wollen. Es mag eine lange Verzögerung eintreten zwischen der auslösenden Wahl und der Wirkung, aber jeder kann sich ändern. Es gibt Ex-Drogensüchtige, Ex-Spielsüchtige und Ex-Homosexuelle, die ihre Wahl revidiert haben. Bei all diesen Sünden ist Vorbeugen tausendmal besser als Heilen – und viel leichter.

Manche glauben, daß Homosexualität genetisch vererbt wird und daß diejenigen, die so veranlagt sind, ein Opfer der Gene sind und keineswegs Sünder. Mag sein, aber es gibt auch andere Dinge, die womöglich auf eine genetische Veranlagung zurückgehen, wie z. B. Spielsucht und Alkoholismus. Man kann auch argumentieren (und es wurde auch getan), daß es genetisch vorprogrammiert ist, daß der Mann seiner Partnerin untreu ist. Dennoch bedeutet das nicht, daß es richtig ist, diese Dinge zu tun, oder daß sie nicht als sündhaft bezeichnet werden. Im Islam ist das Trinken von Alkohol sündhaft, auch wenn Sie eine Neigung zum Alkoholiker haben. Der Trick ist, wie jeder ehemalige Alkoholiker Ihnen bestätigen wird, auch nicht nur einen einzigen Tropfen zu trinken, sobald Sie mit dem Trinken aufgehört haben – ein langer steiler Weg, von dem man leicht abrutscht, aber das Leben ist besser danach. Sobald einmal ein gewisses Verlangen stark mit Ihrer Identität verknüpft ist und Sie in gewisser Weise süchtig sind, wird es immer sehr leicht dazu kommen, daß Sie dem Verlangen wieder nachgeben – Sie können die Befriedigung nicht vergessen. Die schwierige Aufgabe besteht darin, die negative Seite des Verlangens zu sehen wie den Kater, das verspielte Geld, den Selbsthaß oder einfach das Gefühl, etwas versäumt zu haben. Aber wenn Sie sich zum Besseren verändern wollen, müssen Sie sich dies vor Augen halten, damit die Begehren der Vergangenheit, die mit Ihrer Identität verbunden sind, sich von dem, was Sie werden wollen, loslösen können.

Lesen Sie dazu auch:

Human instincts can be subjected to acts of will. Sexuality is a choice of identity which follows choices of action which follow from choices of what to have sexual fantasies about. Human beings are especially able to control their thoughts, entertaining some and dismissing others.

However, if this free will is not recognised it is easy to get into a cycle of thinking which starts from accepting a hypothesis about yourself as true rather than as a possible choice (even if the options are sometimes difficult).For example: “I am lazy ” could be supposed true by someone. When the person who thinks this lies around in bed in the morning he observes this inaction as evidence of the statement “I am lazy.” As he repeatedly chooses to do so the evidence mounts and the idea becomes fixed in his identity. It may even have physical manifestations and change his physiology and psychology. This process can easily occur for any idea good or bad about the self which is based largely on evidence resulting from ones own action. The idea may be “I am ‘gay’” or “I am content” or “I love eating lots of food”. The truth is – you are what you choose to be ; you do what you choose to do ; you think what you choose to think. There may be long time delays between the causing choices and the effects but anyone can change themselves. There are reformed ex-drug addicts, reformed ex-compulsive gamblers and ex-homosexuals. In all these sins prevention is 1000 times better than cure and much easier.

It has been suggested that homosexuality is genetically inherited and that those who have this ‘predisposition’ are victims of it not sinners of any sort. However, there are other things which are probably genetically influenced to give predispositions to for example gambling or alcoholism .It could also be argued (and has been) that it is programmed into men’s genetics for them to be unfaithful to their partner. All these things don’t make it the right thing to do, nor does it prevent these things from being regarded as sinful. Drinking alcohol will still be regarded as sinful in Islam even if you have a predisposition to be an alcoholic. The trick as every post alcoholic will tell you is never touch another drop after you quit – it is a long slippery slope – your life is better without it. Once a certain desire is connected to your identity strongly and you get in some way hooked on it, it will always be easy to return to it – you are unable to forget the satisfaction. The difficult task is remembering the bad side of the desire, such as hangovers, lost money, self loathing or a simply sense of loss because of what you missed out on. But if you are to change for the better, you must remember this and the past desires you bound up with your identity can become disconnected from what you choose to become.

see also

http://www.islamic.org.uk

This preamble is important with regard to women in Islam, because it has often been observed by Muslim scholars that the Islamic family law as practised in some Muslim countries bears little resemblance to the liberating and sympathetic treatment of women pioneered by the Prophet Muhammad himself (pbuh). Even Mawdudi, considered by some to be among the most conservative of modern Islamic revivalist commentators, Abul A’la Mawdudi, has criticisms to make of the why Indian Muslim law has been practised1. So it is important to distinguish between current, or even past practice, and the spirit of the law – the ideals as laid down by Allah in the Qur’an and exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad*. Most modern writers on Women in Islam are agreed that it is vital to go back to these original sources and reinterpret them in the context of the societies in which we all live now in order to clear up corruptions which have been incorporated into the laws, both from indigenous cultural sources and European colonialist efforts to, as they thought, `reform’ the Shari’ah. So it is to these original sources, the Qur’an and Hadith, that I shall mainly refer

The Qur’an has much to say both ABOUT women, and TO women. One Surah is called `Women’, another is named after Maryam the mother of Jesus (pbuh). Women appear in many other parts. In stories of the prophets we have

- Hawwa (Eve) the wife of Adam, no longer the temptress who leads Adam to sin but a partner jointly responsible with him and jointly forgiven by Allah soon afterwards.

- There is the wife of Nuh (Noah) (pbuh) who betrays her husband and is held up along with the wife of Lot as an example of a disbeliever (66:10-11).

- There is the wife of Ibrahim, who laughs at the news the angel brings, of the baby she is to have in her old age;

- the wife of Pharaoh, who saves the infant Musa (Moses) (pbuh) and, along with Maryam, mother of Jesus, is one of the two female examples of the good believer held up in Surah 66:10 & 11.

- The wife of Aziz, who tried to seduce Yusuf (Joseph), is nevertheless treated with some sympathy, when she shows her friends how handsome he is and they all cut themselves with their knives because they are distracted by his beauty;

and there are more women besides.

It is noteworthy that the four women I have mentioned as examples are presented to both male and female Muslims to show how it is possible to be true believers in difficult circumstances, and disbelievers in favourable circumstances.

- The two good examples believed in spite of the attitudes of those close to them, Pharaoh’s wife saving Moses from her husband’s wicked command to kill all the Hebrew firstborn sons, and Maryam confronting accusations of immorality when she brought home her baby after the virgin birth.

- The two bad ones disbelieved in spite of being married to prophets of Allah. In neither case do these examples show the traditional picture of the `submissive’ woman.

For Muslim men and women – for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in God’s praise – for them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward.

(Qur’an 33:35)

Aishah, his youngest wife, caused a scandal when she went out into the desert to look for a necklace she had lost there and got left behind by the caravan. She was rescued by a young man and came back with him and rumours spread that she had been dallying with him. This caused great pain to her and to the Prophet and it was a long time before they were relieved by another revelation (24:4), demanding that people making such accusations against chaste women must produce four eye witnesses to the act or suffer a flogging themselves and have their evidence rejected ever after.

There are passages specifically addressed to the wives of the Prophet as a group. For example:

O Consorts of the Prophet! Ye are not like any of the (other) women. If ye do fear (Allah) be not too complaisant of speech, lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire, but speak ye a speech (that is) just.And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like those of the former times of ignorance, and establish regular prayer, and give zakat (welfare due) and obey Allah and His Messenger. And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye members of the family, and to make you pure and spotless.

And recite what is rehearsed to you in your houses of the Signs of Allah and His Wisdom, for Allah is All-Subtle, All-Aware.

Qur’an 33:32-34

Other passages are addressed via the Prophet to his wives, daughters and the women of the believers.

Still others were revealed in answer to questions from ordinary women, like the one concerning the practice of divorce by abstinence within the marriage (zihar). A woman complained to the Prophet about this practice, which left the woman with no sexual satisfaction, but still not free to marry another husband and a verse was revealed condemning this practice.

Allah has indeed heard (and accepted) the statement of the woman who pleads with thee concerning her husband and carries her complaint (in prayer) to Allah…

Qur’an 58:1

Another passage was revealed in answer to a woman’s complaint about the way her husband wanted to have intercourse with her (2:223).

So the Qur’an is a book which has a lot to say TO women and ABOUT women. What does it say? We have already seen that it does not condemn all women in the image of Eve as Christianity has been known to do; that it is often on the side of women who complain about injustice, in marriage, divorce and in false accusation. How does it view the creation of woman? Is she just a part of Adam and an afterthought? This is what it says, in the first ayah (verse) of Surat an-Nisa – The Women:

O Mankind, be conscious of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul, and from it created its mate (of the same kind) and from them twain has spread a multitude of men and women.

Qur’an 4:1

`A single soul’ is neither male nor female, although it could be understood to mean Adam it is not necessarily so. In fact `soul’ is feminine and `mate’ is masculine! Not that I’m suggesting that women came first, because in other parts of the Qur’an the creation of Adam is described. But the gender relationship here is ambivalent. And the mate was created from the `soul’ not the humble `rib’. No Muslim scholar could ever argue, after reading this, as some Christians have done, that women do not have a soul! They are made of the same soul as men. Their capacity for good and evil is identical with that of men. In 49:13, of the Qur’an we find that it is good deeds and awareness of Allah which make the believer, male or female, noble in the sight of Allah:

Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most pious.

and in 40:40:

Whoever does right, whether male or female, (all) such will enter the garden

The works of male and female are of equal value and each will receive the due reward for what they do:

Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any one of you, male or female…

Qur’an 3:195

Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily to him will We give a new life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to their actions.

Qur’an 16:97

The same duties are incumbent on men and women as regards their faith:

For Muslim men and women – for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in God’s praise – for them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward.

(Qur’an 33:35)

There are a few exceptions: women are given exemption from some duties,

- Fasting when they are pregnant or nursing or menstruating,

- Praying when menstruating or bleeding after childbirth, and

- The obligation to attend congregational prayers in the mosque on Fridays.

- They are not obliged to take part as soldiers in the defence of Islam, although they are not forbidden to do so.

But under normal circumstances they are allowed to do all the things that men do.

- Even when they are menstruating, on special days, like the two Id festivals, they are still allowed to come to the Id prayers, and menstruating women can take part in most of the actions of the Hajj pilgrimage.

But are women’s duties in social life different and complementary as most scholars assert? Is their sole function to keep house and bear and rear children while the men do everything else? Does the fact that they suffer disruption to their health when they menstruate make them unsuitable for any job outside the house, and fit only to maintain a happy and peaceful home, as Mawdudi would have us believe? This is an argument that is grossly exaggerated by male scholars everywhere to justify all kinds of discrimination against women. Mawdudi would have us believe that women scarcely enjoy a few days’ sanity in their lives, so disruptive are the effects of menstruation and childbearing. No doubt there is some truth in his description of such disruption, and allowances should be made by men, and other women for this, but this does not disqualify women from any task that men can do any more than it disqualifies them from creating happy and well-run homes.

Nor is there any basis in the Qur’an or hadith for such an attitude. The Qur’an mentions menstruation in 2:222:

They ask thee concerning women’s courses. Say: `They are a hurt and a pollution, so keep away from women in their courses, and do not approach them until they are clean. But when they have purified themselves, ye may approach them as ordained for you by Allah.’

According to the interpreters of Islamic law, this means only that sexual intercourse is not allowed at such times, but any other form of intimacy is still permissible. To put it briefly, menstruation may be messy and painful but it is not a major disability.

Islamic law makes no demand that women should confine themselves to household duties. In fact the early Muslim women were found in all walks of life. The first wife of the Prophet, mother of all his surviving children, was abusinesswoman who hired him as an employee, and proposed marriage to him through a third party; women traded in the marketplace, and the Khalifah Umar, not normally noted for his liberal attitude to women, appointed a woman, Shaff’a Bint Abdullah, to supervise the market. Other women, like Laila al-Ghifariah, took part in battles, carrying water and nursing the wounded, some, like Suffiah bint Abdul Muttalib even fought and killed the enemies to protect themselves and the Prophet* and like Umm Dhahhak bint Masoud were rewarded with booty in the same way as the men. Ibn Jarir and al-Tabari siad that women can be appointed to a judicial position to adjudicate in all matters, although Abu Hanifah excluded them from such weighty decisions as those involving the heavy hadd and qisas punishments, and other jurists said that women could not be judges at all. The Qur’an even speaks favourably of the Queen of Sheba and the way she consulted her advisors, who deferred to her good judgement on how to deal with the threat of invasion by the armies of Solomon. (Qur’an 27:32-35):

She (the Queen of Sheba) said, `O chiefs, advise me respecting my affair; I never decide an affair until you are in my presence.’ They said, `We are possessors osf strength and possessors of mighty prowess, and the command is thine, so consider what thou wilt command.’ She said, `Surely the kings, when they enter a town, ruin it and make the noblest of its people to be low, and thus they do. And surely I am going to send them a present, and to see what (answer) the messengers bring back.’

Women have sometimes headed Islamic provinces, like Arwa bint Ahmad, who served as governor of Yemen under the Fatimid Khalifahs in the late fifth and early sixth century.

A much vaunted hadith that the Prophet said, `A people who entrust power to a woman will never prosper’, has been shown to be extremely unreliable on several counts. It is an isolated and uncorroborated one, and therefore not binding in Islamic law, and in addition there is reason to believe it may have been forged in the context of the battle which Aishah the Prophet’s widow led against the fourth Khalifah Ali. In view of the examples set by women rulers in history, it is also clearly untenable and false.

To sum up, the qualifications of women for work of all kinds are not in doubt, despite some spurious ahadith to the contrary.Women can do work like men, but they DO NOT HAVE to do it to earn a living. They are allowed and encouraged to take the duties of marriage and motherhood seriously and are provided with the means to stay at home and do it properly.

The Muslim woman has always had the right to own and manage her own property, a right that women in this country only attained in the last 100 years. Marriage in Islam does not mean that the man takes over the woman’s property, nor does she automatically have the right to all his property if he dies intestate. Both are still regarded as individual people with responsibilities to other members of their family – parents, brothers, sisters etc. and inheritance rights illustrate this.

The husband has the duty to support and maintain the wife, as stated in the Qur’an, and this is held to be so even if she is rich in her own right. He has no right to expect her to support herself, let alone support his children or him. If she does contribute to the household income this is regarded as a charitable deed on her part.

Because of their greater financial responsibilities, some categories of male relations, according to the inheritance laws in the Qur’an, inherit twice the share of their female equivalents, but others, whose responsibilities are likely to be less, inherit the same share -mothers and fathers, for instance are each entitled to one sixth of the estate of their children, after bequests (up to one third of the estate) and payment of debts. (Qur’an 4:11):

For parents a sixth share of the inheritance to each if the deceased left children;If no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth…

Women are thus well provided for: their husbands support them, and they inherit from all their relations. They are allowed to engage in business or work at home or outside the house, so long as the family does not suffer, and the money they make is their own, with no calls on it from other people until their death.

Nor are women expected to do the housework. If they have not been used to doing it, the husband is obliged to provide domestic help within his means, and to make sure that the food gets to his wife and children, already cooked. The Prophet* himself used to help with the domestic work, and mended his own shoes.Women are not even obliged in all cases to suckle their own children. If a divorcing couple mutually agree, they can send the baby to a wet-nurse and the husband must pay for the suckling. If the mother decides to keep the baby and suckle it herself, he must pay her for her trouble!

This is laid down in the Qur’an itself, (2:233):

The mothers shall give suck to their offspring for two whole years, if the father desires to complete the term, but he shall bear the cost of their food and clothing on equitable terms…If they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no blame on them. If ye decide on a foster-mother for your offspring, there is no blame on you, provided ye pay what ye offered on equitable terms …

What basis does all this leave for the male attitude that women are only fit for maternal and household duties?

Nevertheless the womanly state in marriage is given full respect in Islam, and so are the rights of children. No Muslim woman could feel ashamed to say she was only a housewife. She is the head of her household, although the husband has the final say in major decisions. According to a hadith:

The ruler is a shepherd and is responsible for his subjects, a husband is a shepherd and is responsible for his family, a wife is a shepherd and is responsible for her household, and a servant is a shepherd who is responsible for his master’s property.

Hadith: Bukhari

The wife must defer to her husband in respect for the fact that he maintains and protects her out of his means (Qur’an 4:34), but not if he tries to make her break the laws of Allah. Likewise children’s obedience and respect for parents goes only to the limits set by Allah. If the parents try to make them disobey Allah, then it is their duty to disobey the parents. If the husband wilfully fails to maintain his wife, she has the right to divorce him in court.

Women are also entitled to respect as mothers: Allah says in the Qur’an (31:14):

And we have enjoined on man (to be good to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him…

The Prophet* said:

Paradise lies at the feet of mothers…

and in another hadith the Prophet* told a man that his mother above all other people, even his father, was worthy of his highest respect and compassion.

In cases of divorce, the mother has first claim to custody of the young children, followed by other female members of her family, if she remarries or is unable to look after the children. The right reverts to the husband’s family only after the children reach an age of greater independence, which varies according to the school of law, and then the wishes of the child must be taken into consideration, if the example of the Prophet* is to be followed. In a disputed case, he asked the child:

This is your father and this is your mother, so take whichever of them you wish by the hand.

Hadith: Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Darimi

The boy went to his mother.

In another case a woman approached the Prophet telling him that her husband had embraced Islam while she had refused to do so, adding that her daughter was being deprived of mother’s milk as her father was taking her away. The Prophet made the child sit between mother and father and said both of them should call her. The child would go to whoever she chose. The child responded to the mother. The Prophet prayed to Allah to guide the child and the child then chose the father, and hence Rafi (the father) took the child (Hadith: Abu Dawud)3

Yet in this country it is still a novelty to give the child such rights.

Although the Islamic marriage contract is a civil agreement between the two parties, not a sacrament like the Christian one, it is not just a relationship of material convenience. The words used to describe marriage in the Qur’an are poetic and beautiful:

And among His signs is this: that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your hearts, verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.

Qur’an 30:21

They are your garments and ye are their garments

Qur’an 2:187

Love, mercy, intimacy and mutual protection and modesty are the qualities expected of an Islamic marriage. Even in Paradise marriage remains as one of the great joys:

Verily the Companions of the Garden shall that day have joy in all that they do; they and their spouses will be in groves of (cool) shade reclining on thrones of (dignity); fruit will be there for them, they shall have whatever they call for; `Peace’, a word (of salutation) from a Lord Most Merciful.

Qur’an 36:55-57

Husbands are expected to treat their wives kindly during marriage and even during and after divorce. Allah says in the Qur’an:

… Live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them, it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good.

Qur’an 4:19

The Prophet* said:

The most perfect believers are the best in conduct and the best of you are those who are best to their wives.

(Hadith: Ibn Hanbal)

Married couples are urged in the Qur’an to deal with one another in a spirit of mutual consultation and agreement, even when contemplating divorce and the custody of children:

… If they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no blame on them …

Qur’an 2:233

How much more so, then, should this spirit predominate in the happy marriage!

Marriage is also intended by Allah to be fruitful. In the Qur’an He tells us:

… He has made for you pairs from among yourselves, and pairs among cattle; by this means does he multiply you…

Qur’an 42:11

Your wives are as a tilth for you …

Qur’an 2:223

Yet contraception has never been forbidden in Islam, as the Prophet* gave permission for the withdrawal method, so long as the wife agrees. By analogy other methods of preventing conception are also allowed.

The practical aspects of marriage are covered by the marriage contract, in which the wife can specify conditions, and many Muslim women have taken advantage of this to take to themselves the right of divorce if, for example, the husband takes another wife (CARDS on Polygamy). It must include a marriage gift – sadaqah or mahr – to the wife from the husband, of an amount and nature agreed between them.

Usually, according to custom and convenience – a practice later endorsed in the Shari’ah – a young inexperienced woman would be represented in the negotiations by a `marriage guardian’ or wal_ who is there to see that her interests are served. This wal_ should be her father or grandfather, but it is possible for some older or more experienced women to appoint any person of their choice to act for them. When the Prophet* married the widow, Umm Salamah, her son acted as her wal_, and the Prophet* asked his permission to marry her. (Ibn Rushd) The wishes of close relations, in particular parents, must be taken into consideration, and their permission must be asked. According to some ahadith it is better to break off a marriage which displeases one’s parents, as they are the gateway to Paradise.

Parents have a responsibility to help their children find spouses,

Umar Ibn al-Khattab and Anas reported God’s Messenger* as saying that it is written in the Torah, `If anyone does not give his daughter in marriage when she reaches 12 and she commits sin, the guilt of that rests on him.’

Hadith: Baihaqi

and

Abu Sa’id and Ibn Abbas reported God’s Messenger* as saying: `He who has a son born to him should give him a good name and a good education and marry him when he reaches puberty. If he does not marry him when he reaches puberty and he commits sin, its guilt rests only upon his father.

Hadith: Baihaqi

But parents have no right to force young women to marry against their will after they have reached marriagable age.There is much evidence in the hadith to show that forced marriages are not legal and the wife has the right to have them annulled:

Ibn Abbas reported that a girl came to the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad* and she reported that her father had forced her to marry without her consent. The Messenger of Allah* gave her the choice … (between accepting the marriage and invalidating it).

Hadith: Ibn Hanbal

In another version the girl said,

`Actually, I accept this marriage but I wanted to let women know that parents have no right (to force a husband on them).

Hadith: Ibn Majah

The Prophet* also advised that couples should see one another before getting married, so there is no Islamic basis for the custom of marrying young couples who have never set eyes on one another. If a woman does find that she cannot bear the man she is married to, even because she finds him ugly, Islamic law makes it possible for a court to give her a divorce from him. It is only necessary to prove that she hates him irrevocably – the court does not need to probe into the reasons for the hatred. The Prophet* granted divorces to at least two women in such circumstances. One of them, Jamila, the sister of the hypocrite Abdullah Ibn Ubayy, told the Prophet* about her objection to her husband Thabit Ibn Qais:

Messenger of Allah! Nothing can keep the two of us together. As I lifted my veil, I saw him coming, accompanied by some men. I could see that he was the blackest, the shortest and the ugliest of them all. By Allah! I do not dislike him for any blemish in his faith or his morals, it is his ugliness that I dislike. Had the fear of Allah not stood in my way, I must have spat on him when he came to me. … I am afraid my desperation might drive my Islam closer to disbelief.

The Prophet asked her if she would return the garden Thabit had given her, and she agreed to do this and was given a divorce.4 Thabit did not do any better with his other wife, Habibah. And there are also examples of similar cases from the times of the first three khalifahs.

Ideally speaking, women in Islam are treated like queens, indeed they are better protected than our British royal family is now!Not only are they are allowed to divorce their husbands, rather than live apart and unable to remarry, like Princess Diana, but they are also protected from scandal-mongers.

No-one is allowed, without permission, to invade their privacy in their houses (24:27-28) not even their husbands when they return from a long journey.

Men are not allowed to treat them with disrespect, to look at them more than once, or to touch them -even, some hadiths seem to show, to shake their hands – and if anyone spreads rumours about their chastity without the support of four eye witnesses to the act itself, they themselves are liable to punishment in this life and the hereafter (24:23)!

To make this demand for respect abundantly clear to the men, the wives of the Prophet are asked in the Qur’an to be modest in their appearance, and behaviour, to stay quietly in their houses and not make a great display of themselves as some well-known people were (and still are) prone to do; not to speak too pleasantly to men for fear of `those in whose hearts is a disease’, and to be pious and virtuous and pure.

Ordinary Muslim women too are urged to lower their gaze and wrap themselves closely in their outer garments, letting their head-coverings fall over their neck opening, so that they may be recognised as respectable women and not molested. The Prophet’s wives are also reported to have covered part of their faces with their cloaks when they were among strange men. Those who regard veiling as a form of exploitation should ask themselves which is more exploitative of women, the mini skirt or the veil?

Many Muslim women, from the Prophet’s wives onwards, have aspired to the same degree of modesty and virtue as these passages enjoin and yet managed to participate actively in society by doing good deeds, working to help support their families, and/or pursuing their education. Women figured prominently among the earliest scholars of Islam. The Prophet’s wife Aishah was one of the foremost transmitters of hadiths and, like other wives and Companions of the Prophet was often surrounded by students wanting to learn from her: one of her pupils, Urwah Ibn az-Zubayr said:

I did not see a greater scholar than Aishah in the learning of the Qur’an, obligatory duties, lawful and unlawful matters, poetry and literature, Arab history and genealogy.

Abu Musa al-Ash’ar_ said:

Whenever we Companions of the Prophet* encountered any difficulty in the matter of any hadith we referred it to Aishah and found that she had definite knowledge about it.

Hafiz ibn Hajar said:

… it is said that a quarter of the injunctions of the Shari’ah are narrated from her.

The Prophet* was keen to see that women were educated in Islam as well as the men and ordered the men to pass on what they had learned to their women:

Return home to your wives and children and stay with them. Teach them (what you have learned) and ask them to act upon it.

Hadith: Bukhari (CARD)

Muslim women have the right to have education from their husbands and if not, to go elsewhere to get it. An early Muslim scholar, of the Maliki school of law, named Ibn al-HÆjj, otherwise a strict critic of the over-liberal behaviour of the women in Cairo, wrote:

If a woman demands her right to religious education from her husband and brings the issue before a judge, she is justified in demanding this right because it is her right that either her husband should teach her or allow her to go elsewhere to acquire education. The judge must compel the husband to fulfil her demand in the same way that he would in the matter of her worldly rights, since her rights in matters of religion are most essential and important.

al-Mudhkal

Women can be educated by men. The Prophet sent Umar Ibn al-Khattab to teach the women of the Ansar:

It is reported by Umm `Atiyah thaat when the Messenger of Allah came to Madinah, he ordered the women of the Ansar (Muslims of Madinah) to gather in one house, and sent Umar Ibn al-Khattab to them (to convey the teachings of Islam). He asluted them while standing at athe door of the house and they returned his greeting. Then he said, `I am a messenger of the Messenger of Allah, sent especially to you.’

Hadith: Bukhari

And women taught men too, not only the wives of the Prophet but many others later were teachers of men, e.g. Aishah bt. Sa’id Ibn Abi Waqqas, who taught the first compiler of Hadith, Malik; and Sayyida Nafisa, granddaughter of al-Hasan, the Prophet’s grandson, who taught Imam Shafi’i, and much later a woman taught Ibn al-Arabi, the famous Sufi thinker and greatly influenced his thought.

According to the Prophet*:

It is the duty of every Muslim (male or female) to seek knowledge.

Hadith: Bukhari?

Women’s views were listened to, respected, and usually supported, by the Prophet* as we have seen. Another example is when the Prophet’s pilgrimage to Makkah was stopped by the Makkans who made an agreement with him that he and the Muslims could return the following year. He told the people to shave their heads and offer their sacrifices where they were, but they did not obey, so he asked his wife Umm Salamah, and she advised him to lead them by doing so himself. He took her advice, and it worked. His successors, even the rather male chauvinist Khalifah Umar, did their best to follow his example in this. Umar, trying to regulate the exorbitant demands for mahr marriage gifts that women were making had to retreat after a woman stood up and disputed with him, quoting the Qur’an to support her case:

Umar forbade the people from paying excessive dowries and addressed them, saying: `Don’t fix dowries for women over 40 ouces. If ever that is exceeded I shall deposit the escess amount in the public treasury.’ As he came down from the minbar (platform), a flat-nosed lady stood up from among the women audience and said:‘It is not within your right.’ Umar asked: `Why should this not be of my right?’ She replied, `Because Allah has proclaimed, “Even if you had given one of them (wives) a whole treasure for dower, take not the least bit back. Would you take it by false claim and manifest sin?’ (Qur’an 4:20)

When he heard this, Umar said: `The woman is right, and the man (Umar) is wrong. It seems that all people have deeper wisdom and insight than Umar.’ Then he returned to the minbar and said, `O people! I had restricted the giving of more than four hundred dirhams in dower. Whosoever of you wishes to give in dower as much as he likes and finds satisfaction in so doing, may do so.’

Hadith: Ibn al-Jawzi

Umar also used to seek the counsel of Shaffa the market inspector, pay due regard to her and hold her in high esteem. (Ibn Hajar al-Isabah quoted by Hasan Turabi)

So, to conclude, these are the ideals to which Muslim women can aspire and frequently have done in the past. In a truly Islamic society, they are guaranteed

- personal respect,

- respectable married status,

- legitimacy and maintenance for their children,

- the right to negotiate marriage terms of their choice,

- to refuse any marriage that does not please them,

- the right to obtain divorce from their husbands, even on the grounds that they can’t stand them (Mawdudi),

- custody of their children after divorce,

- independent property of their own,

- the right and duty to obtain education,

- the right to work if they need or want it,

- equality of reward for equal deeds,

- the right to participate fully in public life and have their voices heard by those in power,

and much more besides.

What other religion, political theory, or philosophy has offered such a comprehensive package

“And thou [Moses] shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first born.” (Exodus 4:22),

“He [Solomon] shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father and he shall be my son.” (II Samuel 7:13-14),

“I am a father to Israel and Ephraim is my firstborn”(Jeremiah 31:9), ‘long before Jesus was born’, “I will declare the decree:the Lord hath said unto me [David], Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee.”(Psalm 2:7),

and “Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God”(Luke3: 38).

Do the few I mentioned have this “unique begotten son relationship”? Is Jesus still unique because he had no father?
Well brothers and sisters, Adam and Eve had no father or mother. Jesus is a word of God, God said “be” and then Jesus was created, Quran 19:9. It is Blasphemy to say God begotten (sired) Jesus.

Jesus called himself son of man and refused to be called son of God.

“And the devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak; for they knew that he was Christ.” (Luke 4:11)

and again “He [Jesus] said unto them [the disciples], But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The
Christ of God. And he straightly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing.” (Luke 9:20 and 21)

Just over a hundred years ago, in England, in 1850, women were finally allowed the right to own property. In 1857, divorce became accessible by the formation of the court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes. Muslim women have had these rights for fourteen hundred years.

However, in practical terms, in today’s Islamic world, the majority of women are treated by men as second class citizens. As mentioned in a previous article, such a status for women is not attributable to the laws in the Quran but to religious laws other than the Quran. This is in spite of the fact, that the Quran came to us through Prophet Mohammad’s mouth and that God informs us in the Quran, that it is complete, perfect, fully detailed and the only source of religious law for the submitters (Muslims). An attempt will be made in this article to give some examples, inshallah, to display the great disparity between what the Quran advocates versus accepted practices, which have given women the low status in Muslim countries.

EQUALITY OF MEN & WOMEN

“Their Lord responded to them: ‘I never fail to reward any worker among you for any work you do, be you male or female – you are equal to one another. Thus, those who immigrate, and get evicted from their homes, and are persecuted because of Me, and fight and get killed, I will surely remit their sins and admit them into gardens with flowing streams.’ Such is the reward from GOD. GOD possesses the ultimate reward.” 3:195

“The believing men and women are allies of one another. They advocate righteousness and forbid evil, they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and they obey GOD and His messenger. These will be showered by GOD’s mercy. GOD is Almighty, Most Wise.” 9:71

“GOD promises the believing men and the believing women gardens with flowing streams, wherein they abide forever, and magnificent mansions in the gardens of Eden. And GOD’s blessings and approval are even greater. This is the greatest triumph.” 9:72

“The submitting men, the submitting women, the believing men, the believing women, the obedient men, the obedient women, the truthful men, the truthful women, the steadfast men, the steadfast women, the reverent men, the reverent women, the charitable men, the charitable women, the fasting men, the fasting women, the chaste men, the chaste women, and the men who commemorate GOD frequently, and the commemorating women; GOD has prepared for them forgiveness and a great recompense.” 33:35

RELIGIOUS LAWS NEVER AUTHORIZED BY GOD

The Quran prohibits even Prophet Mohammad from issuing any religious teachings other than the Quran or explaining the Quran in verses 69:43-47 and 75:16-19. The religious scholars, however, in defiance of the Quran have created religious laws never authorized by God.

MENSTRUATION

The following verse deals specifically and only with sexual intercourse during menstruation. However, most women through teachings of the scholars abstain from their daily religious practices (fasting, salat) during menstruation.

“They ask you about menstruation: say, ‘It is harmful; you shall avoid sexual intercourse with the women during menstruation; do not approach them until they are rid of it. Once they are rid of it, you may have intercourse with them in the manner designed by GOD. GOD loves the repenters, and He loves those who are clean.’” 2:222

DRESS CODE

“O prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers that they shall lengthen their garments. Thus, they will be recognized (as righteous women) and avoid being insulted. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.” 33:59

“Tell the believing men that they shall subdue their eyes (and not stare at the women), and to maintain their chastity. This is purer for them. GOD is fully Cognizant of everything they do.”24:30

“And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, and shall not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands,…..They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to GOD, O you believers, that you may succeed.” 24:31

The verses quoted above are the only verses in the Quran giving the dress code for women – to lengthen the garments and to cover the chest. The Muslims of today have created unreasonable dress code for women based on tradition and customs in the name of God and Islam. There is also, no mention in the Quran, that the head should be covered for men or women.

POLYGAMY

“If you deem it best FOR THE ORPHANS, you may marry their mothers – you may marry two, three, or four. If you fear lest you become unfair, then you shall be content with only one, or with what you already have. Additionally, you are thus more likely to avoid financial hardship.”4:3

“You can never be equitable in dealing with more than one wife, no matter how hard you try. Therefore, do not be so biased as to leave one of them hanging (neither enjoying marriage, nor left to marry someone else). If you correct this situation and maintain righteousness, GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.” 4:129

Verse 4:3 makes it clear that the ONLY condition for polygamy is for the sake of orphans, while verse 4:129 discourages polygamy even for that one exception. A law which allows men to marry a second time without meeting the condition of orphans stands in violation of the Quran.

TAKING CERTAIN VERSES OUT OF CONTEXT

“O you who believe, when you transact a loan for any period, you shall write it down. An impartial scribe shall do the writing. No scribe shall refuse to perform this service, according to GOD’s teachings. He shall write, while the debtor dictates the terms. He shall observe GOD his Lord and never cheat. If the debtor is mentally incapable, or helpless, or cannot dictate, his guardian shall dictate equitably. Two men shall serve as witnesses; if not two men, then a man and two women whose testimony is acceptable to all. Thus, if one woman becomes biased, the other will remind her. It is the obligation of the witnesses to testify when called upon to do so. Do not tire of writing the details, no matter how long, including the time of repayment. This is equitable in the sight of GOD, assures better witnessing, and eliminates any doubts you may have. Business transactions that you execute on the spot need not be recorded, but have them witnessed. No scribe or witness shall be harmed on account of his services. If you harm them, it would be wickedness on your part. You shall observe GOD, and GOD will teach you. GOD is Omniscient.” 2:282

Financial transactions are the ONLY situations where two women may substitute for one man as witness. This is to guard against the real possibility that one witness may marry the other witness, and thus cause her to be biased. Unreasonable laws have been made and continue to be made abusing this verse, giving women a lower status in society.

WOMAN AS LEADERS

One of the major controversial issues in Islam to those who do not know Islam is where is the woman’s role in the political system. Can a woman take the leadership role? Is it prohibited?

The answer will be different if you look at the book of God, the Quran, or if you look at the book of man, the Hadiths that was written about 250 years after the Prophet’s death.

When God tells us a story in he Quran, He does not do so just for entertaining us, but to learn a lesson. “We narrate to you the most accurate history through the revelation of this Quran. Before this, you were totally unaware.” 12:3 “In their history, there is a lesson for those who possess intelligence……” 12:111

The role of an important woman in the history of the world as much as Muslims are concerned is the story Belquees, the Queen of Sheba. See 27:22-44. God mentioned her history in the Quran to let us know that a woman in a ruling position is not offensive as far as God is concerned. She represented a democratic ruler who consulted with her people before making important decisions, See 27:29. She visited Solomon, talked to him, made decisions for herself and her people, not hiding behind walls , or shying behind another man.

After witnessing what God gave Solomon, she became a submitter (Muslim), while still the Queen of Sheba.

“She was told, “Go inside the palace.” When she saw its interior, she thought it was a pool of water, and she (pulled up her dress) exposing her legs. He said, “This interior is now paved with crystal.” She said, “MY LORD, I HAVE WRONGED MY SOUL. I NOW SUBMIT WITH SOLOMON TO GOD, LORD OF THE UNIVERSE.”

Here we witness one of the first Muslim women in charge of a nation, ruling them as a queen of Sheba. Do we learn a lesson from the Quran ? we should. The lesson is that God in the Quran never put restriction on a woman in a ruling position. These days we have two Muslim women in position of power, the Prime Minister of Pakistan and Turkey.

CONCLUSION

Belief in God mandates that we believe God. God has stated in his proven, final scripture, the Quran, that it is complete, fully detailed and the only source of religious guidance. As submitters (Muslims) we have to accept God’s assertion and look to the Quran and God for guidance.

(1)Muslim women have to wear the veil: This is a very common misconception, as Quran does not command the veil (Hijab). Wearing the veil is a tradition and is only supported by the man-made books of Hadiths and Sunna. These books do not represent the words of God in the Quran and  on many occasions contradict them. Please see: Women Dress code in Islam.

(2) Islam encourages wife beating: On the contrary, Quran uses the best psychological approach to discourage this widespread abuse that is widespread in both Islamic and non-Islamic societies. Please see: Domestic violence, Wife abuse and  beating, a Quranic Perspective.

(3) The woman inherits only half what a man can inherit: This is a common misconception even among the traditional Muslims themselves. Quran gives the parents total freedom to give their children as much as they see fit even if this means giving the females double what the males would get. Quran,  however, commands that if a will is NOT left, then the estate is distributed in such a manner that the son gets double what the daughter gets. Generally, the son is responsible for a family, while the daughter is taken care of by a husband or her family. However, the Quran recommends in 2:180 that a will shall be left to conform with the specific circumstances of the deceased. For example, if the son is rich and the daughter is poor, one may leave a will giving the daughter everything, or twice as much as the son.

(4)The woman’s testimony. is equal only to half of the man’s testimony: This is a gross mis-representation. The woman testimony is equal to the man’s testimony except in one case only, the financial transactions. This is according to 2:282;

[ 2:282] O you who believe, when you transact a loan for any period, you shall write it down. An impartial scribe shall do the writing. …….. Two men shall serve as witnesses; if not two men, then a man and two women whose testimony is acceptable to all. Thus, if one woman becomes biased, the other will remind her. It is the obligation of the witnesses to testify when called upon to do so. ……

Financial transactions are the ONLY situations where two women may substitute for one man as witness. This is to guard against the real possibility that one witness may marry the other witness, and thus cause her to be biased. It is a recognized fact that women are more emotionally vulnerable than men. If the woman as a witness was worth half that of a man, the verse would have stated so clearly. But obviously that is not the case. Women’s testimony in all other matters are equal to that of a man or even supersedes his testimony as in the case of a wife testifying against her accusation of adultery, 24:6-10. See also, 65:2, 5:106 and 4:6

(5)Muslim woman cannot have jobs outside their homes: This also is not true. The social structure in the East where Islam (Submission) prevails encourages the woman to make her house her first priority but there is no prohibition whatsoever on women having to work and earn their living. The Muslim (submitter) woman has been given the privilege to earn money, the right to own property, to enter into legal contracts and to manage all of her assets in any way she pleases. She can hold a job or run her own business and no one has any claim on her earnings including her husband. Historically, Muhammed’s first wife was a merchant who hired Muhammed to work for her. Muslim women went along with their husbands, fathers and brothers during battles to take care of the wounded and help in the back lines of  the troops..

(6)Polygamy is strongly recommended: This is one of the most common misconceptions about Islam (Submission.) Quran strongly discourages polygamy. Polygamy was a way of life until the Quran was revealed 1400 years ago. It was advocated and practiced by the followers of the previous scriptures. Quran came to put the first scriptural limit on polygamy and discourages it as much as possible. Please see; Polygamy, the right  way In all the scriptures, the men were allowed to have more than one wife and not vise verse, since the idea of polygamy then was to populate the earth. As we know a woman can be pregnant only once a year even if she is married to four men but one man can have four children in the process at the same time if he is married to four wives. Polygamy was never meant to be abused for sexual pleasure or prove superiority. The emotional make up of a man makes him acceptable to polygamy and the opposite is true for women who prefer a monogamous relationship.

(7)Men status is higher than that of the women : Again this is not true. Many writers who wrote about women’s rights refer to the statement in 4:34 as a sign of the man is above the women in status but it is a misunderstood statement.   In 4:34, the expression “..al-rijalu qawwdmuna ‘ala al-nisa’i…. ” means “The men are made responsible for the women, and GOD has endowed them with certain qualities, and made them the bread earners.” This expression simply means that God is appointing the husband as “captain of the ship.” Marriage is like a ship, and the captain runs it after due consultation with his officers. It does not assign inequality but rather assigns duties to avoid conflicts and disputes.

Quran provides every possible proof that women and men are equal in th sight of God and treats both genders in the same way and rewards them in the same way. Please see; Are women and men equal in Islam? , Women in the religion of Submission (Islam) and Blame it on Eve. !.

(8) Muslim Women cannot have education: This is not true. Qur’an encourages the pursuit of knowledge by all Muslims (Submitters) regardless of their sex. It repeatedly commands all believers to read, to recite, to think, to contemplate, as well as to learn from the signs of God surrounding us in nature. In fact, the very first revelation to Prophet Muhammad was “READ” and the second revelation talked about God who teaches the people by the “PEN”. In either case no gender is advocated, the order is for everyone. Islam (Submission) does not put any limit on the kind or field of education a woman may choose. Islamic history still has the mark of few women scholars

(9)Women cannot share in the political life in their communities: This also is not true. Women in Islam (Submission) have the right to vote, express their views on any public matter, run for an office and even be the head of a state.See 60:12, 27:22-44  Please see;Women and Politics in Islam and The record set straight: Women in Islam have rights.

(10)Women cannot pray, fast, do Hajj or Ummrah during menstruation: This misconception is even common among women who follow the traditional Islam that derives many of its laws from man-made books. This is totally against the teachings of the Quran. Please see; Religious Duties  and Menstruation . A question/ answer report.

(11)Women are stoned to death for Adultery : This is totally false as there is NO death penalty for adultery in Islam (Submission). The penalty of adultery is equal for both men and women, and involves symbolic lashing. Social pressure, i.e., public witnessing of the penalty, is the basic punishment  see 24:1-2

(12)Muslim women cannot marry Jewish or Christian men: This common misconception is advocated and promoted by men but have no basis in the Quran. Quran gives both men and women the right to marry from the people of the book, i.e. Muslims (Submitters), Jews or Christians. God also reminds us that the marriage to a believer is much better than the marriage to an idolworshiper. See 5:5 and 2:221. See also; Marriage in the Quran, and A Marriage question and answer from  the Quran.

(13)Muslim women do not have the right to divorce their husbands: This is not true. Divorce laws in the Quran apply to both men and women equally. Women have the right to divorce their husbands as long as they follow the laws set in the Quran. Please see; Divorce according to the Quran.

(14)Compensation for the murder of a woman is half the going rate for men:This is totally false as both men and women are equally treated and compensated according to the Quran. Such laws are found in the fabricated books of Hadiths and Sunna and they are not the laws of God in the Quran.See 2:178.

(15)For a woman to prove rape, four adult males of “impeccable” character must witness the incident: This a gross misunderstanding of this law. Like any civil law in the civilized world, Quran urges a proof beyond doubt for such a horrendous crime. Quran accepts a proof of a crime if the proof is beyond doubt, e.g. see 12:75. Therefore although the verses of adultery which is used in cases of rape are applied, a proof beyond doubt, e.g. DNA of the offender should be an acceptable proof instead of four witnesses in these cases. Insisting on four witnesses when the  other proof is beyond doubt is NOT Quranic.

(16)The legal age for girls to marry tends to be very young: This is not an Islamic law but local tribal or cultural tradition. In reality Islam (Submission) expects marriage to be established on mutual understanding, acceptance and approval. Such requirements cannot be achieved in the very young girls (or boys). Maturity, mentally, emotionally and physically is the rule in Islam (Submission)  before marriage. The story of prophet Muhammed marrying his wife Aysha when she was only six is a gross lie that can be found in the Hadiths books that are full of many other similar lies that do not represent Islam (Submission.) Please see;Prophet Muhammed’s marriage to Aysha.

(17)Female circumcision, also called female genital mutilation: Quran does not mention nor advocates female circumcision and all the rituals that go with it. This is NOT an Islamic practice by all means. This practice predates Muhammad and is also common among some Christian communities.

(18) Muslim women are not allowed to drive: Again this is not Islamic law but rather a local tradition in some of these so called “Islamic” countries. Quran has no restriction on the women moving freely in the society, whether this includes riding a horse, driving a car or flying an aeroplane. Local laws that require the women to be accompanied by a male relative whenever they travel are traditional laws that have NO basis in the Quran.

(19) Typically, fathers win custody of boys over the age of six and girls after the onset of puberty: This is only a local law that is not supported by the Quran. Cases of custody are to be decided on a case by case basis with the interest of the children being the priority in any judgment. God puts a great emphasis on protecting the right of the weak and unprotected kids, please see; 6:151-152, 17:31, 17:34, 2:233, 6:140, 60:12, 4:127, 4:2, 4:10, 33:5, 93:9, 2:215, …..

(20) Women must be segregated form men in public, work and places of worship: This is a common misconception even among some Muslims but has NO basis in the Quran. On the contrary, God meant for the women and men to be together with NO segregation whether in public, work or worship places. Hajj (pilgrimage) is a vivid example of how women and men are not segregated and worship in the same place, then go ahead with their lives and practice commerce after Hajj with no limits..

(21) “honor killings” of women: Murders by husbands or male relatives of women suspected of disobedience, usually a sexual indiscretion or marriage against the family’s wishes. These are tribal laws, not Islamic laws. There is no such thing as HONOR killing in Islam (Submission.) All killings are condemned in the Quran. in the strongest language possible. Please see; 5:32, 6:151 and 17:33.  Punishment for these killers will follow the same general rules in the Quran and would not get a lighter sentence for his claims even if they were true. After all, these killers violated the sacred laws of God in the Quran. The punishment in the Quran is based always on an attempt to save lives not to waste lives. Please see Capital Punishment in Islam.

(22) “Morality Police” keeps control on the behaviour of women: Islam (Submission) does not assign police for morality as such character is not created by force but rather by understanding of God’s laws in the Quran. The practice of the so called “Morality Police” is a total innovation of some of these so called “Islamic” countries but has nothing to do with Islam (Submission.)

(23) Women cannot travel freely except in the company of a male relative, “mahram”: This is a man made fabrication that has no support in the Quran. According to the Quran, women have no limitations on their moves, travels or activities. Men who hire themsleves guards on the women’s moves do this out of their own wishes not beause of any religious law in the Quran.

Most Muslims do not fast because of medical benefits but because it has been ordained to them in the Quran.  The medical benefits of fasting are as a result of fasting.  Fasting in general has been used in medicine for medical reasons including weight management, for rest of the digestive tract and for lowering lipids.  There are many adverse effects of total fasting as well as so-called crash diets.  Islamic fasting is different from such diet plans because in Ramadan fasting, there is no malnutrition or inadequate calorie intake.  The caloric intake of Muslims during Ramadan is at or slightly below the national requirement guidelines. In addition, the fasting in Ramadan is voluntarily taken and is not a prescribed imposition from the physician.

Ramadan is a month of self-regulation and self-training, with the hope that this training will last beyond the end of Ramadan.  If the lessons learned during Ramadan, whether in terms of dietary intake or righteousness, are carried on after Ramadan, it is beneficial for one’s entire life.  Moreover, the type of food taken during Ramadan does not have any selective criteria of crash diets such as those which are protein only or fruit only type diets.  Everything that is permissible is taken in moderate quantities.

The only difference between Ramadan and total fasting is the timing of the food; during Ramadan, we basically miss lunch and take an early breakfast and do not eat until dusk.  Abstinence from water during this period is not bad at all and in fact, it causes concentration of all fluids within the body, producing slight dehydration.  The body has its own water conservation mechanism; in fact, it has been shown that slight dehydration and water conservation, at least in plant life, improve their longevity.

The physiological effect of fasting includes lower of blood sugar, lowering of cholesterol and lowering of the systolic blood pressure.  In fact, Ramadan fasting would be an ideal recommendation for treatment of mild to moderate, stable, non-insulin diabetes, obesity and essential hypertension.  In 1994 the first International Congress on “Health and Ramadan”, held in Casablanca, entered 50 research papers from all over the world, from Muslim and non-Muslim researchers who have done extensive studies on the medical ethics of fasting.  While improvement in many medical conditions was noted; however, in no way did fasting worsen any patients’ health or baseline medical condition.  On the other hand, patients who are suffering from severe diseases, whether diabetes or coronary artery disease, kidney stones, etc., are exempt from fasting and should not try to fast.

There are psychological effects of fasting as well.  There is a peace and tranquility for those who fast during the month of Ramadan.  Personal hostility is at a minimum, and the crime rate decreases.  This psychological improvement could be related to better stabilization of blood glucose during fasting as hypoglycemia after eating, aggravates behavior changes.

Recitation of the Quran not only produces a tranquility of heart and mind, but improves the memory.  Therefore, I encourage my Muslim patients to fast in the month of Ramadan, but they must do it under medical supervision.  Healthy adult Muslims should not fear becoming weak by fasting, but instead it should improve their health and stamina.

DIABETES MELLITUS AND RAMADAN FASTING

Diabetes mellitus affects people of all faiths. Muslims are no exception. Many diabetic Muslims have a desire to fast during the month of Ramadan, although if they cannot for health reasons, they have a valid exemption. The dilemma for physicians and Muslim scholars is whether or not Muslim diabetic patients (1) should be allowed to fast if they decide to; (2) can fast safely; (3) can be helped to fast if they decide to; (4 ) can have their disease monitored at home; and (5) are going to derive any benefit or harm to their health. Fasting during Ramadan by a Muslim diabetic patient is neither his right nor Islamic obligation, but only a privilege to be allowed by his physician, at the patient’s request, knowing all the dangers and assuming full responsibility in dietary compliance and glucose monitoring, with good communication between the physician and the patient .

PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE OF DIABETES DURING RAMADAN

Diabetes mellitus itself adversely affects patients’ psychological states by changes in glucose metabolism, blood and CSF osmolality, needs for discipline and compliance, fear of long term complications and threat of hypoglycemic attacks and the possibility of dehydration and coma.

On the other hand, fasting during Ramadan has a tranquilizing effect on the mind, producing inner peace and decrease in anger and hostility. Fasting Muslims realize that manifestations of anger may take away the blessings of fasting or even nullify them.

Diabetics know that stress increases the blood glucose by increasing the catecholamine level and any tool to lower the stress ; ie., biofeedback or relaxation improves diabetic control. Thus, Islamic fasting during Ramadan should have a potentially beneficial effect with regard to diabetic control.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR DIABETICS DURING RAMADAN

It should be directed toward (a) diabetic home management; (b) preparing them for Ramadan; (c) recognizing warning symptoms of dehydration, hypoglycemia and other possible complications.

Patients should be taught home glucose monitoring, checking urine for acetone, doing daily weights, calorie-controlled diabetic diet, need for sleep and normal exercise. They should be able to take pulse, temperature, look for skin infection and notice changes in the sensorium ( mental alertness ) . They should be on special alert for any colicky pain, a sign for renal colic, or hyperventilation, a sign of dehydration, and to be able to seek medical help quickly rather than wait for the next day.

CRITERIA ALLOWING DIABETICS TO FAST DURING RAMADAN

• a. All male diabetics over age 20. Please see editor’s note (1).
• b. All female diabetics over age 20 if not pregnant or nursing. Please see editor’s note(2).
• c. Body weight normal or above ideal body weight. Please see editor’s note (3).
• d . Absence of infection, co-existing unstable medical conditions, ie, coronary artery disease, severe hypertension (B/P 200/120), kidney stones, COPD or emphysema.

The first day of Ramadan will begin by the Sunset of August 20 in the year of 2009 for North and South America. This means that our first fasting day will be Aug.21, God willing. Our last fasting day of Ramadan will be September 18, 2009. Night of Destiny, 27th night of Ramadan, starts at the sunset of September 15, 2009.

To verify your city’s first day of Ramadan, check on the time of the sunset and the time of the birth of the New Moon  at the USA Naval Observatory. If the new moon

is born before the Sunset you will fast next morning as the first day of fasting. If it is born after the Sunset, then, the first day of Ramadan will start by the following Sunset, and you fast the day after that. To convert the Universal time to your local time, please click here.

The Falsehood of Moon Sighting

God never commanded that the moon be sighted with the naked eyes to know the beginning of  the new month. Quran is very clear that any method  of calculation is acceptable.  A search forMeton in any search engine or encyclopedia will demonstrate that man knew the birth of new moon by calculation since 5th century B.C. Certainly this information was available at the time of Muhammad and even Abraham, to whom all religious duties were revealed.

The sighting of the new moon is a fabrication of the scholars. The observer of  Ramadan in the last few years can easily spot the abuse and lies used by some of the so called Islamic countries of the sighting method.  Politics and personal desires  replaced science and accurate calculations in determining the first day of Ramadan. Thank God Almighty, we can have our calendar as accurate as an atomic clock for the next several hundred years.
For more information see our file Islamic Calendar.

Quran Verses about Ramadan & Fasting

[2:183]  O you who believe, fasting is decreed for you, as it was decreed for those before you, that you may attain salvation.

2:183-187. Like all duties in Submission, fasting was decreed through Abraham
(22:78). Prior to revelation of the Quran, sexual intercourse was prohibited throughout the fasting period. This rule is modified in 2:187 to allow intercourse during the nights of Ramadan.

[2:184] Specific days (are designated for fasting); if one is ill or traveling, an equal number of other days may be substituted. Those who can fast, but with great difficulty, may substitute feeding one poor person for each day of breaking the fast. If one volunteers (more righteous works), it is better. But fasting is the best for you, if you only knew.

[2:185] Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was revealed, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings, and the statute book. Those of you who witness this month shall fast therein. Those who are ill or traveling may substitute the same number of other days. GOD wishes for you convenience, not hardship, that you may fulfill your obligations, and to glorify GOD for guiding you, and to express your appreciation.

[2:186] When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided.

[2:187]  Permitted for you is sexual intercourse with your wives during the nights of fasting. They are the keepers of your secrets, and you are the keepers of their secrets. GOD knew that you used to betray your souls, and He has redeemed you, and has pardoned you. Henceforth, you may have intercourse with them, seeking what GOD has permitted for you. You may eat and drink until the white thread of light becomes distinguishable from the dark thread of night at dawn. Then, you shall fast until sunset. Sexual intercourse is prohibited if you decide to retreat to the Masjid (during the last ten days of Ramadan). These are GOD’s laws; you shall not transgress
them. GOD thus clarifies His revelations for the people, that they may attain salvation.

The Meaning of Ramadan

Ramadan is a special month of the year for over one billion Muslims throughout the world. It is a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control. Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for their spiritual lives. There are as many meanings of Ramadan as there are Muslims.

The third “pillar” or religious obligation of Islam (submission in English), fasting has many special benefits. Among these, the most important is that it is a means of learning self-control. Due to the lack of preoccupation with the satisfaction of bodily appetites during the daylight hours of fasting, a measure of ascendancy is given to one’s spiritual nature, which becomes a means of coming closer to God. Ramadan is also a time of intensive worship, reading of the Quran, giving charity, purifying one’s behavior, and doing good deeds. For Muslims (Submitters), Ramadan is  an opportunity to gain by giving up, to prosper by going without and to grow stronger by enduring weakness.

As a secondary goal, fasting is a way of experiencing hunger and developing sympathy for the less fortunate, and learning to thankfulness and appreciation for all of God’s bounties. Fasting is alsobeneficial to the health and provides a break in the cycle of rigid habits or overindulgence.

Who Fasts in Ramadan?

Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory on those who can do it. . Sick people and some travelers in certain conditions are exempted from the fast but must make it up as they are able.

From Dawn to Sunset

The daily period of fasting starts at the breaking of dawn and ends at the setting of the sun. In between — that is, during the dawn and daylight hours — Muslims  (Submitters) totally abstain from food, drink, smoking, and sex. The usual practice is to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before dawn and a post-fast meal (iftar) after sunset.

The Islamic lunar calendar, being 11 to 12 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, migrates throughout the seasons. Thus, if  Ramadan begins on January 20 one year, next year it will begin on January 9. In this way, the length of the day, and thus the fasting period, varies in length from place to place over the years. Every Muslim, no matter where he or she lives, will see an average Ramadan day of the approximately 13.5 hours.

Devotion to God

The last ten days of Ramadan are a time of special spiritual power as everyone tries to come closer to God through devotions and good deeds. The night on which the Quran was revealed to the Prophet, known as the Night of Power (Lailat ul-Qadr), is generally taken to be the 27th night of the month. The Quran states that this night is better than a thousand months. Therefore many Muslims (Submitters)  spend the entire night in prayer.

During the month, Muslims (Submitters) try to read as much of the Quran as they can. Some spend part of their day listening to the recitation of the Quran in a mosque. meet for Quranic studies or for congregation prayers. Some spend the last ten days of Ramadan  in a mosque devoting the whole ten days for worshipping God.

Better than a 1000 months

[97:1] We revealed it (Quran) in the Night of Destiny.
[97:2] How awesome is the Night of Destiny!
[97:3] The Night of Destiny is better than a thousand months.
[97:4] The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by their Lord’s leave, to carry out every command.
[97:5] Peaceful it is until the advent of the dawn.

Food in Ramadan

Since Ramadan is a special time, Muslims (Submitters) in many parts of the world prepare certainfavorite foods during this month. Since Ramadan emphasizes community aspects and since everyone eats dinner at the same time, Muslims often invite one another to share in the Ramadan evening meal.

Some Muslims (Submitters) find that they eat less for dinner during Ramadan than at other times due to stomach contraction. However, as a rule, most Muslims experience little fatigue during the day since the body becomes used to the altered routine during the first week of Ramadan.

Monotheism

Q1 Who is your Rubb? (the Lord,the Creator etc).

A. My Rubb is Allah Who has created me and all that exists. He nourishes me

and all creatures by His Bounties.

Q.2. What is your religion?

A. My religion is Islam, which is submission and obedience to the Order oF Allah

and His Messenger with love, hope and fear.

Q.3. How did you know Allah?

I know Him by His signs and creation like the day and night; the sun and the

moon; the heaven and the earth, and all that is there in and between them.

Q.4. Where is Allah?

A. Allah is above the heavens raised over the Throne and separated from His

creatures.

Q.5. Is Allah with us (in person)?

A. Allah is settled over His Mighty Throne, but He is with us by His Knowledge,

hearing ,seeing and other attributes. As He said: “Fear not verily! I am with you

both hearing and seeing (V,20. :46)

Q.6. Who are the friends of Allah?

A. Those people are the friends of Allah who are pious and righteous, fear Him

much abstain from all kinds of sins and perform all kinds of goods, and holdfast

to the Qur`an and Sunnah.

Q. 7. How do you worship Allah?

A. I worship Allah in a manner in which all my ibadah is dedicated to Him Alone. I

do not ascribe anyone with Him in worship.

Q-8. Why did Allah send Messengers?

A. Allah has sent Messengers so that they call the people to worship Him Alone,

not ascribing any partner with Him, and in order that mankind should have no

plea against Allah.

Q-9 What is the meaning of Islam ?

A. Islam means i.e. submission to Allah with Tawhid .

Q-10 What are the pillars of Istam?

A. 1. Testimony of Faith (There is no true God except Allah and Muhammad

is the Messenger of Allah )

2. To establish Salat (prayers).

3. To pay Zakat.

4. To observe Saum (fasting) in Ramadan.

5. Hajj (pilgrimage to the Sacred House) if one can afford the journey.

Q-11 What is Iman?

A. Iman (Faith) means to believe in the heart, to confess by the tongue and to act

with the parts of the body.

Q-12 Can there be any variation in Iman?

A. By some words and deeds it may increase and by some words and deeds it

may decrease.

Q-13 What do you mean by increase and decrease in Iman?

A- Iman (Faith) increases by obedience to Allah and good deeds while it

decreases by sins and evil acts.

Q-14 What are the pillars of Iman (Faith)

A. The pillars of Iman are six i.e. to believe in:

1. Allah.

2. His Angels.

3. His Messengers.

4. His Books.

5. The Last Day.

6. Divine Preordainments good or bad.

Q-15 What is Belief in Allah?

A. The Belief in Allahi is that you should believe that Allah is the Sole Creator

Sustainer Provider and the One in Whose Hand is the disposal of all affairs.

Everything stands in need of Him, but He stands in need of none. He is the Only

One Who is worthy of being worshipped. He has the Best Names and Perfect

Attributes.

0-16 Who are the angels?

A. The angels are creatures of light. They are Allah’s obedient slaves, they do

that which they are commanded and are incapable of disobedience.

Q-17 What do you mean by Belief in the Book and the Messengers?

A. It means that Allah sent the Messengers like Moses, Jesus,Abraham. Noah

etc. and sent down the books like the Torah, Injeel, Zaboor (Psalms) etc. to call

the people to worship Allah Alone, associating nothing with Him. He sealed

(finalized) the Messengers with Prophet Muhammed and abrogated all

previous books with the Qur’an. Therefore the worship should be done according

to the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet .

Q-I8 What is meant by Belief in the Last Day?

A. The Belief in the Last Day means to believe that Allah has ordained a fixed

term for everything, and a term for this world. He will assuredly raise the dead

from their graves and will account for everyone their deeds in this world. On that

Day of Resurrection, rewards and punishments will be assigned. Every one will

be justly rewarded or punished.

Q-19 What is meant by Belief Preordainment (Qadar)?

A. The Belief in Preordainment (Qadar) means to believe that everything — good

or bad — happens or takes place according to what Allah has ordained for it. He

has created everything in due proportion.

Q-20 What is the cleaning of “There is no God but Allah”?

A. It means there is no true deity except Allah Alone, Negating all false gods and

affirming that Allah is the only true God.

Q-21 What is the meaning of ^Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”?

A. It means total submission to him in whatever he ordered, and avoiding what

he forbade and believing in all those matters he informed us about.

Q-22 What are the conditions of the testimony of Faith?

A. There are seven conditions of the testimony of Faith:

1- Knowledge whick negates ignorance.

2- Certainty which negates doubt.

3- Sincerity and purity of intent which negates Shirk.

4- Truthfulness which negates hypocrisy.

5- Love and devotion which negates disdain of Allah`s religion.

6- Submission which negates disobedince.

7- Acceptance which negates rejection or denial.

Q-23 What is the greatest thing that Allah has enjoined?

A. The greatest thing Allah has enjoined is Tauhid (Monotheism).

Q-24 What is Tauhid (Islamic Monotheism)?

A. Tauhid means declaring Allah to be the only God who deserves to be

worshipped in truth and confirming all attributes with which He has qualified

Himself or that are attributed to Him by His Messenger .

Q-25 What are the aspects of Tauhid?

A. There are three aspects of Tauhid:

1- Tauhid-ar-Rububiyah.

2- Tauhid-al-Uluhiyah.

3-Tauhid-al-Asma was-Sifat.

Q- 26 What isTauhid-ar-Rububiyah?

A. It is declaring Allah to be One and Unique in His work, Iike creation,

sustenance, bringing to life and causing death etc.

Q-27 What is Tauhid-al-Uluhiyah?

A. It is declaring Allah as the Only God to whom all acts worship must be

dedicated such salat (prayers), Zakat, Sawm(fasting), supplications vowing etc.

Q-28 What isTauhid-al-Asma was-Sifat?

A. It is an affirmation of all the Divien Names and Attributes of Allah in a manner

that

suits His Majesty, as mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

Q-29 How would you describe Ibadah?

A. It is a comprehensive word comprising deeds and words that Allah loves and

is pleased with whether manifested or hidden,

Q-30 What are the conditions of Ibadah?

A. There are two conditions of Ibadah:

1. Sincerity to Allah.

2. Submission to Allah’s Messenger i.e. to act according to his Sunnah.

Q-31 Write some types of Ibadah.

A. Some types of Ibadah are the prayers, the obligatory charity,

fasting, the pilgrimage, fear of Allah, hope in His Mercy, Seeking His aid. and

other acts of worship which Allah has commanded and enjoined.

Q-32 What is the greatest thing Allah has forbidden?

A. The greatest thing Allah has forbidden is Shirk (polytheism).

Q-33 What is polytheism?

A. It means to believe that there is one who shares Allah in His acts i.e. ascribing

partners or setting up rivals to Allah in His rights.

Q-34 What are the types of polytheism?

A. There are three types of polytheism:

1. The greater polytheism (Shirk Akbar).

2. The lesser polytheism (Shirk Asghar).

3. The inconspicuous polytheism (Shirk Khafi).

Q-35 What is greater polytheism?

A. The greater polytheism is to devote any form of worship to other than Allah

Allah will never forgive one who dies upon Shirk,nor accept his good deeds, and

he would be cast out from the folds of Islam.

Q-36 What are the types of greater polytheism?

A. There are four types of greater polytheism:

1- The polytheism in invocation i.e. involving supplications to other than Allah.

2. The polytheism in intentions i.e. purpose and intentions not for the sake of

Allah but directed towards other deities.

3, The polytheism in obedience i.e. rendering obedience to any authority against

the Order of Allah.

4. The potytheism in love i.e showing love to others which is due to Allah Alone.

Q-37 What is lesser polytheism?

A. The lesser polytheism is Ar-Riya, that means the acts of worship done to gain

praise or fame rather than to please Allah, this type of polytheism, however, does

not cast the person committing it out of the fold of Islam.

Q-38 What is inconspicuous polytheism?

A. The inconspicuous polytheism implies being dissatisfied with the conditions

ordained by Allah.

Q-39 What is the proof of the inconspicuous polytheism?

A.The proof of the above Shirk is the saying of the Prophet “The

inconspicuous polytheism is more hidden among this nation than the track of a

black ant over a black stone on a dark night” (Musnad Ahmad)

Q-40 What are the types of Kufr (disbelief)?

A. There are two types of Kufr :

1. The majorKufr which cast its people out of Islam,

2. The lessor cr minor Kufr which does not cast the one who commits it out of

Islam. It is Kufr of ungratefulness.

Q-41 What are the types of major Kufr?

A. There are five types of major Kufr :

1. The Kufr of denial.

2. The Kufr of arrogance associated with recognition of the truth.

3. The Kufr of doubt.

4-. The Kufr of disregard,

5. The Kufr of hypocrisy.

Q-42 What are the categories of hypocrisy ?

A. There are two categories of hypocrisy:

1. Hypocrisy in Belief.

2. Hypocrisy in deeds and actions.

Q-43 What is the hypocrisy in Belief?

A. Hypocrisy in Belief is of six types:

1. Denial of the Messenger .

2. Denial of the thing with which the Messenger is sent.

3. Hating the Messenger

4.Hating the thing with which the Messenger is sent.

5. Rejoicing at the disgrace of Islam.

6. Disliking the prevalence of Islam.

Q-44 What is the hypocrisy in deeds and actions?

A. The hypocrisy in deeds and actions is of five types:

1- When he speaks, he lies.

2- When he promises., he breaks it.

3. When he is entrusted, he betrays.

4. When he disputes, he acts immorally.

5. When he makes a pact, he makes acts treacherously.

Q-45 Are good deeds accepted (by Allah) with the polytheism?

A. Never! None of the deeds are accepted when mixed with polytheism.

Allah says: ” If they had joined in worship others with Allah all that they used to

do would have been of no benefit to them” (V.6: 88)

“Verily! Allah forgives not setting up partners in worship with Him, but He forgives

whom He pleases sins other than that” ‘(V.4:116)

Q-46 What are the nullifiers of Islam?

A. The nullifiers of Islam are ten:

1. Polytheism of worship.

2. He who does not believe that the polytheists are disbelievers, or doubts their

infidelity or holds their belief to be valid.

3. He who sets up intermediaries between one’s self and Allah, supplicating

them, trusting them and asking them to intercede on his behalf.

4. He who believes that the guidance of others is more perfect than the Prophet

.

5. He who hates anything that the Prophet was sent with.

6. He who denies the religion of the Prophet or ridicules its reward or

punishment.

7. Sorcery.

8. Supporting the polytheists against the Muslims.

9. He who believes that some people are exempted from abiding by the Shari`ah

as Khidr was exempted by the laws of Musa.

10. Turning away from the religion of Allah by neither learning nor applying it.

Q- 47 What are the three fundamentals that every Muslim must learn?

A. The three fundamentals are:

I, Knowing Your Rubb (the Lord, the Creator, the Sustainer, and the One in

Whose Hand is the disposal of all affairs).

2. Knowing your religion (Islam).

3. Knowing your Prophet Muhammad

Q-48 What is Taghut?

A. Everything that is worshipped. or followed or obeyed other than Allah is

Taghut.

Q-49 How many Taghut are there and who are their leaders?

A. They are many but their leaders are Five:

Q. 50-Who are the leaders of Taghut ?

A. They are:

1. Satan, may Allah curse him,

2. Anyone who is worshipped with his consent.

3. A person who calls the people to be worshipped instead of Allah.

4. A person who claims the knowledge of Ghaib (unseen, hidden, invisible,

absent etc).

5.The ruler who rules by laws other than the law sent down by allah

The purpose of this hand-out is to correct a false idea spread among those willing to adopt Islam as their faith. Some people have a wrong notion that entering into the Islamic fold requires an announcement from the concerned person in the presence of high ranking scholars or shaikhs or reporting this act to courts of justice or other authorities. It is also thought that the act of accepting Islam, should, as a condition, have a certificate issued by the authorities, as evidence to that effect.

We wish to clarify that the whole matter is very easy and that none of these conditions or obligations are required. For Allah, Almighty, is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of all hearts. Nevertheless, those who are going to adopt Islam as their religion are advised to register themselves as Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as this procedure may facilitate for them many matters including the possibility of performing Hadj(Pilgrimage) and Umrah.

If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah for all human-beings, then, one should pronounce the “Shahada”, the testimony of faith, without further delay. The Holy Qur’an is explicit on this regard as Allah states:

“The Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.” (Qur’an 3:19)

In another verse of the Holy Qur’an, Allah states:

“If unyone desires a religion other than Islam (Submission to Allah), Never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (their selves in the hell fire).”(Qur’an 3:85)

In addition, Islam is the only religion prevailing over all other religions. Allah states in the Holy Qur’an:

“To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety:…” (Qur’an 5:48)

Mohammad, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), said:

“The superstructure of Islam is raised on five (pillars): testifying that there is no God (none truely to be worshiped) but Allah, and that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah, performing the prayer, paying the Zakah (poor-due), fasting the month of Ramadan, and performing Hadj“.

The Shahada can be declared as follows:

“ASH-HADU ANLA ELAHA ILLA-ALLAH WA ASH-HADU ANNA MOHAMMADAN RASUL-ALLAH”.

The English translation is:

“I bear witness that there is no deity (none truely to be worshipped) but, Allah, and I bear witness that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah”,

However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to only utter this testimony oraly either in private or in public; but rather, he should believe in it by heart with a firm conviction and unshakeable faith. If one is truly sincere and complies with the teachings of Islam in all his life, he will find himself a new born person.

This will move him to strive more and more to improve his character and draw nearer to perfection. The light of the living faith will fill his heart until he becomes the embodiment of that faith.

What would be next after declaring oneself a Muslim? One should then know the real concept underlying this testimony which means the Oneness of Allah and meet its requirements. One must behave accordingly, applying this true faith to every thing one speaks or does.

What do the words of the “Shahada” signify? The significant point which every Muslim must know very well is the truth that there is no God (deity) to be worshipped other than Allah. He – glory be to Him – is the only true God, Who alone deserves to be worshipped, since He is the Giver of life and Sustainer and Nourisher of mankind and all creation with His unlimited bounties. Man must worship Allah, Who alone is worthy of worship.

The second part of the Shahada (i.e., Wa ash-hadu anna Mohammadan rasul-Allah) means that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is the servant and chosen messenger of Allah. No one must have two opinions about this matter. In fact the Muslim has to obey the commands of the Prophet (PBUH), to believe him in what he has said, to practice his teachings, to avoid what he has forbidden, and to worship Allah alone according to the message revealed to him, for all the teachings of the Prophet were in fact revelations and inspirations conveyed to him by Allah.

What is the meaning of worship? It simply means rendering sincere service, showing reverence for Allah. In a deeper shade of meaning, it implies total submission and complete obedience to Allah’s commandments both in utterances and actions of man whether explicit or implicit.

Worship fall into two categories:

1. Visible (manifest or outward)
2. Invisible (concealed or inward)

Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the “Shahada”, performing prayers, giving Zakah (the poor-due), recitation of the Holy Qur’an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.

This type of worship is associated with movement of the parts of the human body.

Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgement (in the Hereafter), in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Prophets of Allah, in the Divine Decree of destiny (that good and bad are determined by Allah alone).

This type of worship does not involve movement of parts of the body but it surely has bearing on one’s heart which subsequently affects one’s way of life.

It should be borne in mind that any worship not dedicated to Allah alone will be rejected as one form of polytheism and this causes apostasy from the Islamic fold.

The next step for a newly revert to Islam is to purify himself by taking a complete bath. He should then resolve to comply with the principles and rules of Islam in their entirety. He should disown all forms of polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject evil and be righteous. Such rejection of evil and being righteous is one of the equisites of the motto of Islam – that is, Laa Ilaha Illallah.

Allah states in the Holy Qur’an:

“… whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy Hand-hold, that never breaks…” (Qur’an 2:256).

We have to consider that when we declare from our heart that “there is no god (deity) worthy to be worshipped but Allah”, it implies on our part love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islamic legislations which are legally binding on all Muslims. It is a requirement of “there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah” to love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah.

This is the firmest anchor of belief which materialise the meaning of “AL WALA” and “AL BARA”. It means that a Muslim should love and be loyal to his Muslim brothers. He should, as a practice, dissociate himself completely from the unbelievers and refuse to be influenced by them, both in worldly and religious matters.

We conclude with a humble prayer to Allah that may He cleanse the hearts and souls of those who are genuine seekers of truth and may He bless the community of believers. Aameen.

Every day the sun shines on new people recognizing the truthandreturning to their Creator in repentance and submission to Him. They are ambitious for his reward of eternal happiness in Paradise. These new followers give a new flavor to the Muslims of today with their sincerity, keenness and solid adherence to the teaching of Islam. From their vast experiences in the past, they command strong endurance and a particular understanding of their newly found path of truth to which God has guided them, finding their way with easiness and surety in life. They came to Islam with broad-mindedness and discernment of what is right and wrong. Some of them had reached satiety and disgust with material, promiscuous life and turned to Islam with true love for purity and homage to their Creator.

It is with pleasure that I introduce a friend whom God has guided to Islam, and indeed he has been guided well. Herein he relates his journey. I wish him success and happiness in the right path of God. We look forward to more people following in his footsteps.

Muhammad Abbas Nadeem

Acknowledgements

First of all, I would like to praise God for guiding me to Islam. May He accept this work in His cause, and make it a means for individuals to find and follow the truth.

I�d also like to express my sincere gratitude to the individuals who informed me about Islam and those who were responsible for expanding my knowledge of Islam once I had become a Muslim. In addition, I wish to thank the Muslim brothers who encouraged me to writ this story. Furthermore, I would like to recognize Dr. Wajieh Abderrahman, Um Muhammad, Ahmad Nurideen, Dr. Al-Taher Al-Hafez, Muhammad Yaqoob and Abdulhag Darden for reviewing this work. Likewise, I must acknowledge Al-Eman Printing Press for its diligence in publishing this story and the World Assembly of Muslim Youth(WAMY) for its support and distribution of this booklet. Lastly, special appreciation is due to Abdultawwab Abdulmalik for being a liaison between WAMY and Al-Eman during the publishing process. May we all reside in a lofty place in Paradise, God Willing!!!

(Yahya) Donald W. Flood

Madinah, Saudi Arabia

June 1999

Gathering the Initial Pieces of �the Purpose of Life Puzzle�

I once thought my upbringing offered an excellent way of life, especially since I felt satisfied both mentally and physically. As a young man, I lived the life of an average American who had a rather hedonistic lifestyle; I was found of music, a festive atmosphere dames, sports, travel, ethnic foods and foreign languages. I reached a point, however, where I felt �spiritually bankrupt� and I asked myself, �now what?�  and I thought, �there has to be more to life than this.� This realization was the impetus that led me to search for the truth through diverse avenues.

I assumed the reason I felt spiritually unfulfilled had to do with my lifestyle in America, which was often tied to instant gratification and impulsive behavior. As a result, I speculated that the answer might lie in finding a better locale. Thus, I began looking for that perfect place. After traveling to numerous destinations, I discovered that it wasn�t so much a perfect location I was looking for, but a particular culture with the most suitable approach to life. When I found what I considered to be the most appealing culture, I recognized that it still had flaws. Thereafter, I surmised that we should learn about the different ways people live and then select the best from these practices. This was perhaps the road to the truth.

Unable to really implement the life of a global citizen, I chose to read materials on metaphysics because the esoteric things in life always intrigued me. I quickly learned everything functions according to universal laws which can be used for one�s own benefit. After reading many books on this subject, I concluded that more important than these laws is the One Who created them, i.e., God I also discovered metaphysics can be a precarious path to follow, in which case, I refrained from any further reading in this area.

On the suggestion of a good friend, we went on a three-month camping trip all over America and Western Canada with the intention of discovering the purpose of life. We witnessed the marvels of nature and realized this world could not have been created by mistake, and that it was clearly a wonderland of signs pointing to its Creator. Hence, this trip reinforced my belief in God.

After returning home, I felt distressed at the busy life of the city, so I turned to meditation for relief. I was able to find inner peace through meditation techniques. Nevertheless, this tranquil feeling was only temporary; once I stood up, I couldn�t take that feeling with me. Likewise, being consistent with meditation became too much of a formidable task, so I slowly started losing interest.

Before long, I thought the truth might lie in self-improvement. Therefore I became a voracious reader of motivational materials and attended related seminars. In addition, I was striving to live up to the US Army�s slogan on TV commercials, �Be all you can be�, through endeavors in fire-walking, skydiving and martial arts. Due to my reading and challenging exploits, I gained a keen sense of self-confidence, but in fact, I still hadn�t discovered the truth.

Soon afterwards, I read numerous books on various philosophies. I found many interesting concepts and practices; yet, there wasn�t any particular philosophy that I could totally agree with. Thus, I chose to consolidate what I thought was the best wisdom from among these doctrines. It became sort of a �religion � la carte� which mainly emphasized good moral behavior. I eventually concluded that good morality is good, but it is not good enough to solve �the purpose of life puzzle� a more spiritual approach to life.

Shortly thereafter, I obtained a job in a Muslim country where I had enough of free time to read and reflect on life. While continuing my search for the truth, I found a recommendation in a book concerning the need for sincere repentance to God. I proceeded to do so and felt remorse for all the people I had wronged in my life, to the degree that tears started rolling down my face.

A few days later, I had a conversation with some Muslim friends. I mentioned to them that I was used to having a lot more freedom in America than that was present in their country. One person said, � Well, it depends on what you mean by �freedom�. In your part of the world, no matter how well parents teach morality to their children inside the home, as soon as they go outside, they generally encounter the society in contradiction to that morality. On the other hand, in most Muslim communities, the morals taught to the children at home are very similar to what they find away from home. So who really has the freedom here?� From this analogy, I inferred that the Islamic guidelines and restrictions partially sanctioning human behavior are not meant to curtail human freedom; rather, they serve to define and dignify human freedom.

A further opportunity to learn about Islam arose when I was invited to sit with a group of Muslims over dinner. After mentioning to the group that I had been living in Las Vegas, Nevada before coming to the Middle East, a Muslim from America said, � You must make sure you die as a good Muslim.� I immediately asked him to explain what he meant. He said � If you die as a non-Muslim, it is like playing the game of roulette in which you put all of your chips (all of your life, including your deeds and your particular belief in God) on only one number, just hoping that perhaps by the Mercy of God, you will enter Paradise on Judgment Day. In contrast, if you die as a good Muslim, it is like spreading your chips all over the roulette board, so that every number is covered in this way, no matter what number the ball falls on, you�re safe. In other words, living and dying as a good Muslim is the best insurance you will not go to the Hell, and at the same time, it is the best investment that you�ll go to Paradise.� As a former resident of Las Vegas, I could directly relate to this poignant example with the game of roulette.

At this point, I understood I would not find the truth until I established a relationship with concentrate on those religions in which God had sent revelation to His prophets and messengers. Hence, I chose to continue my search for the truth through Christianity and Islam.

Christianity in Focus

Even though I up as a Christian, I had been confused and uninterested in Christianity. I felt like I inherited a mysterious religion beyond understanding. I believe it was for this reason that I was a Christian by name but not in practice. Furthermore, I realized my doubt about Christian beliefs caused me to be in a state of non-religiousness. Nonetheless, while I was searching for the truth, I had a chance to re-examine those beliefs I inherited from my parents yet never bothered to scrutinize.

Through booklets, cassettes and videotapes on Christianity produced by Muslims and non-Muslims, I surprisingly found out about hundreds of verses in Bible which reveal a lack of harmony in Christian beliefs. According to these materials, God was One prior to Jesus (peace be upon him; pbuh). Likewise, Jesus (pbuh) propagated the belief in One God. However, after Jesus (pbuh) Christianity emphasized the Trinity instead of the Oneness of God. Also, before Jesus (pbuh), God was without sons and equals. Similarly, Jesus (pbuh) said he was God�s messenger, whereas after his time, Christianity stressed that Jesus (pbuh) is God�s son or God Himself.

Regarding monotheism, the first of the Ten Commandments upholds Jesus� (pbuh) assertion for the belief in One God,  ��Here, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.� (Mark 12:29)[1] Likewise, there is plethora of verses in the Bible that refute the divinity of Jesus (pbuh). For example, Jesus (pbuh) admitted he could not do miracles independently, but only by the Will and permission of God.[2] Interestingly, it says in the Bible that Jesus (pbuh) prayed.[3] I asked myself, �How can Jesus (pbuh) be God and pray to God at the same time?� A praying God is a contradiction. Additionally, Jesus (pbuh) states that his teachings are not his own, but those of One who sent him.[4] Logically, if what he says is not his own, he is just a prophet receiving revelation from God like those before (and after) him. Moreover, Jesus (pbuh) admits that he does what he taught by God.[5] Again, I asked myself, �How can Jesus (pbuh) be taught and be God at the same time?� In my discussions with Muslims, they concurred with what Jesus (pbuh) commanded with respect to the belief in only One God, as in the following Qur�anic verse: Say, � He is God, [Who is] One.� (112:1)[6]

I was also surprised to find out about the verses in the Bible which refer to Jesus (pbuh) as a prophet of God.[7] Likewise, I learned about the Islamic view of Jesus (pbuh) which is that he is a prophet and messenger of God. In the Qur�an God says, �The Messiah, son of Mary, is not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.� (5:75)

Another common belief in Christianity is that Jesus (pbuh) is the son of God.

According to the Bible, it was customary to call any prophet of God, or righteous man, a son of God. Jesus (pbuh) called himself the son of man, not God or God’s literal son.[8] Evidently, Paul was most responsible for elevating the status of Jesus (pbuh) to the son of God, distorting the teachings of Jesus (pbuh).[9]

What’s more, Jesus (pbuh) did not appear to be the ‘begotten’ son of God (as it used to say in John 3:16) since this word has been cancelled from the Revised Standard Version (RSV), as well as many other new versions of the Bible. Furthermore, God emphatically says in the Qur’an that He does not have a son.[10] However, God also declared that He created Adam (pbuh) and Jesus (pbuh): “Indeed, the example of Jesus to God is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him “Be”, and he was.” (3:59)

Subsequent to these modification emperors and clergy made further fabrications, contrary to what Jesus (pbuh) said or did. Of these is the concept of Trinity in which Jesus (pbuh) is one of the three manifestations of the Trinitarian God [the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost].[11] In the Bible, this verse given as the best proof for the Doctrine Trinity, even though this doctrine was never forth by Jesus (pbuh), his disciples, or a Christian scholars. In fact, it was enacted after much disagreement and conflict among Christians in the year 325 AD at the Council Nicea. Interestingly, this verse has been expunged from the Bibles of the modern age.
In addition, the Qur’an warns the Jews Christians to refrain from disbelieving in revelation of God and against believing in Trinity.[12]

A related area of controversy I read about was ‘original sin’ and salvation through ‘the crucifixion’ of Jesus (pbuh). Presumably, before Jesus (pbuh), there was no Doctrine of Original Sin. However, after Jesus (pbuh), the Doctrine of Original Sin appeared. Moreover, before Jesus (pbuh), salvation was obtained by obedience to God whereas after Jesus (pbuh), salvation was achieved through his crucifixion so they said.

In Christianity, the Doctrine of Original Sin is the justification for having salvation through the crucifixion of Jesus (pbuh). Nevertheless, I found out that this doctrine is strongly negated in the Old Testament.[13] It seems this concept may have been designed as a way for its believers to eschew their accountability of sins before God on Judgement Day.[14] It was brought to my attention that, according to Jesus (pbuh), man is saved through obedience and submission to God.[15] Correspondingly, in the Qur’an, every soul is compensated for what it earns.[16] However, it seems that changed this doctrine, making salvation through the crucifixion of Jesus (pbuh).[17]

The theory of salvation through crucifixion holds that Jesus (pbuh) offered himself will to be crucified to ransom and save humanity If so, why did Jesus (pbuh) request help God before the soldiers came to arrest him?: ��Father, save me from this hour.� (12:27) Likewise, why does the Bible say Jesus (pbuh) cried out in a loud beseeching God for help on the cross: ��My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?�(Matt. 27:46)     In addition, how could Jesus (pbuh) have been crucified for the of all humans when he was sent only to the Children of Israel?[18] This is clearly contradiction. I found the foregoing verses be very convincing that Jesus (pbuh)was crucified on the cross to redeem the sins mankind. The Qur’an says they did not crucify him, but it was someone else who was made to look like him.[19] If this is correct, then it may explain the appearance of Jesus (pbuh) to his disciples after the crucifixion. If he had really died on the cross, then he would have come to his disciples in a spiritual body. As shown in Luke 24:36-43, Jesus (pbuh) met them with his physical body after the event of his alleged crucifixion. Accordingly, I learned it was Paul who taught the resurrection of Jesus(pbuh).[20] Paul also admitted the resurrection was his own gospel.[21]

I came across many sources indicating that Paul and others were frustrated by the Jewish rejection of the message of Jesus (pbuh), so they extended their call to the Gentiles. They reached into southern Europe, where polytheism and idolatry were spreading. Gradually, the message of Jesus (pbuh) was modified to suit the tastes and traditions of the Romans and Greeks of those days.[22] The Bible warns against adding or removing information from its teachings, which is precisely happened.[23] God addresses this point in Qur’an as well, “So woe to those who write the “scripture” with their own hands, then say, “This is from God,” in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn. ” (2:79)

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the Scriptures

Another interesting point I learned about concerns Biblical prophecies on the advent of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). I discovered that clear prophecies exist in the Bible, (even the original text had been distorted), foretelling the coming of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) after Jesus (pbuh).[24] Muslim scholars have affirmed that the description by Jesus (pbuh) of the one to come after him(in the verses cited in below) cannot apply to any other person but Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Furthermore, there is a verse in the Holy Qur’an confirming what Jesus (pbuh) said regarding this point,   ”… O Children of Israel, I am the Messenger of God to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad … ” (61:6) The name Ahmad is another name for Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and derived from the same root word.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the Qur’an

I observed that the Qur’an directs us to believe in God and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as in the following verse: Say, [O Muhammad], “O mankind, Indeed, I am the Messenger of God to you all, [from Him] to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.  So believe in God and His Messenger, the illiterate prophet, who believes in God and His words, and follow him that you may be guided. ” (7-158)

I came to know that the Qur’an also refers to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the last prophet: “Muhammad is not the father of [any] of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of God and seal [i.e., last] of the prophets…” (33:40) Even though God states in the Qur’an that Muhammad (pbuh) is the last prophet, I discovered that Muslims still believe in and accept all the previous prophets, along with the revelations they received in their original form.[25]

The Qur’an: The Last Revelation

I comprehended that it was found amen due to innovations attributed to Divine revelation that the need arose for another prophet after Jesus (pbuh) with another revelation after the Gospel. This is why God sent Muhammad (pbuh) with the last Message, (i.e., the Qur’an), to bring all of mankind back to the belief in and worship of One God, without partners or intermediaries. According to Muslims, the Holy Qur’an is the permanent ultimate source of guidance for mankind offers a rational and historical elucidation of the magnificent role of Jesus. The name Jesus (pbuh) is cited twenty-five times in the Qur’an, which contains a chapter called Maryam(Mary), named after the mother of Jesus (pbuh).

Regarding the Divine authenticity of this revelation, I found the following Qur’anic verses very compelling: “And it was not [possible] for this Qur’an to be produced by other than God, but [it is] a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of the [former] Scripture, about which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the worlds.” (10:37) and “And indeed, it is the truth of certainty.” (69:51) Similarly, I was concerned about the adulteration of the Qur’an since this was a major problem with the previous revelations. I read that the Qur’an will never change or be abrogated: “Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Qur'an], and indeed, We will be its guardian. ” (15:9)[26]

I was also informed about some of the scientific phenomena mentioned in the Qur’an, which give credence to the belief that the Qur’an is the literal word of God. There are verses describing human embryonic development,[27]mountains,[28] the origin of the universe,[29] the cerebrum,[30] seas,[31] deep seas, and internal waves[32] and clouds.[33] It is beyond explanation that anyone, more than fourteen hundred years ago, could have known the facts, which were found or confirmed on recently by advanced mechanisms a sophisticated scientific procedures.

Islam: The Essence and Culmination of Revealed Religions

Muslims believe that the essential purpose for which mankind was created is the worship of God. As He said in the Qur’an, “And I did not create the jinn [i.e., a type of creation, created by God from fire] and mankind except to worship Me” (51:56) Related to this, a well known Islamic scholar from the West says, “The most complete system of worship available humans today is the system found in the religion of Islam, The very name ‘Islam’ means ‘submission to the Will of God’. Although it commonly referred to as ‘the third of the three monotheistic faiths, it is not a new religion at all. It is the religion brought by all the prophets of God for humankind. Islam was the religion of Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.”[34]

In addition he states, “Since there is only One God, and humankind is one species, the religion that God has ordained for humans is [essentially] one… Human spiritual and social needs are uniform and human nature has not changed since the first man and woman were created�.[35]

Uncovering the fact that the message of God has always been the same, I realized it is the duty of all human beings to seek the truth and not just blindly accept the religion that their society or parents follow, According to the Qur’an, “You worship besides Him not except [mere] names you have named, you and your fathers, for which God has sent down no authority…” (12:40) Regarding fitrah [i.e., the inherent nature of man to worship God prior to the corruption of his nature by external influences], Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Every child is born on Al-Fitrah, and his parents convert him to Judaism or Christianity or Magianism. As an animal delivers a perfect baby animal, do you find it mutilated?”[36] Furthermore, God says,, ‘So direct your face [i.e., self] toward the religion, inclining toward truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of God upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of God. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know. ” (30:30)[37] Moreover, I learned there no other religion acceptable to God besides Islam, as He clearly states in the Qur’an: “And whoever desires other than Islam as a religion, never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers. ” (3:85). I deduced that man might neglect the guidance of God and establish his own standards of living. Ultimately, however, he will discover it is only a mirage that alluded him.

A Traveler

As I continued to read the Qur’an and learn about the sayings and doings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) [the Sunnah], I noticed Islam views man as a traveler in this life and the ‘Home’ is in the next life for eternity. We are here for a short period and we cannot take anything with us from this life except our belief in God and our deeds. Thus, man should be like a traveler who passes through the land and does not become attached to it. As travelers on this journey, we must understand that the meaning of being alive is to be tested. Hence, there is suffering, joy, pain and elation. These tests of good and evil are intended to evoke our higher spiritual qualities. Yet, we are incapable of benefiting from these tests unless we do our best, have complete trust in God and patiently accept what He has destined for us.

The Road to Paradise

It was very meaningful to learn about Paradise since this must certainly be the ultimate goal of every individual. Regarding this eternal home, God says, “And no soul knows what has been hidden for it of comfort for eyes [i.e., satisfaction] as a reward for what it used to do. ” (32:17) 1 also became aware of a pleasure that is beyond all imagination, which is to be in the Presence of the Creator Himself. I wondered who are the souls worthy of such a reward?  This reward of Paradise is too great not to have a price. I was told the price is true faith, which is proven by obedience to God and following the Sunnah(way) of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

I grasped that mankind must worship God to attain righteousness and the spiritual status necessary to enter Paradise.[38] This means human beings have to comprehend that worship is as indispensable as eating and breathing and not a favor they are doing for God. Likewise, I found out that we need to read the Qur�an to find out what kind of people God wants us to be and then try to become as such. This is the road to Paradise.

Overcoming an Obstacle

At this point, I felt about 80% sure I wanted to become a Muslim, but something was holding me back. I was concerned about the reaction of my family and friends if they knew that I had become a Muslim. Shortly thereafter, I expressed this concern to a Muslim who told me that on Judgement Day, no one will be able to help you, not your father, mother or any of your friends.[39] Therefore, if you believe Islam is the true religion, you should embrace it and live your life to please the One who created you. Thus, it became very lucid to me that we are all in the same boat; every soul shall taste death and then we’ll be liable for our particular belief in God and for our deeds.[40]

A Meaningful Videotape

By this stage in my search for the truth, I was on the verge of embracing Islam. I watched an Islamic lecture on videotape about the purpose of life. The main theme of this lecture was that the purpose of life may be summed up in one word, i.e., Islam (peaceful submission to the Will of God).

An additional point was that, unlike other religions or beliefs, the term ‘Islam’ is not associated with any particular person or place. God has named the religion in the following Qur’anic verse: “Indeed, the Religion in the sight of God is Islam…” (3:19) Anyone who embraces Islam is called a Muslim regardless of that person’s race, sex or nationality. This is one of the reasons why Islam is a universal religion.

Prior to my search for the truth, I had never seriously considered Islam as an option because of the constant negative portrayal of Muslims in the media. Similarly, it was disclosed in this videotape that although Islam, is characterized by high moral standards, not all Muslims uphold these standards. I learned the same can be said about adherents of other religions. I finally understood that we cannot judge a religion by the actions of its followers alone, as I had done, because all humans are fallible. On that account, we should not judge Islam by the actions of its proponents, but by its revelation (the Holy Qur’an) and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

The last point I picked up from this lecture concerned the importance of gratitude. God mentions in the Qur’an that we should be grateful for the fact that He created us: “And God has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and hearts [i.e., intellect that perhaps you would be grateful. " (16:78) God has also cited gratitude along with belief, and has made it clear that He gains nothing from punishing His people when they give thanks to Him and believe in Him. He says in the Qur'an, "What would God do with [i.e., gain from] your punishment if you are grateful and believe? …” (4:147)

The truth Unveils Itself

As soon as the videotape had finished, I experienced the truth being unveiled to my spirit. I felt a huge burden of sins flying off my back. Moreover, it felt like my soul was rising above the earth, refusing the makeshift delights of this world in favor of the eternal joys of the Hereafter. This experience, coupled with the long process of reasoning, solved the ‘purpose of life puzzle’. It revealed Islam as the truth, thereby replenishing my ‘spiritual landscape’ with belief, purpose, direction and action. I therefore entered the gate of Islam by saying the declaration of faith required to become a Muslim: Ashhadu an La ilaha illa Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasoolu llah. (I bear witness that there is no deity but God and Muhammad is His Messenger). I was informed that this formal testimony confirms one’s belief in all the prophets and messengers of God, along with all of His Divine revelations in their original form, thereby updating and completing one’s religion to the last of the prophets [Muhammad (pbuh)] and to the final revelation of God [the Qur'an]. The following point became overwhelmingly clear to me: Had Jesus (pbuh) been the last prophet of God an had the Gospel been the final book revelation, I would have attested to that. As a result, I have naturally chosen to follow the final revelation from the Creator as exemplified by the seal of the prophets.

Impressions of a New Muslim

During my search to find the truth, the lesson, which, transcended all lessons, was that all objects of worship other than God are mere delusions. To anyone who sees this clearly, the only possible course is to bring one’s own will and actions into complete unison with that of God. Acquiescing to the Will of God has enabled me to feel peace with the Creator, with others and finally, with myself. Consequently, I feel very grateful, that by the Mercy of God, I have been rescued from the depths of ignorance and have stepped into the light of truth. Islam, the true religion of all times, places and peoples, is a complete code of life Which guides man to fulfill the purpose of his existence on earth, and prepares him for the Day when he will return to his Creator Following this path in a devout manner enables one to gain the pleasure of God and be closer to Him amid the endless delights of Paradise while escaping from the punishment of Hellfire  Another bonus is that our present life will be much happier when we make such a choice.

A Deceptive Enjoyment

Embracing Islam has given me more of an insight into the illusive nature of this life. For instance, one basic object of Islam is the liberation of man. This is why a Muslim calls himself ‘Abdullah’, the slave or servant of Allah (i.e., God) because enslavement to God signifies liberation from all other forms of servitude, and although modern man may think that he is liberated, he is in fact a slave to his desires. He is generally deceived by this worldly life. He is ‘addicted’ to hoarding wealth, sex, violence, intoxicants, etc. But above all, he is often seduced by the capitalist system that tends to work through the invention of false needs, which he feels must be satisfied instantly, As God says in the Qur’an, “Have you seen the one who takes as his god his own desire? Then would you be responsible for him? Or do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are not except as livestock. Rather, they are [even] more astray in [their] way. )� (25: 43-44)

Correspondingly, we should not let our zeal to enjoy the pleasures of this fleeting life jeopardize our opportunity to enjoy the ecstasy of Paradise. As God says in the Qur’an, “Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire – of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of, worldly life, but God has with Him the best return [ie. Paradise]. Say, “Shall /inform you of something better than that? For those who fear God will be gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from God…”  (3:14-15) Therefore, the real competition in this life is not the accumulation of wealth or the desire for fame; it is facing with one another to perform good deeds to please God, while having our lawful portion of enjoyment in this life.[41]

The Right Path to God

There are many religious alternatives available to man and it is up to him to choose the one he wishes to follow. He is like a merchant with many goods in front of him, and it is his choice which one to trade in. He will obviously select the one he thinks will be the most lucrative. However, the merchant is unsure and has no guarantee of prosperity; his product may have a market and he may make handsome returns, but he could just as easily lose all of his money. In contrast, the believer in the Oneness of God who submits to His Will (a Muslim), is completely sure that if he follows the path of guidance [the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)], there will undoubtedly be success and reward waiting for him at the end of this path. Fortunately, this success also starts at the beginning of the path. Narrated by Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri(may God be pleased with him)- God’s Messenger(pbuh) said, “If a person embraces Islam sincerely, then God. shall forgive all his past sins, and after that starts the settlement of accounts: the reward of his good deeds will be ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed, and an evil deed will be recorded as it is unless God forgives it .[42]

Epilogue

Based on my search for the truth, I concluded that the precise way we believe in God and the deeds we perform determine our future condition for eternity. Our Creator is giving us all an equal chance, regardless of our circumstances, to earn His pleasure in preparation for Judgement Day, as in the following Qur’anic verses: “And obey God and His messenger that you may obtain mercy. And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden [i.e., Paradise] as wide as the Heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous. ” (3:132-133)[43]

If we sincerely seek the truth of this life, which is Islam (peaceful submission to the Will of God), God will guide us there, God Willing. He directs us to examine the life and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), as he represents the best role model for mankind to follow Furthermore, God directs us to investigate and ponder what He says in the Qur’an. One will see that the Qur’an is indeed like a persistent and strong knocking on a door, or loud shouts seeking to awaken those who are fast asleep because they are just completely absorbed by this life on earth. The knocks and shouts appear one after the other: Wake up! Look around you! Think! Reflect! God is there! There is planning, trial, accountability, reckoning, reward, severe punishment and lasting bliss!

Clearly and unequivocally, the best way to live and die in this world is as a righteous Muslim! When one comes to the conclusion that Islam is the truth, he should not delay in becoming a Muslim because he may die first, and then it will be too late.[44]

A few months after embracing Islam, I found two verses in the Qur’an that mirror what the American Muslim told me regarding how we should live and die: “And Abraham instructed his sons and [so did] Jacob, [saying], �O my sons! Indeed God has chosen for you this religion, so do not die except while you are Muslims.” (2:132) and �O you who have believed, fear God as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].” (3:102

2 This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah;

3 Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them;

4 And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter.  Surah 2 :2-4

97 Say: whoever is an enemy to Gabriel – for he brings down the (revelation) to they heart by Allah’s will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe – Surah 2:97

The Quran claims to be a book like the Torah (Books of Moses) reveled by Moses but to the rest of Mankind revealed  through Gabriel to Mohammad to mankind.

87 We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers;  we gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you a Messenger with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride? Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay!

89 And when there comes to them a Book from Allah, confirming what is with them – although from of old they had prayed for victory against those without Faith – when there comes to them that which they (should) have recognized. They refuse to believe in it but the curse of Allah is on those without Faith. Surah 2:87-89

The Quran claims those who reject the Allah and Mohammad are doomed to eternity in Hell.

63 Know they not that for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, is the Fire of Hell?- Wherein they shall dwell. That is the supreme disgrace. Surah 9:63

The Quran has several claims that need to be examined by anyone who is a Muslim or considering Islam to be the “Truth”.

• Is the Quran a revelation from the God of Abraham, Issac, Jacob and Moses?
• Is Mohammad a Messenger (Prophet) of the God  of the former prophets?
• Should those who reject Mohammad as a prophet fear Hell?

How can the claims of Mohammad and the Quran be evaluated to answer these questions. Since Islam claims to be a continuation of  the faith Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Jesus we can compare the revelations of these former prophets with the Quran, the revelation given to Mohammed.

The tests of a Prophet can be applied to the Quran, since it claims to be prophetic utterance.

Strategy to Reach Muslims

To reach Muslims with the Gospel, it is important to make a distinction between Christianity and Islam.  Muslims need to understand that both Islam and Christianity cannot be true.  Logically it is impossible, they both have diametrically opposed beliefs.  Therefore, the question will always come too: Is Mohammad a prophet? And Is the Quran His Revelation to Mohammad?

Christians do not accept Mohammad as a prophet nor do we accept the Quran as God’s word, since both Mohammad and the Quran fail the test of a prophet.  However, to create the opportunity to answer the question, “Is Mohammad a prophet?” and “Is the Quran his word?”, it is important to draw the distinction between the two.  For example Muslims, will often site their acceptance as Jesus as a prophet of Islam.  Christians can use this as an opportunity to share the Gospel by comparing the Jesus of Islam to the Jesus of the Bible.  This will often lead to the discussion of what is “God’s word” and “who is a prophet”?

A Different Jesus

One of the first questions we can ask about Islam is whether the Jesus of Islam is the same Jesus of the Bible.  When we examine the identity of the Jesus of the Bible (Ingil) and the Jesus of the Quran and Islam we find they cannot be the same.  Though there are similarities, the differences between these two individuals do not logically allow them both to be the same Jesus.

The Jesus of Islam and Christianity have some similarities, which could confuse many to assume they are the same person. Both the Jesus of Christianity and Islam share these characteristics.

• Their mother is Mary.
• Their birth is miraculous, a virgin who conceived.
• They are both sinless.
• They are both considered prophets.
• They both do miracles, healing blind and raising the dead.
• They both have the ability to create.

However, the difference between them will demonstrate it is impossible for them to share the same identity.  The difference between the Jesus of Christianity and Islam are these.

However, the difference between them will demonstrate it is impossible for them to share the same identity.  The difference between the Jesus of Christianity and Islam are these.

However, the difference between them will demonstrate it is impossible for them to share the same identity.  The difference between the Jesus of Christianity and Islam are these

We can only logically draw three conclusions from the facts regarding the Jesus of Islam and the Jesus of Christianity (The Bible).  Only three options are available to anyone who is considering the Jesus of Christianity or Islam.

• Islam is right
• Christianity is right
• Both are wrong

However, it is impossible for both options be true, since because the characteristics are diametrically opposed to each other.   Therefore, we can conclude that both the Bible and the Quran cannot be true. Since their revelation, contradict each other.

We can only logically draw three conclusions from the facts regarding the Jesus of Islam and the Jesus of Christianity (The Bible).  Only three options are available to anyone who is considering the Jesus of Christianity or Islam.

• Islam is right
• Christianity is right
• Both are wrong

However, it is impossible for both options be true, since because the characteristics are diametrically opposed to each other.   Therefore, we can conclude that both the Bible and the Quran cannot be true. Since their revelation, contradict each other

What is the source of these differences

Most Muslims will answer the reason there are differences between the Jesus of the Bible and the Quran/Islam is because Christian corrupted the message given to Jesus and Mohammed was restoring this corrupted message through the Quran.

The Quran was compiled between after Mohammad after came into contact with “Gabriel”, in A.D. 610, when Mohammad was forty-years old.  If the Bible was corrupted there is no mention of its corruption in the Quran.  In fact there are entire copies of the both the Old and New Testaments dating hundreds of years before his birth and his “Revelation”.  The Chester Beatty Papyrus is dated at 200 AD which is over 400 years before his meeting Gabriel.  Codex Sinaticus and Vaticanus  two complete copies of both the Old and New Testaments are dated about 350 A.D., over 200 years before Mohammad’s birth.

The Quran makes an appeal to those who seek confirmation about its scriptural integrity to look at the former revelations. (Surah’s 34:31,35:31, 12:111, 6:154-157, 40:69-70, 46:12, 46:29-30, 2:91, 3:3, 4:162-163, 5:51)

37 This Quran is not such as can be produced by other than Allah; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the book wherein there is no doubt from the Lord of the worlds. Surah 10:37

111 Allah hath purchased of the Believers their persons and their goods; for their (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise): they fight in His Cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in Truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the quran QurŸan: and who is more faithful to his Covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme. Surah 9:111

No where does the Quran claim the Bible (Torah, Ingil, Zabur) has or was corrupted at Mohammad’s time.  The reason the claim is made is because of the incredible differences between the books. The Bible needs to be corrupted for the Quran to be true for Muslim apologists.

What is the source for the Jesus of Islam

The sources for Jesus of Islam can be traced to the influences in Mohammad’s about who Jesus was.  We see the Gnostic influences on Islam from Basilides a Gnostic teacher of the 2^nd century.

Gnostic Doctrine

Wherefore he did not himself suffer death, but Simon, a certain man of Cyrene, being compelled, bore the cross

in his stead; so that this latter being transfigured by him, that he might be thought to be Jesus, was crucified, through ignorance and error, while Jesus himself received the form of Simon, and, standing by, laughed at them. For since he was an incorporeal power, and the Nous (mind) of the unborn father, he transfigured himself as he pleased, and thus ascended to him who had sent him, deriding them, inasmuch as he could not be laid hold of, and was invisible to all….. If any one, therefore, he declares, confesses the crucified, that man is still a slave, and under the power of those who formed our bodies; but he who denies him has been freed from these beings, and isacquaintedwith the dispensation of the unborn father

The Qur’an

And for their saying, “Verily we have slain the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, an Apostle of God.” Yet they slew him not, and they crucified him not, but they had only his likeness. And they who differed about him were in doubt concerning him: No sure knowledge had they about him, but followed only an opinion, and they did not really slay him, but God took him up to Himself. And God is Mighty, Wise!

Surah 4:157

As the Gnostics, Nestorians and other heretical Christian groups were forced out the Byzantine Empire they sought refuge in the deserts of Arabia.  There teachings and “Gnostic works” were circulated in Arabia, which was not known to have an Arabic translation of the Gospel (Ingil).

We can also see Infancy Gospel of Thomas, another heretical work which made its way into the Quran.  Here Jesus is scene creating clay pigeons and bringing them to life.  In this same work  Jesus turns a child into a “Withered Tree” and calls him an “impious ignoramus”.  Later Jesus kills a child who accidentally bumps him in the shoulder.  This book is a false work written about 150 A.D., claiming to be written by Thomas the Israelite.

In addition to these false works we can also the Manicean influence in Islam, Mani (216-270 A.D.) a Persian painter and “Prophet” made many claims similar to Mohammad but only 400 years earlier.  Mani was Gnostic, who combined Christian, Buddhist and Persian Zoroastrian teachings into a belief system

The word “Quran” comes from the Arabic verb, qara’a meaningAdd New to recite”, “to read”. According to Mohammed, the command given to him, Gabriel three times in the cave of Hira was “to qara’a” or read. Mohammad replied, “What shall I read”?   Thus, the word for Mohammad’s revelation is known as the Quran.

The words in the Quran are linked to the 23-years of Mohammad’s call, from A.D. 610 to his death in 632.  The revelations, in the Quran, according to Islam are from an identical book located in Heaven, revealed through the angel Gabriel.

What is the Qu’ran

The Quran, according to Islam, is the very word of Allah, revealed through Gabriel to the prophet Mohammed.  The language of the Quran is Arabic, the dialect belonging to the Quraish tribe, the tribe entrusted with the city of Mecca, and the tribe Mohammad’s family was a part of.

The Quran is divided into 114 chapters, called surah(s), these chapters, with the exception of the first are generally arranged according to length.  Surah 2, the Cow is the longest and the last ones the shortest.

The chapters of the Quran also have a title derived from a word within the text, these titles do not necessarily have a link to the subject manner in the surah, from which it is derived.  The titles have names such as “The Cow” (Surah 2), “Women” (Surah 4), “The Bee” 16 (Surah 16).

In the beginning of the Surah is a short introduction prayer, the Basmalah, which says “In the name of God, the Compassionate the Merciful”.  This prayer is at the start of every surah except the ninth.

The verses of the Surah, called āyah vary in size (pl, ayat) , the earliest are the shortest, the longer Surahs have longer verses with less rhyme. The Quran, in the Arabic is written in rhyme prose, saj, a style similar to the prose used by the kāhins, or soothsayers of Arabia.

The Quran is presented as the speech of God (Allah), who is speaking, first person through Gabriel to Mohammad. Allah refers to himself as “We” and Mohammed is the one told, “to say”. Mohammed,  directed to tell the message Allah has given him is Allah’s final messenger to the world, the “seal of the prophets”. Here is an example from the Quran Surah 2, the Cow.

35. And We said: O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden, and eat ye freely (of the fruits) thereof where ye will; but come not nigh this tree lest ye become wrongdoers. 36. But Satan caused them to deflect there from and expelled them from the (happy) state in which they were; and We said: Fall down, one of you a foe unto the other! There shall be for you on earth a habitation and provision for a tune. Surah 2:35-36

94. Say (unto them): If the abode of the Hereafter in the providence of Allah is indeed for you alone and not for othersof mankind (as ye pretend), then long for death (for ye must long for death) if ye are truthful.  95. But they will never long for it, because of that which their own hands have sent before them. Allah is Aware of evildoers. Surah 2:94-95[1]

How was the Quran revealed?

The Quran is the written text, of the revelation, which Mohammad claimed he received from Allah.  The account of how Mohammed first received the revelation of the Quran is recorded in the traditions of the prophets, the Hadith[2] (Traditions) and by early Islamic historians, who explain the events.

In the year A.D. 610, Mohammad was forty-years old and in the cave of Hera meditaing when he believed he received his call to prophethood.  This prophetic call was the beginning of the Quran, for it would be the same angelic force, who spoke to Mohammed in the cave, who would later reveal to him parts of the Quran, the book in heaven.  Muslim historian Muhammad H. Haykal, who reports the events of Mohammad’s call, according to Islamic traditions,

One day, while Muhammad was asleep in the cave, an angel approached with a sheet in his hand. The angel said to Muhammad, “Read.” Muhammad answered in surprise, “What shall I read?” He felt as if the angel had strangled and then released him and heard once more the command, “Read.” Muhammad’s reply was, “What shall I read?” Once more he felt the angel strangling and then releasing him, and he heard him repeat the command, “Read.” For the third time Muhammad answered, “What shall I read?” fearful that this time the strangling would be stronger. The angel replied, “Read in the name of your Lord, the Creator, Who created man of a clot of blood. Read! Your Lord is most gracious. It is He who taught man by the pen that which he does not know [Qur'an, 96:1-5.], Muhammad recited these verses, repeating them after the angel who withdrew after they were permanently carved upon his memory. Thus the earliest of the biographies reported, and so did ibn Ishaq[3]

According to the Haykal, Mohammad was not sure what happened, he thought the “angel” might have been  a demon, who possessed him, something he always feared.

Stricken with panic, Muhammad arose and asked himself, “What did I see? Did possession of the devil which I feared all along come to pass?” Muhammad looked to his right and his left but saw nothing. For a while he stood there trembling with fear and stricken with awe. He feared the cave might be haunted and that he might run away still unable to explain what he saw. He walked in the area around the mountain asking himself who could have commanded him to read.[4]

Mohammed went home and confided to his wife, Khadija about what just happened in the cave, he confessed he feared he might have become possessed, she reassured a scarred Mohammed. Khadijah then went to hear Christian cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal, who was in the process of translating the gospel (Injil) into Arabic, for advice regarding Mohammad. Upon hearing the events regarding Mohammad, Waraqah declared him a prophet to the Arabic people.

As Muhammad entered his house he asked Khadijah to wrap him in blankets. She could see that her husband was shivering as if struck with high fever. When he calmed down, he cast toward his wife the glance of a man in need of rescue and said, “O Khadijah, what has happened to me?” He told her of his experience and intimated to her his fear that his mind had finally betrayed him, and that he was becoming a seer or a man possessed……….. she said to him, “Joy to my cousin! Be firm. By him who dominates Khadijah’s soul I pray and hope that you will be the Prophet of this nation. By God, He will not let you down. You will be kind to your kin; your speech will all be true; you will rescue the weary; entertain the guest and help the truth to prevail. “Reassured, Muhammad thanked Khadijah and was grateful for her faith. Exhausted, he fell asleep…….. Khadijah ran to her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal who, as we saw earlier, had already become a Christian and had translated part of the Evangel into Arabic. When she finished telling him what Muhammad had seen and heard and of her compassionate and hopeful response to her husband, Waraqah broke into these words: “Holy, Holy! By Him who dominates Waraqah’s soul, if your report is true, O Khadijah, this must be the Great Spirit that spoke to Moses. Muhammad must be the Prophet of this nation.[5]

From this point forward, the “angel” who appeared to Mohammad would come back over the remaining 22-years of his life, from forty to age sixty-two, giving him further revelations.  The 114 Surahs recorded in the Quran, are linked to the periods in Mohammad’s life, until his death in A.D. 632.                        The method of revelation was not always the same according to Islamic tradition, over the years to follow, when Mohammad received revelation of the Quran, he would faint, foam at the mouth and tremble at times.  The bookTrue Guidance Part IV, records the Hadiths regarding the manner which Mohammad received his revelations,

The authoritative Hadith (Tradition) relate that Muhammad used to faint whenever revelations came to him.  It is claimed he used to act like a drunkard (See Al-Sirah al-Nabawiya, by Ibn Hisham; chapter on how the revelation came).  In his book, Al-Quran al-Majid, Darwaza claims that Muhammad was taken out of this world.  Abu Huraira says that “whenever Muhammad received revelation, he was overwhelmed by trembling.” Another account says: “He became distressed, foamng at the mouth and closing his eyes. At times he snorted like a young camel” (Ahmad b. Hanbal I, 34, 464, VI. 163)…..Umar b. al-Khattab said: “When revelation descended upon Muhammad, one could hear it near his face like the humming of bees” (Ahmad b. Hanbal, I. 34)[6]

Mohammed and his attempted Suicide during the period of silence (610-613)

Following the first appearance of the “angel” and the proclamation of his “Call” there was a period of silence for about three-years. During this period, Mohammad was distraught and often thought about suicide, wishing to throw himself off the mountains of Hira or Qubays. Hykal writes,

Muhammad expected the revelations to guide his path from day to day, but they subsided. Gabriel did not appear for some time, and all around him there was nothing but silence. Muhammad fell into solitude, separated from himself as well as from the people. His old fears recurred. It is told that even Khadijah said to him, “Does it not seem that your Lord is displeased with you?” Dismayed and frightened, he returned to the mountain and the cave of Hira’. There, he prayed for God fervently, seeking assiduously to reach Him. Particularly, he wanted to ask God about the cause of this divine displeasure. Khadijah did not dread these days any less than Muhammad, nor was she any less fearful. Often Muhammad wished to die, but he would again feel the call and the command of his Lord which dispelled such ideas. It was also told that he once thought of throwing himself down from the top of Mount Hira’ or Mount Abu Qubays, thinking what good was this life if his greatest hope therein was to be frustrated and destroyed? Torn between these fears on one hand and despair on the other, revelation came to him after a long interval.[7]

History of the Quran

Mohammad’s death

The Quran was revealed to Mohammad during a 23-year period, A.D. 610 to 632. Mohammad’s death in 632, was not expected, he was 62-years old when he died.  Muhammad gave his revelations orally and did not write them down, the claim being, he could neither read nor write, the prophet was mouthpiece of Allah, there was no need to have written scripture.

In the year 632, Mohammad made his last pilgrimage to Mecca, a few month later on June 8^th, 632 Muhammad died by the side of his young wife, Aisha who cradled the prophet as he passed. Muslim traditions as recorded by the Marmauke Pickthall, blame Mohammed’s death on a Jewish captive of Kheyber fortress in North Arabia.

It was at Kheybar that a Jewess prepared for the Prophet poisoned meat, of which he only tasted a morsel without swallowing it, then warned his comrades that it was poisoned. One Muslim, who had already swallowed a mouthful, died immediately, and the Prophet himself, from the mere taste of it, derived the illness, which eventually caused his death.  The woman who cooked the meat was brought before him. When she said that she had one it on account of the humiliation of her people, he forgave her.[8]

Collection of the Quran

During Mohammad’s life the revelations were not collected into one collection but were scattered, written on palm-leaf stalks, thin white stones bones and the memory of men.  In the year 633, after the death of Mohammad, during the reign (Caliphate)[9] of Abu Bakr (A.D. 632-633) the Muslims were involved in the battle of Yamamah[10], where many of the hafiz died on the battlefield.  The hafiz, Muslims who knew the words of Muhammad by heart, were an important resource for Muslims, because they kept the Quran. Their death brought concern the Quran could fade away if those who memorized it died.  Zaid bin Thabit was Mohammed’s scribe, who was appointed to the task of collecting the scattered Surahs.

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:                                                                                                                                             Abu Bakr As-Siddiq sent for me when the people! of Yamama had been killed (i.e., a number of the Prophet’s Companions who fought against Musailama). (I went to him) and found ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab sitting with him. Abu Bakr then said (to me), “Umar has come to me and said: “Casualties were heavy among the Qurra’ of the! Qur’an (i.e. those who knew the Quran by heart) on the day of the Battle of Yalmama, and I am afraid that more heavy casualties may take place among the Qurra’ on other battlefields, whereby a large part of the Qur’an may be lost. Therefore I suggest, you (Abu Bakr) order that the Qur’an be collected.” I said to ‘Umar, “How can you do something which Allah’s Apostle did not do?” ‘Umar said, “By Allah, that is a good project. “Umar kept on urging me to accept his proposal till Allah opened my chest for it and I began to realize the good in the idea which ‘Umar had realized.” Then Abu Bakr said (to me). ‘You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you, and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah’s Apostle. So you should search for (the fragmentary scripts of) the Qur’an and collect it in one book).” By Allah If they had ordered me to shift one of the mountains, it would not have been heavier for me than this ordering me to collect the Qur’an. Then I said to Abu Bakr, “How will you do something which Allah’s Apostle did not do?” Abu Bakr replied, “By Allah, it is a good project.” Abu Bakr kept on urging me to accept his idea until Allah opened my chest for what He had opened the chests of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. So I started looking for the Qur’an and collecting it from (what was written on) palmed stalks, thin white stones and also from the men who knew it by heart,[11]

Al-Bukhari who died in A.D. 870, collected hadiths regarding Mohammad and Islam, his collection is the most respected of the Hadiths in the Muslim world, despite this fact, many

Muslims still hold to the Muslim orthodox theory that the Quran was arranged in the current form under the direction of Gabriel and Mohammad.

The Quran(s) collected and burned

The work of  Zaid bin Thabit was not complete because, several years later during the reign of the third Caliph Uthman (644-656), in the Muslim campaign against Armenia a dispute broke out between the various Muslim groups.

Narrated Anas bin Malik: Hudhaifa bin Al-Yaman came to Uthman at the time when the people of Sham and the people of Iraq were Waging war to conquer Arminya and Adharbijan. Hudhaifa was afraid of their (the people of Sham and Iraq) differences in the recitation of the Qur’an, so he said to ‘Uthman, “O chief of the Believers! Save this nation before they differ about the Book (Quran) as Jews and the Christians did before.” So ‘Uthman sent a message to Hafsa saying, “Send us the manuscripts of the Qur’an so that we may compile the Qur’anic materials in perfect copies and return the manuscripts to you.” Hafsa sent it to ‘Uthman. ‘Uthman then ordered Zaid bin Thabit, ‘Abdullah bin AzZubair, Said bin Al-As and ‘AbdurRahman bin Harith bin Hisham to rewrite the manuscripts in perfect copies. ‘Uthman said to the three Quraishi men, “In case you disagree with Zaid bin Thabit on any point in the Qur’an, then write it in the dialect of Quraish, the Qur’an was revealed in their tongue.” They did so, and when they had written many copies, ‘Uthman returned the original manuscripts to Hafsa. ‘Uthman sent to every Muslim province one copy of what they had copied, and ordered that all the other Qur’anic materials, whether written in fragmentary manuscripts or whole copies, be burnt. Said bin Thabit added, “A Verse from Surat Ahzab was missed by me when we copied the Qur’an and I used to hear Allah’s Apostle reciting it. So we searched for it and found it with Khuzaima bin Thabit Al-Ansari. (That Verse was): ‘Among the Believers are men who have been true in their covenant with Allah.’ (33.23) [12]

The point here is important, the Quran by the time of the third Caliph, already had variations in the text, which required immediate repair.  Therefore, all the copies of the Quran throughout the Muslim empire were collected, burned and replaced with a standardized version of the Quran.  This demonstrates point demonstrates not all Qurans were the same, there was a point in time when the various Qurans were different.

The current version of the Arabic Quran, is the Quran distributed by Uthman, to the various parts of the Muslim world, after the earlier versions were collected and burned.

Themes in the Quran

When reading the Quran, it helps to understand the Surah’s period of the “revelation”, because this period is related to the content. The German scholar, Theodore Noldeke (1860) wrote A History of the Quran, where he placed the Surahs in their chronological order, based on their content and historical background.  The periods have been divided into four distinct era’s in Mohammad’s “calling”.

The Meccan period from (A.D. 610 to 622) is divided into three periods; early, middle and late. Only the fourth period, the Medina period is certain with many of the Surahs.

Early Meccan

These Surah tend to be shorter, Mohammad at first did not attack the Idol worshipers, Mohammad is manly a “Warner” to the people of Mecca.  He describes to them the destiny of the lost in Hell and the pleasures of paradise.   Mohammad had particular problems with the wealthy Meccans who rejected his message, and mocked him as messenger.

Surah 104. Al-Humaza

1. Woe unto every slandering traducer,

2. Who hath gathered wealth (of this world) and arranged it.

3. He thinketh that his wealth will render him immortal.

4. Nay, but verily he will be flung to the Consuming One.

5. Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Consuming One is!

6. (It is) the fire of Allah, kindled,

7. Which leapeth up over the hearts (of men).

8. Lo! it is closed in on them

9. In outstretched columns.

Middle/Late Meccan

After a period, as Mohammad faced greater opposition, he became more argumentative  and his surahs became longer and more detailed in content. Biblical characters from the Old and New Testament, appear which mirror his rejection. Mohammad associated his suffering and rejection in Mecca, as a sign of prophet, similar  the biblical prophets, who also suffered rejection.

Surah 17. Al-Israa (Bani Israel) (111 Verses)

1. Glorified be He Who carried His servant by night from the Inviolable Place of Worship to the Far Distant Place ofWorship the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, that We might show him of Our tokens! Lo! He, only He, is the Nearer, the Seer.

2. We gave unto Moses the Scripture, and We appointed it a guidance for the Children of Israel, saying: Choose no guardian beside Me.

3. (They were) the seed of those whom We carried (in the ship) along with Noah. Lo! he was a grateful slave.

4. And We decreed for the Children of Israel in the scripture: Ye verily will work corruption in the earth twice, andye will become great tyrants.

Medina (622-630)

In September of 622, Mohammad arrives in Medina, where his surah’s take on a much different tone, he becomes the head of an Islamic state. He is to be obeyed, and respected, he is no longer just a “Warner”, he is now Allah’s representative on earth.

Surah 9. At-Tauba

1. Freedom from obligation (is proclaimed) from Allah and His messenger toward those of the idolaters with whom

ye made a treaty:

2. Travel freely in the land four months, and know that ye cannot escape Allah and that Allah will confound the

disbelievers (in His guidance).

3. And a proclamation from Allah and His messenger to all men on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage that Allah is free

from obligation to the idolaters, and (so is) His messenger. So, if ye repent, it will be better for you; but if ye are

averse, then know that ye cannot escape Allah. Give tidings (O Muhammad) of a painful doom to those who disbelieve.

Another clear characteristic of the Medina surahs is the increasing antagonism between the Jews of Medina and Mohammad.  The Jews reject Mohammad’s claim of prophet, they are seen as allies of the pagans of Mecca, who work against Mohammad, and therefore against Allah.

Surah 4. An-Nisaa (177 Verses)

46. Some of those who are Jews change words from their context and say: “We hear and disobey; hear thou as one who heareth not” and “Listen to us!” distorting with their tongues and slandering religion. If they had said: “We hear and we obey; hear thou, and look at us” it had been better for them, and more upright. But Allah hath cursed them for their  disbelief, so they believe not, save a few.  47. O ye unto whom the Scripture hath been given! Believe in what We have revealed concerning that which ye possess, before We destroy countenances so as to confound them, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath breakers (of old time). The commandment of Allah is always executed.
Surah 4: 46-47

Pre-Islamic

The Arabian Peninsula the birthplace of Islam is one of the hottest and driest regions in the world, consisting mainly of deserts. Since ancient times tribes of the nomadic race had populated the region. Considered the descendents of Noah’s third son Shem they are called Semites. Over the centuries theses Semitic people have migrated into the Fertile Crescent and were assimilated to into existing civilizations.

In the sixth century AD, north of the Arabian Peninsula two great powers were locked in a seesaw power struggle. The Christian Byzantine kingdom, successors of the Roman Empire was to the Northwest and controlled the Mediterranean Sea, North Africa and the lands of Palestine. In the northeast lay the Zoroastrian Persian kingdom. Both the Byzantine and Persian kingdoms had client Arab tribes allied to their cause of trade and conquest.

The Arabian Peninsula became a land of refuge for those seeking escape from both of these empires. Heretic Christian sects like the Nestorians, and Jewish tribes escaping the oppressive Byzantines found refuge in the protective deserts and cities of the Peninsula.

Arabia was divided into tribes and cities. Each city had gods and goddess. Once a year the tribes and cities of Arabia would meet in the city of Mecca during an event known as the Hajj. In Mecca, the Kaba (Cube), a large cube shaped building housed 360 idols from all the tribes of Arabia. The Kaba was the center of Arabian religious life. Here all the warring tribes would put aside their differences as they circled the Kaba. From the Kaba they would proceed to the other shrines outside of Mecca during this five day religious event. The Hajj was a tradition that Arabs of the peninsula remembered going back hundreds of years.

Mohammed

It was in this world Mohammad Ibn Abdallah was born in the year 570 AD in the city of Mecca. His father died before he was born and his mother Amina died when he was 6 years old. Al-Muttalib his grandfather took charge of the youth and died 2 years later. Abu Talib his uncle adopted young Mohammed into his family and raised him as his own son. At the age of 12, young Mohammed was taken on a caravan-trading venture to Syria and experienced the world outside of Arabia for the first time. Here Islamic tradition informs us that a Christian monk named Buhaira, proclaimed Talib’s  young nephew is the last prophet and warns him about the Jews. For the next 13 years little is known of his life except that he was involved in caravan trading in and out of Arabia.

At the age of 25, Mohammed marries a 40 year old wealthy, widow named Khadijah who owns trading caravans. During the next 15 years of his life he interactes with Arabs known as the Hanefites. Hanefites were Arabs who rejected idol worship and were searching for the true religion. They looked to the religion of the Jews and Christians as being close to the goal. The Hanefites abandonded their idols and would retreat to the caves of Mecca in meditation and prayer.

At age 40 Mohammed had his first vision in the year 610 AD. He was in a cave on Mt. Hera and thought he was demon possessed. He went to Khadijah and told her about the event. She consulted with her uncle Waraca, a Hanefite who converted to Christianity, who assured them Mohammed vision was from God. Waraca declared Mohammed was a prophet to the Arab peoples, Waraca died 2 years later never becoming a Muslim.

Mohammed proclaimed Allah as the one true god and rejected the idol worship of Mecca. Khadijah, his wife, was Mohammed first convert to Islam. Few listened to Mohammed’s message and animosity grew against him as he confronted the idol worshippers and preached his religion to Mecca. Abu Talib his uncle and his tribe the Hasims protected him during this early Meccan period. In 619 Khadijah and Abu Talib died. Abu Talib headed the Hasim clan, which Mohammed was a member. The new leader of the Hasim tribe his uncle Abu Lahab refused to protect Mohammed. During the next 3 years Mohammed would fear for his life. He sought refuge and protection in nearby cities from those seeking his life.

Then in 621 during the Hajj, Arab tribes from the city of Yatrob later to be called Medina, came for the annual pilgrimage. They met Mohammed and thought him to be a prophet and invited him to their city to bring peace and settle disputes between the warring tribes. Yathrob was founded by three Jewish tribes and the idea of monotheism was familiar to its Arab tribesmen. The Arabs of Medina had been told by Jewish tribesmen about the coming Messiah who would one day conquer the world including the Arabs. The Arab tribes hoped to find this individual before the Jews. Meeting Mohammed they thought he was the one.

The Hejira (Flight)

The next year the situation became intolerable for the Muslims and in in June 622 they made what has become known as the Hejira or flight. In small groups the 150 Muslims of Mecca left for the city of Medina 280 miles to the north. When word reached those of Mecca about the escape to Medina they tried to kill Mohammed. Mohammed and Abu Bakr were able to sneak out of the city and escape to Medina by another route in September 622.

In Medina the warring Arab tribes submitted to Mohammed leadership and prophet-hood. The Jewish tribes rejected his claims of prophet and ridiculed his revelations. With most of the new arrivals from Mecca without work they needed to earn a living. Ghazu or caravan raiding was a way tribes would prevent one tribe from becoming to powerful. The Muslims in Medina began to rob the caravans heading toward Mecca. This is where the Muslim doctrine of Jihad was created.

With their caravan business being threatened, Mecca responds with one thousand solders at the battle of Bedr in March 624 the Muslims fielded 300 warriors. The battle went to the Muslims. Mohammed proclaimed his victory was a sign from Allah and his status in Medina was magnified. The lack of enthusiasm by one of the Jewish tribes caused them to be expelled by the victorious Muslim army. The direction of prayer was also changed from Jerusalem to Mecca as the Jews rejected Mohammad’s prophet-hood.

Exactly one year latter Mecca amassed 3000 solders at the battle of Uhud and the Muslims fielded 1000 solders. The battle did not go as planned. The Muslims defeated by Mecca retreated to Medina. Disheartened, Muslims blamed the second Jewish tribe as conspirators against their cause. Their homes and possessions were confiscated, and they are expelled from the city in 626 AD.

The Meccans in the hope of ending the caravan raids by the Muslims assembled 10,000 solders to attack the city of Medina in the year 627. After a two weeks siege in the hot sun they are unable to penetrate the fortress like city. They returned to Mecca. After this unsuccessful attack,  Mohammed and the Muslims attacked the last remaining Jewish tribe. The tribe surrendered to the mercy of Mohammed. The men were killed and the women and children were sold into slavery.

The Muslims then begin to consolidate their power with the surrounding Arab tribes and cities.

Mecca began to feel the economic impact of its trading losses and  Mohammed’s power grew in the north. They reluctantly signed the 10 year Hudaybiah peace agreement with Mohammed and the Muslims in march 628. Muslims are allowed to return to Mecca and worship at the Kaba once a year. The people of Mecca would leave their city so the Muslim could come and worship.

Two years later, in January 630, Mohammed leads 10,000 warriors to Mecca and nullifies the treaty of Hudaybiah because Muslims have been killed. The city submits to Mohammed and his warriors and accepts him as prophet. Mohammed goes to the Kaba and destroys the 360 idols in the structure. From Mecca, the “Muslims” wage Jihad on the surrounding cities forcing them to accept Islam as their religion and Mohammed as their prophet.

Mohammed made his final Hajj in 632 and died unexpectedly 3 months later in June. His friend and father in law Abu Bakr (Father of Aisha)  succeeded him as leader of the Muslims

After Mohammad

Abu Bakr  received the title “Caliph” or successor of Mohammed. Their was a struggle for about who would succeed Mohammad, some felt Ali the husband of Fatima, Mohammed’s daughter deserved the position. Under Abu Bakr  Islam’s power in Arabian peninsula was completed. In 634 AD Abu Bakr died and was succeeded by Umar (Omar) the 2^nd Caliphate.

Umar advanced the Muslim armies against Syria and Palestine. In 637 A D, the armies of Byzantium lost control of Jerusalem to Islam.  Uthman the 3^rd Caliph succeeded Umar. Uthman ordered a complete revision of the Quran, this would cause a mutiny. He was killed and his death was considered justified because the mutineers claimed he ceased to be a Muslim.  Following Uthman’s There was a struggle between rival factions of Islam about who was the rightful successor to lead Islam.

Ali the 4^th Caliph, Mohammad’s son-in-law and husband of Fatima, succeeded Uthman everybody did not accept him as rightful Caliphate.  War broke out between the rival groups, his succession was short lived, 2 years later he was killed, the Shi’a (Party of Ali) mourned the death of Ali, and his two sons (Grandsons of Mohammed). Ali is revered as a saint by the Shi’a who are dominate in Iran and Iraq.  The Shi’a feel Ali was the rightful successor to Mohammed and don’t recognize the three earlier Caliphs.  The Sunnis accept Ali and the first three Caliphate as legitimate.

After the defeat the Byzantines and Persian kingdoms in successive battles, the armies of Islam advanced on Europe. Within 100 years of Mohammad’s death the armies of Islam reached the city of Tours, in France. In Tours the Muslim advance was stopped.

In the Battle of Tours Charles Martel the grandfather of Charlemagne defeated the advancing Muslim armies. From Tours Muslim power in Europe retreated and in the 1489 Fredinand and Isabella of Spain defeated the last remaining forces in Spain. Later, the Ottoman Empire would retreat from the rest of Europe.

In the East, Islam was also expanding by the 13th century; Islam had reached the Pacific Ocean. The Islamic faith now spanned from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Ferdinand Magellan, in his attempt to bypass Muslim controlled areas in the Indian Ocean, found the passageway to Asia via the Atlantic Ocean. His desire was to bring Christianity to Asia, before Islam. Magellan was successful in introducing Christianity to the Philippines (Named after King Philip of Spain)  Islam and Christianity met in the Philippines as the Northern Islands were converted to Christianity and the Southern parts of the Philippines and Indonesia  were  converted to Islam.  Islam and Christianity became the two major rival religions in the world.

Islam Today

Islam today is in conflict, between western secular culture and traditional Islamic culture. The growth of Islamic Fundamentalism is an attempt to reach back to the glories of Islamic history. Many Fundamentalist (Muslim) ask themselves the question, If Islam is the religion of Allah, why are we being defeated by the West (United States) and Israel.  The fundamentalist sees the problem with the failure of Islamic nations to live as the Quran commands. This view of not living the life required by Allah, as specified in the Quran and traditions and therefore being defeated by the West, is the spark of fundamentalism. Today in Islam there is a struggle between moderate and fundamentalist ideology.                                                                            Understanding the books of the Islamic faith is just as important to understanding its history. The books of Islam shape both the culture and philosophy of the Muslim world

The Books of Islam

History of the Quran:

The Qur’an:
“Reading” The Quran is the “Word of God” to Islam. About 4/5 the length of the New Testament. Muslims believe the identical book is in Heaven and Allah sent the angel Gabriel to Mohammed to reveal his “Word”. The Quran is divided into 114 chapters or Surahs. The Surahs are revelations given to Mohammed during his 23 years of “Prophethood” from 610 AD to 632 AD.

The Quran, composed during Mohammed’s lifetime corresponds to the time and circumstances of his life. The Surahs or chapters can be divided into three time periods.
The earliest Surahs are the shortest and known as Early Meccan, and date from 610 to 622 AD. Composed in Mecca, prior to Hejira where Mohammed fled to Medina in September 622 AD.

The Median Surahs were composed during the time Muslims controlled the city of Medina. They date from 622 to 630 AD. The doctrine of Jihad was introduced as war was waged against Mecca and its  idol worshipers. Animosity toward the Jews and Christians increased as they rejected Mohammed as a prophet from God.

Late Meccan Surahs were between 630 and 632 AD. The last 2 years of Mohammed’s life after Mecca surrendered to his authority.

Surahs were at this time not collected in one book but were memorized and collected on various items. In the battle of Yamamah in 633 AD many of the Hafiz died. The Hafiz were Muslims who had committed much of the Quran to memory. With the urging of Umar, Zayd ibn Thabit, one of Mohammed most trusted secretaries was appointed to the task of collecting the Quran into one book. Still later after different versions of the quran began to appear Zayd was put in charge of collecting all the Qurans throughout the Muslim world and issuing an authorized copy in the place of ones collected.

The Quran makes the appeal to its beauty and consistency with previous scriptures as proof of its inspiration.

23 And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Surah like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true.
24 But if ye cannot - and of a surety ye cannot - then fear the Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones - which is prepared for those who reject Faith. Surah 2:23-24
The Hadith:
“Tradition” After the death of Mohammed, his followers collected his sayings and actions in books to guide and direct their beliefs. They give additional meaning behind the Surahs and help interpret their meanings. The most respected Hadith are Bukari, and Muslim. Muslims do not feel the Hadith is the “Word of God”.  They would compare the Hadith, to the Gospels, which reports what Jesus said.  The Quran is the Word of God from Heaven via Gabriel.

Who is a Muslim: A Muslim is someone who has submitted to Allah. One submits to Allah by confession of the Shahada or the 5 pillars of faith.  Besides the five major beliefs or doctrines in Islam, there are these are observances in Islam which are foundational practices or duties every Muslim must observe.

The Five Pillars of Faith
1. “The Confession” “La ilaha illa llah” “There is no God but God.”  The Shahada, (Testimoney)
Kalima There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah.
2. Salat Prayer 5 times a day facing Mecca
3. Zakat Almsgiving
4. Fasting during the month of Ramadan, from sun-up till sundown.
5. Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca once a lifetime

The Beliefs of Islam

The Five Articles of Faith

1. God: There is only one true God and his name is Allah. Allah is all knowing, all-powerful and sovereign judge.  Yet Allah is not a personal God, for he is so far above man in every way that he is not personally knowable.  The emphasis of the God of Islam is on judgment and power, not grace and mercy. To the Muslim mind, calling God father means God connotes sexual relationship.

255 Allah! there is no god but He, the living, the self subsisting, eternal. No slumber can seize him nor heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in his presence except as he permitteth? he knoweth what (appeareth to his creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of his knowledge except as he willeth. His throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and he feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for he is the most high, the supreme (in glory).Surah 2:255

2. Angels: Angels in Islam serve Allah’s will such as Gabriel delivering the Koran to Mohammed. Angels do not perform any bodily functions (sexual, eating., etc) as they are created of light.  Angels serve different purposes; each person has two recording angels who record his/her good or bad deeds.

Jinn : Are spiritual beings created out of fire….who are ranked between angels and men and can be either good or bad. Satan was a Jinn and not a fallen angel according to Islam.

27 And the Jinn race, we had created before, from the fire of a scorching wind.
Surah15:27

Satan: A Jinn who refused to fall prostrate before Adam after he was created. He is the leader of evil ones in the world.

50. And (remember) when We said unto the angels: Fall prostrate before Adam,
and they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He was of the Jinn, so he
rebelled against his Lord's command. Will ye choose him and his seed for
your protecting friends instead of Me, when they are an enemy unto you?
Calamitous is the exchange for evil doers!
Sura 18:50

3. Scripture: There are four inspired books in Islam: Quran, Torah, Ingil and Zabur. The Torah, Ingil and Zabur: “Books of Moses, The Gospel of Jesus, and Psalms of David” These are books mentioned in the Koran as God’s Word but most Moslems feel the current books are corrupt. For this reason Allah gave Mohammed the “Quran”. Many Muslims  try to find Mohammed in the Bible and feel he is  referred to in Deuteronomy 18:16, John 14:6.

4. Prophets: In Islam God has spoken through numerous prophets down through the centuries, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.  The greatest prophet and the last prophet is Muhammmad, he is the seal of the prophets.

163 We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him: We sent inspiration to Abraham, ismail Ismaÿil, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms.
164 Of some messengers We have already told thee the story; of others We have not- and to Moses Allah spoke direct-
Surah 4:163-164

5. Last Days: The last days will be a time of Ressurrection and judgment.:

Resurrection: Everybody will be resurrected to stand before Allah to be judged in the Last Day. Those who follow Allah and Mohammed will go to Paradise others will go to Hell. Everybody will pass through Hell and even some Muslim will spend time in Hell till their sins are burned away and Mohammad intercedes for them.

Hell: Hell is a place of Allah judgment where Muslims will spend sometime before entering paradise, unbelievers will have no escape. Muslim’s believe Mohammed will intercede for them and deliver them from Hell.

AbuSa’id al-Khudri

SAHIH MUSLIM

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:  The (permanent) inhabitants of the Fire are those who are doomed to it, and verily they would neither die nor live in it (quran al-QurŸan, xx.47; liiixii.13).  But the people whom the Fire would afflict (temporarily) on account of their sins, or so said (the narrator) “on account of their misdeeds,” He would cause them to die till they would be turned into charcoal.  Then they would be granted intercession and would be brought in groups and would be spread on the rivers of Paradise and then it would be said:    O inhabitants of Paradise, pour water over them; then they would sprout forth like the sprouting of seed in the silt carried by flood.  A man among the people said:  (It appears) as if the Messenger of Allah lived in the steppe.

AL-MUWATTA of Imam Malik (Hadith)
Abdullah ibn Abbas
Then I saw the Fire - and I have never seen anything more hideous than what I saw today - and I saw that most of its people were women.'
They said, 'Why, Messenger of Allah?'
He said, 'Because of their ungratefulness (kufr),'
Someone said, 'Are they ungrateful to Allah?'
He said, 'They are ungrateful to their husbands and they are ungrateful for good behaviour (towards them). Even if you were to behave well towards one of them for a whole lifetime and then she were to see you do something (that she did not like) she would say that she had never seen anything good from you.'"

Paradise: Described in the Quaran as place underneath the Earth that flows with rivers of wine and “wide eyed” virgins of beauty.
And round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness): If thou seest them, thou wouldst think them scattered Pearls.

20 And when thou lookest, it is there thou wilt see a Bliss and a Realm Magnificent.
21 Upon them will be green Garments of fine silk and heavy brocade, and they will be adorned with bracelets of silver; and their Lord will give to them to drink of a Wine Pure and Holy.
22 Verily this is a Reward for you, and your Endeavour is accepted and recognized.
Surah 76:19-22 See Also Surah 2:25,

Christianity and Islam

Jesus: Jesus is just a prophet and not the Son of God. He is only a prophet to the Jews who was not crucified but was caught up into Heaven. God placed a substitute in his place on the cross. Many Muslims feel the substitute was Judas. Jesus is the Messiah who is coming at the end. He will kill all the Jews, Christians and pigs break all crosses get married and die 40 years later and be buried in Medina next to Mohammed. The Resurrection will follow.

157 That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah"- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not-
158 Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise- Surah 4:157-158,
So peace is on me The day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that
I shall be raised up to life (again)!
Sura 19:33

Holy Spirit:  The angel Gabriel is recognized as the Holy Spirit within Islam, or as some commentators think angels in general.

If ye two turn is repentance to Him, your hearts are indeed so inclined; but if ye back up each other against him, truly Allah is his Protector, and Gabriel, and (every) righteous one among those who believe, and furthermore, the angels will back (him) up.
Sura 66:4

Salvation: The Muslims believe in salvation by obedience to Allah. Mohammed will intercede on the behalf of Muslims before Allah. In a scale, Allah will weight the sins and good deeds to determine the punishment. Time in Hell will be necessary to pay for sins that outweigh good deeds. After which the “Muslims” will be accepted into Paradise. Non-Believers will go to Hell with no hope of escape. Those who die in Jihad or Holy War will go directly to Paradise where 72 virgins will be awaiting him.

Al-Miqdam ibn madikarib Ma'dikarib (Hadith)
MISHKAT AL-MASABIH (Hadith)
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The martyr receives six good things from Allah: he is forgiven at the first shedding of his blood; he is shown his abode in Paradise; he is preserved from the punishment in the grave; he is kept safe from the greatest terror; he has placed on his head the crown of honour, a ruby of which is better than the world and what it contains; he is married to seventy-two wives of the maidens with large dark eyes; and is made intercessor for seventy of his relatives."
Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

MISHKAT AL-MASABIH (Hadith)
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The lowliest of the inhabitants of Paradise will be he who has eighty thousand servants, seventy-two wives, and for whom a round pavilion of pearls, chrysoprase and rubies as large as the distance between al-Jabiyah and San'a will be set up." By the same isnad he said, "Those who are to go to Paradise, who die whether young or old,

Sin: Man is born sinless and all people are Muslims at birth. But lack of obedience to Allah is sin. Sin is by action only and not by nature.

Sources of the Quran:

Where did the Quran come from? The Quran claims Allah is its  source of the Quran is a copy of  an identical book is written in Heaven that was given Gabriel to give to Mohammad in intervals.

105 We sent down the (Quran) in truth, and in truth has it descended: and we sent thee but to give glad tidings and to warn (sinners).
106 (It is) a Quran which we have divided (into parts from time to him), in order that thou mightest recite it to men at intervals: we have revealed it by stages.
Surah 117:105-6

History gives us a different answer. The Quran’s content can be traced to sources in existence prior to Mohammed birth.  A few of these sources can be found below.

Jewish sources of the Quran

1. Visit by the queen of Sheba to Solomon as recorded in Sura 27:17-30
And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts, of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.
18 At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, one of the ants said: O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it.
Sura 27:17-18

This same story is recorded almost verbatim in the Talmud work II Targum of Ester 1,2

2. Abraham saved from Nimrod’s Fire as recorded in the following Suras 2:260, 6:74-84, 21:52-72, 19:42-50, 26:69-79, 24:15-16, 37:81-95,

We bestowed aforetime on Abraham his rectitude of conduct, and well were we Acquainted with him.
52 Behold! he said to his father and his people, what are these images, to which ye are (so assiduously) devoted? 53 They said, we found Our fathers worshipping them.
Sura 21: 52-53

The source for this story is from the Midrash Rabbah on Genesis

3. Cain and Abel Sura 5:30-35

Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hid the shame of his brother. Woe is me said he; was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother? then he became full of regrets
-Sura 5:30

The source of this story can be found in the book
Pirke Rabbi Eleaszer in the Midrash. The only difference being that the crow shows Adam not Cain how to bury Abel.

4. Harut and Marut The two angles of Babylon.

They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon: the blasphemers were, not Solomon, but the evil ones, teaching men magic, and such things as came down at Babylon
the angels Harut and Marut.
Sura 2:109

This same story is taken from the Midrash Yalkut the only difference being the two angels named are Shamhazi and Azael. But the names of Harut and Marut were two idols worshipped far back in Armenia. They were assistants to the female goddess Aspandaramit. The Zoroastrians regarded her as the spirit of the earth.

Heretical Christian Sources

5. The Seven Sleepers, or Companions of the Cave. Surah 18:9-26

9 Or dost thou reflect that the companions of the cave and of the inscription were wonders among our Signs?
10 Behold, the youths betook themselves to the cave: they said, our Lord bestow on us mercy from thyself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way
11 Then we draw (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years,
in the cave, (so that they heard not): Sura 18:9-11

The legend is Greek and is found in the Latin work of Gregory of Tours. Seven men of the city of Ephesus take refuge from persecution in a cave during the reign of Decius (249-251 AD) they wake in the reign of Theodorus II 447 AD. Christianity being the faith of the empire. This was a mere story to illustrate the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire.

Zoroastrian Sources

6. Quranic view of Paradise Sura 55:72, 56:22
Round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness),
18 With goblets, (shining) beakers, and cups (filled) out of Clear flowing fountains:
19 No after ache will they receive therefrom, nor will they suffer intoxication:
20 And with fruits, any that they may select;
21 And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire.
22 And (there will be) Companions with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes
Sura 56:18-22

The picture of Paradise with beautiful virgins waiting for men is not found in any of the Old or New Testament but can be traced to the Zoroastrian concept of Paradise Paries or Fairies –spirits in bright array and beautiful, to captivate the heart of a man. The name houry is derived from an Avesta or Pahlavi source. As well as jinn for genii and bihvisht (Paradise) signifying in Avestic “The better land”.

Islamic Fundamentalism:

Fundamentalism is a hard-line literal view of the world through the eyes of the Quran.  Islam is at war with Jews and Christians for world domination in the cause of Allah. As the earlier Muslims were at war with cities refusing to accept Mohammed as the prophet, Fundamentalist see themselves involved in a Jihad[1] or Holy War against the West.

Fundamentalist see the United States as Satan’s power in the battle with Islam. Television, movies, alcohol, carnal lifestyles and their influence on Muslim countries pits the US and the West at war with Islam. Furthermore, the United States support for Israel  enrages Muslims, Israel is seen as Enemy No.1 to Muslim nations. For three main reasons;

1. There is great deal of hostility toward Jews within the Koran and Hadith. They view Jews are seen as the killers of prophets and enemies of God. Muslims who are strict students of the Koran see themselves at war with Jews.

Bukari ( Hadith)
Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said: The Last Hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.

SAHIH MUSLIM (Hadith)

O ye who believe take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust. Surah 5:51

2. The nation of Israel occupies land formerly held by Muslims and Fundamentalist see themselves as solders in a battle to regain the land. Palestinian suffering is a rallying cry to Muslim nations for Jihad.

3. Jerusalem and The Dome of the Rock: The location of Solomon’s Temple is the 3rd most Holy Place to Muslims. And Jerusalem has been a Holy Muslim city for the last 13 centuries. The Dome of the Rock was built on the Temple site to demonstrate Islam as the final religion in the world. Jewish talk of rebuilding the Temple infuriates the Muslim world.

The situation with Israel, the West and Islam cause Fundamentalist to apply the principle of Jihad to the West.  America is seen as idolatrous Mecca who stood in the way of the Islam advance. Attacks on the West via terrorism are seen as justified based on the attacks on the enemies of Islam in the same way the early armies of Islam waged war on its enemies.

Jihad: Jihad is battle in the cause of Allah in which the fighter gains immediate entry to Paradise. The Muslim has the right to slay anybody who has attacked Muslim sovereignty. This was considered one of the

Allah hath purchased of the Believers their persons and their goods; for their (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise): they fight in His Cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in Truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the quran QurŸan: and who is more faithful to his Covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme.
Surah 9:111.

if they withdraw not from you nor give you (guarantees) of peace besides restraining their hands, seize them and slay them wherever ye get them: in their case we have provided you with a clear argument against them.
Surah 4:91

190 Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.
191 And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them.
Such is the reward of those who suppress faith
Surah 2:190-191

If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion of God, then, all one needs to do is pronounce the “Shahada”, the testimony of faith, without further delay. The “Shahada” is the first and most important of the five pillars of Islam.

With the pronunciation of this testimony, or “Shahada”, with sincere belief and conviction, one enters the fold of Islam.

Upon entering the fold of Islam purely for the Pleasure of God, all of one’s previous sins are forgiven, and one starts a new life of piety and righteousness. The Prophet said to a person who had placed the condition upon the Prophet in accepting Islam that God would forgive his sins:

“Do you not know that accepting Islam destroys all sins which come before it?” (Saheeh Muslim)

When one accepts Islam, they in essence repent from the ways and beliefs of their previous life. One need not be overburdened by sins committed before their acceptance. The person’s record is clean, and it is as if he was just born from his mother’s womb. One should try as much as possible to keep his records clean and strive to do as many good deeds as possible.

The Holy Quran and Hadeeth (prophetic sayings) both stress the importance of following Islam. God states:

“…The only religion in the sight of God is Islam…” (Quran 3:19)

In another verse of the Holy Quran, God states:

“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter, he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (their selves in the Hellfire).” (Quran 3:85)

In another saying, Muhammad, the Prophet of God, said:

“Whoever testifies that there in none worthy of being worshipped but God, Who has no partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Prophet, and that Jesus is the Slave of God, His Prophet, and His word[1] which He bestowed in Mary and a spirit created from Him; and that Paradise (Heaven) is true, and that the Hellfire is true, God will eventually admit him into Paradise, according to his deeds.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet of God, may the blessing and mercy of God be upon him, also reported:

“Indeed God has forbidden to reside eternally in Hell the person who says: “I testify that none has the right to worship except Allah (God),’ seeking thereby the Face of God.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

The Declaration of the Testimony (Shahada)

To convert to Islam and become a Muslim a person needs to pronounce the below testimony with conviction and understanding its meaning:

I testify “La ilah illa Allah, Muhammad rasoolu Allah.”

The translation of which is:

“I testify that there is no true god (deity) but God (Allah), and that Muhammad is a Messenger (Prophet) of God.”

To hear it click here or click on “Live Help” above for assistance by chat.

When someone pronounces the testimony with conviction, then he/she has become a Muslim.  It can be done alone, but it is much better to be done with an adviser through the “Live Help” at top, so we may help you in pronouncing it right and to provide you with important resources for new Muslims.

The first part of the testimony consists of the most important truth that God revealed to mankind: that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God. God states in the Holy Quran:

“We did not send the Messenger before you without revealing to him: ‘none has the right to be worshipped except I, therefore worship Me.’” (Quran 21:25)

This conveys that all forms of worship, whether it be praying, fasting, invoking, seeking refuge in, and offering an animal as sacrifice, must be directed to God and to God alone. Directing any form of worship to other than God (whether it be an angel, a messenger, Jesus, Muhammad, a saint, an idol, the sun, the moon, a tree) is seen as a contradiction to the fundamental message of Islam, and it is an unforgivable sin unless it is repented from before one dies. All forms of worship must be directed to God only.

Worship means the performance of deeds and sayings that please God, things which He commanded or encouraged to be performed, either by direct textual proof or by analogy. Thus, worship is not restricted to the implementation of the five pillars of Islam, but also includes every aspect of life. Providing food for one’s family, and saying something pleasant to cheer a person up are also considered acts of worship, if such is done with the intention of pleasing God. This means that, to be accepted, all acts of worship must be carried out sincerely for the Sake of God alone.

The second part of the testimony means that Prophet Muhammad is the servant and chosen messenger of God. This implies that one obeys and follows the commands of the Prophet. One must believe in what he has said, practice his teachings and avoid what he has forbidden. One must therefore worship God only according to his teaching alone, for all the teachings of the Prophet were in fact revelations and inspirations conveyed to him by God.

One must try to mold their lives and character and emulate the Prophet, as he was a living example for humans to follow. God says:

“And indeed you are upon a high standard of moral character.” (Quran 68:4)

God also said:

“And in deed you have a good and upright example in the Messenger of God, for those who hope in the meeting of God and the Hereafter, and mentions God much.” (Quran 33:21)

He was sent in order to practically implement the Quran, in his saying, deeds, legislation as well as all other facets of life. Aisha, the wife of the Prophet, when asked about the character of the Prophet, replied:

“His character was that of the Quran.” (As-Suyooti)

To truly adhere to the second part of the Shahada is to follow his example in all walks of life. God says:

“Say (O Muhammad to mankind): ‘If you (really) love God, then follow me.’” (Quran 3:31)

It also means that Muhammad is the Final Prophet and Messenger of God, and that no (true) Prophet can come after him.

“Muhammad is not the father of any man among you but he is the Messenger of God and the last (end) of the Prophets and God is Ever All-Aware of everything.” (Quran 33:40)

All who claim to be prophets or receive revelation after Muhammad are imposters, and to acknowledge them would be tantamount to disbelief.

We welcome you to Islam, congratulate you for your decision, and will try to help you in any way we can.

Prophet Muhammad is the man beloved by more than 1.2 billion Muslims.  Heis the man who taught us patience in the face of adversity, and taught us to live in this world but seek eternal life in the hereafter.  It was to Prophet Muhammad that God revealed the Quran.  Along with this book of guidance from The Creator came Prophet Muhammad, whose behaviour and high moral standards are an example to us all.  Prophet Muhammad’s life was the Quran.  He understood it, he loved it and he lived his life based on its standards.  He taught us to recite Quran, to live by its principles and to love it.  When Muslims declare their faith in One God, they also declare their belief that Muhammad is the slave and final messenger of God.

When a Muslim hears Muhammad’s name mentioned they ask God to send blessings upon him.  Prophet Muhammad was a man, a human being just like any other man, but it is his love for humanity that sets him apart.  Muslims love Prophet Muhammad, but it is his love for us, that makes him a man like no other.  Muslims love and adore him because he saw past our flaws and inconsistencies and saw the good in us all.  He longed for paradise not only for himself but also for all of us.  He wept tears not for himself but for his Ummah[1], and for humanity.  He was often heard to cry “O God, my Ummah, my Ummah”.

Muslims also believe in the same Prophets mentioned in Jewish and Christian traditions, including Noah and Moses, Abraham and Jesus, and they believe that all prophets came with the same message – to worship God alone, without partners, sons or daughters.  There is a difference however between all other prophets and Prophet Muhammad.  Before Muhammad, prophets were sent to particular people in particular places and periods.  Muhammad however, is the final Prophet and his message is for all of humankind.

God tells us in Quran that He did not send Prophet Muhammad except as mercy for humankind.  “And we have sent you O Muhammad, not but as a mercy for humankind and all that exists.”  (Quran 21:107) God did not say Muhammad  was sent to the people of Arabia, or to men, or to the people of the 7^th century,  He made it clear that Prophet Muhammad was a prophet like no other, one whose message would spread far and wide and be applicable in all places for all times.  Muslims love him, respect him and follow him.  They hold him in such regard that for many it is emotionally painful to see or hear their beloved mentor ridiculed or disrespected.

Throughout history and around the world non-Muslims have shown great respect and honour to Prophet Muhammad and he is considered influential in both religious and secular matters.  Mahatma Ghandi described him as scrupulous about pledges, intense in his devotion to his friends and followers, intrepid, fearless, and with absolute trust in God and in his own mission.  Prophet Muhammad taught Islam as a way of life, founded an empire, laid down a moral code and instituted a code of law focusing on respect, tolerance and justice.  The Supreme Court building in Washington DC commemorates Mohammad’s role as a lawgiver in its north wall frieze.[2]

What is it about Prophet Muhammad that inspires such devotion?  Is it his gentle and loving nature, his kindness and generosity or is it his ability to empathise with all of humanity?  Muhammad was a selfless man who devoted the last 23 years of his life to teaching his companions and followers how to worship God and how to respect humanity.  Prophet Muhammad was acutely aware of just how much responsibility had been thrust upon him by God.  He was careful to teach the message just as God had prescribed and warned his followers not to praise him excessively the way Jesus, son of Mary was praised.[3]

Muslims do not worship Prophet Muhammad; they understand that he is only a man.  However, he is a man worthy of our utmost respect and love.  Prophet Muhammad loved humanity so much that he would weep out of fear for them.  He loved his Ummah with such deep and profound devotion that God remarked on the depth of his love for us in Quran.

“Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves.  It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty.  He (Muhammad) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to God, and beg Him to pardon and forgive your sins, in order that you may enter Paradise and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-fire), for the believers he is full of pity, kind, and merciful.” (Quran 9:128)

Prophet Muhammad taught us to love God and to obey Him.  He taught us to be kind to each other, to respect our elders, and care for our children.  He taught us that it was better to give than to receive and that each human life is worthy of respect and dignity.  He taught us to love for our brothers and sisters what we love for ourselves.  Prophet Muhammad taught us that families and communities are essential, and he pointed out that individual rights although important are not more important them a stable, moral society.  Prophet Muhammad taught us that men and women are equal in the sight of God and that no one person is better then another except in respect to his or her piety and devotion to God.

Who is Prophet Muhammad?  Quite simply he is the man who will stand before God on the day of Judgement and beg God to have mercy on us.  He will intercede for us; he will touch his forehead to the ground before God and ask that we be admitted into paradise.[4] Muslims love him because he is the slave and messenger of God, he is a mercy to humankind and his gentleness, and devotion to humanity is unprecedented

Pre-Islamic

The Arabian Peninsula the birthplace of Islam is one of the hottest and driest regions in the world, consisting mainly of deserts. Since ancient times tribes of the nomadic race had populated the region. Considered the descendents of Noah’s third son Shem they are called Semites. Over the centuries theses Semitic people have migrated into the Fertile Crescent and were assimilated to into existing civilizations.

In the sixth century AD, north of the Arabian Peninsula two great powers were locked in a seesaw power struggle. The Christian Byzantine kingdom, successors of the Roman Empire was to the Northwest and controlled the Mediterranean Sea, North Africa and the lands of Palestine. In the northeast lay the Zoroastrian Persian kingdom. Both the Byzantine and Persian kingdoms had client Arab tribes allied to their cause of trade and conquest.

The Arabian Peninsula became a land of refuge for those seeking escape from both of these empires. Heretic Christian sects like the Nestorians, and Jewish tribes escaping the oppressive Byzantines found refuge in the protective deserts and cities of the Peninsula.

Arabia was divided into tribes and cities. Each city had gods and goddess. Once a year the tribes and cities of Arabia would meet in the city of Mecca during an event known as the Hajj. In Mecca, the Kaba (Cube), a large cube shaped building housed 360 idols from all the tribes of Arabia. The Kaba was the center of Arabian religious life. Here all the warring tribes would put aside their differences as they circled the Kaba. From the Kaba they would proceed to the other shrines outside of Mecca during this five day religious event. The Hajj was a tradition that Arabs of the peninsula remembered going back hundreds of years.

Mohammed

It was in this world Mohammad Ibn Abdallah was born in the year 570 AD in the city of Mecca. His father died before he was born and his mother Amina died when he was 6 years old. Al-Muttalib his grandfather took charge of the youth and died 2 years later. Abu Talib his uncle adopted young Mohammed into his family and raised him as his own son. At the age of 12, young Mohammed was taken on a caravan-trading venture to Syria and experienced the world outside of Arabia for the first time. Here Islamic tradition informs us that a Christian monk named Buhaira, proclaimed Talib’s  young nephew is the last prophet and warns him about the Jews. For the next 13 years little is known of his life except that he was involved in caravan trading in and out of Arabia.

At the age of 25, Mohammed marries a 40 year old wealthy, widow named Khadijah who owns trading caravans. During the next 15 years of his life he interactes with Arabs known as the Hanefites. Hanefites were Arabs who rejected idol worship and were searching for the true religion. They looked to the religion of the Jews and Christians as being close to the goal. The Hanefites abandonded their idols and would retreat to the caves of Mecca in meditation and prayer.

At age 40 Mohammed had his first vision in the year 610 AD. He was in a cave on Mt. Hera and thought he was demon possessed. He went to Khadijah and told her about the event. She consulted with her uncle Waraca, a Hanefite who converted to Christianity, who assured them Mohammed vision was from God. Waraca declared Mohammed was a prophet to the Arab peoples, Waraca died 2 years later never becoming a Muslim.

Mohammed proclaimed Allah as the one true god and rejected the idol worship of Mecca. Khadijah, his wife, was Mohammed first convert to Islam. Few listened to Mohammed’s message and animosity grew against him as he confronted the idol worshippers and preached his religion to Mecca. Abu Talib his uncle and his tribe the Hasims protected him during this early Meccan period. In 619 Khadijah and Abu Talib died. Abu Talib headed the Hasim clan, which Mohammed was a member. The new leader of the Hasim tribe his uncle Abu Lahab refused to protect Mohammed. During the next 3 years Mohammed would fear for his life. He sought refuge and protection in nearby cities from those seeking his life.

Then in 621 during the Hajj, Arab tribes from the city of Yatrob later to be called Medina, came for the annual pilgrimage. They met Mohammed and thought him to be a prophet and invited him to their city to bring peace and settle disputes between the warring tribes. Yathrob was founded by three Jewish tribes and the idea of monotheism was familiar to its Arab tribesmen. The Arabs of Medina had been told by Jewish tribesmen about the coming Messiah who would one day conquer the world including the Arabs. The Arab tribes hoped to find this individual before the Jews. Meeting Mohammed they thought he was the one.

The Hejira (Flight)

The next year the situation became intolerable for the Muslims and in in June 622 they made what has become known as the Hejira or flight. In small groups the 150 Muslims of Mecca left for the city of Medina 280 miles to the north. When word reached those of Mecca about the escape to Medina they tried to kill Mohammed. Mohammed and Abu Bakr were able to sneak out of the city and escape to Medina by another route in September 622.

In Medina the warring Arab tribes submitted to Mohammed leadership and prophet-hood. The Jewish tribes rejected his claims of prophet and ridiculed his revelations. With most of the new arrivals from Mecca without work they needed to earn a living. Ghazu or caravan raiding was a way tribes would prevent one tribe from becoming to powerful. The Muslims in Medina began to rob the caravans heading toward Mecca. This is where the Muslim doctrine of Jihad was created.

With their caravan business being threatened, Mecca responds with one thousand solders at the battle of Bedr in March 624 the Muslims fielded 300 warriors. The battle went to the Muslims. Mohammed proclaimed his victory was a sign from Allah and his status in Medina was magnified. The lack of enthusiasm by one of the Jewish tribes caused them to be expelled by the victorious Muslim army. The direction of prayer was also changed from Jerusalem to Mecca as the Jews rejected Mohammad’s prophet-hood.

Exactly one year latter Mecca amassed 3000 solders at the battle of Uhud and the Muslims fielded 1000 solders. The battle did not go as planned. The Muslims defeated by Mecca retreated to Medina. Disheartened, Muslims blamed the second Jewish tribe as conspirators against their cause. Their homes and possessions were confiscated, and they are expelled from the city in 626 AD.

The Meccans in the hope of ending the caravan raids by the Muslims assembled 10,000 solders to attack the city of Medina in the year 627. After a two weeks siege in the hot sun they are unable to penetrate the fortress like city. They returned to Mecca. After this unsuccessful attack,  Mohammed and the Muslims attacked the last remaining Jewish tribe. The tribe surrendered to the mercy of Mohammed. The men were killed and the women and children were sold into slavery.

The Muslims then begin to consolidate their power with the surrounding Arab tribes and cities.

Mecca began to feel the economic impact of its trading losses and  Mohammed’s power grew in the north. They reluctantly signed the 10 year Hudaybiah peace agreement with Mohammed and the Muslims in march 628. Muslims are allowed to return to Mecca and worship at the Kaba once a year. The people of Mecca would leave their city so the Muslim could come and worship.

Two years later, in January 630, Mohammed leads 10,000 warriors to Mecca and nullifies the treaty of Hudaybiah because Muslims have been killed. The city submits to Mohammed and his warriors and accepts him as prophet. Mohammed goes to the Kaba and destroys the 360 idols in the structure. From Mecca, the “Muslims” wage Jihad on the surrounding cities forcing them to accept Islam as their religion and Mohammed as their prophet.

Mohammed made his final Hajj in 632 and died unexpectedly 3 months later in June. His friend and father in law Abu Bakr (Father of Aisha)  succeeded him as leader of the Muslims

After Mohammad

Abu Bakr  received the title “Caliph” or successor of Mohammed. Their was a struggle for about who would succeed Mohammad, some felt Ali the husband of Fatima, Mohammed’s daughter deserved the position. Under Abu Bakr  Islam’s power in Arabian peninsula was completed. In 634 AD Abu Bakr died and was succeeded by Umar (Omar) the 2^nd Caliphate.

Umar advanced the Muslim armies against Syria and Palestine. In 637 A D, the armies of Byzantium lost control of Jerusalem to Islam.  Uthman the 3^rd Caliph succeeded Umar. Uthman ordered a complete revision of the Quran, this would cause a mutiny. He was killed and his death was considered justified because the mutineers claimed he ceased to be a Muslim.  Following Uthman’s There was a struggle between rival factions of Islam about who was the rightful successor to lead Islam.

Ali the 4^th Caliph, Mohammad’s son-in-law and husband of Fatima, succeeded Uthman everybody did not accept him as rightful Caliphate.  War broke out between the rival groups, his succession was short lived, 2 years later he was killed, the Shi’a (Party of Ali) mourned the death of Ali, and his two sons (Grandsons of Mohammed). Ali is revered as a saint by the Shi’a who are dominate in Iran and Iraq.  The Shi’a feel Ali was the rightful successor to Mohammed and don’t recognize the three earlier Caliphs.  The Sunnis accept Ali and the first three Caliphate as legitimate.

After the defeat the Byzantines and Persian kingdoms in successive battles, the armies of Islam advanced on Europe. Within 100 years of Mohammad’s death the armies of Islam reached the city of Tours, in France. In Tours the Muslim advance was stopped.

In the Battle of Tours Charles Martel the grandfather of Charlemagne defeated the advancing Muslim armies. From Tours Muslim power in Europe retreated and in the 1489 Fredinand and Isabella of Spain defeated the last remaining forces in Spain. Later, the Ottoman Empire would retreat from the rest of Europe.

In the East, Islam was also expanding by the 13th century; Islam had reached the Pacific Ocean. The Islamic faith now spanned from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Ferdinand Magellan, in his attempt to bypass Muslim controlled areas in the Indian Ocean, found the passageway to Asia via the Atlantic Ocean. His desire was to bring Christianity to Asia, before Islam. Magellan was successful in introducing Christianity to the Philippines (Named after King Philip of Spain)  Islam and Christianity met in the Philippines as the Northern Islands were converted to Christianity and the Southern parts of the Philippines and Indonesia  were  converted to Islam.  Islam and Christianity became the two major rival religions in the world.

Islam Today

Islam today is in conflict, between western secular culture and traditional Islamic culture. The growth of Islamic Fundamentalism is an attempt to reach back to the glories of Islamic history. Many Fundamentalist (Muslim) ask themselves the question, If Islam is the religion of Allah, why are we being defeated by the West (United States) and Israel.  The fundamentalist sees the problem with the failure of Islamic nations to live as the Quran commands. This view of not living the life required by Allah, as specified in the Quran and traditions and therefore being defeated by the West, is the spark of fundamentalism. Today in Islam there is a struggle between moderate and fundamentalist ideology.                                                                            Understanding the books of the Islamic faith is just as important to understanding its history. The books of Islam shape both the culture and philosophy of the Muslim world

The Books of Islam

History of the Quran:

The Qur’an:
“Reading” The Quran is the “Word of God” to Islam. About 4/5 the length of the New Testament. Muslims believe the identical book is in Heaven and Allah sent the angel Gabriel to Mohammed to reveal his “Word”. The Quran is divided into 114 chapters or Surahs. The Surahs are revelations given to Mohammed during his 23 years of “Prophethood” from 610 AD to 632 AD.

The Quran, composed during Mohammed’s lifetime corresponds to the time and circumstances of his life. The Surahs or chapters can be divided into three time periods.
The earliest Surahs are the shortest and known as Early Meccan, and date from 610 to 622 AD. Composed in Mecca, prior to Hejira where Mohammed fled to Medina in September 622 AD.

The Median Surahs were composed during the time Muslims controlled the city of Medina. They date from 622 to 630 AD. The doctrine of Jihad was introduced as war was waged against Mecca and its  idol worshipers. Animosity toward the Jews and Christians increased as they rejected Mohammed as a prophet from God.

Late Meccan Surahs were between 630 and 632 AD. The last 2 years of Mohammed’s life after Mecca surrendered to his authority.

Surahs were at this time not collected in one book but were memorized and collected on various items. In the battle of Yamamah in 633 AD many of the Hafiz died. The Hafiz were Muslims who had committed much of the Quran to memory. With the urging of Umar, Zayd ibn Thabit, one of Mohammed most trusted secretaries was appointed to the task of collecting the Quran into one book. Still later after different versions of the quran began to appear Zayd was put in charge of collecting all the Qurans throughout the Muslim world and issuing an authorized copy in the place of ones collected.

The Quran makes the appeal to its beauty and consistency with previous scriptures as proof of its inspiration.

23 And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Surah like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true.
24 But if ye cannot - and of a surety ye cannot - then fear the Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones - which is prepared for those who reject Faith. Surah 2:23-24

The Hadith:
“Tradition” After the death of Mohammed, his followers collected his sayings and actions in books to guide and direct their beliefs. They give additional meaning behind the Surahs and help interpret their meanings. The most respected Hadith are Bukari, and Muslim. Muslims do not feel the Hadith is the “Word of God”.  They would compare the Hadith, to the Gospels, which reports what Jesus said.  The Quran is the Word of God from Heaven via Gabriel.

Who is a Muslim: A Muslim is someone who has submitted to Allah. One submits to Allah by confession of the Shahada or the 5 pillars of faith.  Besides the five major beliefs or doctrines in Islam, there are these are observances in Islam which are foundational practices or duties every Muslim must observe.

The Five Pillars of Faith
1. “The Confession” “La ilaha illa llah” “There is no God but God.”  The Shahada, (Testimoney)
Kalima There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah.
2. Salat Prayer 5 times a day facing Mecca
3. Zakat Almsgiving
4. Fasting during the month of Ramadan, from sun-up till sundown.
5. Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca once a lifetime

The Beliefs of Islam

The Five Articles of Faith

1. God: There is only one true God and his name is Allah. Allah is all knowing, all-powerful and sovereign judge.  Yet Allah is not a personal God, for he is so far above man in every way that he is not personally knowable.  The emphasis of the God of Islam is on judgment and power, not grace and mercy. To the Muslim mind, calling God father means God connotes sexual relationship.

255 Allah! there is no god but He, the living, the self subsisting, eternal. No slumber can seize him nor heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in his presence except as he permitteth? he knoweth what (appeareth to his creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of his knowledge except as he willeth. His throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and he feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for he is the most high, the supreme (in glory).Surah 2:255

2. Angels: Angels in Islam serve Allah’s will such as Gabriel delivering the Koran to Mohammed. Angels do not perform any bodily functions (sexual, eating., etc) as they are created of light.  Angels serve different purposes; each person has two recording angels who record his/her good or bad deeds.

Jinn : Are spiritual beings created out of fire….who are ranked between angels and men and can be either good or bad. Satan was a Jinn and not a fallen angel according to Islam.

27 And the Jinn race, we had created before, from the fire of a scorching wind.
Surah15:27

Satan: A Jinn who refused to fall prostrate before Adam after he was created. He is the leader of evil ones in the world.

50. And (remember) when We said unto the angels: Fall prostrate before Adam,
and they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He was of the Jinn, so he
rebelled against his Lord's command. Will ye choose him and his seed for
your protecting friends instead of Me, when they are an enemy unto you?
Calamitous is the exchange for evil doers!
Sura 18:50

3. Scripture: There are four inspired books in Islam: Quran, Torah, Ingil and Zabur. The Torah, Ingil and Zabur: “Books of Moses, The Gospel of Jesus, and Psalms of David” These are books mentioned in the Koran as God’s Word but most Moslems feel the current books are corrupt. For this reason Allah gave Mohammed the “Quran”. Many Muslims  try to find Mohammed in the Bible and feel he is  referred to in Deuteronomy 18:16, John 14:6.

4. Prophets: In Islam God has spoken through numerous prophets down through the centuries, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.  The greatest prophet and the last prophet is Muhammmad, he is the seal of the prophets.

163 We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him: We sent inspiration to Abraham, ismail Ismaÿil, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms.
164 Of some messengers We have already told thee the story; of others We have not- and to Moses Allah spoke direct-
Surah 4:163-164

5. Last Days: The last days will be a time of Ressurrection and judgment.:

Resurrection: Everybody will be resurrected to stand before Allah to be judged in the Last Day. Those who follow Allah and Mohammed will go to Paradise others will go to Hell. Everybody will pass through Hell and even some Muslim will spend time in Hell till their sins are burned away and Mohammad intercedes for them.

Hell: Hell is a place of Allah judgment where Muslims will spend sometime before entering paradise, unbelievers will have no escape. Muslim’s believe Mohammed will intercede for them and deliver them from Hell.

AbuSa’id al-Khudri

SAHIH MUSLIM

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:  The (permanent) inhabitants of the Fire are those who are doomed to it, and verily they would neither die nor live in it (quran al-QurŸan, xx.47; liiixii.13).  But the people whom the Fire would afflict (temporarily) on account of their sins, or so said (the narrator) “on account of their misdeeds,” He would cause them to die till they would be turned into charcoal.  Then they would be granted intercession and would be brought in groups and would be spread on the rivers of Paradise and then it would be said:    O inhabitants of Paradise, pour water over them; then they would sprout forth like the sprouting of seed in the silt carried by flood.  A man among the people said:  (It appears) as if the Messenger of Allah lived in the steppe.

AL-MUWATTA of Imam Malik (Hadith)
Abdullah ibn Abbas
Then I saw the Fire - and I have never seen anything more hideous than what I saw today - and I saw that most of its people were women.'
They said, 'Why, Messenger of Allah?'
He said, 'Because of their ungratefulness (kufr),'
Someone said, 'Are they ungrateful to Allah?'
He said, 'They are ungrateful to their husbands and they are ungrateful for good behaviour (towards them). Even if you were to behave well towards one of them for a whole lifetime and then she were to see you do something (that she did not like) she would say that she had never seen anything good from you.'"

Paradise: Described in the Quaran as place underneath the Earth that flows with rivers of wine and “wide eyed” virgins of beauty.
And round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness): If thou seest them, thou wouldst think them scattered Pearls.

20 And when thou lookest, it is there thou wilt see a Bliss and a Realm Magnificent.
21 Upon them will be green Garments of fine silk and heavy brocade, and they will be adorned with bracelets of silver; and their Lord will give to them to drink of a Wine Pure and Holy.
22 Verily this is a Reward for you, and your Endeavour is accepted and recognized.
Surah 76:19-22 See Also Surah 2:25,

Christianity and Islam

Jesus: Jesus is just a prophet and not the Son of God. He is only a prophet to the Jews who was not crucified but was caught up into Heaven. God placed a substitute in his place on the cross. Many Muslims feel the substitute was Judas. Jesus is the Messiah who is coming at the end. He will kill all the Jews, Christians and pigs break all crosses get married and die 40 years later and be buried in Medina next to Mohammed. The Resurrection will follow.

157 That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah"- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not-
158 Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise- Surah 4:157-158,
So peace is on me The day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that
I shall be raised up to life (again)!
Sura 19:33

Holy Spirit:  The angel Gabriel is recognized as the Holy Spirit within Islam, or as some commentators think angels in general.

If ye two turn is repentance to Him, your hearts are indeed so inclined; but if ye back up each other against him, truly Allah is his Protector, and Gabriel, and (every) righteous one among those who believe, and furthermore, the angels will back (him) up.
Sura 66:4

Salvation: The Muslims believe in salvation by obedience to Allah. Mohammed will intercede on the behalf of Muslims before Allah. In a scale, Allah will weight the sins and good deeds to determine the punishment. Time in Hell will be necessary to pay for sins that outweigh good deeds. After which the “Muslims” will be accepted into Paradise. Non-Believers will go to Hell with no hope of escape. Those who die in Jihad or Holy War will go directly to Paradise where 72 virgins will be awaiting him.

Al-Miqdam ibn madikarib Ma'dikarib (Hadith)
MISHKAT AL-MASABIH (Hadith)
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The martyr receives six good things from Allah: he is forgiven at the first shedding of his blood; he is shown his abode in Paradise; he is preserved from the punishment in the grave; he is kept safe from the greatest terror; he has placed on his head the crown of honour, a ruby of which is better than the world and what it contains; he is married to seventy-two wives of the maidens with large dark eyes; and is made intercessor for seventy of his relatives."
Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

MISHKAT AL-MASABIH (Hadith)
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The lowliest of the inhabitants of Paradise will be he who has eighty thousand servants, seventy-two wives, and for whom a round pavilion of pearls, chrysoprase and rubies as large as the distance between al-Jabiyah and San'a will be set up." By the same isnad he said, "Those who are to go to Paradise, who die whether young or old,

Sin: Man is born sinless and all people are Muslims at birth. But lack of obedience to Allah is sin. Sin is by action only and not by nature.

Sources of the Quran:

Where did the Quran come from? The Quran claims Allah is its  source of the Quran is a copy of  an identical book is written in Heaven that was given Gabriel to give to Mohammad in intervals.

105 We sent down the (Quran) in truth, and in truth has it descended: and we sent thee but to give glad tidings and to warn (sinners).
106 (It is) a Quran which we have divided (into parts from time to him), in order that thou mightest recite it to men at intervals: we have revealed it by stages.
Surah 117:105-6

History gives us a different answer. The Quran’s content can be traced to sources in existence prior to Mohammed birth.  A few of these sources can be found below.

Jewish sources of the Quran

1. Visit by the queen of Sheba to Solomon as recorded in Sura 27:17-30

And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts, of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks.
18 At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, one of the ants said: O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it.
Sura 27:17-18

This same story is recorded almost verbatim in the Talmud work II Targum of Ester 1,2

2. Abraham saved from Nimrod’s Fire as recorded in the following Suras 2:260, 6:74-84, 21:52-72, 19:42-50, 26:69-79, 24:15-16, 37:81-95,

We bestowed aforetime on Abraham his rectitude of conduct, and well were we Acquainted with him.
52 Behold! he said to his father and his people, what are these images, to which ye are (so assiduously) devoted? 53 They said, we found Our fathers worshipping them.
Sura 21: 52-53

The source for this story is from the Midrash Rabbah on Genesis

3. Cain and Abel Sura 5:30-35

Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hid the shame of his brother. Woe is me said he; was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother? then he became full of regrets
-Sura 5:30

The source of this story can be found in the book
Pirke Rabbi Eleaszer in the Midrash. The only difference being that the crow shows Adam not Cain how to bury Abel.

4. Harut and Marut The two angles of Babylon.

They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon: the blasphemers were, not Solomon, but the evil ones, teaching men magic, and such things as came down at Babylon
the angels Harut and Marut.
Sura 2:109

This same story is taken from the Midrash Yalkut the only difference being the two angels named are Shamhazi and Azael. But the names of Harut and Marut were two idols worshipped far back in Armenia. They were assistants to the female goddess Aspandaramit. The Zoroastrians regarded her as the spirit of the earth.

Heretical Christian Sources

5. The Seven Sleepers, or Companions of the Cave. Surah 18:9-26

9 Or dost thou reflect that the companions of the cave and of the inscription were wonders among our Signs?
10 Behold, the youths betook themselves to the cave: they said, our Lord bestow on us mercy from thyself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way
11 Then we draw (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years,
in the cave, (so that they heard not): Sura 18:9-11

The legend is Greek and is found in the Latin work of Gregory of Tours. Seven men of the city of Ephesus take refuge from persecution in a cave during the reign of Decius (249-251 AD) they wake in the reign of Theodorus II 447 AD. Christianity being the faith of the empire. This was a mere story to illustrate the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire.

Zoroastrian Sources

6. Quranic view of Paradise Sura 55:72, 56:22

Round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness),
18 With goblets, (shining) beakers, and cups (filled) out of Clear flowing fountains:
19 No after ache will they receive therefrom, nor will they suffer intoxication:
20 And with fruits, any that they may select;
21 And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire.
22 And (there will be) Companions with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes
Sura 56:18-22

The picture of Paradise with beautiful virgins waiting for men is not found in any of the Old or New Testament but can be traced to the Zoroastrian concept of Paradise Paries or Fairies –spirits in bright array and beautiful, to captivate the heart of a man. The name houry is derived from an Avesta or Pahlavi source. As well as jinn for genii and bihvisht (Paradise) signifying in Avestic “The better land”.

Islamic Fundamentalism:

Fundamentalism is a hard-line literal view of the world through the eyes of the Quran.  Islam is at war with Jews and Christians for world domination in the cause of Allah. As the earlier Muslims were at war with cities refusing to accept Mohammed as the prophet, Fundamentalist see themselves involved in a Jihad[1] or Holy War against the West.

Fundamentalist see the United States as Satan’s power in the battle with Islam. Television, movies, alcohol, carnal lifestyles and their influence on Muslim countries pits the US and the West at war with Islam. Furthermore, the United States support for Israel  enrages Muslims, Israel is seen as Enemy No.1 to Muslim nations. For three main reasons;

1. There is great deal of hostility toward Jews within the Koran and Hadith. They view Jews are seen as the killers of prophets and enemies of God. Muslims who are strict students of the Koran see themselves at war with Jews.

Bukari ( Hadith)
Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said: The Last Hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.

SAHIH MUSLIM (Hadith)

O ye who believe take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust. Surah 5:51

2. The nation of Israel occupies land formerly held by Muslims and Fundamentalist see themselves as solders in a battle to regain the land. Palestinian suffering is a rallying cry to Muslim nations for Jihad.

3. Jerusalem and The Dome of the Rock: The location of Solomon’s Temple is the 3rd most Holy Place to Muslims. And Jerusalem has been a Holy Muslim city for the last 13 centuries. The Dome of the Rock was built on the Temple site to demonstrate Islam as the final religion in the world. Jewish talk of rebuilding the Temple infuriates the Muslim world.

The situation with Israel, the West and Islam cause Fundamentalist to apply the principle of Jihad to the West.  America is seen as idolatrous Mecca who stood in the way of the Islam advance. Attacks on the West via terrorism are seen as justified based on the attacks on the enemies of Islam in the same way the early armies of Islam waged war on its enemies.

Jihad: Jihad is battle in the cause of Allah in which the fighter gains immediate entry to Paradise. The Muslim has the right to slay anybody who has attacked Muslim sovereignty. This was considered one of the

Allah hath purchased of the Believers their persons and their goods; for their (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise): they fight in His Cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in Truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the quran QurŸan: and who is more faithful to his Covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme.
Surah 9:111.

if they withdraw not from you nor give you (guarantees) of peace besides restraining their hands, seize them and slay them wherever ye get them: in their case we have provided you with a clear argument against them.
Surah 4:91

190 Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.
191 And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them.
Such is the reward of those who suppress faith
Surah 2:190-191

What Does “Islam” Mean?

The word “Islam” itself means “Submission to Allah.” The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of “Christianity” which was named after Jesus Christ, “Buddhism” after Gutama Buddha , “Marxism” after Karl Marx, and “Confucianism” after Confucius.

Similarly, Islam is not named after a tribe like “Judaism” after the tribe of Judah and “Hinduism” after the Hindus. The Arabic word “Islam” means the submission or surrender of one’s will to the will of the only true god worthy of worship, “Allah” (known as God “the Father” in Christianity).

Anyone who does indeed submit to the will of Allah as required by Islam is termed a “Muslim,” which means one who has submitted to the will of Allah. Many people in the West have developed the sad misinformed trend of calling Islam “Muhammadenism” and it’s followers “Muhammadins.” This is a totally foreign word to Muslims and unrecognized by them. No Muslim has ever called his religion “Muhammadenism” or called himself a “Muhammadin.”

What Is The Basic Concept of Islam?

Islam teaches us that this life is a life of worship. We are placed on this earth in order to worship Allah and obey His command. During this earthly life we are subjected to a series of trials. We have the option of enduring these trials and conforming to certain laws, and our reward will be great in the next life, or we may decline to endure these trials and choose to not conform to the law, then we will be made to regret it in the next life.

Each person will be solely and completely responsible for their own final reward. We are also told that God has designed these laws to make this life a better, safer, and more tolerable one for us. If we elect to conform to them then we will see the result in this life even before moving on to the next.

We are told that the earthly life is a life of faith and work, and the next life is one of reward and no work. We have been placed on this earth to worship God, fast, pray, be industrious, good, kind, respectful, and a source of uprightness and morality. We are told that God has no need of our worship. Our worship can not increase the kingdom of God nor add to His power, however, it is in our best interests both in this life and the next that we do.

Unlike some other religions which claim that God entered in a covenant with a certain group of people and that this group is genetically better than all other human beings, or closer to God, Islam on the other hand teaches that no color, race, tribe, or lineage is better than any other. Islam teaches that all humans are equal in the sight of Allah and that the only thing that can distinguish them in His sight is their piety and worship.

“O humankind! Verily! We have created you from a male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily! the noblest among you in the sight of Allah is the most God-fearing. Verily! Allah is The Knower, The Aware.” The noble Qur’an, Al-Hujrat(49):13.

Levels of Islam

Islam consists of three levels, each building upon the lower ones. They are:

1) Islam:

• Testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah

• Establish the daily prayers

• Pay Zakat (Obligatory charity due the poor)

• Observe the fast of Ramadan

• Perform pilgrimage to the Ka’aba (in Makkah ) once in your life if you are able

2) Faith (Iman):

• To believe in Allah

• To believe in His angels

• To believe in His Books (Scriptures)

• To believe in His Messengers

• To believe in the Day of Judgment

• To believe in the Divine Decree (Divine fate) whether good or evil

3) Excellence/Goodness (Ihsan )

To worship Allah (God) as if you see Him, for if you can not see Him, He assuredly sees you.

In Sahih Muslim, Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab narrated:

“My father, Umar ibn al-Khattab, told me: One day we were sitting in the company of Allah’s Apostle (pbuh) when there appeared before us a man dressed in pure white clothes, his hair was extraordinarily black. There were no signs of travel on him, but none among us recognized him.

This man came and sat beside the Apostle (pbuh) kneeling before him and placing his palms on his thighs. He then said: Muhammad, inform me about al-Islam.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Islam implies that you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and you establish prayer, pay Zakat, observe the fast of Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the (House) if you are solvent enough (to bear the expense of) the journey.

He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth.

He (Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: It amazed us that he would put the question and then he would himself verify the truth.

He (the inquirer) said: Inform me about Iman (faith). He (the Holy Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Apostles, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree, either good and evil.

He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He (the inquirer) again said: Inform me about al-Ihsan (performance of good deeds).

He (the Holy Prophet) said: That you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though you don’t see Him, He, verily, sees you. He (the inquirer) again said: Inform me about the hour (of the judgment).

He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: The one who is asked knows no more than the one who is inquiring (about it).

He (the inquirer) said: Tell me some of its indications.

He (the Holy Prophet) said: That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and master, and that you will find barefooted, destitute goat-herders vying with one another in the construction of magnificent buildings.

He (the narrator, Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: Then he (the inquirer) went on his way but I stayed with the messenger of Allah for a long while. The prophet Muhammad then, said to me: Umar, do you know who this inquirer was? I replied: Allah and His Apostle know best.

He (the Holy Prophet) remarked: He was Gabriel (the angel). He came to you in order to instruct you in your religion.”

What Are The Pillars of Islam?

Islam is built upon five major pillars. A Muslim is taught that anyone who dies observing these five basic pillars will enter heaven. As mentioned, they are:

(1) To bear witness that there is no entity worthy of worship except Allah(God) alone, and that Muhammad (pbuh) was His messenger. This establishes obedience to God Almighty alone.

(2) To perform five prescribed prayers to God every day according to a specific prescribed method and at specific prescribed times. This continually reminds us to bear God in mind in all actions, either before or after any given prayer.

(3) To pay two and a half percent (2.5%) of ones wealth to charity every year if their savings exceed a certain minimum level which is considered above the poverty level. (This is the basic concept, the actual calculation is a little more complex).

(4) To fast the month of Ramadhan (from the Islamic Lunar calendar) every year from sun rise until sunset. This involves not eating, drinking, or having marital relations, from sun rise until sun set.

(5) To perform a pilgrimage to Makkah (in the Arabian Peninsula) once in a Muslim’s lifetime if it is financially possible and their health permits. During this period, Muslims come from all over the world to join together for six days in a prescribed set of acts of worship. All Muslim men are mandated to wear the same garment which was designed to be very plain, simple, and cheap to obtain.

Mu’ad ibn Jabal said: I said to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him): Inform me about an act which would entitle me to enter into Paradise, and distance me from the Hell-Fire. He (the Prophet) said:

“You have asked me about a matter [which ostensibly appears to be] difficult but it is easy for those for whom Allah, the Exalted, has made it easy. Worship Allah and do not associate anything with him, establish prayer, pay the Zakat, observe the fast of Ramadhan and perform Hajj to the House (Ka’aba).” (Narrated by Ahmed, al-Tirmathy, and ibn Majah)

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Muslims are taught that prophets are humans who have been selected by God for a special purpose. They are given miracles to assist them in their message but these miracles are not performed through their own power, but through the power of God. The prophets of God have no divine powers of their own, nor even the power to decide who will go to heaven or to hell. They are merely there to convey the message entrusted to them by God to the best of their ability.

In a similar manner, Muhammad (pbuh) was assisted by God with a number of miracles and entrusted to convey His message to mankind. Muhammad (pbuh) himself, however, was just a regular human being. He could not issue passes to heaven. He could not condemn people to hell. He could not change what was in people’s hearts. He could only convey the message and hope that they would believe.

Muhammad (pbuh) lived like any other man or woman of his people. He dressed like they dressed. He ate the same food they ate. He lived in the same manner and in the same sort of houses they did. It would be impossible for someone who did not know him to pick him out of a crowd.

Muhammad (pbuh) taught his followers through example. If he commanded his followers to do something, he would be the first to abide by this command. He never broke his word, he was by far the most charitable man among his people. He was the most God-fearing and the least attached to this life.

He never in his life accepted charity, but worked for a living. He never lied. It was not at all uncommon for him to spend months on end enduring severe hunger never seeing a single cooked meal. He taught his followers to be merciful to their children and respectful to their elders. He commanded them to never taste alcohol, gamble, engage in usury (interest), fornication, envy, deceit, or back-biting.

Muhammad (pbuh) taught that no human being needs any other human being to intercede for him with God. He showed them that God is within the reach of all his creation. He hears and sees all and answers His servant’s prayers.

Muhammad (pbuh) further severely cautioned against promoting any of God’s creation or groups thereof to higher levels of divine authority and closeness to God than others, or the excessive glorification of any human being. This includes the prophets of God themselves. He taught that the very best of God’s servants are those who continuously seek out knowledge and that God sees all that they do.

Muhammad (pbuh) taught his followers to be industrious and to earn an honest living. He taught them that the best Muslims are those who are not overly obsessed with earthly wealth since excessive wealth usually leads to corruption.

However, he also taught that a wealthy person who is not blinded by his wealth is not condemned by God and may even be able to utilize his wealth in acts of worship not available to the poor. In other words, Muhammad (pbuh) taught moderation in all things.

There is much more that could be said about the teachings of Muhammad (pbuh), however, probably one of the most general summaries made by Muhammad (pbuh) in this regard was:

“Righteousness is good conduct, and sin is that which weaves inside your chest and you hate for it to be revealed to mankind.”

No ‘Religious’ Hierarchy

In Islam, there is no hierarchy of religious leadership such as the people of some other religions may have come to expect. There are no priests, bishops, monks, Popes, …etc. Muslims define a scholar of Islam as an ‘Imam’ (not to be confused with the “Imams” of Iran who claim to have boundless supernatural powers and divine attributes). In any given neighborhood, the Imam is the person that a Muslim seeks for religious rulings.

For example, if a Muslim dies and his sons want to distribute his inheritance, they go to the Imam and he presents them with the verses of the Qur’an and the Sunnah which describe the required procedure. This man will also usually give religious lectures to teach the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

The Muslim Imams and scholars have no special divine powers. They cannot forgive sins. They do not receive divine “inspirations.” They cannot issue passes to heaven. They do not have knowledge of the unseen. The can not change the law. They are just regular Muslims who have distinguished themselves with their study and their knowledge.

No Monasticism (monkhood)

Islam commands Muslims to obey Allah and follow his command. It specifies acts of worship which are acceptable. It encourages Muslims to work and be industrious. It forbids ‘monkhood ’ and excessive ’spritualization’ or ‘Zen’ and other such practices. A Muslim is commanded not to forbid upon himself that which was made lawful by Allah, nor to introduce new and innovative acts of worship into the religion.

This means that a Muslim should not decide that even though Islam allows marriage, he willforbid it upon himself and remain celibate (he may choose not to marry, but he can not forbidit upon himself). If he wishes to perform extra worship, there are many avenues open to him, such as nightly prayer, charity, abstinence from sin….etc.

Muhammad (pbuh) once gave the example of two men. One was practicing monasticism and excessive worship, totally detaching himself from this worldly life. The other was working for a living and paying for the food and drink that the “monk” was consuming each day. Muhammad (pbuh) told his followers that the man who was making an honest living and supporting the ‘monk’ was greater in reward in the eyes of Allah.

The Law

Islam, like Judaism, is a structured set of laws and commandments. The basis of Islam is the five pillars mentioned previously. Anyone who dies observing the five pillars will enter heaven. Anyone who does not may enter Hell (there are exceptions). However, there are many subtle levels both above and below these. These levels are governed by the law.

Islam teaches us that Muslims will be rewarded in proportion to their good deeds, their restraint from evil deeds, and their faith. In this manner we will have people who will enter different levels of heaven, as well as different levels of hell, in direct proportion to their faith and deeds.

We learn about the laws of Islam from the Qur’an and the Sunnah. The Qur’an is the Holy book of Islam which contains the words of Allah Almighty and the broad guidelines of Islam. The Sunnah, is the traditions of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) which included both his words and his actions.

The Sunnah usually provides the details for those laws which are drawn out in broad outlines in the Qur’an. Each one of these two sources has a dedicated and very complex science associated with it.

“And We have sent down unto you (O Muhammad) the Reminder (one of the names of the Qur’an), that you may clarify to mankind that which was sent down to them” The noble Qur’an, Al-Nahil(16):44

Al-Bukhari narrated upon the authority of Abu Hurairah, that he said: Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said:

“Allah said: ‘I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave draws nearer to Me is that which I have ordained upon him. My slave continues to draw closer to Me through performing ‘Nawafil’ (supplementary worship) till I love him.

So I become the sense of hearing with which he hears, and the sense of sight with which he sees, and the hand with which he grips, and the leg with which he walks. And if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks my protection, I will protect him’”

The Way of Life

Islam is not the same as some other religions from the point of view that it is not confined to a certain place of worship or a certain act, or acts, of worship. Islam teaches it’s followers that every single aspect of their life, from eating, to drinking, to sleeping, and everything in-between can be done in one of two ways: Either a way that pleases God, or one that displeases Him.

Islam is also a social, economic, and political way of life. Every single aspect of human existence is governed by the law of Islam. A Muslim is commanded to respect his elders and to show humility and respect to his parents. He is also commanded to show kindness and mercy to those who are younger or weaker than himself as well as all of God’s beasts.

A Muslim is commanded to have nothing whatsoever to do with usury, gambling, or alcohol. A Muslim, however, is not passive and weak. He is commanded that if he sees the laws of God being violated or an injustice being committed, he must stand up for the truth and fight to establish the law of God, defend the oppressed, and establish justice and peace.

A Just But Merciful Law

Islam, as mentioned above, involves a structured set of laws and acts of worship. Some are more strict and rigid than others. For instance, there can be no excuse whatsoever for worshipping any entity other than Allah alone. Here there is no room for compromise. On the other hand, Islam is designed to also be flexible and lenient.

For instance, if a Muslim is sick and can not fast during the month of Ramadhan without incurring bodily harm to himself, then even though this is one of the five pillars of Islam , he is not mandated to fast. In fact he is encouraged not to fast. The law allows for leniency in this, and most other cases.

Muslims are taught that each good deed is multiplied by Allah Almighty till it becomes the equivalent of anywhere from ten up to seven hundred similar good deeds (sometimes more). An evil deed, however, is either counted as a single evil deed or is forgiven by Allah.

A Muslim is further taught that as long as there is life there is hope. So long as death has not yet overcome him, he can still repent from his evil deeds and, if his intentions are sincere, Allah is willing to forgive all of his past evil deeds no matter if they exceed the drops of water in the ocean.

Islam teaches Muslims that God holds them responsible for their INTENTIONS and not necessarily for their DEEDS. This is revealed by the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the following saying which was narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab in Sahih Al-Bukhari:

“The Prophet (pbuh) said, “O people! The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions, and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So, whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration was for Allah and His Messenger, and whoever emigrated to achieve a worldly benefit or for a woman to marry, then his emigration was for that which he emigrated for”.

“The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better” The noble Qur’an, Fussilat(41):34

“Verily! Allah does not forgive that a partner should be ascribed unto Him. He forgives (all) save that to whom He will. Whoso ascribes partners to Allah, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.” The noble Qur’an, Al-Nissa(4):48.

“Whatever of misfortune strikes you, it is what your right hands have earned. And He forgives much.” The noble Qur’an, Al-Shurah(42):30

“And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins. Who forgives sins save Allah only? and they do not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did. The reward of such will be forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever, a bountiful reward for workers!” The noble Qur’an, A’al-Umran(3):135-136.

“He knows the treachery of the eyes, and that which the chests do hide.” The noble Qur’an, Ghafir(40):19.

“He is the One that accepts repentance from His Servants and forgives sins: and He knows all that you do.” The noble Qur’an, Al-Shurah(42):25.

“The likeness of those who spend their wealth in Allah’s way is as the likeness of a grain which grows seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He will. Allah is All Embracing, All Knowing.” The noble Qur’an, al-Bakarah(2):261

“Say: My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, Who forgives all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Turn unto Him repentant, and surrender unto Him, before there comes unto you the doom, when you cannot be helped. And follow the better (guidance) of that which is revealed unto you from your Lord, before the doom comes on you suddenly when you know not, Lest any soul should say Alas, my grief that I was unmindful of Allah, and I was indeed among the scoffers! Or should say: if Allah had but guided me I should have been among the dutiful! Or should say, when it sees the doom: Oh, that I had but a second chance that I might be among the righteous! (But now the answer will be): Nay, for My revelations came unto you, but you denied them and were scornful and were among the disbelievers.” The noble Qur’an, Al-Zumar(39):53-59.

Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s messenger (pbuh) said

“When Allah completed the creation, He wrote in His Book which is with Him on His throne: Verily, ‘My Mercy has overcome my Anger’.” Narrated in Sahih Al-Bukhari.

Abu Hurairah furhter narrated : I heard Allah’s messenger (pbuh) saying:

“Allah has divided His Mercy into one hundred parts, and He kept ninety nine parts with Him and sent down one part on the earth, and because of that one single part, His creatures are merciful to each other, so that even the mare lifts up it’s hoof away from it’s baby animal, lest it should trample it.” Narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari.

Names of God

The people of Christianity have been taught to refer to their deity as “God.” If you were to ask one of them: “What is your god’s name?,” they would respond “God!” (there are some exceptions). They object to Muslims worshipping “Allah,” and usually picture “Allah” as some pagan god. Some of them will even go so far as to curse “Allah,” not realizing that they are cursing “God.”

Now the question becomes: where did the name “God” come from? Did Jesus (pbuh) ever say “God”? Did Moses (pbuh) ever say “God”? No! The Jews and Arabs are both Semitic tribes which descended from one father, Abraham (pbuh). Their languages are quite similar.

The Old Testament tells us that Moses (pbuh) referred to God as “El” or “Elohiym.” Jesus (pbuh) too, referred to God using a similar construct. Jesus (pbuh) spoke Aramaic, however, the ancient copies of the Gospel available to us today are mostly written in Greek.

Very little of Jesus’ actual words have been preserved to this day. However, we do know from Mark 15:34 that Jesus (pbuh) referred to God as “Eloi.” “Eloi” is an Aramaic word which means “My God.” It is pronounced as {el-o-ee’}. The Arabs would say the same word as “Elahi,” pronounced {el-ah-ee’}. So Muslims refer to God with virtually the exact same word Jesus (pbuh) used.

Muslims are taught that Allah Almighty has more than one hundred names, the most well known among them being “Allah.” These names are to be found in many places throughout the Qur’an. They embody the major characteristics of Allah Almighty such as “The Gracious,” “The Merciful,” “The Majestic,” “The Supreme”…etc.. These names are usually considered adjectives, unless they are applied to Allah Himself, in which case they are treated as proper nouns. For instance:

“Allah’s are the fairest names. Invoke Him by them. And leave the company of those who blaspheme His names. They will be requited what they do.” The noble Qur’an, Al-Aaraf(7):180.

“Say (unto mankind): Supplicate unto Allah, or supplicate unto the ‘Rahman’ (Compassionate/Merciful/Gracious), unto whichever you supplicate (it is the same). His are the most beautiful names.” The noble Qur’an, al-Isra(17):110.

“Allah! There is no god save Him. His are the most beautiful names.” The noble Qur’an, Taha(20):8.

“Not equal are the Companions of the Fire and the Companions of the Garden: The companions of the Garden, they are the triumphant. Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain verily you would have seen it humble, rent asunder for fear of Allah. Such are the similitudes which We propound to humanity that they may reflect. He is Allah, other than whom there is no other god, He is the ‘Knower’ of (all things) both the unseen and the seen; He is the ‘Gracious’ the ‘Merciful’. He is Allah, other than whom there is no god, the ‘Sovereign’ the ‘Holy One’ the (source of) ‘Peace,’ the ‘Guardian of Faith’ the ‘Overseer,’ the ‘Majestic,’ the ‘Irresistible,’ the ‘Supreme’: Glory be to Allah! (highly exalted is He) above the partners they attribute to Him. He is Allah the ‘Creator,’ the ‘Innovator,’ the ‘Fashioner’. His are the Most Beautiful Names: Whatever is in the heavens and on earth do glorify Him: and He is the ‘Mighty’ the ‘Wise’.” The noble Qur’an, al-Hashir (59):20-24.

To learn more about the teachings of Islam, please read

• “Towards Understanding Islam,” by Abul A`la Mawdudi

• “Concept of Islam,” by Mahmoud Abu-Saud

• “Islam: Basic Principles and Characteristics,” by Khurshid Ahmad.

• “Islam: An overview,” by Muhammad Ibrahim H.I. Surti

THE ANSWER
Allah says:
Vision comprehends Him not, and He comprehends all vision; and He is the Knower of Subtleties, the Aware. (6:103)
He, the Almighty, also says-addressing the Prophet Moses (a):
You will not see Me. (7:143)
Az-Zamakhshary says in his book al-Inmuzage (TheExample):
((LAN -Will not means never; so the verse proves that Allah cannot be seen at all.))
He, the Almighty, also says:
And those who do not hope for Our meeting say: Why have not angels been sent down upon us, or (why) do we not see our Lord? Now certainly they are too proud of themselves and have revolted in great revolt. On the day when they shall see the angels, there shall be no joy on that day for the guilty, and they shall say, “It is a forbidden thing totally prohibited.” (25:21-22)
The Qur’anic verses informs about three things:
1) Meeting Allah is definite and inevitable although the arrogant ones do not want such.
2) Those who deny meeting Allah, say, “Why have not the angels been sent down upon us, or why do we not see our Lord?’
3) Seeing the angels on the Day of Resurrection is possible.
The verses showed that those who did not believe in Allah said, “Can we see our Lord?” So, Allah answered that they can see the angels on the Day of Resurrection. If seeing Allah had been possible, Allah would have granted them such. What will happen on that day is meeting Allah without seeing Him. There are only four Prophetic traditions in the books of the Sunnis apparently proving that Allah will be seen on the Day of Resurrection. These are traditions narrated by Jarir, Abu Hurayra, Ibn Razin, and Suhayb.
These four traditions, besides the weakness of their series of narrators, have been attested to only once (Aahaad) and are not beneficial in arriving at certainty; therefore, we cannot depend upon them as beliefs. There must be definite evidence. Allah says:
And pursue not that of which you have no knowledge; surely, the hearing and the sight and the heart, all of these, shall be questioned about that. (17:36)
It has been definitively proven that seeing Allah is impossible. Rational and traditional proofs have stood up against the corporeality of Allah and honored Him against such. To meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection means to perceive Him without any means, including the means of sight. A blind man can meet some physical object without seeing it. After that, there are many proofs showing that Allah is not a physical object, because a physical object is limited in place and time.
We have said in our book titled Jami’ Baraahin Usul ul-I’tiqadaat (A Collection of Proofs-The Principles of Beliefs) pp. 64-67, that it is impossible for the Necessary Being to be a physical object. We had mentioned many proofs concerning them. Here are some of them:
The First Proof:
A physical object has three dimensions: width, length and depth. It is a combination of parts, and a combination is in need of its parts. That which is in need of its parts in order to exist is not a Necessary Being.
The Second Proof:
A physical object is finite and is constantly facing the threat of annihilation from all sides, while the Necessary Being cannot be annihilated at all, and this has been proven in many ways. The following are some of them:
If a physical object has infinite dimensions, we can suppose that there is a point in it from which two lines emanate thus forming an angle, these two lines extending along the expanse of the physical object. If the physical object is infinite, then the two lines will extend to infinity. Because the amount of the separation between the two lines of the angle is the same as the rate of the extension of the two lines, and because the two lines are infinite, the separation between them must also be infinite. This contradicts its being limited between two lines.
Let us suppose that there is a line extended to infinity (line A) and beside it, there is a sphere rotating around its line of axis. One of its poles lies above the infinite line and the other is under it. Before beginning its rotation, let us suppose that there is a line (line B) from the sphere perpendicular to the axis and parallel to the infinite line, extending along with it to infinity. Thus, if the sphere rotates towards the infinite line, the line coming from the sphere (line B) will intersect with the infinite line (line A) point by point. The first point at which the two lines intersect would be the point on the two lines where no intersection had occurred before between them. Hence, it is proved that the first point of intersection is the last point of the two lines. So, the two lines are finite and cannot be infinite.

PROOF OF APPLICATION:
Let us suppose six lines emanating from a point inside the physical object in six directions, extending along with the expanse of the physical object. Then we cut off a section from each line from the side towards the point. Afterwards we apply the section to the point from which the line itself begins before sectioning. It would either extend to infinity, its increase being the same as its decrease and this is impossible, or it would become less by the same amount as the section cut off, and thus it would be finite. The increase in the line itself should be as much as the section only and no more. Thus the finitude of the dimensions of every physical object is proved. The proof can be determined without hypothetical application. If the rest of the line, after cutting off a section is equal to the original line before sectioning, then the part must be equal to the whole. This is impossible. If it is less, it must be finite. Thus the original line, because of its increase, only does so by the amount of the section alone.
The Third Proof:
Every physical object is originated; therefore, it is impossible for the Necessary Being to be a physical object.
This will be made clear by elucidating the following points:
1. It is self evident that a physical object connot be separated from being in motion or at rest. There is no doubt that a physical object is either at rest in one place or it is in motion from one place to another.
2. Movement means to be in one place at one moment and to be in another place at the next moment. Being at rest means to be in a particular place at one moment and to be in the same place at the next moment. Thus, every physical object has two cases: to be in one place in the first moment and, in the second moment, to be in the same place or in another place.
3. Being in one location at one moment and in the same location or another location at the next moment are two existential states different from each other, it is possible if one of them occurs the other will not.
4. Every physical object has a special existence and a particularity by which it is distinguished from other physical objects. This particularity is being at a certain time in a certain place. And since the source of all particularity is existence and the particularity of a physical object is by means of its very essence, then all its essential concomitants and particularities have the existence of the physical object as their source. Thus the change of being in a certain place at a certain time necessitates a change of the existence of that physical object.
5. Being is existence. Thus a change in being is a change of existence. A physical object always changes. At every moment its existence is different from its existence prior to that moment. Movement and change are in its very existence and not in anything external to its existence. Movement is in the essence and substance of the physical object itself. This proves that every physical object has substantial motion.
6. Becoming non-existent and becoming existent is the reality of movement i.e. becoming non-existent at one moment and existent the next moment. Moment by moment, all physical objects become existent and then non-existent, and every existence is preceded by its non-existence and succeeded by its non-existence.
Indeed, if we consider the quiddity of a physical object, movement and being at rest are not included in its quiddity, rather they are external and accidental to it. However, the existence of the physical object and its being is not different to its existence and being in the first moment. Thus it becomes evident that the physical object does not have two existences at the same moment, one of the two being its existence and the second being its existence at that moment. Rather it has but only one single existence. Thus the change in the second moment is the non-existentiating of its existence in the first moment and the existentiating of another existence…and so on in successive moments. This is not inconsistent with the existences of the physical object having a (common) connected form at all successive moments and in terms of this common form, considered to be one physical object. The connected form of movement in the same way requires the designation of a single motion to this connected form from its beginning to its end.
You may say that the Category, when, is one of the nine accidental categories which have two sides, one of which is time, and time is abstracted from the movement of the heavens.
My answer is that time, which is nights, days and their parts, is an abstraction from the movement of the heavens which contains the sun, or from the positional movement of the earth and its revolution around its axis as had been discovered in the last few centuries. However, substantial motion and the essentiality of the physical object have been established through the already mentioned proof. Therefore the relationship of the moments- from which time is composed-, to it (substantial motion) and to the movement of the heavens is the same, whether the heavenly movement is spatial or not.
7. A physical object is always originated, its origination being renewed at every moment, and that which is originated at every moment is not the same as that which had originated prior to it.
8. It has been established that it is impossible for a physical object to be the Necessary Being, and it is not necessary for Him, the Most High to be a physical object because nonexistence is impossible for Him. And how could non-existence be possible for Him whilst the existence of all that exists is from Him. He is the Creator of all beings, immaterial and physical, earthly and heavenly, of all places and all times, of those things that stand still and those that move, of all states and of all moments.

CONSTRAINT AND FREE WILL
Some people find a problem with the Shias in that they believe neither in constraint nor in free will but that they adopt an interpretation in between and that they refute the Ash’arite concept of constraint.

THE ANSWER
The Ash’arites from among the Sunnis, believed in constraint and the Mu’tazilites, also Sunni, believed in free will. The Shias, following their Imams (a), adopted an intermediary position between the two. First of all, we will try to refute constraint and free will by resorting to Qur’anic verses, then we will investigate those traditions that have come from our Imams (a) negating the two of them and establishing the intermediary position between the two.

QUR’ANIC VERSES THAT REJECT CONSTRAINT
The First Kind:
The verses that attribute good and bad deeds to the person himself such as the following Suras; al-Isra’ 15, Yunus 108, and az-Zumar 41: Whoever goes aright, for his own soul does he go aright, and whoever goes astray, to its detriment only does he go astray.
Say if I err, I err only against my own soul. (34:40).
There are a great number of verses in a similar vein.

The Second Kind:
There are verses that hold the Divine Precinct of Lordship (i.e as Provider and Guide) to be above injustice. For example when Allah says, “Surely Allah does not do injustice to the weight of an atom.” (4:40). There are forty such verses.

The Third Kind:
There are some verses showing that Allah tests His servants whether they choose faith and obedience or choose disbelief and disobedience. Allah says, “Who created death and life that He may try you, which of you is best in deeds.” (67:2)
There are nearly sixty-seven verses having this meaning.

The Fourth Kind:
There are some verses calling people to faith, guidance, supplication, piety and the like, and that Allah, no doubt, likes people to do these things. He says: “… so that they should believe in the meeting of their Lord.” (6:154)
“… that you may warn a people, to whom no warner has come before you, that they may follow the right direction.” (32:3)
“…and that they may warn their people when they come back to them that they may be cautious.” (9:122)
“…then We seized them with distress and affliction in order that they might humble themselves.” (6:42)
“Thus does Allah make clear His communications for men that they may guard against evil.”(2:187)
There are seventy-nine verses conveying such a meaning.
The Fifth Kind:
There are some verses showing that Allah’s reward and punishment are a requital of what people have earned out of their deeds. Allah says, “…then every soul shall be paid back in full what it has earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.” (2:281) (3:161)
“….that every soul may be rewarded for what it has earned and they shall not be wronged.” (45:22)
“Every soul is held in pledge for what it earns.” (74:38)
“And whoever commits a sin, he only commits it against his own soul.” (4:111)
“Thus, it is that their recompense is Hell, because they disbelieved and held My communications and My apostles in mockery.” (18:106)
“And for those who disbelieved in their Lord is the punishment of Hell, and evil is the resort.” (67:6)
“But as to those who are careful of (their duty to) their Lord, they shall have gardens beneath which rivers flow.” (3:198)
“Their reward with their Lord is gardens of perpetuity beneath which rivers flow.” (98:8)
There are many other verses with such a meaning in the Holy Qur’an.
The Sixth Kind:
There are verses that censure and rebuke the disbelievers and the corrupt, and this would not be correct unless they possessed freedom of choice in their actions. Allah says, “How do you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life.” (2:28)
“But how do you disbelieve while it is you to whom the communications of Allah are recited, and among you is His Apostle.” (3:101)
“How, then, will you guard yourselves, if you disbelieve, on the Day which makes children gray-headed.” (73:17)
“Why do you disbelieve in the communications of Allah, and Allah is a witness of what you do.” (3:98)
“Will they still believe in the falsehood and disbelieve in the favor of Allah?” (29:67)
“Were not My communications recited to you but you used to reject them?” (23:105)
The Seventh Kind:
There are some verses showing that people themselves are responsible for disbelief and belief, obedience and disobedience. Allah says,
“And Musa said ‘If you are ungrateful, you and those on Earth all together, most surely, Allah is Self-Sufficient, Praised.” (14:8)
“…and whoever disbelieves in the communications of Allah then surely Allah is quick in reckoning.” (3:19)
“Shall We treat those who believe and do good like the mischief-makers in the earth?” (38:28)
“And he who obeys Allah and His Apostle, and fears Allah, and is careful of (his duty to Him), such are those that will achieve.” (24:52)
“…this was because they disobeyed and used to exceed the limit.” (5:78)
We have mentioned these verses only as examples. Those verses that ascribe actions to the servant are indeed much more than these.
The Eighth Kind:
There are verses showing that Allah gives people the option to choose between belief and disbelief, obedience and disobedience. Allah says:
“…so let him who pleases believe, and let him who pleases disbelieve.” (18:29)
The Ninth Kind:
There are verses urging the doing of good before opportunities pass by. Allah says, “And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord.” (3:133)
The Tenth Kind:
There are some verses showing that people should ask for help from Allah. Allah says, “Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.” (1:5)
This means that man is the performer of his deeds and Allah assists him in his good actions.
The Eleventh Kind:
There are some verses that include asking Allah for forgiveness. Allah says, “Our Lord! We have been unjust to ourselves, and if Thou forgive us not, and have (not) mercy on us, we shall certainly be of the losers.” (7:23)
The Twelfth Kind:
There are some verses which indicate that the confession of the disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection shows that they themselves were responsible for disbelief and disobedience. Allah says, “They said: we were not of those who prayed, and we used not to feed the poor, and we used to enter into discourse with those who entered into vain discourses.” (74:43-45)
The Thirteenth Kind:
There are verses showing that the disbelievers, on the Day of Resurrection, would wish that they could come back to the life of the world to be pious. Allah says, “…send me back my Lord, in order that I do good.” (23: 99-100)

VERSES THAT REFUTE FREE WILL
Some verses ascribe creational guidance to Allah the Almighty. There is seventy-eight such verses. Allah says, “These are they whom Allah has guided; therefore, follow their guidance.” (6:90)
Such verses show that the source of guidance is Allah, praise be to Him, but there are others showing that man has freedom of choice included in his guidance. Allah says, “… so let him who pleases believe, and let him who pleases disbelieve.” (18:29)
“Whoever disbelieves, he shall be responsible for his disbelief, and whoever does good, they prepare (good) for their own souls.” (30:44)
Allah’s being the source of guidance means that He has given man the ability of perception, made the way of guidance and knowledge easy for him, and protected him against the delusions of the devils among jinn and humankind. Were it not for this, man would be a disbeliever and disobedient. Thus, Allah is worthier of man’s good deeds than man himself.
Man’s deviation has originated from the negative application of his free will. Even with the delusions of the Devil and many things else, he still has a free will. Allah has given him the ability of belief and disbelief and the ability of perception, and has made the signs and evidence of guidance and Divine Unity at his disposal and plain for him to see. Allah therefore, does not cause man’s deviation, although He, the Almighty, has irresistable power over His servant. Allah says, “If He pleased, He would guide all of Mankind.” Allah can force Mankind to accept guidance willingly or unwillingly, but since He has made the way and the means to guidance easy, and has made Man free to choose between guidance and deviation, He has given man a great favor. If he choses deviation and rejects guidance, then he would stand accused.
An example of the aforementioned idea is that of an individual who gave a poor man some money to buy bread, but the latter bought some poison instead, drank it and killed himself. The giver is not to be blamed, for he bestowed a favor upon him in order that he spend the money in his benefit and not for his destruction.
Some Qur’anic verses show that none except Allah possesses power and capability, praise be to Him. He says, “There is no power save in Allah.” (18:39) There is no contradiction at all between this meaning and man’s freedom of choice and power to do whatever he likes, because in the face of the Divine power and Lordship he is completely impotent, having no authority over good or bad for himself. Taking into consideration that Allah has given man power and ability, man’s very power is a manifestation of Allah’s power, thus eliminating the inconsistency between the establishment of power in man and the meaning of His words when The Most High says, “There is no power save in Allah.” A very large number of verses attest to this meaning. Allah says, ” … so let him who pleases believe, and let him who pleases disbelieve.” (18:29)
“Whoever disbelieves, he shall be responsible for his disbelief, and whoever does good, prepare (good) for their own souls. (30:44)
“… and whoever is grateful, he is grateful only for his own soul, and whoever is ungrateful, then surely my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Honored.” (27:40)
Some verses show that benefit and harm are in the hands of Allah exclusively. Allah says, “Say: I do not control any benefit or harm for my own soul except as Allah pleases.” (7:188)
“… so let him who pleases believe, and let him who pleases disbelieve.” (18:29)
“… and had your Lord pleased they would not have done it.” (6:112)
“… and if Allah had pleased, they would not have done it.” (6:137)
From these verses, we notice that Allah has given man the ability to believe if he wants, or to disbelieve if he wants. If Allah wants to prevent man from that freedom of choice, He will deprive him of ability and make him unable to do what he wants. Later on, we will prove that this is one aspect of the Shias’ concept of intermediacy.

SHIAS’ INTERPRETATION OF THE CONCEPTION OF INTERMEDIACY
Despite their variety, the two groups of Qur’anic verses mentioned above show that man’s actions have two aspects. One aspect concerns man himself, in that he has the option and the will to do whatever he wants. This is clear from the many Qur’anic verses that show that man is responsible for his deeds. The other aspect concerns Allah. The verses that ascribe guidance and deviation to Allah are numerous and clear, however, the manner in which these two aspects relate to each other, as has been gathered from the Qur’anic text, is based upon one of three opinions:
First: Man’s existence, and all his actions, whether from his body or his soul, has its source in the Creator, Exalted and Elevated is His Might. He has given man the ability to do good or bad and to choose the good that takes him to the elevated stations of the Highest Ones whose ranks cannot be attained without freedom of will.
Thus, if man is the cause of his actions, and Allah is the cause of man’s existence, his abilities, and his will to do or not to do, then Allah is a remote cause of man’s actions.
Second: The power of the Maker encompasses the actions of man. Thus If He wants to prevent man from choosing certain actions or to let him act in other ways He can, He says, “If He pleased, He would guide you all.” (6:149)
Allah has created people to try them. He (Elevated is His Might) says, “Who created death and life that He may try you, which of you is best in deeds.” (67:2) Thus He does not prevent them from exercising their choice in thinking and belief, rather, He has placed it within the sphere of their will. He says, “… so let him who pleases believe, and let him who pleases disbelieve.” (18:29)
In short, the actions of man are related to Allah in so far as there is no prevention or opposition to what man chooses to do.
Third: Lusts and instincts that mislead and delude man are from Allah (Exalted is He). Allah has given man the ability to do good or bad deeds so as to try him in this worldly life.
Since lusts and instincts are from Allah, deviating is from Allah, despite the fact that man goes astray willingly and of his own free volition. What Allah says about the idols in the story of Prophet Ibrahim (a) confirms this although Allah does not want people to deviate. He (Exalted is He) says, “My Lord! Surely, they have led many men astray.” (14:36) The people deviated on their own. The idols were just sculptures having no sense and they could not lead people astray, for they had no will.
In summary, the conditions for the actions of man are a part of the sufficient cause of his actions, which is from Allah (Exalted is He).
Another proof confirming the Shia concept of intermediacy between constraint and free will is when Allah says, “… and you did not smite when you smote (the enemy), but it was Allah Who smote.” (8:17)
This verse clearly ascribes the smiting to man himself for Allah says, “when you smote,” at the same time it includes the opposite for Allah also says “and you did not smite” this negates the ascription of the act to man thus proving the concept of intermediacy